Benelli celebrates 100 years of history with a new range of products for the year 2012, currently on display at the 2011 EICMA. The most relevant model presented by the historic Italian brand (now owned by China’s Qianjiang Group) is probably the new Motard 250, developed by Benelli QJ for the worldwide market.

The model looks modern, neat and punchy, and should be fun to ride on all surfaces thanks to its 250 cc water-cooled engine delivering 25 hp and 21 Nm of peak torque. Light (132kg) and reliable, Benelli Motard 250 will hit the market in the second half of 2012. The price ahsn’t been disclosed yet, but it surely won’t be too expensive. The second new bike from Benelli is called Caffènero 250, a very versatile scooter suitable for long trips and city traffic alike. This model is pushed by a 250 cc single cylinder 4-stroke engine, water-cooled and with an output of 20.8 hp and will be available from April 2012.

More already known Benelli models (Century Racer, Cafe Racer, Tornado Naked, more scooters) are at the Milan event, check the whole lot out in our photo gallery.

View the full Benelli line-up at the 2011 EICMA photo gallery

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To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Benelli, a huge ride across Europe is being organised. The European Benelli Raid will take in about 3,000 km of the European continent in this month of August, and happens before the Benelli Week in September from the 12th to the 18th.

The Benelli European tour will visit the Benelli Museum in Rehburg Loccum, Germany, the Assen circuit in the Netherlands and Spa in Belgium, where the company can boast of many historic championship victories. The Raid will also visit various Benelli dealerships in Europe.

We’ll be bringing you pics from the Benelli Raid when it winds up, and will have more from the Benelli Headquarters Open Day on Friday, September 16 as part of the Benelli Week celebrations in Pesaro, Italy.

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A little piece that will please those die-hard Benelli fans - Kel Carruthers recently visited Benelli headquarters, after a visit to Italy’s Asimotoshow on May 17, and completed a factory visit, granting photos and autographs to the factory workers. Carruthers took a tour of the new Benelli models, and was happy to share some his stories of racing Benelli’s of the past - a glory which the company hopes to be able to return to in the future.

While most of us won’t remember Carruthers’ 1969 world championship win with the four-cylinder Benelli 250, it clearly stays with him as a distinct memory and one which proves that Benelli pedigree is there. See the pics of Carruthers touring Benelli headquarters and we’ll wait to see if they can get back to racing in the future.

Kel Carruthers visits Benelli headquarters

Continue reading: Kel Carruthers visits Benelli headquarters

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After 2010 EICMA showed off this Benelli TnT Century Racer special edition, we can only hope that 2011 will see a couple of other events or limited edition bikes to celebrate 100 years of Benelli. The three-cylinder naked Benelli TNT 1130 and 899 get a special ‘Century Racer’ kit with a new colour scheme honouring Renzo Pasolini (Italian rider known for his extreme racing style).

The kit includes Marzocchi forks, radial Brembo brakes with Braking wave discs, new ECU mapping and suspension upgrades with rear Sachs shock. The TnT gets a new café racer look with Alcantara seat, new rear tail, valve covers and other 1960’s touches. The rest of the Benelli range gets the same suspension mods with Marzocchi forks while the TreK 1130 even goes so far as to get a hydraulic clutch.

The Benelli TNT R160 gets the same Century Racer treatment including the remapping. There’s not much else that is new for the Benelli range which is disappointing seeing that they could have celebrated the 100th anniversary with something really special. There are some hardcore Benelli fans out there who will probably be celebrating next year, but in honour of times gone by and not the modern status of the brand which seems to have lost its way.

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Here’s another lovely vintage motorcycle pic of the day, showing two historic figures in Italian motorcycle racing: Renzo Pasolini and Giancarlo Cecchini. Pasolini was a genius bike rider until the infamous Monza crash, and Cecchini was equally as clever with motorcycle engines.

With computers now ruling the pit lane garages, we forget the brains that used to go into finding just the right kind of set-up for a bike. In this picture Renzo and Giancarlo are giving all their attention to the 250 Benelli’s four-stroke, four-cylinder engine. The picture was taken back in 1969.

The motorcycle debuted in 1962 in a victorious race by Silvio Grassetti at Cesenatico, and was reinvented by the great Tarquinio Provini in 1964. At the end of 1969 changes to FIM regulations meant the Benelli motorcycle could no longer race as it was. The brand still had the upper hand, though, winning with its ‘bialbero’ that first appeared in 1950 with Dario Ambrosini, with Australian rider Kel Carruthers on board.

Source | Motoblog.it

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This video from the guys at Motorcycle.com pits the Benelli TNT 1130 against the Ducati Streetfighter in a road test. After dyno testing, the bikes are said to be quite similar, though you may think it’s a bit unfair to go comparing the 2008 Benelli with the more modern, and technologically blessed, Streetfighter. The Benelli still holds its own though, and certainly seems to come off better if you want a daily ride (it’s said to be more agile), and won’t be taking advantage of the ultimate in sports performance. Check out the chatty video test for all the details.

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This gallery goes out to our reader Tonup who was lamenting the lack of aesthetic changes to the new Benelli TNT 1130 version. Here, we get a closer look with live pics from EICMA, of the new Benelli cafe racer R160, and we can decide what changes have been made.

The R160 is probably the most exclusive that a TNT can offer. There are many carbon fibre features, some coloured, including the rear Cafe Racer style tail, and other elements we can see include the fantastic carter on the right, with new dry clutch system.

The side fairing has lost its horrible plastic look, merging into the radiator air intakes and the central exhaust part. The Benelli R160 doesn’t just stand out for these modifications to its look, though. The engine and chassis also get some significant updates, that we hope will continue in the future.

Benelli Eicma 2009

Continue reading: Benelli TnT R160 live at EICMA

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While we don’t have a full gallery of the Benelli TnT 899 Cafe Racer, unless it’s presented at the EICMA show, this one pic shows the sports bike testing around the alpine passes of Italy and France. It’s a smaller and sportier version of the Benelli 1130cc model, and the tests prove that Benelli is still going ahead with the project despite financial difficulties.

The 899 project is considered a more economical and intelligent choice than the larger 1130 model. While an exciting bike, its high power and torque means it’s not necessarily accessible to all riders. The only problem will be releasing another Benelli model to dealerships still holding leftover TnT 1130 bikes at discounted prices.

The Benelli TnT 899 model could prove to be even cheaper than the 1130 as dealers try to sell off the last models of the latter. The new Benelli should keep the same design as the previous model, with the main focus being the change in engine.

Continue reading: Benelli TnT 899 Cafe Racer spy shot

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Benelli has found itself caught up in new troubles after the crisis a few years ago, when Chinese company Qiang Jiang invested to keep the company afloat. This time around Benelli is facing serious production cuts with only 1,000 of the 5,000 models planned for 2009 actually being built. Many workers are also on part-time contracts at this stage.

In March Qiang Jian invested another 26 million dollars in the Benelli brand but it appears that sales results have not been as positive as expected. The Chinese owners are now considering closing the factory or moving production to China in what would be a heartbreaking historic move for the company and motorcycle production in Italy.

Source | Hellforleather

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Here we give you a few shots of the Benelli Tre-K 899 and the Benelli BX 505, which look like old-school enduros but with some nasty modern touches, too.

The Benelli BX 505 has been built to participate in the next European Class E3 Championship, and has a 505cc twin cam engine, titanium valves and power at 44.5kw. That should be enough for some mountain track fun. The key to this bike is the chassis which is of alluminium with reinforced carbon structures.

The front fork measures 50mm and has an extension of 310mm. The rear features a Sachs mono also with a 310mm range. The brake system includes wave discs measuring 310mm at the front and 260mm at the rear, with Brembo calipers. The weight is 110kg. The photo gallery includes the Benelli BX 505, the Tre-K 899 and a few shots from the Eicma show in Milan.

Continue reading: Benelli BX 505 and Tre-K 899

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