EICMA 2023: CFMOTO 450MT – Highly engineered for the best on and off media

Two new proposals in the Diplomat A2 class come from Benelli for 2024, increasing competition in the supersport and sport nude classes, using the already well-known TRK 502 engine as a basis.

The performance of the liquid-cooled two-cylinder in-line engine with 2EEK and 4 valves per cylinder is at the upper limit of Class A2 restrictions. This brings maximum power to 47.6 hp at 8,500 rpm and 4.7 kgm of torque at 6,000 rpm. At the same time, it complies with Euro5+ specifications, with the electronic control unit coming from Bosch. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a 6-speed multi-disc clutch.

The tubular steel mesh frame is also common between the two models. One feature that we see in both models is the new trend that wants to integrate the taillight into the taillights, leaving the tail free of light bulbs.

As for the super sports model that comes to compete with Kawasaki’s new Ninja 500 and others, Benelli has opted for branded peripherals. So the 41mm inverted telescopic fork from Marzocchi, offers 115mm of travel, and is fully adjustable. At the rear we find a fully adjustable individual shock absorber with a travel of 125 mm.

Brakes are dual 320mm discs up front with Brembo four-piston radially mounted monobloc calipers. At the rear, there’s a 260mm disc with a single-piston caliper, with dual-channel ABS as standard.

The Tornado 500 has two seat height positions of 790 and 810 mm, with a minimum ground clearance of 160 mm. The declared weight is 186 kilograms, and the tank can hold 16.5 liters of gasoline, including 2.5 reserves.

In its naked sports model, the Tornado Naked Twin 500, Benelli has chosen a different route when it comes to suspension and brakes. So the 50mm inverted telescopic fork is only adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping, providing 125mm of travel. The settings are the same as for the single rear shock absorber, with travel up to 131mm.

In the braking area, we also find here two 320 mm discs with radially mounted four-piston calipers, but on them we see not the Brembo logo, but the Benelli logo. At the rear, a 260 mm disc works with a single-piston caliper, where we also see the Benelli name – instead of Brembo. ABS is also standard equipment here.

The Tornado Naked Twin 500 has a seat height of 784mm, with a minimum ground clearance of 142mm. The lower ground clearance compared to the Tornado 500 makes sense, as the exhaust here is hidden at the bottom of the bike, while the Supersport has a well-designed exhaust pipe on the right side of the bike.

A small issue on our part is the number of kilograms announced by the company, as the Tornado Naked Twin 500 is much heavier than the Tornado 500, at 195 kg. We are talking about a full difference of 9 kg between them, when the interfaces are absent and the tank is also 2.5 litres smaller, i.e. 14 litres. Either someone misplaced the weight of one bike into the specs of the other bike, or a mistake was made with one of the two models.

Both Benelli models are equipped with 17-inch aluminum wheels. The original tires are Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV in both cases, measuring 120/70-17 at the front and 160/60-17 at the rear.

Standard equipment for both models includes a 5-inch TFT color display with calling and navigation capabilities, while with controls on the left handle you can manage your incoming calls when your smartphone is connected to them. Also in standard equipment we find a TPMS tire pressure measuring system, full LED light bodies with DRL technology and two USB-C and USB-A charging ports. In the case of the Tornado Naked Twin 500, there are additional protection handles, which have indicators integrated into them, for a cleaner front end.

The new models are expected to arrive at Benelli dealers in the first quarter of 2024.