Spec Comparison: Benelli Tornado 302 vs Yamaha YZF-R3 vs Kawasaki Ninja 300

DSK-Benelli has already unveiled the upcoming Tornado 302 in India at 2016 Auto Expo and the bike is expected to be launched in the country sometime this year. It is a 300cc, fully-faired, sports tourer that will directly rival the offerings like Yamaha YZF-R3 and Kawasaki Ninja 300. So, let's do a brief spec comparison of these three motorcycles.

Styling: Styling is generally considered as a very important feature in the fully faired motorcycles and all the three motorcycles are looking quite impressive. However, there is always one best for a particular preference and that depends on the taste of a buyer. Where the Yamaha R3 and Kawasaki Ninja 300 are offering a sharp styling, Benelli has come up with a bold look in the Tornado 302.

Engine and Performance: All the three motorcycles sport a 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that displaces around 300cc. However, the each one has a different range of performance.

The 300cc mill of Benelli Tornado 302 pumps out 34.8bhp of maximum power at 12,000rpm and a peak torque of 27Nm at 9,000rpm.

Yamaha R3 sports a 321cc motor that makes up to 41.4bhp of power at  10,750rpm and its torque delivery goes up to 29.6Nm at 9,000rpm.

Powering the Ninja 300 is a 296cc engine that delivers power up to 38.4bhp at 11,000rpm and torque up to 27Nm at 10,000rpm.

Chassis and Equipment: All these three motorcycles come under the similar category, however, they have significant variations in chassis and equipment like tyres, brakes, suspension set-up and more.

Pricing and Verdict: The existing Yamaha R3 and Kawasaki Ninja 300 are available in India at Rs. 3.28 lac and Rs. 3.61 lac (both ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively. And the upcoming Benelli Tornado 302 is expected to be priced at Rs. 3.5 lac in the country. So, prices of these three motorcycles are almost similar and which of these will score more than the others will majorly depend on the specifications and performance. 

Yamaha has already scored a decent market share with the new R3 against the Ninja 300. Now, the upcoming Benelli Tornado 302 is arriving at lower performance figures and some higher spec equipment. So, we believe that the motorcycle will balance well between these features and will succeed to make a space in the Indian two-wheeler market.