BENELLI 650 Tornado S2 (1973-1974) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Benelli 650 Tornado was a naked two-wheeler parallel-twin motorcycle manufactured by Benelli in 1970. The bike was intended to compete with the British big twins that dominated the American market.

In 1973, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer introduced the Benelli 650 Tornado S2, the final version of the 650 Tornado family, featuring higher compression with more low-end torque, more rubber-mounted components, a humped seat, and a transparent handlebar fairing acting as a windscreen.

The bike's aesthetic department was characterized by features such as wire-spoke wheels, a dual exhaust system with a silencer mounted on each side, side-mounted rear shocks, a humped seat, a round headlight upfront, and a larger clear fairing/windscreen.

The motorcycle was built around a steel frame with a Marzocchi telescopic fork on the front and twin side-mounted shock absorbers on the rear acting as suspension. As for the stopping power, the motorcycle's wheels were fitted with both front and rear drum braking units.

Regarding power, the 1973 Benelli 650 Tornado S2 was set in motion by a 642cc four-stroke air-cooled parallel-twin engine mounted at its core, boasting 52 hp with a peak force at 7,200 rpm.

The power generated by the engine was controlled by a five-speed manual transmission with a wet multi-disc clutch and sent to the rear via a final chain drive.