Benelli Tornado Tre 1130

The Tornado’s frame has been completely revised to meet the new power and torque characteristic of the engine, without loosing any input from the original Tornado project.

Rear radiator

This is one of the characterizing features of the Tornado. 50% of the weight is distributed to the front chassis of the bike in all riding conditions. The advantage being increased precision when riding and when entering bends.

Rear suspension

The shock absorber and the links have benefitted from recent racing experience. The measurements have been slightly modified to make the frame easier to manage adapting it to the new increased power and torque values.

Frame

Some small improvements, for example the welding system and tube assembly are now more accurate. The aluminum plates have been modified to make the Tornado 1130 more enjoyable and satisfying to ride.

Tornado’s success had all to do with the racing frame and the engine that fitted it so this is what engineers concentrated on improving. The bike steers sharp and the three-cylinder engine fed through fuel injection system is there to back the chassis’s abilities up. When compared to other sporty bikes out there, Benelli is conscious of the missing piston disadvantage and that is why we’re dealing with an 1130cc engine.

First introduced in 2006, the first fully-faired Tornado (previous bikes were naked ones) was what everyone expected from the relatively small Italian manufacturer. The engine develops 120 kW at 10.500 RPM, definitely comparable with Japanese supersports (although we won’t do that, read a bit more) and the 124 Nm at 8000 RPM as well.

What clearly stood out was the manufacturer’s ambition to situate itself among the top Italian players next to Aprilia and Ducati so styling was very important. As a result, we witnessed the introduction of a truly aggressive styled motorcycle with features that even inspired others to give it a try on their own bikes.

Much to do with it being impressive and worth the buck is the way it looks. Exterior design is important, especially in the given category and thanks to Benelli designers, it looks worthy of its sporting abilities.

Its front end is characterized through the Y shape given by the screen and headlight, the mirrors representing an extension of that shape, apart from their obvious purpose. Also, the air scoops on the headlight’s sides give it a distinctive look, but if you are used to seeing R1s every day, that’s what you’ll be confusing it with.

On each side, the “Benelli” name will immediately clear your doubts. The fairing features smooth, flowing lines and the paint schemes add further visual impact. You can buy it either complete Grey (light on the top and dark on the sides) or Grey and Green (this last going on the lower half).

Italian bikes usually have a flat looking tank, but this is more than I can take. Carefully blended in, the tank doesn’t manage to stand out at all, but simply do its job of keeping the fuel in its 19 Litres capacity while offering enough space for the rider to tuck under the screen.

The seat doesn’t look like much comfort, but what I definitely appreciate at it is the Ferrari like taillights. Now that is something unseen before!