Benelli Leoncino 500 launched in India at Rs 4.79 lakh

After launching the TRK 502 and 502X in India at the beginning of this year, Benelli India has brought the Leoncino 500 to our shores. The Leoncino 500 comes with a sticker of Rs 4.79 lakh ex-showroom. There are no direct competitors to the Leoncino 500 but if you consider similarly packaged motorcycles, the Benelli faces heat from Royal Enfield 650 Twins, Ducati Scrambler 800, Triumph Street Twin and Kawasaki W800.

Design of the Leoncino

With the Leoncino 500 Benelli is recalling the Lion Cub motorcycles of the '50s and '60s and the front mudguard even sports a small Lion of Pesaro. The headlamps are full LED units and instrument cluster too appears to be fully digital, paying homage to the classics of yesteryears while still bringing a modern package.

Powering the Benelli

The Leoncino 500 is powered by the same engine that does duty in the TRK 502. The DOHC, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 500cc engine makes 46.8bhp at 8500rpm and 46Nm at 6000rpm. Power from this eight-valve motor is transferred to the rear wheels via a six-speed transmission.

Underpinnings

The motorcycle comes with Pirelli Angel GT tyres wrapped around 17-inch alloys. The front tyre is a 120/70-ZR17 unit while the rear is a 160/60-ZR17 unit. Stopping power comes from twin 320mm discs with four piston calipers upfront and a single 260mm disc at the rear with a single piston caliper. Dual channel ABS is standard on the Leoncino 500.

In terms of price, the Leoncino 500 has no direct competition. The Ducati Scrambler range costs north of Rs 7.5 lakh while the RE Twins undercut the Benelli by about Rs 2 lakh, on average. We don't know how the Leoncino 500 is like to ride yet (a first ride review will be out soon) but considering its price and power figures, it surely is a unique offering from Benelli in India.