We have been constantly reporting about Benelli coming up with new motorcycles and updating its existing line-up. The latest addition in the Benelli family is the Leoncino 800. The middleweight motorcycle segment is experiencing a lot of heat currently with the Triumph Trident and the new Ducati Scrambler 800s raising the temperature even further. The Leoncino 800 is Benelli’s take at a middleweight Scrambler and is available in two variants: Road-going standard variant and a trail variant with enhanced off-road credentials.
Familiar looks
When it comes to the overall looks, the Leoncino 800 looks familiar and resembled a beefed-up Leoncino 500. Both the models were showcased at the EICMA 2019 and what we see here are the production-spec versions of the motorcycles.
Both the Leoncino 800s follow the design lineage- a retro theme with sharp, sculpted lines following an overall simplistic approach. The 2021 Leoncino 800 continues to have the Lion mascot on the front fender, which has always been the case with the Leoncino models. The LED headlight and the fuel tank design look distinct compared to what we have often seen on the Leoncino range.
Variants explained
Let’s talk about what sets these variants apart from each other. The road-going version rides on 17-inch wheels at the front and rear with a 120-section tyre up front and a 180 section unit at the rear.
While the Leoncino 800 Trail, on the other hand, gets a bunch of off-road friendly enhancements like the high-mounted exhaust pipes, a small flyscreen, knobby tyres with a 19-inch front wheel and longer travel front suspension.
Suspension duties are handled by 50 mm Marzocchi USD forks at the front with rebound, compression and preload adjustment. On the road-biased version, the suspension travel measures 130 mm, while on the Trail it goes up to 140 mm. At the rear, both versions get a preload-adjustable monoshock.
Powertrain
Powering the Leoncion 800 is a EuroV and BSVI compliant liquid-cooled 754cc parallel-twin engine that makes 77PS of power and generates 69Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed gearbox with slipper assist clutch. Braking performance comes from Brembo units on either version. The new Benelli Leoncino 800 and Leoncino 800 Trail will go on sale internationally in a few weeks from now.
Also read: Benelli Announces ‘Diwali Sparkle’ Offer For the Imperiale 400
We do expect Benelli to bring in the Leoncino 800 and Leoncino 800 trail in India as well. Currently, the bikemaker only has the Imperiale 400 present in our country but some reports suggest that Benelli is planning to introduce the TRK 502s in India soon.