Budget Superbikes: Benelli TNT 600i vs Kawasaki ER-6n

A middleweight performance motorcycle is considered as a perfect package for a beginner in the superbike category. Two of such wonderful naked sport machines available in India are Benelli TNT 600i and Kawasaki ER-6n, both of which costs under Rs. 6 lac. The prior one came in the market in March 2015, while the latter one was launched in October 2014. So, let’s checkout that which one of the two has more potential to dominate the segment.

Design and Appearance: Both the motorcycles feature and aggressive styling with street fighter characteristics.



Benelli TNT 600i has been built on a semi-trellis type frame made with tubular steel, while the rest of the frame has been cast with aluminium. The styling of the Italian motorcycle has been kept simple while giving some exciting highlights like tank shrouds, bold headlamp and dual under-seat exhaust.



Assembled on a perimeter frame, Kawasaki ER-6n follows the predator approach like the company’s ‘Z’ series. The bike features a very masculine fuel tank along with a low-set headlight and front fork covers, which gives it a distinctly muscled appearance from the front.

Engine and Performance:

Powering the Benelli TNT 600i is a very advanced 600cc, 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, which has been coupled with an electronic fuel injection system to provide a supersport like performance. The high revving motor makes power up to 83.9bhp at 11,500rpm and torque up to 54.6Nm at 10,500rpm.



On the other hand, the 649cc, 2-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine of Kawasaki ER-6n has been tuned to deliver a better low and mid range performance for touring and street riding. Using an electronic fuel injection system, it delivers up to 71.07bhp of power at 8,500rpm and produces torque up to 64Nm at just 7,000rpm.

Chassis and Equipment: Although, both of the motorcycles belong to the same category, they have lots of differences in the equipment.

The 17” alloys of Benelli TNT 600i gets 120/70 section front and 180/55 section rear tyres. The front wheel of the bike sports dual 320mm disc brakes while the rear gets a 260mm disc brake. Suspension set-up of the bike is also much advanced and comprises of fat 50mm upside-down telescopic forks at the front and an adjustable offset laydown shock at the rear.



Kawasaki ER-6n also features 17” alloys with 120/70 section tyre up-front but gets a skinnier 160/60 section tyre at the rear. The braking system of the bike is almost similar, however, the front discs are 20mm and rear disc is 40mm shorter in diameter. It has a similar offset laydown hydraulic shock absorber at the rear while leaner 41mm telescopic forks up front.

Price and Verdict: The Italian Benelli TNT 600i has been priced at Rs. 5.24 lac (ex-showroom, Delhi), while the Japanese Kawasaki ER-6n comes with a price tag of Rs. 4.96 lac (ex-showroom). So, the Benelli bike is around Rs. 28,000 expensive, but features more premium front suspension, wider rear tyre, bigger disc brakes and most importantly a more advanced 4-cylinder engine, which makes it a better option according to the value for money. However, the ER-6n has a more aggressive styling that can be a big reason to choose the Kawasaki.