Benelli Leoncino 500 Scrambler Launched At Rs 4.79 lakh

Your ticket into the uber-stylish world of mid-capacity scramblers just got a lot cheaper 

Update: We have ridden the Leoncino 500. You can read the complete road test review here. 

• This is Benelli’s first retro offering for India.
• It is also the most affordable mid-capacity Benelli you can buy.
• It will get the TRK 502 ADV’s 500cc parallel-twin motor.

Benelli has launched its neo-retro styled scrambler, the Leoncino, at Rs 4.79 lakh (ex-showroom, India). Unlike foreign markets where it sells two variants, India will only get the standard variant and not the Trail. Bookings of the motorcycle begin today via Benelli’s website as well as its various dealerships. Booking amount for the bike is Rs 10,000. 

The Leoncino has a 500cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor it shares with the Benelli TRK 502. This motor develops 47.5PS at 8500rpm and 46Nm at 6000rpm and comes with a six-speed gearbox. It gets no rider aids like ride modes and traction control.

Going by the scrambler focus, the Leoncino gets an upright seating position. It has a steel trellis frame with 50mm upside-down forks and a monoshock that's adjustable for preload and rebound. 

At 207kg it is a heavy bike but still a lighter alternative to the TRK502 that weighs 28kg more. It gets alloy wheels wrapped with fat 120/70-ZR17 front and 160/60-ZR17 tyres. Braking is via twin 320mm discs with radial calipers and a 260mm rear disc. It gets dual-channel ABS. 

In terms of competition, the neo-retro Leoncino does not have any direct rivals. The next scrambler you can buy is the Ducati Scrambler that's more powerful and, at Rs 7.89 lakh, significantly more expensive. The other old-school middleweight option is the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 which starts at Rs 2.5 lakh and offers a brilliant value-for-money proposition.