VOL. 55 ISSUE 19 MAY 15, 2018 P101
Big boy, little bike. It's
criminal how much fun you
can have on the TNT.
2018 BENELLI TNT135 ($2499)
ENGINE: ......................................... Single
cylinder, 4-stroke, oil-cooled, 4 valves,
SOHC, double spark
DISPLACEMENT: .........................134.7cc
BORE X STROKE: ............54 x 58.8mm
COMPRESSION RATIO: ................... 9.8:1
POWER: ................ 11.3 hp @ 8500 rpm
TORQUE: ............... 7.4 lb-ft @ 7000 rpm
CLUTCH: ........................ Wet multi-plate
TRANSMISSION: ........................ 5-speed
CHASSIS: ..... Tubular steel trellis frame
FRONT SUSPENSION: ...Inverted 41mm fork
REAR SUSPENSION: ........... Monoshock
with preload and rebound damping
adjustment
FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ................ 4.7 in.
REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ..................4.9 in.
FRONT BRAKE: ..................220mm disc,
twin-piston caliper
REAR BRAKE: .................... 190mm disc,
single-piston caliper
FRONT TIRE: ..................... 120/70 ZR12
REAR TIRE: ........................ 130/70 ZR12
WHEELBASE: ............................... 47.8 in.
SEAT HEIGHT: .............................30.7 in.
FUEL CAPACITY: ......................... 1.9 gal.
WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED): ...255.7 lbs.
COLOR: ......................White, Red, Black
S P E C I F I C A T I O N S
Benelli hard into a corner without
getting too frazzled by it.
If there's one point that could
use some fixing, it's probably the
brakes, although this too can be
said about the Honda or the Ka-
wasaki. The Benelli's twin piston
front setup will haul you up easily
but there's not a lot of feel. Hey,
it's a $2500 bike, so you can't
expect the world.
What you can expect with the
Benelli is a genuine surprise at
just how much fun it is. The peppy
little single-cylinder motor, good
all-day comfort, good cornering
performance and great looks
great looks combine with that
lovely low price tag to make for
a genuinely cool little bike that's
great fun to ride—and isn't that why
we all ride in the first place?
I certainly had my reservations
about my ride on the TNT, but I'm
pleased to say they were totally
unfounded. The Benelli TNT is
a super cool addition to the mini
streetbike market and Honda
and Kawasaki should be worried
indeed. CN
