- Benelli Leoncino 500 to launch scrambler-styled motorcycle on 5 August
- Will be positioned below the TRK 502 and TRK 502X models
- Bookings unofficially commenced by dealers
Benelli India will be launching the Leoncino 500 in India on 5 August. The scrambler-styled motorcycle sits in the middle-weight segment in the company’s product portfolio. While the motorcycle is offered in three variants (Standard, Trail and Sport) in the international market, for India, we will be getting the road-biased Standard variant.
The Leoncino 500 carries a retro theme with a circular headlamp which is accompanied by a curvy fuel tank which further blends into the body panel beneath the seat before finishing with a sleek tail section. It comes equipped with a single-pod instrument cluster that is fully-digital keeping the modern bits in check. Furthermore, the headlamp is an all-LED unit with LED turn indicators.
Powering the scrambler is the same 500cc parallel-twin derived from the TRK twins. The motor is capable of producing 46.8bhp at 8,500rpm and 46Nm at 6,000rpm. Transmission duties are handled by a six-speed gearbox. The motorcycle is suspended by 50mm inverted forks at the front and monoshock at the rear. For braking, the Leoncino employs twin discs with radially-mounted calipers for the front and a single disc at the rear with a floating caliper. The system is assisted by dual-channel ABS.
While Benelli hasn’t officially commenced accepting bookings for the new motorcycle, several dealers across the country have started accepting booking unofficially. You can read about it, here. As far as pricing is concerned, expect Benelli to price the Leoncino 500 in the ballpark of Rs 4.70 and Rs 5 lakhs, ex-showroom. Competition-wise, the Leoncino 500 is rival against the Kawasaki Z650 and the recently launched CFMoto 650MT.