The cheapest 4-cylinder bike in India will cost just Rs 8 lakh!

That's the expected price of the Benelli BN 600 GT in India that returns around 20 km/l :-). MotorBeam.com's Faisal Ali Khan reviews the Italian beauty

The touring culture has emerged in India and that has led to the increase in demand of touring motorcycles. While most people opt for cruisers, there are many bikes which offer you the comfort for long distance riding.

Soon, Benelli will be adding its own alternative with the launch of the BN 600 GT, a motorcycle which looks every inch ready to munch miles.

This middle-weight machine is one of the five motorcycles Benelli will launch in India in the coming month.

The Benelli BN 600 GT looks quite similar to the Kawasaki Versys but it does have its unique elements.

The headlight is a projector unit, thereby being the only bike from the Italian company to get the projector set-up.

The full-faired machine is quite tall and looks heavy with the optional lockable panniers.

The bike has a red coloured offset monoshock and the huge tank is immediately noticed too.

The rear gets a nice LED tail light with side indicators flanking it.

The Benelli BN 600 GT gets an analogue-digital instrument cluster and the tachometer is an analogue unit while everything else is digital. On start-up, the tacho does a swipe to the redline while the display flashes 600 on it.

There is a lot of information on offer and the console will remind one of the Pulsar 200 NS.

Tell-tale lights are placed on the left of the tachometer which takes centre stage.

Powering the Benelli BN 600 GT is a 600cc, 4-cylinder engine which is liquid-cooled, producing 80.84 HP of power at 11,000 RPM and 55 Nm of torque at 8000 RPM.

This motor is quite refined with good low-end punch but the mid-range is the standout of the bike.

Still, most of the power is concentrated on the top-end and post 7500 RPM, there is the take-off feel due to the considerable top-end punch.

The bike redlines at 11,000 RPM.

The Benelli BN 600 GT sounds sweet and that's something you expect from a bike with an in-line 4 motor.

The motorcycle doesn't heat and one can ride in the city comfortably.

The gearbox is smooth and the clutch is well-weight; one can also do clutch-less shifts.

The BN 600 GT returns around 20 km/l and when one factors in the massive 27-litre fuel tank, the range is a stupendous 500 kms plus on a single tank.

The Benelli BN 600 GT is a heavy bike, it weighs all of 223 kgs and with the luggage panniers, the weight is even more.

Still, this Benelli offers a good balance of ride and handling; it does solicit some extra effort at the handlebar but is eager to turn.

U-turns take a lot of effort though and this isn't a bike you would find much comfort riding in the city due to the extra effort required in manoeuvring.

The windscreen prevents windblast well and the suspension soaks bad roads with ease, although it's on the stiffer side to prevent bounciness.

Braking performance is good but there is no ABS on offer.

The Benelli BN 600 GT is a nice bike for those who like to travel across cities on a motorcycle. This bike has ample performance, excellent comfort and is quite practical if you like to ride long.

Expected to be priced at around Rs 8 lakh, the BN 600 GT will be among the cheapest 4-cylinder engined bikes available in the country.