The existing Benelli 600 is sold under a variety of names – BN600, BJ600, TNT600 and various other monikers in different parts of the world.
Whatever the badge, though, it’s a four-cylinder 600 that comes as a naked bike or a half-faired GT, both sharing the same part-aluminium, part-steel frame.
Now we can reveal there’s a new version on the way, and it’s a fully fledged tourer.
These (unofficial) pictures show a prototype that’s clearly very close to being ready for production.
The frame and 60kW engine are from the existing 600cc model and the fork appears to be the same homegrown 50mm upside-downer offered on the current bike. On that machine, higher-spec versions come with Marzocchi forks, which could also easily be adopted on the tourer.
Benelli also makes a 44kW LAMS version of the engine, so such a version might well be a sensible addition to the range. While 600cc is small for a tourer, the new Benelli appears to have a full complement of kit, including a built-in stereo system.
The shape is similar to the styling revealed in patents for Benelli’s forthcoming 1200cc shaft-drive tourer, with the same headlight shape and clean, modern lines. Parts such as the electrically adjustable screen actually appear to be identical to the one on the proposed 1200.
By Ben Purvis
