[iamahunter]

Had been to the Benelli showroom today for the 302R. This quarter liter bike is the latest offering from the bike. It comes in at Rs 4.25L on-road Mumbai. It has the same 300 cc engine as seen on the TNT 300. The bike looks much better in person than in pictures.The fit and finish appears to be very good except for a few bits here and there.

Pros:
- A very decent looking bike with attractive graphics.
- Has ABS as standard.
- Gear indicator provided in the console itself.
- A very stable and sturdy ride even at high speeds.
- Can be used as a daily bike as well as a sports tourer.

Cons:
- DSK Benelli have a short service interval.
- The service costs are on the higher side.
- The spare part availability has been an issue.
- The resale value of Benelli is less compared to the competition.



Looks
The bike scores high on the looks for me. The twin headlamp setup with the DRLs running below looks attractive. The windscreen is of good size and shape. It has been angled at the top for a better air flow over the rider. The instrument console is by far the best looking in the Benelli lineup. It consist of a gear indicator as well which was sorely missed. The sculpted tank provides a comfortable place to lock in the knees of the rider apart from its awesome looks. Benelli logo has been carved in the plastic pads below the tank. The exposed trellis frame give the bike a macho look. The bike has decent amount of graphics, looks good, but not over done. Bike has a twin seat setup instead of the single seat as seen on the TNT 300.
From here on wards, the bike's rear looks plain simple and bland. The twin pipe silencer is not to my taste. The bike also has a 150 section Metzeller rear tire as opposed to 160 section Pirellis. Not that they look bad or something but this size looks visibly smaller.The tail lamp is is simple but effective.



Riding
The bike weights 198kg. You can feel this weight while taking it off from the side stand itself. It feels heavy. Starts with the typical Benelli 300 CC sound and has slight vibrations at idling(may be because the bike was brand new). However I found that the TNT 300 sounds a bit better than the 302R, possibly because of the different silencer setup. The rear suspension can be adjusted according to the requirement. The riding position is comfortable and won't break your back. Its leaned than the TNT 300 but far less then the KTM RCs. Over all a very comfortable riding position. Get rolling and the you will not feel the weight of the bike. I personally felt that the bike lacks power. I think the weight becomes an issue for the 300 CC mill. Eventually when you do pick up some speed, you can cruise comfortably at good speeds all day long. Stopping power comes from a twin disc setup at the front and a single at the rear. This being similar to the TNT 300, the addition of the ABS makes a huge difference in the braking department. The brakes on the 302R have a much better feel and bite compared to the TNT 300.

Fit and Finish
The 302 feels well made. The fit and finish appears to be top notch. This, until you get to the nighty-gritty. A few bits here and there are loose and can easily fall off. The bike that I saw had a misaligned frame cover and a loose bar ends. Clutch feels slightly lighter than the TNT 300.

Conclusion
Overall, a decent bike from the DSK Benelli stable.
Should one go for it?
This question is best taken at a personal level. I personally would not go for it.
Reasons: The TNT 300 is a similar bike with a few less kilos. It costs almost 1/2 a lac less. The short service interval and the high service costs discourage me from going in for it. If I was ever to consider the 302 R, ABS would be the only reason.