We’ve seen a handful of interesting bikes make their first appearances at EICMA 2019, and the most recent one to join the list is the new Leoncino 800.
Visually, the Leoncino stays true to the design language its lineage follows – a retro theme with sharp, sculpted lines following an overall simplistic approach. At first instance, it looks like a beefier Leoncino 500, albeit with more prominent scrambler-like cues.
Powering the Leoncino 800 is a 754cc twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that makes 81.6hp at 9,000rpm and 67Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. Transmission is handled by a 6-speed gearbox that works alongside a slipper clutch. The engine is sat inside an all-new frame that is suspended on a 50mm Marzocchi USD fork, which offers compression and preload adjustability with 130mm of travel. The rear monoshock, meanwhile, is pre-load adjustable. Braking hardware includes 320mm dual-disc at the front with a four-piston monoblock caliper, and a 260mm rear disc with a dual-piston caliper, all sourced from Brembo. The Leoncino 800 uses 17-inch spoked wheels at both ends, shod in 120/70-17 and 180/55-17 tyres. It’s worth noting that the wheels are tubeless-tyre compatible, complementing the scrambler, off-road-ready nature of the bike. It also gets a decent 15 litres of fuel capacity. Other features include an LED headlight and a new TFT instrument cluster.
Lately, Benelli has been on a roll in our country, launching three new motorcycles in India over the last couple of months. It seems likely that this bike too will eventually make its way here, but we still await confirmation on the same. Should it launch in India, the Leoncino 800 will rival the likes of the Ducati Scrambler series.
Azaman Chothia
