Road test of Benelli500 Leoncino 2018 A fun, playful little ball of nerves

on April 10, 2018, after a hard day's work at work, I hit the road with my Yamaha XV 950 in the direction of Kontich where the Benelli Leoncino was waiting for me.

so as not to arrive totally unaware, I did a little research to find out who this Benelli is, and it came as a great surprise when I learned that she was a woman, a mother of 6 sons, who put all her savings into founding the "Garage Benelli" to enable her sons to have stable employment. It was founded in 1911, and the first Motoleggera saw the light of day in 1921. The brand disappeared in the early 1990s, but was reborn after Merloni bought it in 2003. Today, the Benelli brand belongs to the Chinese Qianjiang (Q.J.) group.

leoncino is the Italian word for "little Lion", proudly displayed on the front mudguard. This model is Benelli's best-seller, built in 1951.

sixty-seven years later, the lion cub reappears stronger than ever.

here's what I think:

design

the Leoncino is somewhere between a scrambler and a roadster, and is available in red, silver and black.

the first thing that strikes you is the nifty convex 13-liter tank, which is made up of two parts, the metal part and the black side covers displaying the brand's emblem inscribed in its medallion.

the leather seat is mounted on a shortened rear buckle, forming a continuous line to the rear mudguard. The LED taillight is modern and inlaid.

at the front, the LED headlight is very nice, with an upside-down U-shaped daytime running light, and the upside-down fork is impressive.

The lion statuette rests on the front mudguard. The Italian claaaasse!

the mirrors are slim but effective, offering a reassuring view of what's happening on the road at the rear without being hampered by the sight of arms or shoulders.

the digital speedometer displays all the essential information: fuel gauge, hour, temperature on the left side of the speedometer. engine and outside temperature, while the rev counter, gear engaged, speed and trip (daily or total) are displayed on the right-hand side.

driving position

it's easy to straddle the Lionceau, and my feet are flat on the ground at a height of 78 cm.

the saddle is welcoming and promises good comfort.

the knees naturally hug the fuel tank, making steering easier and more comfortable. The footrests are correctly positioned and legs and feet fall naturally onto them.

handlebars sit comfortably and at an ideal height, so you don't have to lean forward
Here again, as with the Harley Fatbob, I can give you the opinion of a duo rider, thanks to the same passenger who accompanied me for a few kilometers. She found the rear seat to be fairly comfortable, given the width of the saddle, with an upright position, well-placed footrests that support the foot well, and handgrips that may be minimalist but are so rare on all other bikes.

handlebar controls

the controls are classic and offer the essentials: on the right, the automatic ignition, the comodo to activate the hazard lights and, on the left, two buttons to scroll through the trips and the other to choose between km/ and Celsius or Fahrenheit, as well as the comodos for all headlight functions.

driving

Every time you turn on the starter, you get an idea of how the engine sounds in relation to the model on offer. The sound of the exhaust literally dresses up the bike, and is like velvet for the ears. The depth and strength of the breath coming from the engine and exiting the exhaust are immediately seductive.

engage the first gear like a lump of butter, open up the throttle and the twin-cylinder slowly revs up, then the engine sounds more like the roar of a virile lion cub. Nothing brutal, but sparkling nonetheless.

you move up to second, then third, and very quickly to sixth...and you want more .... Admittedly, 47 hp isn't much, but there's still plenty to enjoy. The 6-speed gearbox is both smooth and precise.

the Leoncino is very playful on the road, it doesn't weigh much, it's superbly manoeuvrable, takes bends perfectly without scaring the rider, stays well on its line and straightens out easily on exiting the bend. In short, it's a real pleasure to ride.

on the freeway, on the other hand, the pleasure is less present, it's monotonous and a bit of a flag-waver.

the brakes have just the right amount of bite, and braking becomes more gradual the further you push the lever.

minor faults

although the saddle is welcoming and promises good comfort, I found the seat relatively hard.

Personally, I find the brake pedal unattractive, and find the appearance of the footrests a little unattractive, as their material resembles common tinplate

conclusion

the "little lion" evokes an animal that's cute and endearing, but which can become ferocious and get out its claws. That's what the Benelli Leoncino is, easy but not bland, fun and far from ridiculous, playful but with a certain maturity, efficient and pleasant, and quite reasonable (6000 EUR).

with its pleasant lines, completely in tune with the times, halfway between a contemporary motorcycle and those of the '70s, it's sure to seduce.

Its capacities are modest but sufficient, and it's the kind of bike that could be popular with young bikers, as well as older ones looking for a fun ride.

its personality, energy and fun factor make it a quality companion on the road.

SCALLE