Benelli, an Italian brand born in 1911, has created a complete range of neo-classical scramblers: We can access the Leoncino 125, the Leoncino 800 and the Leoncino 800 Trail (the latter motorcycles with an option of 35 kW).
Benelli Leoncino family (from left to right): 500, 800 Trail, 800 and 125.This family, the Benelli Leoncino, are motorcycles with a multipurpose use, city/highway and some other road, which join the already existing ones, Leoncino 250, Leoncino 500 and Leoncino 500 Trail.
The Leoncino 125: Exemplary Citizen
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.Eminently civic, due to its displacement and performance, the Benelli Leoncino 125 opens the market to holders of a B license, car license or simply to those who use the motorcycle only on urban routes or in places where with 12.8 CV at 9,500 rpm there is more than enough. Its consumption of only 2.2 liters per 100 km (according to Benelli itself) is one more weight argument to be taken into account, together with an agile and simple operation but with an unmistakable style: it can be confused with its older sisters! 500cc!
The engine is a liquid-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder with a single camshaft responsible for moving four valves. Its torque is consistent with the displacement of 10 Nm at 8,500 rpm but the 12.8 CV at 9,500 rpm are very valid in the city and fuel consumption, as I mentioned, really low.
The chassis is a multi-tubular steel structure that shows the finish of the engine and the shapes of the tank integrated into the design. It is a well-achieved exercise in style, very different from that of the competitors of other brands. The lighting is full LED and the panel is digital with the complete and necessary information, from the time clock to rpm, speed, temperature, fuel level… By the way, with 12.2 liters of fuel capacity (and its low consumption) you will forget for many kilometers to go to the gas station.
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.The lion, the symbol of this Benelli model and also of the brand, remains irreverent and proud on the front fender. And you will not be able to see it from the driving position but you will notice that you reach the ground with ease due to the 795 mm of distance from the seat to the asphalt, somewhat less when taking your place at the controls. You will notice that moving the 145 kg of weight of this model is not complicated. It is very light and manageable.
Excessive rubber has not been chosen on the aluminum rims, since it is content with measurements of 100/80-17 at the front and 130/70-17 at the rear.
Regarding suspensions, the surprise is found in the front fork: an efficient inverted 35 mm bar with 125 mm of travel that, together with the rear suspension, a single shock absorber adjustable in spring preload and 60 mm of travel is responsible for filter the irregularities of the asphalt or cobblestones still present in many cities.
Braking is entrusted to a single 280mm front disc with a three-piston floating caliper, while the rear is a 220mm disc with a two-piston caliper, which behave by sharing braking when acting on any of them, the system known as CBS or Combined Brake System.
You can choose the Benelli Leoncino in four possible color finishes: green, matte grey, white and red at a price of €3,290.
Leoncino 800: Image Scrambler
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.After the success of the Leoncino 500, which is still in the catalogue, the Leoncino 800 offers a larger displacement, being 754 cc, liquid cooled, four-stroke, Euro5 and with a power delivery of 76.2 CV at 8,500 rpm. The torque figure is 67 Nm at 6,500 rpm, with 2,000 rpm between torque and maximum power, which makes this engine very usable, anchored to a tubular steel chassis.
The common lines of the entire Leoncino family are distinguished from models of other brands, with all the full LED lighting and the TFT clock, but above all with the brand symbol, the lion, on the front fender and the shapes of the tank, in this case with 15 liters capacity.
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.
The suspension of the Leoncino 800, slightly shorter in travel than that of its sister 800 Trail, consists of a fork with 50 mm of bars and 130 mm of travel. Behind the single shock absorber, adjustable in preload and rebound allows a travel of 140 mm. Brakes are entrusted to a pair of 260mm discs with four-piston radial-mount calipers and a 260mm rear disc clamped by twin-piston calipers. The wheels are 17” aluminum alloy with 120/70 tires at the front and 180/55 at the rear.
The price of the Benelli Leoncino 800, in any of its two color versions, gray or brown, is in the 76.2 CV version (€8,090) and in the 35 Kw or 47.6 CV version (€7,790).
Benelli Leoncino 800 Trail: Trail or Scrambler?
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.With a mixed, premeditated use and without abandoning the traditional appearance of the Leoncino, the Benelli Leonciono 800 Trail is firmly committed to the possibility of riding easy tracks, without losing its good performance on road trips.
The front rim – with spokes anchored to the outside of the rim – is, in the 800 Trail model, 19 inches with a 120/70 Tubeless tire, the well-known Pirelli Scorpion STR. Behind the chosen measure is a 170/60 in a 17-inch spoked rim and also Tubeless. There are no differences between the 800 and the 800 trail version in terms of braking, this being a 320 mm double front disc with four-piston radial mount calipers and a 260 mm rear disc with a double-piston caliper.
The engine is identical to that of its more asphalt sister: 754 cc in-line twin-cylinder, 76.2 hp at 8,500 rpm and 67 Nm at 6,500 rpm, DOHC and four valves per cylinder, with six gear ratios.
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.
To favor behavior away from the asphalt, the suspensions are now with greater travel, with 50 mm diameter legs in the inverted fork and 140 mm in the trail version. The single rear shock absorber, adjustable in spring preload and rebound, reaches 140 mm of travel. The 800 Trail version is, for these reasons, somewhat higher in the seat, with the ground clearance of 834 mm.
The off-road aesthetic reaches the Leoncino range, with a small headlamp fairing being this LED’s like the rest of the lighting. The new exhaust is now higher, with a new license plate holder behind the rear wheel… but the lion, symbol of the brand, is not missing on the front fender.
The Benelli Leoncino 800 Trail is available in grey, green and brown and is priced at €8,590, with a version limited to 47.6 hp priced slightly lower at €8,290.
How are they?
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.Logically, the Benelli Leoncino 125 model sees its radius of action limited as it has a reduced displacement and a limited power, by law, of only 12.8 CV. This fact conditions its maximum speed, which reaches 100 km/h, sufficient for the ring roads of our cities, although its favorite environment is, without a doubt, the urban one, without detracting from routes, and even intercity trips, preferably by road. .
Its dynamism in the city is at the same time synonymous with personal style. The Benelli logo, a brand recognizable by the majority of motorcyclists and by those of older age who, perhaps, parked the motorcycle years ago, makes it the recipient of undisguised glances.
Something fair as a duo, it would be advisable to stiffen the rear shock if that use is common. On the go and alone: it reacts very quickly to the throttle control, accelerating decisively. On the other hand, when it comes to stopping it, the CBS system does not give that confidence that you expect and recognize in an ABS, although it is true that I had the opportunity to test several units and in some cases that CBS effect (with an apparently different braking distribution , only in appearance) was hardly perceived, one of them being more evident. Let’s remember that ABS systems are reserved for larger displacement motorcycles… such as the successful Leoncino 250, Leoncino 500, and the new Leoncino 800 and Leoncino 800 Trail.
The Leoncino 800 in action
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.The Leoncino 500, a scrambler that surprises very pleasantly from the first meters, may have had some tough competition… at home.
The difference in weight (between the 500 and the 800) is not so high as to be reason enough to choose one or the other. Aesthetically they are very similar. But they differ in one very important aspect when we opt for a “big” bike: power. In the Leoncino 800 two people will travel comfortably, maintaining excellent acceleration and cruising speed, very good margin for overtaking, with a TFT screen with full color information, complete and easy to read, a driving position with more space and a “horizon ” further to reach, at least with greater response capacity for performance, without detracting from the balanced Leoncino 500.
Walking through the countryside: Leoncino 800 Trail
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.But where Benelli has put special zeal, commitment and firm commitment has been in the evolution, without excesses in my opinion, towards the “light” trail. It is a step taken beyond the scrambler with an emblematic model that, in my opinion, surpasses the Leoncino 800 in good dynamic behavior both on tracks and even on asphalt. The greater suspension travel, the greater height of the seat and the details that differentiate it from the “standard” Leoncino 800 such as the position of the license plate or the double exhaust outlet, but all this without losing an iota of style, as it faithfully follows the Leoncino’s dictates. Only, perhaps, in the city or in 100% road use, the Leoncino 800 is more logical… although the spoked rims are also a strong argument in favor of the 800 Trail version.
The choice of colors is entirely correct because it differs a lot from the trail of the competition in the same cylinder capacity and having the middle ground on the front tire, 19 inches and not the more “off-road” 21 inches, makes it more human , more suitable for any user… and behaves very well, noble and predictable on dusty sections, immediately giving confidence.
In my opinion, the spoked rim is also guilty of this better behavior, better filtering the irregularities of the asphalt, the cobblestones of the city of Seville, the city chosen for the presentation of these models, and in whose surroundings we were able to test their noble qualities on tracks easy.
Benelli Leoncino 125, 800 and 800 Trail.
Without needing to pick up the pace, or pretending to do so, the Benelli Leoncino 800 Trail is a new option to start out on trails… although if I think about it, any of the three, Leoncino 125, Leoncino 800 and this 800 Trail, are actually, to a greater or lesser extent, scrambler-style bikes, so occasional use on the trails is possible… with the highest proportion on the 800 Trail.
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