Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2003 8:05 pm Post subject: Benelli Tornado 'Tre'
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I've spend a good few hours riding this beastie today.
Guess what, it doesn't suck.
Not, not at all.
Well, mebbie a bit ...
Here's the things I didn't like about it: -
Indicator switch and horn should swap places;
You should be able to select neutral when stationary;
You shouldn't be able to select it when changing between 1st and 2nd;
You should be able to see 'something' in the mirrors;
Now this may seem like I'm having a bit of a moan, but I'm really not. This is, after all, a purebred superbike in it's homologation guise. Nothing, and I really mean that, sounds half as good as this bike. Apparently it's not that loud if you're not riding it, but if you are the induction noise and the engine chatter is intoxicating. I would buy this bike if it looked ugleh and handled like a dog.
Ummm .... it doesn't though, obviously.
You think it looks good in the pictures or in the showroom? Well, it does. But it looks better when it's under you. It looks achingly gorgous when you pull over (flicking the kill switch cos you can't find neutral of course) and step back to realise you've just been riding it. It even looks good reflected in the eyes of passing bikers, or bikers you've just overtaken, when they realise what bike just tore them a new one.
Did I mention it handles too?
At slow and medium speed corners I initially thought it was understeering. It wasn't, naturally, it was just the (non-adjustable) steering damper. Up the anti and it turns sharper and harder than ... something that's really hard and sharp. Dead stable too. Sure, this is a race bike - it doesn't like really bumpy back roads. But on any 'normal' road it handles like you wouldn't believe. Push it that little bit harder and it just thumbs it's nose at you. I've ridden a few bikes. None handle like this.
But the real jewel of this bike is 'that' engine. That rasping, sexy engine note is one thing. But the power it something else entirely. Like all modern triples, it doesn't have a torqey bottem end. Well it does, but it translates as mid-range which starts at around 3k and threatens to rip your arm out of your sockets. Untill you hit about 9k ... then the power really kicks in! Gear changes are purely optional. I spent most of my time in second gear today. I could have been in first, or third or fourth - it really doesn't matter. You can kept your *yawn* Gixxer thou's or ZX10's. We all know what a four feels like. But this is the triple how it's meant to be. Triumph, take note.
In short. This is the bike that I aspire too. It is my Unicorn, a mythical creature precious and priceless and beyond compare.
It will be mine. Oh yes - it will be mine.
A Classic Review by our very own Webhamster (Tornado 'Tre' )
Moderator: D-Rider