Benelli Leoncino 800s arrive

Benelli’s pair of upsized Leoncinos is dotting down about now, packing a 754cc parallel twin to give them some extra zip. You can have the 800 as a standard bike or a scrambler called the Leoncino Trail.

Pick the Leoncino 800 by its updated styling, comprising a new tank and oval headlight. It runs a liquid-cooled parallel twin which is Euro5 emissions ready, and generates 56kW of power (72hp) at 8500rpm and peak torque of 67Nm chimes in at 6500rpm. The engine is a dual overhead camshaft four valves per cylinder design, with 43mm throttle bodies. 

Enhanced output compares with 35kW and 45Nm for the 500cc versions which continue to be available for $9990 (std bike) and $10,690 (Trail version).

Underpinning the newbies is a new trellis frame with steel plates, for extra rigidity and sharper handling. Wet weight is a claimed 222kg to the 210kg measured of the 500. The Trail version is evidently 234kg.

The headlight is an LED unit with the Leoncino logo at its centre. On the front mudguard is the lion symbol of Benelli. 

TFT instruments relay the important information, while suspension comprises fully adjustable 50mm USD Marzocchi forks up front, and a monoshock at the rear, adjustable for preload and rebound damping. Brakes, 320mm twin discs, are by Brembo, using four-piston radial-mount monoblock calipers at the pointy end, and a 260mm disc on the back is acted upon by a double-piston caliper. Wheels are conventionally sized 17-inch alloys for the standard bike, and there’s a 19-inch front unit on the Trailie. This features spoked wheels and knobby tyres. The tank holds 15L of fuel.

The Leoncino 800 is here now, with a price tag of $13,990 before ORCs and comes in grey, brown and green colours. The Trail version is coming hard on its heels, carrying a sticker price of $14,490 before on-roads. Both are covered by a two-year unlimited km warranty.