New Superbike entrant: Benelli has introduced its new mid-weight bike, Benelli Tornado 400, in the European markets. The latest entry-level model in the 300-500 cc bike segment was unveiled at the 2023 edition of EICMA, the world's foremost two-wheeler exhibition.

The new Tornado is expected to have an official launch in Europe, with prices expected to be revealed in the first half of 2024.

Style & features

The Benelli Tornado 400 will go up against heavy-weights in this vertical of sport bikes such as KTM RC 390, Yamaha R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, and the recently-unveiled Aprilia RS457.

Visually, it is reminder of other Tornado models from Benelli’s lineup, with a lean, angular and semi-faired design, the company informed.

The vertically stacked twin-pod LED headlamp on the front apron gives the bike a mean and aggressive look, it said.

The visual focus areas of the motorbike are its upright windscreen, floating tail-section, a split-seat setup, and an upswept exhaust muffler.

The low-set clip-on handlebar and rear-set footpegs make the riding posture very committed.

The rest of the features making it a standout sporting package are the 5-inch full-colour TFT display, Bluetooth connectivity for calls and text alerts, navigation via smartphone app, tyre pressure monitoring system, and a USB charging port.

Hardware and powertrain

The Benelli Tornado 400 has a tubular steel frame, a single-sided swingarm, which is suspended on 37mm upside down front forks and a rear monoshock.

The braking duties are handled by 300mm twin discs at the front and a 240mm single disc at the rear, with floating callipers from Nissin. The dual-channel ABS makes for a standard offering.

Tornado 400 is fuelled by a 399cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor synced with a six-speed gearbox via a torque assisted, slipper clutch, allowing smoother gear changes.

This specific motor pumps out 47.6 bhp and 38 Nm of peak torque, while abiding by the European A2 licence restrictions.