5 Things You Need To Know About The Newly Launched Benelli Leoncino

Benelli has launched its first neo-retro offering, the Leoncino, in India. This is the Italian brand’s most affordable 500cc bike in India and here’s everything you need to know about this new entrant in the big-bike segment:

Shares its engine with the TRK 502:

The Benelli Leoncino is powered by the same engine as the TRK 502. The 500cc parallel-twin DOHC liquid-cooled engine produces 47.5PS at 8500rpm and 46Nm at 6000rpm. The engine works in conjunction with a 6-speed transmission. While the power and torque figures are exactly the same as the TRK, the Leoncino has the distinction of being the lighter motorcycle, which should translate into better dynamics on the road. That being said, we’ll reserve our verdict once we get our hands on the motorcycle.

Features neo-retro styling:

The Leoncino gets a distinctive scrambler-esque design that is unlike anything else in Benelli’s lineup in India. The motorcycle is designed by CentroStile Benelli in Italy, and to top off the Italian authenticity, the front fender also gets Benelli’s logo, the Lion of Pesaro. The classically styled circular headlamp is adorned by an asymmetrical, fully digital twin-pod instrument cluster. To give the motorcycle a modern touch, Benelli offers an all-LED lighting system.

The wide handlebars and the single-piece seat coupled with the fairly neutral-set set footpegs should offer comfortable ergonomics. At 13.5 litres, the fuel tank capacity is pretty decent but It might leave you asking for a bit more range to go touring comfortably.

Pricing:

Benelli has priced the Leoncino 500 at Rs 4.79 lakh (ex-showroom India), and the motorcycle enters the country via the CKD route. Bookings are open both at authorised dealerships and online for a token amount of Rs 10,000. Benelli offers a 5 year, unlimited-km warranty as standard, which should ensure a hassle-free ownership experience. There are two colours to choose from: Leoncino Red and Steel Grey.

It’s the most affordable big Scrambler in India:

The Leoncino is by far the most affordable scrambler-themed motorcycle in India right now. Granted there’s the FB Mondial HPS 300, which undercuts the Leoncino by around Rs 1.42 lakh, but it’s essentially a mix and match of scrambler, cafe racer and flat tracker. Moreover, FB Mondial is a niche brand, unlike Benelli. The next affordable scrambler big bike in the Indian market would be the Ducati Scrambler, which is priced at Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

All said and done, if you want to buy something less expensive and turn it into a scrambler, you have the option of going for the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. At Rs 2.5 lakh (ex-showroom India), the Interceptor offers exceptional value for money!

Packs premium underpinnings:

The steel trellis frame is suspended using chunky 50mm inverted fork and an offset monoshock which offers spring preload and rebound adjustability. Up front, it gets dual 320mm discs with radial calipers while the rear comes with a 260mm disc with single-piston floating caliper. The 17-inch alloy wheels are shod with 120-section front and 160-section rear Pirelli Angel ST tyres.