Benelli had applied for patents in December last year for its 1200cc sport touring motorcycle, codenamed the QJ1200GS. The patent also revealed the company’s new inline three cylinder engine.
The engine seems to share its design with the older Benellis and uses the balancer shaft in front of the crank, similar to the TNT R’s 1130cc three-cylinder unit. Triumph’s in-line three cylinder engine also uses a similar layout. The engine might be used by both Benelli and its parent company QianJiang given that the CAD designs features both the brands.
Although the design is the same as the 1130cc, the bike’s crankcase, cylinders, cylinder head and transmission are all new. The six-speed gearbox it uses will transfer power to the rear wheel via a shaft drive as is clear in the patent drawing of the QJ1200GS. This layout is common for most sport tourers as it improves refinement and requires less maintenance. Benelli had confirmed that it was planning new models up to 1200cc and it is expected to power a wide range of bikes with this engine.
The company is also working on a new 750cc twin streetfighter at the moment, which could go up against the Ducati Monster in India.
