Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport vs Leoncino 500: What’s Different?

Last week, the Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport, the sportiest variant of the Leoncino 500 family, debuted in China. And despite sharing quite a lot with the Benelli Leoncino 500, the Leoncino 500 Sport is markedly different. Here’s how:

Serve Different Purposes

Both bikes have been conceptualised from the popular motorcycle genres of the 1960s. The Leoncino 500 is Benelli’s idea of a scrambler and thus comes with minimal body panels. The Leoncino Sport, on the other hand, draws inspiration from cafe racers of the bygone years and gets sporty ergonomics and bodywork.

Provided With Separate Braking Equipment

One of the most significant differences between the two bikes is their braking setup. While the Leoncino 500 relies on Benelli brakes, the Leoncino 500 Sport has been equipped with Brembo calipers for better braking performance.

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Sport Goes The Extra Mile

The Benelli Leoncino 500 Sport is designed to satiate your need for speed. It comes with changes that could help it perform a tad better than the standard model. Besides the monza fairing with a big windscreen, the bike even gets a different radiator cover with slats that can deflect the air better and keep the engine cool.

Pack Distinct Hardware

Instead of just slapping a headlight cowl, Benelli has worked hard to lend the authentic cafe racer experience with the Leoncino 500 Sport. It gets clip-on handlebars, spoked rims, and a double-barrel exhaust. Meanwhile, the standard variant feels more like a retro roadster than a Scrambler. There are no dual-purpose tyres or a wide and tall handlebar, for that matter.

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Have Different Performance Figures

Bothe bikes are powered by the same liquid-cooled 499.6cc parallel-twin engine. However, the Leoncino 500 Sport belts out 48.94PS at 8,500rpm and 47Nm at 5,500rpm, which is 1.5PS and 1Nm more than the standard model. This is despite the Sport variant being 2kg heavier.