Established in 1911, Benelli is the second-oldest Italian brand still in production. Although the company's objectives have varied over decades, they still provide excellent vehicles. The Benelli Leoncino is no different. Benelli presented its first-ever Leoncino in 1951, just after WWII ended, and soon it saw new heights of success after earning first place in Motogiro d'Italia with the racer Tartarini. However, the company faced a crisis when Japanese manufacturers started penetrating the western market with their technologically-advanced offerings. The company was saved by the owner of the Biesse Group, who bought Benelli in 1989. After that, Benelli started targeting the scooter segment.
Despite all the difficulties, we can't deny that Benelli makes one of the most fantastic motorcycles around the globe. Yes, they are not perfect; that is why it builds up more gusto owning one. And the Leoncino 500 Trail is worthy of holding the historical badge "Benelli." The little lion cub is not like its siblings; however, it does not mean it lacks any of the Italian brand's DNA. Just one quick look at the Leoncino, and you notice the prominent Benelli craftsmanship.
Although scramblers shine on no roads, companies have focused on this category and created them in a way that works both on and off the road. The Leoncino 500 Trail is among those scramblers. Therefore, below are the 10 things we love about the Leoncino 500 trail.
10 It Is A Retro Looking Motorcycle (Plus, It's Italian!)
Nobody can deny that Italians nail it when it comes to looks! They make gorgeous machines, be it a bike or a car. Benelli does not differ from any other Italian manufacturer in the industry. One glance at the Leoncino, and you get that retro vibe.
You get to see retro elements all over the bike, which the designer had in mind. Apart from this, the Italian touch-up is clear. The Leoncino is an attractive motorcycle that indeed is a head turner. But it's not like other Benellis; it is not too small or too big.
9 It's A Versatile Scrambler
Benelli fitted the Leoncino 500 trail with spoke wheels rather than standard alloys offered in the basic Leoncino 500. This gives it room for a better off-roading experience. It is lighter than its big brothers, which provides more confidence and maneuverability off-road.
Also, it has more ground clearance than the standard version sitting at 7.3 inches, which is 1.6 inches more. So you don't need to worry about your bash plate hitting the rocks and ground anymore.
8 It Offers Good Mid-Range Power
The Leoncino comes with a 499.6-cc Inline 2-cylinder engine producing 46.9 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 33.2 ft-lb of torque at just about 5,000 rpm on the crank. This shows the engine's characteristics and means the heart of the Leoncino is most happy in the midrange.
The Torque curve is flat, so you experience the pull whenever you give it throttle, even on lower revs. So the Leoncino is great around urban areas and cruising on highways! This little boy can do it all with ease.
7 Being Retro It Doesn't Miss Out On Modern Features
Unlike other retro theme-based motorcycles, the Leoncino does not miss out on modern features. It packs LED headlights up front along with LED tail lights as well as side indicators. Not to mention the gorgeous reversed U-shaped daytime running lights, which are also LEDs.
Plus, it gets a retro-based LCD console that gives just enough information and no unnecessary stuff. Reading the tachometer in the daytime might be a hassle; however, it isn't wholly unreadable. Apart from this, the Leoncino also comes equipped with dual channel ABS set up as standard but not switchable.
6 It Is An Affordable Bike
Benelli has placed the Leoncino 500 Trail aggressively at about $6,199 in the US markets. It attracts both new and experienced riders as it provides a whole package of a fun ownership experience. What's more impressive is that it doesn't feel cheap anywhere around. Plus, Benelli's motorcycles are known for their sound.
The Leoncino 500 Trail doesn't require any exhaust change because it is already symphonious and pleases our ears. You get a perfect blend of revving harmonies and excellent comfort with enough power to keep you engaged in the relationship with the bike.
5 It's Got Surprisingly Good Luggage Capabilities
It's surprising how Benelli provided extra luggage capacity on a scrambler motorcycle. The Leoncino can easily fit panniers on both sides by removing the rear grab handles and fitting the pannier support frame. An alternative to this is you can also place a saddle at the rear since the pillion seats are of no actual use.
Good luggage capacity means you can pretty much take this cub on extensive tours, and it won't even budge. Apart from this, the Leoncino can be adjusted to preload settings, meaning you won't keep jumping around if you are at full load capacity. This makes it one of the sensible options that nobody can overlook.
4 It's Easy To Ride
Don't let the looks fool you, it may look mean, but it's actually beginner-friendly. The power delivery of the Leoncino is tuned on a very linear side. It speeds up evenly and is best in the mid-range. This indeed does not provoke the rider to always be hard on the throttle. You can also quickly overtake on highways without downshifting.
Newer riders will appreciate the friendly approach of the Leoncino’s throttle and handling. Apart from this, it is a simple motorcycle that gives you only the necessary info. It doesn’t waste screen space to show hardcore electronics like traction levels and ABS levels, making it even more accessible.
3 It's Got Amazing Braking Power
The Leoncino 500 Trail features a 320-mm dual disc with four-piston calipers at the front and a 260-mm single disc with two-piston calipers at the rear. And boy, those brakes are strong. The cub is faster to decelerate than accelerate. Although the brakes have a low bite, they can put you to stop in no time.
Newer riders might take some time to get complete confidence in them; however, once they do, it feels precise. Brakes like these are often fitted in higher segments such as 800s or 1000s, which shows how crazy a halting machine the Leoncino is.
2 It Offers A Comfortable Riding Experience
The suspension setup on the front of the cub features 50-mm inverted forks and at the rear is a laterally placed 60-mm mono-shock that is both preload and rebound adjustable. The ride quality is on the softer side.
Although the front end feels heavy, the wider handlebar creates decent leverage, making the Leoncino perfect for stop-and-go conditions. Weighing about 456 pounds, the Leoncino is very stable at high speeds and soaks up any undulations and potholes effortlessly.
1 It's Got Good Off-Roading Tyres And Rim Setup
The Benelli Leoncino Trail has a 19-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear wheel with spokes. The 19-inches at the front are a blessing off the roads as they provide better handling over the regular 17-inch wheels.
They also equipped the Trail version with Metzeler Tourance tires that provide decent grip on the trails and on the tarmac. On the Trail version, the rear tire is a 150/70 R17 that gives it the additional compression required for hopping onto the rock beds.