Benelli has recently introduced its new modern-classic offering, the Imperiale 400, in India. Priced at Rs 1.69 lakhs, the motorcycle is the most affordable Benelli available in the country. While that pricing is quite impressive, we tell you the alternatives worth considering around this price range.
Royal Enfield Classic 350
The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is one of the closest competitions of the Imperiale in India. The motorcycle has been the most popular offering from RE's stable owing to its comfortable ergonomics and elegant styling. It is powered by a 346cc, air-cooled single cylinder motor which makes 19.8bhp and 28Nm of torque. Priced at Rs 1.53 lakhs, the Classic 350 is considerably cheaper than the Imperiale. Moreover, you can also opt from a wide range of colour options for the Classic. Notably, we’ve recently compared the Classic and Imperiale in detail and you can check it out here.
Jawa Standard and Forty-Two
In the modern-classic segment, the Jawa Standard and Forty-Two also make for enticing options. While the former gets styling reminiscent of old Jawas, the latter is a slightly modern iteration of the same. Both bikes pack a 293cc, liquid-cooled motor which, at 27bhp and 28Nm, churns out more power than the Imperiale. While the Forty-Two is priced at Rs 1.63 lakhs, the Standard is pegged at Rs 1.72 lakhs. Both bikes are also available in more affordable single-channel ABS variants.
Suzuki Gixxer 250 and Gixxer SF 250
Moving on from the tribe of old-school models, if you want a more modern-looking, feature-rich and peppier motorcycle, Suzuki has recently introduced its quarter-litre twins - the Gixxer 250 and its fully-faired version, the SF 250. Both bikes feature the Japanese bike maker’s new-age design language, shared with their 155cc siblings. Powering the bikes is an all-new 249cc, oil-cooled motor which comes mated to a six-speed gearbox and belts out 26.1bhp and 22.6Nm. As for the pricing, the Gixxer 250 costs Rs 1.59 lakhs and the Gixxer SF 250 retails at Rs 1.70 lakhs. The latter also gets a swankier-looking MotoGP edition which is Rs 1,000 expensive over the standard bike.
KTM 200 Duke
By paying Rs 7,000 lesser than the Imperiale’s pricing, one can also go for the KTM200 Duke. The street naked is bestowed with premium set of components, high-revving motor and decent amount of features. At the heart of the bike is a 199.5cc, liquid-cooled mill which makes 24.6bhp and 19.2Nm. Add this to its light kerb weight of 148kg and you have a fairly agile and brisk motorcycle. The oldest bike in KTM’s India portfolio, the 200 Duke will set you back by Rs 1.62 lakhs. (All prices are ex-showroom)
