Benelli Imperiale 400

After pottering around town on the eye-catching Benelli Imperiale 400 for the past few months, I’m afraid it’s time for me to bid adieu to this flawed-yet-fun retro cruiser – it’s indeed a bitter-sweet farewell for me!

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 has arrived in the old-school retro space and today, it takes on the Benelli Imperiale 400 and Honda H'ness CB350 so that we can crown a winner in this space.

Benelli's most-affordable modern classic is now available with a BS6 compliant engine. With the update, the motorcycle has become dearer by Rs 20,000, but there's no change in its engine's power output or torque.

Benelli will be launching the Imperiale 400 BS6 in India in April 2020. The Imperiale 400 was thus far available in BS4 version in the country, and was launched in October 2019. Apart from a BS6 compliant motor, changes in the new Imperiale are expected to be minimal.

Gone are the days when the Royal Enfield Classic 350 was the sole contender in its segment. The Benelli Imperiale 400 and Jawa Forty Two are the newest to join the fray, and for the better, it seems.

NULL

The Benelli Imperiale 400 is the new retro-classic in town. The Jawa 42, on the other hand, is another classic motorcycle in the segment. So, naturally, we head over to compare these machines back to back, to see which one comes out at the top.

Previously known for only their naked motorcycles, Benelli has forayed in the retro-classic segment with the Imperiale 400. So, before further ado, let's see for how it rides, shall we?

It has the retro touches in the right places, it has an amazing build quality, and the engine is vibe-free for the most part. The Benelli Imperiale 400 is the latest entrant from the Italian brand. How does it stack up, though? Let's find out.

Benelli’s answer to the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Jawa is finally here. Say hello to the Imperiale 400. Powered by a 374cc single-cylinder motor, this one is good for 20.7bhp and 29Nm