Motorcycle specifications Benelli 250 Leoncino 2018 Mini savane

Once you've reached a certain size, a manufacturer doesn't leave a lone wolf in its range. Even more so if a specimen is successful or becomes a standard-bearer. Such is the case with the Leoncino of the revival. This attractively designed medium-displacement machine expands its range: a standard model for road cruising, a trail version for "scrambling", a Sport version to simulate a café-racer, and a small 250 version for newcomers.

By downsizing to the quarter-liter format, the Leoncino loses size. It feels frailer, almost more timid. But the barely modified styling makes it as seductive as the 500. The headlamp tries to be more imposing, but the little lion on the front fender will attract more attention.

The engine is a mono, borrowed from the BN 251 and also used in the TRK 251 trail bike. You'll have plenty of power to play around town and ride in the countryside. The engine develops 25.8 hp at 9,250 rpm and a small torque of 2.16 mkg at 8,000 rpm. Braking power is adapted to the lion cub's mini format, with a single petal-shaped front brake disc, 280 mm in diameter and 4 pistons in the caliper. The rear is equipped with a 240 mm disc and single-piston caliper. Supervised by ABS.
The inverted fork at the front is also reduced in size to 41 mm. The tubular steel frame is not the same as that of the 500 Leoncino or the BN 251, but will suit this machine's pretensions perfectly.

Benelli's two-and-a-half roadster range is designed to satisfy two very different characters. You have the BN 251 for an aggressive design, or the 250 Leoncino for a sleeker, neo-retro look. Cute, not violent, and in a price range that aims to be as accessible as possible, the Benelli faces the same problem as its competitors: convincing people of the virtues of its displacement positioning.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos