Benelli's rival for the Honda Hornet, Triumph Street Triple and BMW F800R

MCN’s senior road tester Michael Neeves has seen Benelli’s new roadster – a bike that looks set to rival Honda‘s Hornet, Triumph‘s Street Triple and BMW‘s F800R. The new parallel-twin Benelli will cost around £7000.

Neeves said: “I was at the factory to test Benelli’s Tre899K (see last week’s issue), when I saw the 2ue being dyno tested. I wandered in to the R&D department and everyone just carried on working.”

“I got to hear the Benelli being thrashed through the gears on the dyno and it sounds fantastic. It has a deep, roaring bellow at high revs and makes 95bhp @ 10,000rpm at the rear wheel, although judging by the noise it makes I’m not sure the exhaust is legal.”

The full story and more pictures will appear in MCN on the 3rd of June.

Fact and rivals

Benelli 2ue 756
Cost: £7000 (est)
Engine: 756cc parallel twin
Power: 95bhp at rear wheel
Weight: 178kg (claimed, wet, ready to roll).

Aprilia Shiver
Cost: £6120
Engine: 749.9cc V-twin
Power: 95bhp, claimed at crank
Weight: 189kg (claimed, dry).

BMW F800R
Cost: £5925
Engine: 798cc parallel twin
Power: 87bhp, claimed at crank
Weight: 199kg (claimed, dry).

Honda Hornet
Cost: £5903
Engine: 599cc inline-four
Power: 100bhp, claimed at crank
Weight: 173kg (claimed, dry).

Triumph Street Triple
Cost: £5729
Engine: 675cc inline-triple
Power: 107bhp, claimed at crank
Weight: 167kg (claimed, dry).