Benelli TNT 600i Facelift To Be Launched Soon With A New Name

The new-generation version of Benelli’s midddleweight naked has been spotted at the factory floor, hinting at an imminent launch

• The Benelli TNT 600i replacement features a new, more aggressive design.
• It packs a full-colour TFT instrument cluster and illuminated switchgear. 
• Final production version likely to be called the SRK600.

Back in April 2020, detailed images of the next-generation Benelli TNT 600i surfaced online. It had two distinct body styles, suggesting the possibility of two variants. The new-generation version is supposed to replace the current-gen TNT 600i. Now, new images of one of the variants at the production plant have surfaced on Chinese social media platforms, hinting at an imminent launch in China.

What’s new here is that the bike gets a properly large full-colour TFT instrument cluster, which reportedly packs an RGB lighting system that can change colours, as well as illuminated switchgear. The key slot is placed just ahead of the fuel tank as opposed to the conventional handlebar clamp-mounted positioning. The bike sports a keyless ignition system with two buttons on the key fob. The motorcycle can simply be turned on at the touch of a button. 

The upcoming bike is likely to use the same engine as the Benelli TNT 600i, albeit tuned to produce cleaner emissions. The current-generation model churns out 85.07PS and 54.6Nm, but expect the Euro 5/BS6-compliant version to have slightly different output figures. In pursuit of cleaner emissions, the bike also gets a stubby underbelly exhaust as opposed to the under seat unit on its predecessor. 

The frame and the underpinnings are also likely to be carried over from its forefather. Suspension components include an inverted front fork and a rear monoshock. The bike comes to a halt using dual front discs with radial calipers and a single disc at the rear. 

The badging is also visible and the bike is likely to be called either the Benelli SRK600 or the SR600K. That said, the moniker is likely to change depending on the market in which it is sold. Expect Benelli India to launch this motorcycle in our country by early-2021, if we’re lucky. It will go up primarily against the Kawasaki Z650 and CFMoto 650NK.