I think that a lot of these smaller bike makers are picked on by the press. The bikes made in Italy are usually of small production numbers. Many times these bikes have minor issues (suspension and/or EFI tuning) that can be sorted with th correct set up of the bike. But the press picks up on these tiny "faults" and magnifies them without taking a bit of time to sort them out.
Once these bikes are correctly sorted and set up to the rider, they are the best of the best. The problem is that the big bike makers like the JapLanders and Ducati (a bike made in Italy) are so good at getting the bikes sorted before they go into a crate, are out of the box a "better" bike. And of course these big bke makers give the press lots more money in advertising than the little guy,so the press dare not bad mouth the hand that feeds them.
How many times have you read a write up on a big bike model with a tiny problem that is easily "overooked" and played down as an easy fix. When the same type of write up on an exotic will magnify the tiny problem into a deal breaker that makes the bike look like a unfinished bike not yet ready for the public.
Bimota SB8R/SB8RS got a lot of negative press when the came out because the press did not take the time to set u the suspension and put on the race cans that the bike was ECU mapped for oyt of the box. They would ride a bike with the street legal mufflers and out of the box undialed suspension and complain about the handling and fueling. The truth is that these bikes once correctly set up are fantastic machines. Even today 8 years after they were made, they still are totally able to hold up to the new bikes coming out today.
If Benelli wants good reviews, they need to get the bikes fne tuned and dailed in before the go to market. The press and the general public want a bike they can drive off the showroom floor all ready to go without the need to adjust anything to the rider.
Its not like the "old days" (I was a former racer in the 60-70s) where you would buy or get a bike and even before you started to ride and/or race it, you would strip it down and set it up exactly as you wanted it (to fit you and your needs and/wants). Back then it was common practice to set up a bike after you got it. But now is not then. Now everyone ones the bike ready to go when they lay their handson it. Its fallout from our "fast food" society.
Benelli is an exotic. The buyer of an exotic is usually more mature and patient than the general public. Let the masses buy the cookie cutter bikes. You and I can then enjoy our exotic bikes all to our own; once we set themup to our individual tastes.
Happy New Year.
I hope this is the year Benelli starts turning heads again.
:bow:
