Benelli Motorcycles: History, Manufacturer & Ownership
TL;DR
- Benelli was founded in 1911 in Pesaro, Italy, making it one of the oldest motorcycle brands in the world still in operation.
- The brand was started by Teresa Benelli, a widow who invested the family’s savings to create work for her six sons.
- Benelli is currently owned by Qianjiang Motor Group (QJMotor), a Chinese manufacturer that acquired it in December 2005.
- Qianjiang itself has been controlled by Geely Holding Group – the Chinese conglomerate that also owns Volvo and Lotus Cars – since 2016 .
- Design and engineering remain based in Pesaro, Italy; physical production takes place at Qianjiang’s factory in Wenling, China.
How Benelli Started: A Widow, Six Sons, and a Workshop in Pesaro
Benelli is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1911 in Pesaro, a coastal city in the Marche region of northern Italy. Teresa Benelli, recently widowed, put her family’s entire savings into opening a small repair workshop so her six sons – Giuseppe, Giovanni, Filippo, Francesco, Domenico, and Antonio (“Tonino”) – would have a trade. It started as a service garage fixing bicycles and motorcycles, with the brothers producing spare parts on the side.
The first Benelli engine appeared in 1919: a 75cc two-stroke fitted to a bicycle frame. It didn’t work well. Two years later, in December 1921, the brothers built their first real motorcycle, the “Velomotore,” using a 98cc two-stroke engine. The 147cc version that followed in 1923 gave Tonino, the youngest brother, his first racing platform.
By 1926, eldest brother Giuseppe had designed a 175cc four-stroke with an overhead camshaft driven by a gear train – a bold layout for the time. Tonino rode it to four consecutive Italian championships in 1927, 1928, 1930, and 1931 (Benelli.com, 2024). The family had gone from fixing other people’s bikes to building race winners in under 20 years.
The Racing Years and World War II (1930s-1949)
Benelli spent the 1930s chasing grand prix glory. The company’s most ambitious prewar project was a 250cc supercharged four-cylinder racing engine, built in 1938 and capable of over 60hp – extraordinary output for a quarter-liter bike at the time (Wemoto, 2013). World War II killed those plans. The factory in Pesaro was bombed and left in ruins, and production stopped entirely through the late 1940s. Tonino Benelli, the family’s most celebrated rider, died in a road accident before the war ended.
Production restarted in 1949. That same year, Giuseppe Benelli left the company to establish a rival brand called Motobi, based just across town in Pesaro – giving the city two competing Italian motorcycle makers operating within walking distance of each other.
In 1950, Benelli won the 250cc World Championship with rider Dario Ambrosini (Benelli.com, 2024). The win mattered beyond the trophy: it established Benelli as a credible international competitor at a time when the brand was still rebuilding its factory and its name.
The De Tomaso Era and the 750 Sei (1971-1980s)
Japanese motorcycles – Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki – entered the European market in force during the 1960s and wiped out most of the small Italian manufacturers. By 1971, Benelli was in serious financial trouble. That year, Argentine industrialist Alejandro de Tomaso – who also owned Maserati, Ghia, and would later acquire Moto Guzzi – bought the company (Wikipedia, 2024).
De Tomaso’s approach was blunt. He instructed engineers to base a new multi-cylinder engine on the Honda CB500 Four and add two extra cylinders. The result was the Benelli 750 Sei, unveiled in 1972 and put into production in 1974 – the first production motorcycle in history with an inline six-cylinder engine. With a 748cc air-cooled six, three Dell’Orto carburetors, twin Brembo front disc brakes, and six individual chrome exhaust pipes, the Sei generated 71hp and a top speed of around 127mph.
The bike earned tremendous press attention on its launch. Cycle World tested it in August 1974, praising its smoothness and Italian styling. About 3,200 units were built before the model gave way to the 900 Sei in 1978. Today, original 750 Seis sell for $3,500 to $7,500 depending on condition.
De Tomaso’s ownership wasn’t purely a success story. Without sustained investment in new models or a proper dealer network, Benelli couldn’t keep pace with the Japanese manufacturers, and by the late 1970s the company had largely halted production.
Collapse, Revival, and the Merloni Years (1989-2005)
In 1989, Italian businessman Giancarlo Selci acquired the Benelli name. He kept it alive on paper but the company was effectively dormant. The real revival came in 1995 when the Merloni Group – a Pesaro-based industrial family – bought a majority stake and installed Andrea Merloni as company leader (Benelli Official Shop, 2024).
Under Merloni, Benelli focused first on scooters to rebuild financial stability, then swung for something bigger. The result was the Tornado 900 Tre, a three-cylinder sport bike that competed in the World Superbike Championship in 2001 and 2002 (Cycle News, 2023). The Tre demonstrated that Benelli’s engineering department still had teeth. A larger 1,130cc version, the TNT 1130, followed. But the company ran into financial difficulty again, and by late 2005 it had to find a buyer.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1911 | Teresa Benelli founds the Benelli Garage in Pesaro |
| 1921 | First complete Benelli motorcycle built (98cc two-stroke) |
| 1927 | Tonino Benelli wins first Italian championship |
| 1950 | Dario Ambrosini wins 250cc World Championship on a Benelli |
| 1971 | Alejandro de Tomaso acquires Benelli |
| 1974 | Benelli 750 Sei enters production – world’s first inline-six production motorcycle |
| 1995 | Merloni Group acquires Benelli and begins modern revival |
| 2005 | Qianjiang Motor Group (China) acquires Benelli |
| 2016 | Geely Holding Group takes controlling stake in Qianjiang |
| 2021 | Benelli global sales peak at 83,100 units (MotorcyclesData, 2026) |
Who Owns Benelli Now: Qianjiang and Geely
Benelli is currently owned by Qianjiang Motor Group, a Chinese manufacturer headquartered in Wenling, Zhejiang Province. Qianjiang acquired Benelli in December 2005 (Wikipedia, 2024). The company chose to keep Benelli’s design, development, and marketing headquarters in Pesaro, while moving physical motorcycle production to its large factory in Wenling.
Qianjiang itself is controlled by Geely Holding Group, the Chinese automotive conglomerate founded by billionaire Li Shufu. Geely became Qianjiang’s largest shareholder in September 2016 (Wikipedia – Qianjiang, 2024). Geely is the same parent company behind Volvo Cars, Lotus Cars, Polestar, and Proton – a portfolio of Western brands acquired and developed under Chinese ownership.
The Qianjiang era produced real results. The TRK 502 adventure bike and Leoncino 500 naked, both launched in 2017, became Benelli’s most commercially successful modern models – the TRK 502 reached the top of the Italian sales charts soon after launch (Benelli Official Shop, 2024). Global Benelli sales peaked at 83,100 units in 2021 (MotorcyclesData, 2026).
Since 2021, sales have declined. Benelli lost approximately 25% of global volume in 2025, falling to around 61,864 units, with increased competition from other Chinese brands entering European markets cited as a primary factor (MotorcyclesData, 2026). At EICMA 2025, Benelli showed a new model pipeline including the TRK 902 Xplorer, TRK 602, TNT 550, and Leoncino Bobber 400 in an effort to recover market share.
Frequently Asked Questions About Benelli Motorcycles
Who manufactures Benelli motorcycles?
Benelli motorcycles are manufactured by Qianjiang Motor Group (QJMotor), a Chinese company headquartered in Wenling, China. Qianjiang acquired the Benelli brand in 2005. Design, engineering, and R&D remain at Benelli QJ’s headquarters in Pesaro, Italy, while physical production happens at Qianjiang’s plant in Wenling.
Who owns Benelli today?
Benelli is owned by Qianjiang Motor Group, which is itself controlled by Geely Holding Group. Geely took a controlling stake in Qianjiang in September 2016 (Wikipedia, 2024). Geely also owns Volvo Cars, Lotus Cars, and Polestar. The ownership structure runs: Geely > Qianjiang > Benelli QJ S.p.A.
Is Benelli still an Italian company?
Benelli’s legal entity – Benelli QJ S.p.A. – is registered in Italy and headquartered in Pesaro, where design and development take place. However, it has been Chinese-owned since 2005 and motorcycles are produced in China. It’s accurate to call it an Italian-heritage brand under Chinese ownership.
Where are Benelli motorcycles made?
Most current Benelli models are produced at Qianjiang’s manufacturing facility in Wenling, Zhejiang Province, China. Some models sold in India undergo semi-knocked-down (SKD) assembly at a plant in Hyderabad through the brand’s Indian distribution partner. The Pesaro facility in Italy focuses on design, engineering, and product development.
What is Benelli’s most historically significant motorcycle?
The Benelli 750 Sei, produced from 1974 to 1977, is the brand’s most historically important model. It was the world’s first production motorcycle with an inline six-cylinder engine. Approximately 3,200 were built. It held that distinction alone until the Honda CBX appeared in 1978.
