2020 Benelli TNT 600 vs Kawasaki Z650: Image Comparison

Two mid-displacement streetfighters will soon lock horns in India, but how different are they in the flesh? Here’s a closer look in some detailed pictures

We will soon have two mid-displacement streetnakeds going toe to toe in India. The 2020 Ninja 650 is already here and its adversary, the 2020 Benelli TNT 600 (SRK 600), is expected to follow suit by mid 2021. But how different are they in the flesh? Here are a number of detailed images that’ll have you understand each bike's strengths and weaknesses. 

The 2020 Benelli TNT 600 features an all-new design which gives it a new lease of life. It even gets some segment-first features like backlit switchgear and keyless ignition as standard. The same cannot be said about the Z650 since it only comes with a new LED headlight. 

Both bikes now come equipped with a full colour TFT display, but the Z650’s console lets the user connect his/her smartphone via Kawasaki’s Rideology app. 

The TNT 600 also has a major advantage when it comes down to the powertrain as it packs two more cylinders than the Z650. The result is a power advantage of 81.5PS compared to the Z650’s 68PS. However, the TNT 600 loses out on outright torque, with only 55Nm available at your disposal, as opposed to the Z650’s 64Nm. Both bikes use a 6-speed transmission. 

Both bikes feature an underbelly exhaust. Although, you could expect the typical inline howl from the TNT 600 thanks to its four-cylinder configuration.

We believe Benelli may offer the mid-spec TNT 600, which sources its upside-down fork and monoshock from KYB, in India. The Z650, on the other hand, comes with a conventional telescopic fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock. 

Both bikes use twin discs up front and a single disc brake at the rear, with dual-channel ABS as standard. Difference is, the Z650 sources its calipers from Nissin that clamp onto petal discs while the TNT 600 gets its units from Chinese brand Xihu. 

Shorter riders will be pleased to know that the Z650 comes with a lower seat height of 790mm. The TNT 600 is 10mm taller, at 800mm.

The Z650 is also the lighter of the two, tipping the scale at 191kg. And while the 2020 TNT 600 is clearly the heavier of the two, it had managed to shed a ton of holiday weight, going from a hefty 231.kg to a lean 198kg.

Kawasaki has priced the BS6 Z650 at Rs 5.94 lakh in India. But we expect the 2020 Benelli TNT to carry a premium of around a lakh over its rival thanks to the massive updates. An ex-showroom price of around Rs 7 lakh is expected once the bike is launched in India.