How the new kid in the block performs
Looks and Features
First of all, I have to admit it is a good looking motorcycle. And as we are talking about looks it is retro and appealing. It has Round headlamp, clear lens indicators, round twin-pod instrument cluster, fuel tank with rubber padding, spoke wheels and of-course work of chrome. It looks pleasing to the eyes with the contrasting black engine and exhaust. Twin pod instrument cluster is easy to read and I love those sweeping needles. But for a modern bit, it has two digital displays as well. One in the speedometer shows Trip and Odometer. And another one vertically staked between the two round pods shows the fuel level and a Gear Position indicator (Woooow). Yes, it’s a wow feature in this segment and class.
Ergonomics
In a simple word, they are sorted. 780mm Seat height, wide and nice handlebar, good knee recesses and neutral seating posture. But the pillion seat size could have been better.
Let’s Ride
Front-wheel is 19 inches and the rear one is 18 wearing 100/90 and 130/80 section rubbers respectively (Not tubeless) by TVS. The bigger front wheel helps in tackling bad roads or no roads easily. It has 165mm ground clearance which is decent not the best for rocky terrain you want to go on this bike On the chassis front it has a double-cradle frame and sports regular telescopic front forks and twin gas-charged shocks at the back. It has an all-new 374cc air-cooled mill that churns out 21 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 29 nm of torque @4500 rpm and paired with a smooth-shifting 5-speed gearbox. It is a rev-happy engine… Surprising. But it is weak in the low end and a very good mid-range and another surprise of a good top end. The engine power delivery is linear and it’s a boon to drive in the city. On the highway, it feels good. Between 80 to 100, there are no vibrations which bother you. Suspensions are soft but not overly so. They handle everything you can throw on it. And the handling is one of the best in this modern classic range. But it is a heavy bike with Kerb weight of 205 Kg. But on the move, you don’t feel it and it’s positive. It has a long wheelbase of 1440 mm which give it a very reassuring stability in the corners and those TVS Remora do the job well. Talking about braking it has 300 mm single disc at the front and 240 mm rear disk and dual-channel ABS as standard. And the levers are adjustable. The brakes are decently well. An enthusiast might find them a bit lacking in bite but for a normal rider, it would be fine. But there is a problem. The ABS. It is too sensitive and engages too early.
Price and Warranty
The pricing of Imperiale is 1.69 Lakh ex-showroom India. And it makes a lot of sense at this price. It comes with 3 years unlimited KM warranty.
Should you buy one
This bike has almost everything to like about. But the main problem is not with the bike with the brand. Benelli India has only 26 Showrooms across the nation and finding one is a bit of task. But if your city has a Benelli showroom go and check one out. And the answer to the question is. Yes, this is a motorcycle you should buy in this segment.
Two Wheel Storm 