Spec Comparison: How Does Benelli Imperiale 400 Compare To Royal Enfield Classic 350

Royal Enfield is sort of household name in India, The classic retro styling mated to the thumping soundtrack is what the fans love. There has been no direct competition to Royal Enfield Classic 350, Jawa did enter the market but production delays and quality issues have really put it out of the race.

Now though, Benelli – the Italian motorcycle brand has brought The Imperiale 400 in direct competition with the Royal Enfield Classic 350. Benelli has a history of making sweet-sounding bikes and the Imperiale 400 is the cheapest Benelli you could buy. Let's see how does the Imperiale 400 compares to the Classic 350.

Heart of the Matter – The Motor

Benelli Imperiale 400 is powered by a 374cc Single-cylinder, Air-cooled, SOHC, Fuel injected motor. The motor is rated at 21hp and 29nm and is mated to a 5speed gearbox. The RE Classic 350 comes with a 346cc, Air-cooled, OHV motor pushing out 20hp and 28nm of peak torque, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Both the bikes come with similar outputs but the Imperiale 400 comes with a more technically advanced engine. The claimed fuel economy of both the bikes are quite similar as well, the Classic 350 goes 35kms to a liter of petrol while the Imperiale 400 gives 33kms per liter.

On the Scale – Dimensions

While the Classic 350 at 2180mm is longer than the Imperiale 400, The Benelli comes with a longer wheelbase of 1440mm. The longer wheelbase promises better handling. For the people who are wondering if the Benelli could take on the Leh Ladhak Route, it comes with the higher ground clearance of 165mm, 30mm more than the Classic 350. At 205kg the Benelli also weighs 13kg more than the Royal Enfield.

Shocks, Springs, and Anchors – Suspension and Brakes

Both the Bikes are very similar in this department, Both get telescopic forks upfront, at the rear, The Classic 350 comes with gas-charged shocks while the Imperiale 400 comes with preload-adjustable dual shocks. Both the bikes come with front & rear Disc brakes, the Royal Enfield gets single-channel ABS while the Benelli comes with dual-channel ABS.

Money Matters – Price

The Classic 350 costs Rs. 1,65lakh while the Benelli Imperiale 400 comes with a price tag of Rs. 1,69lakh. The Classic 350 can be had in a variety of color options which vary in price. While the Imperiale 400 comes in three color options with the same price tag. The Royal Enfield has a way more service outlets compared to the Benelli but the Italian brand is offering a first-in-class 3-year unlimited kilometer warranty and 2 years of free service with the Imperiale 400.