Benelli has just shaken up the middleweight sportbike market with the all-new Tornado 550, priced at an introductory MSRP of $5,999. The Italian brand is attacking a fiercely competitive segment by loading the bike with features typically reserved for bikes costing several thousand dollars more.
At the heart of the Tornado sits a 554cc parallel-twin engine that delivers 56 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 54 Nm (about 40 lb-ft) of torque at 5,500 rpm. The engine uses a 270-degree crank configuration and pairs with a six-speed gearbox, tuned for responsive acceleration without sacrificing daily rideability.
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