Benelli Tre-K Amazonas

Words by Jane Omorogbe

Trying to be something you’re not is bound to end in tears. Faking it ’till you make it is all well and good, but if you really lack that special ingredient that distinguishes you from the real-deal, it’ll show, eventually.

And in Benelli’s case, it doesn’t take much to highlight where the Tre-K Amazonas falls short of being a true adventure bike.

It all starts with packaging. There’s a reason BMW’s R1200GS doesn’t look as sexy as Benelli’s Tre-K Amazonas. It’s built to sustain a few knocks, a proper downpour and some serious mileage. The beautiful Benelli on the other hand, makes about as much sense off road as wearing Jimmy Choos on a hiking trip.

I’m being harsh and, in fairness, there is a long list of differences between this ‘more adventurous’ Amazonas and the standard Tre-K (as well as being more expensive). It has spoked Excel rims instead of cast Brembos and the front wheel is 19 inches as opposed to the standard 17. The rear Metzeler Tourance tyre is narrower and more knobbly and the suspension is fully adjustable, with longer travel for more demanding sections.

It has wave discs of the same diameter as the standard bike, the seat height’s 60mm taller and it comes complete with hand protectors. Add in the special Lamborghini yellow paint with the matching yellow stripe on the saddle and you’ve got yourself one off-road Benelli.

Unfortunately, these changes amount to dragging a mattress behind a Lamborghini and calling it a motor-home. I ventured off the beaten track and attempted to climb a cobbled, rock strewn hill. Not exactly off-roading I know, but a mini challenge all the same. Standing on the rubberized footpegs, the soles of my boots not only slipped continuously, but the surface area just wasn’t big enough for me to feel secure. And no, my feet aren’t that big. For a bike with off-road pretensions, this small but significant factor proved a real hindrance.

On tarmac, the bike is capable, but not without its idiosyncrasies. The suspension is fairly stiff and whilst that gives a sporty, fairly focused feel, I suspect if you loosened things, the bike could start wallowing. I rode for hours, from the heart of Belgium to Cap Du Blanc Nez on the French coast, meaning countless stops due to the bike’s intense thirst. But with a heavy clutch and somewhat intrusive vibrations, stopping so frequently was actually a welcome opportunity to shake some feeling back into my fingers.

Whilst the Amazonas looks stylishly slim against its adventure sport rivals, be it KTM’s 990 or BMW’s GS, it simply fails to be as successful.

The manually adjustable windscreen is angular and petite but only really effective for prolonged distances when raised to the highest setting. The upright riding position is comfortable enough, but think twice before packing a pillion. A Kylie-sized bum will barely perch on the suggestion of a rear saddle, and anyone of more substantial proportions had better book a cab and meet you there.

Which would probably be the best plan anyway as the fuel injection on this bike was disappointingly snatchy and carrying a pillion could result in a few paint-chipped lids.

KTM’s 990 Adventure also suffers from a similar snatchy characteristic, but it seems confined to low speeds. The Amazonas lurches with the tiniest throttle movement whatever your pace. Sometimes it feels like having an on-off button as opposed to a progressive throttle. Being extra smooth admittedly helps matters, but for riding off road, I’d really rather not have a bike that staggers about like a Friday night reveller.

The 1130 triple kicks out 106bhp at 9,000 rpm but there is an option to alter the power delivery. Pressing a button on the dash is supposed to reduce the power in the midrange but after measuring the bike on a dyno, the difference was actually only 0.5 bhp – at peak revs. So that’ll be why I rode button in, button out, for miles, and failed to notice a difference!

The engine is impressive in other areas though. It sounds like a swarm of angry metallic bees colliding mid air and feels just as aggressive.

The raw, almost two-stroke buzz makes the ride involving and exciting, but the pay off is the vibrations that numb your fingers and irritate your toes.

The Amazonas looks so stylish, but it’s immediately obvious that it won’t stand up against its better competitors in any kind of off-road test. You won’t cross deserts on one of these, but then again, how many GS owners have taken their bikes across anything remotely desert-like?

Perhaps the Amazonas can find a market on road, like the Triumph Tiger where its sports bike heritage and its badge rarity will bring it some kudos. Adventure sport is a booming market, so you can see why Benelli thought this would be a good idea – I just wish it had stuck to what it’s good at.

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Benelli Tre-K Amazonas, £8,199.

Engine: Three-cylinder, liquid cooled unit of 1130cc, producing 106bhp at 9,000rpm and 71 ft lb at 7,000rpm.

Top speed: 130mph.

Transmission: chain drive through six-speed gearbox.

Dry weight: 205kg.

Seat height: 810mm.

Fuel capacity: 23.5 litres.

Contact: www.benelli.co.uk.