Motorcycle specifications Benelli 500 LEONCINO 2016 Prairie lion cub

Brands like to cultivate their history and highlight their glorious past. Recently, machines with a whiff of the past have been taking us on a neo-retro ride. Benelli is practicing a fine style with this endearing roadster with hints of a scrambler. This is the Leoncino, a beautiful prototype that prefigures a production machine due to arrive at the end of 2016.

the "Lionceau" makes a welcome change from the overly Chinese productions that have recently invaded the Benelli clan. While this Leoncino forgets to adopt a high position for its exhaust in order to fully claim scrambler status, the machine as a whole has a lot to commend it. A compact, curvaceous frame, studded tires on spoked rims, a sleek, gourmet design: the Benelli knows how to charm. And there's no shortage of arguments to make it a machine that's as modern as it is vintage. The classic round headlight and turn signals are LED, the brakes use radial 4-piston calipers, the petal brake discs are 320 mm in diameter, and a large 50 mm inverted fork holds the front end firmly in place. Strong, even excessive for a 48-hp machine. As far as looks are concerned, it works and it rocks.

48 horsepower? That's enough. Enough to fend off the Mash 400 Scrambler and Ducati 400 Scrambler Sixty2, to whom it will naturally be pitted. And yet, in the face of such cachet, a larger engine would have been much more appreciated. Taken from the TRK 502, this two-cylinder block also produces 4.6 mkg and is ideal for A2 license holders. While the tubular steel frame is extremely discreet, it's harder to accept the radiator's prominence and the engine's overly modern appearance in relation to the Leoncino's silhouette. There's still time and public feedback to fine-tune this Leoncino. But the little statuette on the front fender, featuring the brand's emblem, suggests that this machine already has great ambitions.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos