Best remembered for its racing fours and road-going sixes, the Benelli factory, of Pesaro in northern Italy, exhibited its first 650cc twin at the Milan Show in 1967, though production did not begin in earnest until 1971. Christened ‘Tornado’, the new model - it was hoped - would cash-in on the popularity of big parallel twins in the lucrative US market. With its 360-degree crankshaft and pushrod valve gear, the unit-construction Benelli motor aped its British counterparts but followed Japanese practice by employing a horizontally-split crankcase and geared primary drive. Alternator electrics and a starter motor were introduced on the 650S in 1973. Production of the final version - the 650S2 - ceased in 1975. A machine for the parallel-twin enthusiast who dares to be different, this matching-numbers 650S Tornado was acquired for the Museum in 1985, having previously been repainted – it is believed – by a previous owner. The machine is offered with original Austrian Einzelgenehmigung.
Best remembered for its racing fours and road-going sixes, the Benelli factory, of Pesaro in northern Italy, exhibited its first 650cc twin at the Milan Show in 1967, though production did not begin in earnest until 1971. Christened ‘Tornado’, the new model - it was hoped - would cash-in on the popularity of big parallel twins in the lucrative US market. With its 360-degree crankshaft and pushrod valve gear, the unit-construction Benelli motor aped its British counterparts but followed Japanese practice by employing a horizontally-split crankcase and geared primary drive. Alternator electrics and a starter motor were introduced on the 650S in 1973. Production of the final version - the 650S2 - ceased in 1975. A machine for the parallel-twin enthusiast who dares to be different, this matching-numbers 650S Tornado was acquired for the Museum in 1985, having previously been repainted – it is believed – by a previous owner. The machine is offered with original Austrian Einzelgenehmigung.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
