1978 BENELLI 250 QUATTRO
BUILT BY DE TOMASO INDUSTRIES
FROM PERSARO, ITALY
COURTESY OF JOHN GOLDMAN
PHOTOS BY TED7
In 1976, the year of its introduction, the Benelli 254 was the smallest four-cylinder street bike ever built. Alejandro De Tomaso purchased both Benelli and Moto Guzzi in 1973 and directed Lino Tonti to design a sophisticated, fast, and stylish 250cc class leader. Tonti was on trend, creating a dramatic, geometric unibody over his jewel-like four-cylinder engine. A mix of plastic panels and alight frame made the 254 very light, giving excellent riding performance, but its sophistication made it the most expensive 250 on the market.
231cc overhead camshaft inline 4-cylinder, 5-speed, 258lbs, 28hp @10500rpm, 95mph top speed
