Benelli Upping Its Emissions Game
A while back, my buddy Bill Hall reported on the new Benelli Imperiale 400 bike. Not too long after that, I followed up with a story about how the bike achieved BS6 emissions compliance. Now the motorcycle has officially been launched in India, according to BikeWale.
The motorcycle is unchanged from the last time I wrote about it. It still features a 374cc single-cylinder engine that’s fuel-injected and makes about 21 hp and 21 lb-ft of torque. That engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox. The bike’s styling has not changed either. All of the updates are in relation to the motorcycle’s exhaust system and its emissions.
One of the rumors back when I first reported that it achieved BS6 compliance was that its price would not be impacted, too much. Well, it seems Benelli now has given the bike a notable price hike.
The Imperiale 400 costs Rs 20,000 (about $266) more than the previous version of the motorcycle. That might not seem like much but Benelli’s bike was already a couple of hundred dollars more than the competitors’ bikes, and that could be the difference for many riders. I wish Benelli well, but I wonder if folks are willing to pay more for the bikes.
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