Benelli India will launch the Benelli Leoncino 500
range in India by early 2019. Apart from the standard model, the company will
also introduce the Benelli Leoncino Trail and the Leoncino 500 Sport in India
before the end of next year. The company has partnered with Hyderabad-based
Mahavir Group to assemble and market its product in the country.
Apart from the Leoncino, the company has also
applied for the homologation of the Benelli TRK 502X and the Imperiale 400.
While the TRK 502X is an adventure tourer, the Benelli Imperiale 400 is a retro
classic that will rival the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Royal Enfield
Thunderbird 350. On the other hand, the TRK 502X will compete with the upcoming
KTM 390 Adventure. While the standard model receives alloy wheels and on-road
tires, the Benelli Leoncino Trail features wire-spoke wheels and off-road
tires.
Powering the Benelli Leoncino 500 is a 499.6 cc,
parallel twin-cylinder, DOHC, liquid-cooled engine that is mated to a 6-speed
transmission. The fuel injected motor is capable of producing a maximum power
of 46 bhp at 8,500 rpm while developing a peak torque of 45 Nm at 5,000 rpm.
Benelli will reportedly launch the standard road-biased version of the bike in
India.
Suspension hardware comprises 50 mm upside-down
front forks along with preload and rebound adjustable mono-shock at the rear.
Stopping power is managed by twin 320 mm front disc and a 260 mm rear disc
brake with radially mounted callipers, while dual-channel ABS is standard. The
Benelli Leoncino features 17-inch alloy wheels that run on 120/70 section front
and 160/60 section rear tubeless tires.
The Benelli Leoncino is likely to carry a price tag
of INR 4.5 lakh (ex-showroom), while the bike will compete with the KTM 390
Duke and the Kawasaki Ninja 650. The Benelli-Mahavir Group JV will also launch
the Benelli Leoncino 250 and the Benelli TRK 251 in India by the end of 2019.
