Benelli Imperiale 400 (Royal Enfield & Jawa 350 rival) Indian launch in H1 2019 - Report

28/12/2018 - 15:05 Benelli Imperiale, Benelli Suvil Susvirkar

Previously, the Benelli-Mahavir Group had announced plans to launch the Imperiale 400 in India before the end of next year. However, the motorcycle might be arriving sooner than planned.

Benelli Imperiale 400 press shot right side — The current engine on the Benelli Imperiale 400 is not BS-VI compliant, but the reception to the born-again Jawa could have led to the advancement of the launch.

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A report from Shifting-Gears this week reads that the Royal Enfield 350 rival will arrive in Indian shores during the first half of 2019. The blog post adds that the Imperiale 400 could come in the INR 2-3 lakh price bracket to compete against the likes of Royal Enfield 350 and Jawa motorcycles in India.

The Imperiale is powered by a 373.5 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, SOHC engine with fuel injection that comes mated to a 5-speed transmission. The engine is currently Euro-4 compliant. The motor develops 19.7 PS of peak power at 5,500 rpm and 28 Nm of maximum torque at 3,500 rpm.

The Imperiale 400 will arrive in India via the CKD route and get assembled near Hyderabad. The Benelli-Mahavir Group is also considering part localisation if the product receives positive response.

To recap, the Imperiale 400 features a classic retro design that includes a teardrop fuel tank, round headlight, wide handlebar, split seat and classic fenders. Chrome treatment to the wheels, engine, mudguards, and the rear-view mirrors further enhance the retro styling. The hardware is standard and, similar to rivals, the Imperiale 400 uses conventional telescopic forks and twin-spring shock absorbers. The front suspension has wheel travel of 110 mm along with a 65 mm wheel travel on the rear shocks.

Benelli Imperiale 400 press shot rear — The Benelli Imperiale 400 will arrive in India via the CKD route which should enable the company to price the motorcycle competitively against the Royal Enfield 350 and Jawa.

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Braking setup will comprise a 300 mm single disc with two-piston callipers at the front and a 240 mm single disc with a single-piston calliper at the back. The safety net of dual-channel ABS will come as standard.

[Source: Shifting-Gears.com]