Whenever the Italians design a new bike or car it usually creates a stir from the public and the press. Italian design is always different and the Benelli Tornado RS certainly lives up to this tradition! I saw the Tornado previewed some years ago and read about the mixed reactions it had, so finally I managed to get hold of one for a real road and track test to see what all the fuss was about. There are a lot of top end sports bikes in the world, not just from the Japanese, but from the UK, Italy and now Germany too. So is the Benelli that different from the others, would it get noticed in a crowd? I made the trip down to Three Cross motorcycles in Dorset to collect the RS, it was a warm sunny day and there I was going by car and trailer to get it. Why can't I ever get it right, it always rains when I go to get Harleys by bike, still the forecast was good for the next week or so, maybe I would get to really try it out?
The engine response is excellent and it pulls 'turbine like' from nothing right up to the top end with smooth power delivery and tons of torque. The cassette gearbox is very slick and quickshifting through the box without the clutch is just a delight. Changing down is easy and effortless to with the adjustable slipper clutch making it smooth to change gears without actually touching the clutch lever. Blip the throttle and snick it in, nice and easy, except when you need to find neutral. There are two possibilities of finding neutral, get it as you come to a stop, or kill the engine and find it then. In talking with a couple of other owners I found out that it's a trait of this box, it's livable with, but in town it spoils it a little.
Well anyway you may like it or not, this bike leaves no one without impression. The look is so uncommun, even little childs see it as a ´have to have´ toy. If you are liek me and don´t like to have the same as everyone, just get this baby. Parked side by side with other exclusive bikes (like Agusta MV4 and even a Boxer VB1), you´re sure to get the attention on you; ah well on your bike... lol.
The same story comes when you talk about braking. Benelli have equipped the RS with Brembo Radial 320mm front brakes with 4 piston calipers which do the job with no fuss and perfect feel and progressiveness. On the road you never need more than a finger to haul you up from normal speeds, on the track add 1 more finger and you have the 'King of the late brakers'! The braided hose/Brembo radial caliper combo on the Benelli RS is another sign of the top quality kit that this bike has, a bike with near perfect braking feel and some serious stopping power when you need it the most. The Benelli Tornado RS is a pure sports bike designed for twisty roads fun. There are a few little things you will have to get used to, but in general its a fantastic bike with one sole purpose in life - to thrill! The riding position is perfect for sliding your arse off the seat and scraping your knee on the tarmac on almost any corner. The bars are just in the right place so they don't give you wrist ache over a distance, and believe me on one occasion I did over 400 miles up to Cadwell Park, rode on track all day then back home again without any aching wrists at all - mind you the seat is a bit hard after that amount of time and I did feel a little sore there!
Sitting on the fence is bound give you splinters. It’s never the most comfortable position, but sometimes it’s nigh on impossible to reach a conclusion. And I’m faced with such a dilemma when pondering the unique styling of Benelli’s TNT Café Racer. Is it bulky and bitty? Or stylishly sophisticated? I just can’t decide. Perhaps it’s both. One thing is quite clear though, this streetfighter is a pure joy to ride, whether you like the looks or not.Let’s get the styling out of the way. It looks seriously over complicated at first glance. There’s a technical and mechanical appearance to the bike, with its stocky, heavy set shoulders and shimmering Mandarin paintwork. Every where you look, a new curve or angle catches your eye, from the kinked triple exhaust pipes to the tapered rear end. It’s all so obviously, painstakingly intricate.
So I’d expected the ride to be equally fussy. The mere description of the bike, a Café Racer, conjures images of hunching over a naked bike, desperately trying to avoid the windblast and struggling to get comfortable. The Benelli’s as naked as a newborn, with absolutely no wind protection. But despite these warning signs, a little red devil appeared by my shoulder and twisted my right wrist until I eventually succumbed to the inevitable. I chased triple figures of monstrous proportions until my neck muscles stiffened with cramp and my eyes wobbled involuntarily in their sockets. And no, I’m not exaggerating and yes, it was ridiculously huge fun.
The Tornado RS is a pure sports bike designed for twisty roads fun. There are a few little things you will have to get used to, but in general its a fantastic bike with one sole purpose in life - to thrill! The riding position is perfect for sliding your arse off the seat and scraping your knee on the tarmac on almost any corner. The bars are just in the right place so they don't give you wrist ache over a distance, and believe me on one occasion I did over 400 miles up to Cadwell Park, rode on track all day then back home again without any aching wrists at all - mind you the seat is a bit hard after that amount of time and I did feel a little sore there!"
