The Benelli Imperiale 400 is the Italian motorcycle brand's most affordable offering in India. At Rs. 1.69 lakh (ex-showroom, India), the Imperiale 400 marks Benelli's entry into a segment which is dominated by Royal Enfield. The RE Classic 350 is not only the foremost rival to the Imperiale 400, but is also the segment leader, and is easily Royal Enfield's single largest selling model. Now, that same segment has a new entry, a beautiful neo retro in the Jawa which was launched last year, and has immediately captured nostalgia and a solid fan base, despite not too many bikes being seen on the roads. The Jawa commands a long waiting period, primarily owing to production and capacity delays, but it certainly has arrived in the entry-level modern classic motorcycle segment.
The Benelli Imperiale 400 impresses with its 1950s styling and superior build quality.The Benelli Imperiale 400 is powered by 399 cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled engine with electronic fuel injection. The motor belts out 20 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 29 Nm of peak torque at 4,500 rpm. Power is transmitted via a five-speed gearbox. Upfront, you get 41 mm telescopic forks and preload adjustable dual shock absorbers at the rear. Braking is handled by a 300 mm disc upfront with a two-piston floating caliper and a 240 mm disc with a single-piston caliper at the rear, with standard dual-channel ABS.
The RE 350 Classic is the best selling model for the brand and has the reassurance of a better dealership and service network.The Royal Enfield 350 Classic is priced at Rs. 1.54 lakh (ex-showroom) in Delhi. It is powered by a marginally smaller, 346 cc single-cylinder engine which puts out near similar output figures - 19.8 bhp at 5,250 rpm and 28 Nm at 4000 rpm. The RE Classic 350 also gets a five-speed gearbox. Suspension duties on the RE are taken care of by 35 mm telescopic forks at the front and twin gas charged shock absorbers with five-step preload adjustability at the rear. Anchorage is handled by a 280 mm disc with twin piston calipers at the front and a 240 mm disc with a single piston caliper at the rear while dual channel ABS are available on the variants that get disc brakes on both wheels.
The Jawa has a beautiful neo retro styling but the brand needs to work on its dealership and service network expansion.The Jawa has been priced in India at Rs. 1.64 lakh and has the smallest engine of the lot, however, it is BS6 ready which gives it an edge over the rivals. It is powered by a 293 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that churns out 27 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque and is mated to a six-speed gearbox. The bike uses telescopic forks up front and gas-charged twin shock absorbers at the rear. Upfront, it gets a 280 mm disc brake with floating calipers and ABS while at the rear it gets 153 mm drum brakes as standard.
Now Jawa still needs to work on its waiting list along with dealership and service network expansion. However, it's a tough fight between the RE and Benelli as they rival really close in terms of specifications. On one hand, the Benelli Imperiale 400 impresses with its 1950s inspired styling, comparatively high revving motor and superior build quality while on the other hand the RE Classic 350 is comparatively affordable and the brand itself has a much larger reach across the length and breadth of the country with a much stronger sales and service network. Going by the prices and the network strength, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 seems to be the logically better buy at this stage. But in terms of pure product to product comparison, that can only be ascertained after a full comparison review on performance, ride and more of all three motorcycles.
