With the launch of the Benelli 302R, the 300cc motorcycle segment in India suddenly looks exciting. Kawasaki has been selling the Ninja 300 since the last few years, however, the expensive price tag made a lot of buyers look elsewhere. The Yamaha YZF-R3 (temporarily discontinued) came as a savior, but failed to excite the market, due to lack of a sporty feel and the boring sound, obviously. The 302R promises a big bike feel with its bulky proportions and the addictive exhaust sound. But before you proceed with the new 300cc bike plan, allow us to give you a detailed idea on how the Benelli stacks up against its rivals.
Engine
The Benelli 302 draws its power from the 300cc parallel twin eight-valve motor. This engine produces 38.26bhp at 11,500rpm and peak torque of 26.5Nm at 10,000rpm. This engine is mated to a six-speed transmission. The Ninja 300 from Kawasaki is powered by a 296cc parallel-twin motor as well. However, the power output is marginally more than the Italian at 39bhp at 11,000rpm and 27Nm at 10,000rpm. The third motorcycle, the Yamaha YZF-R3 is the most powerful of the lot. It displaces 321cc, 41.40bhp at 10,750rpm and maximum torque of 29.60Nm at 9,000rpm. Both the Japanese bikes are mated to a six-speed gearbox that transfers power to the rear wheel via a chain drive.
Features
Let’s get to the most important feature – ABS (anti-lock braking system). The Benelli 302R is the only motorcycle in the segment to get ABS as standard. The Kawasaki Ninja 300 and the Yamaha YZF-R3 have been selling sans ABS for the past few years now. The 302R is also the only bike to get dual brake discs at the front. The other two bikes have single disc brakes.
In the instrument cluster department, all three bikes sport part-analog and part-digital layout. But when it comes to the overall design, the 302R scores less points over the two. The Benelli 302R is equipped with LED DRLs whereas the Ninja 300 gets a conventional bulb to meet the auto headlamp on (AHO) regulation. The R3, which will be relaunched soon, also gets the same setup.
Price
The Benelli 302R costs Rs 3.48 lakhs (ex-showroom pan India), whereas the Kawasaki Ninja 300 is the most expensive at Rs 3.64 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The 2017 version of the YZF-R3 is expected to be launched soon. But BS-III model was priced at Rs 3.30 lakhs (ex-showroom Mumbai).
