Small to mid-displacement sportbikes are incredibly popular in Asia and Europe, as they allow novice and beginner riders to swing a leg over a sporty machine without having to worry about the neck-snapping performance that accompanies a liter bike. More often than not, motorbikes with engines smaller than 500cc are compliant with A2 licensing parameters, with some bigger bikes even coming with restrictor kits to meet said licensing restrictions.
While sporty bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja 400, KTM RC 390, and Honda CBR500R are indeed very popular, they’re facing new challengers in the form of competition from Chinese brands. We’ve seen the likes of the CFMoto 450SR (450SS in the US), and now, the Benelli Tornado, a new sportbike range from the Chinese-owned Italian company. Unveiled in all its glory at EICMA 2023, the new Benelli Tornado series is offered in three flavors for riders of all backgrounds, 300cc, 400cc, and 500cc. Let’s take a quick look at each model and see what they have to offer.
