Benelli Goes Cafe Racing With The New Leoncino 500

Four years after its EICMA unveiling, the Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport is finally a reality. The Italian brand has launched the cafe racer sibling of the Leoncino 500 in China, and not much has changed since it was introduced as a concept.

What Distinguishes It From The Standard Leoncino 500?

Benelli has done a lot more than just slap on a monza fairing to the standard bike. The Leoncino 500 Sport comes with clip-on handlebars, replacing the conventional unit from the Leoncino 500. However, the headlight cowl is supported by two braces that are bolted exactly where the handlebar of the standard model would be mounted, giving it a rather shoddy look. Surprisingly, the footpeg position seems to be unchanged, but we would have preferred it to be slightly rear set.

The Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport has a blue backlit LCD console, unlike the sombre-looking one on the other siblings. In fact, the bikemaker could soon use this console on its other models as well.

The Italian brand has even given the bike a unique exhaust. Unlike the two-into-one unit seen on its siblings, the Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport comes with a double-barrel exhaust that blends well with the bike’s styling. Benelli has even switched to wire-spoke rims and added a small saddle bag on the right side for added retro appeal.

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But that’s not all. The Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport is the only one among its 500cc siblings to sport Brembo brakes at the front. Though the brand hasn’t divulged the specifics yet, we reckon this is the same 320mm disc seen on the Leoncino 500.

What Does It Have In Common With the Other Siblings?

The Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport comes with the same liquid-cooled 499.6cc parallel-twin engine, belting out 48.94PS at 8,500rpm and 47Nm at 5,500rpm. Interestingly, this is 1.5PS and 1Nm more than the standard model despite the bike being 2kg heavier.

The beefy 50mm USD fork and the monoshock too has been carried over from the standard model. Benelli is unlikely to have tuned the suspension differently for this model.

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The 785mm seat height is fairly accessible to shorter riders, however, we would have preferred a slightly flatter unit to go with the cafe racer design.

Will the Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport Debut In India?

Benelli is unlikely to bring this model to India anytime soon. It has even shied away from getting the Leoncino 500 Trail. However, the standard model made a comeback earlier this year with a competitive price tag so if the brand decides to go with the same approach, we could be in for a big surprise.