They say the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, and that made us hopeful of the new Benelli in town. We absolutely fell in love with the TNT 300 when we test rode it back in 2016. It was quiet possibly the alpha male in its segment; the composed stature of the TNT 300 along with the incredible exhaust note quickly made it a front-runner in the competition.

Now, right as we set out into the year 2017, we have on our hands another offering from the Italian motorcycle manufacturers. This time however, right off the bat, we could tell that Benelli weren’t looking for composure and maturity; far from it. They have thrown caution to the wind and brought in a hooligan with the Benelli TNT135.

Acknowledging the slowly simmering popularity of smaller bikes, Benelli have launched their offering with the hopes of possibly nudging the trend of the segment to its boiling point. So let’s get right to it and see what this little firecracker has to offer.

STYLING AND FEATURES

Benelli have taken their aggressive styling cues from their bigger bikes and compressed it into the small stature of the 135, and gone further to give it a little extra oomph.

What it lacks in size, the Benelli TNT135 makes up for in style and spunk. Like its larger siblings in the Benelli lineup, it gets lightweight steel tube frames. Built around it is a sculpted body with bold cuts and edges that weren’t designed to shy away from attention. Its naked styling underscores its youthful vibes.

Up front it gets beefy 44mm upside down forks and an adjustable 50mm lateral single shock in the rear. It is fitted with fat, sticky 12-inch wheels that are stopped by 220mm 2 piston caliper drinks in the front and a 190mm single piston caliper in the rear.

The 7.2 litres fuel tank, more than enough to fulfill your commuting needs, gets a similar mold to the TNT 25 and the rear tapers into a pointed taillight. But what really takes the cake here is the dual exhaust pipes that sit laterally under the rear seat that adds onto the ruffian persona of the Benelli TNT135.

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RIDE AND HANDLING

Powering the small frame of the Benelli TNT 135 is a single cylinder 4 stroke air-cooled 135cc engine. Paired to a 5-speed transmission, the engine dishes out 12.6 BHP and 10 Nm of torque; enough to get you zipping through the urban jungle.

It’s far from a speed king, but it does have the ability to hold its own on the tarmac. It is preppy and fun to ride but you won’t be hitting the triple digits with it anytime soon. Having said that, you have to keep in mind that the TNT 135 wasn’t built for speed, it was built for excitement and a little bit of hooliganism when required; and it does a great job of that. It rides on grippy 12-inch 120/70 front and 130/70 rear tyres that comfortably allow the rider to slalom through traffic.

And although it might not have the biggest and most powerful engine, its exhaust note would leave onlookers none the wiser. The TNT carries the façade forward with its massive discs on the front and back, both of which could have been better. We wouldn’t recommend taking it out to the highways though; it is still a little tardy for that. But if you are intent on taking it there it is definitely a better bet than most commuter scooters in the market.

Despite its dwarfed frame Benelli have perfected the ergonomics and you won’t find it difficult to find your bearings. The supple suspension easily mitigates minor road undulations but it is far from an off roader.

VERDICT

There are chances people might dismiss the Benelli TNT 135 for a scooter pretending to be a motorcycle, that is not the case. It might not be a proper motorcycle, but it packs a lot of thrill and is a great segue to the real deal. For beginners looking to enter the beautiful world of motorcycling, the Benelli TNT 135 is as good as it gets.

It looks just as good as its larger-displacement cousins, and it consistently put a smile across our faces. It all boils down to the fact that it is a tremendously fun machine to ride, and will probably be the best option for new riders. You don’t have to worry about perfecting the shifts or nailing the apex; just let the throttle rip, shift and repeat.

And for the ones already adept with motorcycles, it is a fun motorcycle to ride that replaces the seriousness with fun and exuberance. A totally light hearted machine that will rejuvenate you to the core.

For specifications and pricing, click here

Video: BENELLI TNT135 | PRODUCT WATCH

HIGHLIGHTS