Motorcycle specifications Benelli 402S 2018 XDiavel discounted

Now that Benelli no longer has a large engine in its organ bank, both in terms of displacement and character, everything would suggest that the lion from Pesaro has mellowed. In watts, certainly. But spurred on by Chinese investors, one machine is trying its hand at bluffing, betting everything on form rather than on substance. Introducing the 402 S, Benelli's first hot-rod roadster-cruiser.

What makes it such a vindictive machine? Its (too) strong resemblance to a certain Ducati XDiavel. Although the Benelli 402S uses many styling touches to give it its own identity, the overall look is confoundingly similar. The Italian brand will have to put up with the reputation of Chinese designers as photocopiers. A slap in the face for Benelli.
And yet, the tubular steel trellis frame is quite different, with no single-arm and a motorization of a different dimension.
The only thing the 402S engine has in common with the Ducati is the number of pistons. After that, it's the pot of clay... no, of sand versus the pot of iron. The Chinese in-line twin claims just under 400 cm3 for a final output of 39.4 hp. Torque is right in line with the displacement, at 3.5 mkg. With figures like these, the machine seems destined for an A2 license, but in reality, it's a plunge into the much larger market of emerging countries. Never mind the watts; with its looks, it seems destined for a fine career... in the lands of the Far East.

The picture is further enhanced by most of the chassis components. A 41 mm inverted fork, 3 brake discs in all - 260 mm at the front with 4-piston axial calipers and 240 mm at the rear with double-piston calipers - and a reasonable weight of 160 kilos.
The 402S doesn't seem to mind the jibes. It incites its rider to a cruising and stylish attitude, with feet forward, a long 16-liter fuel tank, a minimalist rear and an all-LED look, itself hidden in a very... Old-generation Duke 125/390.

We won't go back over the collapse of Benelli's memory, which the brand's owners seem to be ignoring. Let's try to define what the 402 S is. It's a motorcycle designed to catch the eye and flatter the rider on the streets of Bombay, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong or Chongqing. See it as a 400 and you'll be flattered; see it as a Benelli and you'll be disenchanted.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos