Internationally, Benelli retails the Leoncino 500 in two variants – a road version and a more off-road friendly one – but the manufacturer is likely to launch only the road-going version in India.
Benelli Leoncino 500 has been on the upcoming motorcycles list for the Indian market for a long time but now the launch may have just been drawn closer. Benelli India recently teased the launching of a new motorcycle in India and reports suggest the new Leoncino 500 is set to launch in the country in the coming months. Internationally, Benelli retails the Leoncino 500 in two variants – a road version and a more off-road friendly one – but the manufacturer is likely to launch only the road-going version in India.
Benelli Leoncino 500 is a mid-capacity neo-retro motorcycle powered by a 499.6cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected parallel-twin engine that develops 47.6 hp at 8,500 rpm and 45 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm. Expect the Leoncino 500 to launch at about Rs 4.5-5 lakh (ex-showroom). It doesn’t have a direct rival in India but in terms of price, it will rival Harley-Davidson Street 750 which retails at Rs 5.33 lakh (ex-showroom) and Kawasaki Ninja 400 which is priced at Rs 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
Benelli Leoncino 500 is a naked street motorcycle with a projector headlamp and a distinctive design feature involving metal ornament in the shape of a lion on the front fender (Leoncino’s literal translation from Italian is lion cub). It’ll come with an all-digital instrument cluster and the tail section has a very minimalistic design.
Other cycle parts include 320 mm twin discs up front and a 260mm single disc at the rear with ABS (Anti-lock Braking system). For suspension, the bike gets 50 mm USD (upside down forks) upfront and an adjustable monoshock at the rear.
The motorcycle manufacturer from Italy went through some financial hiccups after it parted ways with its erstwhile partner DSK Motowheels. Now the company has collaborated with Adishwar Auto Ride India for its future expansion projects in the country.
Benelli hopes to come up with a number of new dealerships across India and grow its current market share which is not in its finest state as of now. But to turn the tables in its favour, Benelli is adopting an aggressive approach which is not just limited to the new bike or showroom launches, but also improving the ownership experience.
