I've bought a stupid bike.
Discussion
A Benelli TNT 125 to be exact.
I have been looking at Honda Grom's and such but stumbled across these little Benelli's purely by chance. Comparing both bikes side by side the only discernable difference between the 2, other than the looks of course, is that the Grom has ABS and the Benelli has linked rear and front brakes in order to comply with euro4 regs. Ohhh and the Benelli is some £1200 or so cheaper than the Honda!!
Had a quick test ride today and handed over £1850 for one of the dealers own bikes that they used recently for the NC500. So.it has a little over 500 miles on it and has had it tyres switched from the crap oem plastic rubbish to a set of Michellin City Grips and the spark plug switched out to an NGK item as I understand the standard spark plug is a bit crappy?
Anyway I pick it up on Thursday and I can't wait, it's such a fun little bike to ride and also means I can now retire my S1000R from the 16 mile a day commute.
I have been looking at Honda Grom's and such but stumbled across these little Benelli's purely by chance. Comparing both bikes side by side the only discernable difference between the 2, other than the looks of course, is that the Grom has ABS and the Benelli has linked rear and front brakes in order to comply with euro4 regs. Ohhh and the Benelli is some £1200 or so cheaper than the Honda!!
Had a quick test ride today and handed over £1850 for one of the dealers own bikes that they used recently for the NC500. So.it has a little over 500 miles on it and has had it tyres switched from the crap oem plastic rubbish to a set of Michellin City Grips and the spark plug switched out to an NGK item as I understand the standard spark plug is a bit crappy?
Anyway I pick it up on Thursday and I can't wait, it's such a fun little bike to ride and also means I can now retire my S1000R from the 16 mile a day commute.
Desperately needs a tail tidy, that huge mustard type thing is so ugly and needs to go.
I had a quick poke around under the tail today and it looks like there is a set of bolts that could be picked up on. I will probably end up fabricating my own bracket for it.
I'll be honest, I know very little about these bikes overall. From what I have been told is that it is Benelli's own engine which is manufactured and assembled in their own plant in China?
Aye it was Motech, guy I dealt with was a lad call Mark. Really nice fella and so easy to deal with.
I had a quick poke around under the tail today and it looks like there is a set of bolts that could be picked up on. I will probably end up fabricating my own bracket for it.
I'll be honest, I know very little about these bikes overall. From what I have been told is that it is Benelli's own engine which is manufactured and assembled in their own plant in China?
Aye it was Motech, guy I dealt with was a lad call Mark. Really nice fella and so easy to deal with.
horsemeatscandal said:
My brother has just put a deposit down on one of these. I’m looking forward to seeing it. Enjoy.
Brand new?If he isn't bothered about one having 500 miles on the clock already the place I got mine from still has another 2 bikes available. A black one and a red one.
Will save him a couple of hundred quid off list, already had their first services done and the tyres changed to Michelins which are about £50 each.
I was surprised at how fun they were to ride, of course coming from a 1000cc super naked to a 125cc mini bike, they aren't going to be quick by any stretch, but they look great and handle great and don't feel cheap at all, they seem pretty well built.
One thing to be wary of though, the side stand scrapes really easily when cornering, not worryingly so, but if you weren't aware of it and got a little too enthusiastic it could potentially lift the reat wheel.
It does have a huge foot on it though, so when I get mine this week I will look at reducing the size of it to give a bit more clearance.
Picked up the little bag of fun yesterday and have put a hundred or so miles on it since.
Not that 100 mile ride is going to tell you everything you about the bike, but first impressions are fantastic. It pulls canny well, handles lovely and the gearbox is so sweet and precise to use and the front brake is good enough for 2 finger stopped, which I guess will be helped by the switch to some decent Michelin rubber already.
Hero blobs need to be removed from the pegs as they go down so easily, so they will be removed today and I am now debating on what to do with the rear mudguard and number plate holder? I really dislike how it looks where it is and I am wanting to pit a tail tidy on there and clean the back end up a bit.
BUT
As the bike will be used for the commute when I'm working from the office, I'd like to keep a level of protection from the spray and crap that will get thrown up once the weather turns. I may keep it how it is for now and see what protection it does offer in the wet, and if I get covered with it in place anyway, then I'll fit a tail tidy.
Other than that it will do 71mph before hitting the limited in top gear, takes 6 quid to fill the tank, will do over 100mpg and makes you smile and giggle every ride.
I love it!
Tucked up with the girlfriends Vespa and my S1000R.
Not that 100 mile ride is going to tell you everything you about the bike, but first impressions are fantastic. It pulls canny well, handles lovely and the gearbox is so sweet and precise to use and the front brake is good enough for 2 finger stopped, which I guess will be helped by the switch to some decent Michelin rubber already.
Hero blobs need to be removed from the pegs as they go down so easily, so they will be removed today and I am now debating on what to do with the rear mudguard and number plate holder? I really dislike how it looks where it is and I am wanting to pit a tail tidy on there and clean the back end up a bit.
BUT
As the bike will be used for the commute when I'm working from the office, I'd like to keep a level of protection from the spray and crap that will get thrown up once the weather turns. I may keep it how it is for now and see what protection it does offer in the wet, and if I get covered with it in place anyway, then I'll fit a tail tidy.
Other than that it will do 71mph before hitting the limited in top gear, takes 6 quid to fill the tank, will do over 100mpg and makes you smile and giggle every ride.
I love it!
Tucked up with the girlfriends Vespa and my S1000R.
airsafari87 said:
Brand new?
If he isn't bothered about one having 500 miles on the clock already the place I got mine from still has another 2 bikes available. A black one and a red one.
Will save him a couple of hundred quid off list, already had their first services done and the tyres changed to Michelins which are about £50 each.
I was surprised at how fun they were to ride, of course coming from a 1000cc super naked to a 125cc mini bike, they aren't going to be quick by any stretch, but they look great and handle great and don't feel cheap at all, they seem pretty well built.
One thing to be wary of though, the side stand scrapes really easily when cornering, not worryingly so, but if you weren't aware of it and got a little too enthusiastic it could potentially lift the reat wheel.
It does have a huge foot on it though, so when I get mine this week I will look at reducing the size of it to give a bit more clearance.
Sorry for late reply but not sure, I’d assume brand new. He’s on holiday at the minute so can’t ask. If he isn't bothered about one having 500 miles on the clock already the place I got mine from still has another 2 bikes available. A black one and a red one.
Will save him a couple of hundred quid off list, already had their first services done and the tyres changed to Michelins which are about £50 each.
I was surprised at how fun they were to ride, of course coming from a 1000cc super naked to a 125cc mini bike, they aren't going to be quick by any stretch, but they look great and handle great and don't feel cheap at all, they seem pretty well built.
One thing to be wary of though, the side stand scrapes really easily when cornering, not worryingly so, but if you weren't aware of it and got a little too enthusiastic it could potentially lift the reat wheel.
It does have a huge foot on it though, so when I get mine this week I will look at reducing the size of it to give a bit more clearance.
Don’t know why he’s getting it to be honest, they look like a laugh as a second bike but he’s a big lad and it will be his only bike. Hopefully he doesn’t get sick of it, plenty of other decent 125 bikes out there that would have been more suitable in my opinion but it ain’t my money.
That said, I was in the shop he’s getting it from yesterday and had a quick look at one, looks pretty good to me.
horsemeatscandal said:
Sorry for late reply but not sure, I’d assume brand new. He’s on holiday at the minute so can’t ask.
Don’t know why he’s getting it to be honest, they look like a laugh as a second bike but he’s a big lad and it will be his only bike. Hopefully he doesn’t get sick of it, plenty of other decent 125 bikes out there that would have been more suitable in my opinion but it ain’t my money.
That said, I was in the shop he’s getting it from yesterday and had a quick look at one, looks pretty good to me.
Is it his first bike?Don’t know why he’s getting it to be honest, they look like a laugh as a second bike but he’s a big lad and it will be his only bike. Hopefully he doesn’t get sick of it, plenty of other decent 125 bikes out there that would have been more suitable in my opinion but it ain’t my money.
That said, I was in the shop he’s getting it from yesterday and had a quick look at one, looks pretty good to me.
I'm 5'-2" and have comfortably rode this on a 2 hour ride so far with no aches or pains. The ergonomics are pretty much bang on. Looking at the bike it looks like it shouldn't be comfortable and would be cramped, but it really isn't it. It's as comfortable as any other bike I've risen to be honest.
Top speed, acceleration etc ... is on a par with the vast majority of the other 125's that are out there right now.
I see where you're coming from about them being a second bike though, that's what I bought this one for, if it were .y only bike, and having ridden what I've ridden previously, then yeah I would get sick after a while.
But as a first bike, or something for occasional use & short distance commuting? It really does take some beating
airsafari87 said:
Is it his first bike?
I'm 5'-2" and have comfortably rode this on a 2 hour ride so far with no aches or pains. The ergonomics are pretty much bang on. Looking at the bike it looks like it shouldn't be comfortable and would be cramped, but it really isn't it. It's as comfortable as any other bike I've risen to be honest.
Top speed, acceleration etc ... is on a par with the vast majority of the other 125's that are out there right now.
I see where you're coming from about them being a second bike though, that's what I bought this one for, if it were .y only bike, and having ridden what I've ridden previously, then yeah I would get sick after a while.
But as a first bike, or something for occasional use & short distance commuting? It really does take some beating
First bike although had a scooter. Cheap Chinese-copy thing with sI'm 5'-2" and have comfortably rode this on a 2 hour ride so far with no aches or pains. The ergonomics are pretty much bang on. Looking at the bike it looks like it shouldn't be comfortable and would be cramped, but it really isn't it. It's as comfortable as any other bike I've risen to be honest.
Top speed, acceleration etc ... is on a par with the vast majority of the other 125's that are out there right now.
I see where you're coming from about them being a second bike though, that's what I bought this one for, if it were .y only bike, and having ridden what I've ridden previously, then yeah I would get sick after a while.
But as a first bike, or something for occasional use & short distance commuting? It really does take some beating
t tyres on that led to coming off on a roundabout and subsequent getting rid of. Would be the first thing to change on the TNT by all accounts. Do you mean 6’2’’? Obviously 5’2’’ would be a perfect height for this bike.
His will be for commuting mainly I’d say.
horsemeatscandal said:
Do you mean 6’2’’? Obviously 5’2’’ would be a perfect height for this bike
Sorry, yes I did mean 6'-2" there.Luckily mine had already been switched over on to Michellins and they are perfectly fine. I can't comment on the OEM tyres, but I do understand that they are very poor.
I put together a tail tidy for it today using a couple of 'L' brackets and the OEM number plate light off my S1000R from when I fitted a tail tidy to that. Looks so much better now, but the standard size plate just looks massive on these little bikes (the plate is almost as wide as the bike) so I will be ordering a 7" X 5" plate to replace it.
airsafari87 said:
Sorry, yes I did mean 6'-2" there.
Luckily mine had already been switched over on to Michellins and they are perfectly fine. I can't comment on the OEM tyres, but I do understand that they are very poor.
I put together a tail tidy for it today using a couple of 'L' brackets and the OEM number plate light off my S1000R from when I fitted a tail tidy to that. Looks so much better now, but the standard size plate just looks massive on these little bikes (the plate is almost as wide as the bike) so I will be ordering a 7" X 5" plate to replace it.
Could you please post some photos of the tail tidy please, or a link if it’s a common mod? Pain in the arse or straightforward? Luckily mine had already been switched over on to Michellins and they are perfectly fine. I can't comment on the OEM tyres, but I do understand that they are very poor.
I put together a tail tidy for it today using a couple of 'L' brackets and the OEM number plate light off my S1000R from when I fitted a tail tidy to that. Looks so much better now, but the standard size plate just looks massive on these little bikes (the plate is almost as wide as the bike) so I will be ordering a 7" X 5" plate to replace it.
I’m stupidly tempted by something like this as a works commuter. It’s about 20 miles to the office from my flat, mostly 50mph single carriageway, with the odd bit of NSL dual. I’m only 5’ 11”, so if it fits the OP at 6’ 2”, I should get away with it, height wise.
Weight wise would be a different matter altogether...
Weight wise would be a different matter altogether...
Sorry for the slow replies to this, I started a new job this week and have been pretty tied up with that.
The tail tidy was about as simple as it could be to do.
There are a few fixing locations on the underside of the undertray which are used for holding the ECU in place inside of the tail. I utilised those screw locations for the number plate mounting and the number plate light mounting.
I used the number plate light off my S1000R which made things easier as the shape and fixing locations were more favourable, it could be done using the standard number plate light, you would just have to put a bit more thought in to the bracket supporting it.
I'll try and grab a few photos later when I head out.
I'd say go for it Dibble, as well as being 6'-2" I'm also powerfully built and about 16 clem, and it hauls my carcass around without any bother. I have adjusted the preload on the rear shock though as it did squat down a little. Haven't had chance to test ride it yet though, but there was loads of adjustment available there so I'm fairly sure I'll be able to get it set where I want it to be.
The tail tidy was about as simple as it could be to do.
There are a few fixing locations on the underside of the undertray which are used for holding the ECU in place inside of the tail. I utilised those screw locations for the number plate mounting and the number plate light mounting.
I used the number plate light off my S1000R which made things easier as the shape and fixing locations were more favourable, it could be done using the standard number plate light, you would just have to put a bit more thought in to the bracket supporting it.
I'll try and grab a few photos later when I head out.
I'd say go for it Dibble, as well as being 6'-2" I'm also powerfully built and about 16 clem, and it hauls my carcass around without any bother. I have adjusted the preload on the rear shock though as it did squat down a little. Haven't had chance to test ride it yet though, but there was loads of adjustment available there so I'm fairly sure I'll be able to get it set where I want it to be.
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