Final up to date:
Benelli is a reputation steeped in motorbike historical past going again to 1911 when a mom purchased a workshop for her six sons. I like the historical past of this firm and once I had the chance to have certainly one of their bikes on mortgage, I didn’t hesitate to say sure.
Assessment Abstract
- With a weight of 222 kg I discovered this bike to be just a little bit prime heavy.
- At $8,841 USD / $11,913 CAD / £6,999, you might be getting quite a lot of bike to your cash from an extended established producer.
- 5” TFT display screen which is evident and simple to learn.
- Benelli is a Chinese language owned firm and the bikes are in-built China however the R&D is carried out in Italy which I feel reveals by within the design and really feel of the bike.
- No modes, no traction management and so forth., it’s simply you and the bike.
- There are three shade choices: metal grey, terrain brown and forest inexperienced however it will be good to see some brighter colours or liveries on the bikes.
Specs At A Look
- Weight: 222 kg
- Seat top: 805 mm
- 754cc, liquid cooled, four-stroke, twin cylinder engine
- Energy: 76.2 HP (56 kW) at 8500 rpm
- Torque: 67 Nm (6.8 kgm) at 6500 rpm
- 6 velocity
- LED lights entrance and rear and daytime working mild
- Three shade choices: metal grey, terrain brown and forest inexperienced
- 5’ TFT show
- For some European markets there’s a 35 kW model obtainable (A2 license compliant)
- 15 liter gasoline tank
- Value: $8,841 USD / $11,913 CAD / £6,999
About Benelli
In 1911 Teresa Benelli, who was widowed, invested her capital to ascertain a service workshop for her six sons with the intention to present steady jobs for them. Some spare components for vehicles and bikes have been additionally made however it was not till 1919 that the primary engine was made – a two stroke 75cc which was integrated right into a bicycle body.
In 1921 got here the primary Benelli motorbike, a Velomotore which was a 98cc two stroke obtainable in two fashions, the Touring and Sport (125cc) adopted by a 147cc model in 1923 which Tonino Benelli began to win races with. In 1926 a 175cc 4 stroke engined bike was produced with quite a few wins by Tonino who was the Italian Champion in 1927, 1927, 1930 and 1931.
In 1932 Benelli expanded with the acquisition of a sawmill which was to be their new manufacturing facility with two new racing bikes produced in 1934 – a 250cc twin cam and a 500. With the outbreak of the warfare, the corporate was compelled to supply solely navy bikes however the Second World Warfare destroyed the manufacturing facility. The corporate was left with a pile of rubble and empty sheds.
Thanks to MotoGB for the mortgage of the Benelli Leoncino 800.
I like the styling of the Leoncino, it jogs my memory of a Scrambler from one other Italian motorbike firm!
The Benelli brothers proved industrious and as soon as that they had retrieved equipment and tools, they began to transform about 1000 navy bikes left within the battlefields by the allies into bikes for civilian use.
In 1947 racing actions have been resumed and in 1948 Benelli employed the motorbike racer Dario Ambrosini who would go on to be very profitable. On October 14th the Benelli brothers introduced the choice to proceed producing bikes and the corporate went from energy to energy.
Curiously for the bike I’ve been reviewing, the Leoncino first appeared in 1951 when Benelli received the primary ‘Motogiro d’Italia’ in 1953 with the racer Tartarini.
The Lion in its outstanding place on the entrance mudguard
In 1972 the corporate was purchased by Alejandro De Tomaso and in 1989, the proprietor of the Biesse group, Giancarlo Selci, purchased Benelli. In 1995 the Merloni Group of Fabriano bought the bulk stake of the corporate after which in December 2005 Benelli turned a part of the group Q.J. Qianjiang is a company positioned in Wenling the place 14,000 individuals produce greater than 1,200,000 autos and two million engines per 12 months in a brilliant trendy manufacturing facility as massive as a metropolis.
At this time the Benelli bikes of tomorrow are nonetheless developed in Pesaro, Italy and I feel that is evident within the styling of their bikes.
First Impressions
I’ve seen within the media quite a lot of opinions about bikes which can be made in China, some constructive and lots of not so, and was eager to search out out for myself simply what they’re like.
The Leoncino arrived and once I first sat on the bike and was taken by simply how good the bike felt. Instantly it screamed that it didn’t really feel like a motorbike that value simply $8,800. I used to be impressed by the standard of the bike and spent a short time simply trying round.
I like the little lion on the entrance mudguard which appears as if it’s standing proudly on the helm of the bike. The lion seems on the remainder of the Leoncino vary too.
I used to be much more keen now to get out for a experience.
The colour fits the bike, appears manner higher than the pictures do it justice
I had the bike in the course of winter so the driving circumstances weren’t the very best to start out with, there was quite a lot of salt on the roads, icy patches and it was chilly.
As there aren’t any modes on this bike as in rain, highway, sport and so forth. the 5” TFT display screen is simple to make use of and could be very clear to learn.
I like the sound of the dual engine, I imply who doesn’t love the sound of a twin! Though the Leoncino does sound good, I must change the top can – the usual one shouldn’t be significantly engaging and it’s definitely not loud sufficient (for me anyway 😜)
The top can on the exhaust must be extra fashionable though the branding on the usual one is a pleasant contact.
Engine
The engine within the Leoncino is an line 2 cylinders, 4-stroke, liquid cooled 754 cc engine with 4 valves per cylinder, double overhead camshaft DOHC supplying you with 56,0 kW (76,2 Cv) @ 8500 rpm of energy and 67 Nm (6,8 kgm) @ 6500 rpm of torque.
The two cylinders, 4-stroke, liquid cooled 754 cc engine
What meaning is, the engine sounds fruity and for a 76 bhp bike, it doesn’t half go effectively and it sounds nice while it’s doing it.
Although the highway circumstances on my first experience meant I needed to take it simple, I might really feel how good the bike felt and I knew it had heaps extra to offer. I simply wanted a crisp sunny winter’s day to search out out.
Chassis
The body is a model new tubular trellis with metal plates and the rear swing arm has a central shock absorber with spring preload and rebound damping.
The entrance the wrong way up forks have 50 mm diameter legs with 130 mm journey of the entrance suspension which I discovered supplied good stability and luxury.
There are twin brake discs on the entrance with a four-piston radial-mount caliper, and one on the rear with a double piston caliper.
The dual brakes on the entrance with the Benelli model evident on the caliper
The Leoncino weighs in at 222 kg and though this isn’t essentially heavy, I did assume it felt just a little prime heavy which was noticeable when shifting the bike round. Having mentioned that, due to the load, it does really feel planted and steady within the corners.
The seat top of 805 mm meant for me, at 5′ 6”, that my ft have been properly planted on the bottom thus giving me traction for shifting out and in of the storage.
I actually just like the seating place of the Leoncino, it’s pretty upright and it feels as if you might be sitting on the bike moderately than in it, however the bars are good and extensive making for a cushty experience.
I felt the suspension was good, and dealt with the bumps in our roads properly, it definitely made for a clean experience.
The distinctive yellow suspension
I actually appreciated the best way Leoncino made me really feel when driving the twisties, it definitely felt completely happy within the corners and caught to the roads properly. Driving the bike appeared clean and easy and simply left me with a smile on my face.
The engine braking was good. I have a tendency to return off the throttle first earlier than altering down the gears when slowing up and I felt the engine did quite a lot of the braking for me though when wanted, particularly in a decent scenario, the brakes have been very responsive and did what they wanted to very effectively!
TFT Show
The 5” TFT display screen is evident and simple to learn. There may be not an excessive amount of on show which is nice so when glancing down when driving, it’s simple to see what you have to see.
There may be your velocity, gear you might be in, revs, clock, gasoline gauge, temperature gauge and journey meter. The Leoncino doesn’t have modes, as in rain, highway, sport and so forth., which is one factor that endears me to this bike. I choose a motorbike with no modes, it’s simply you and the bike.
If you first swap the ignition on, a lion runs throughout the display screen adopted by the Benelli brand with ‘Pure ardour since 1911’ beneath. It’s the little touches to the bike which reveals that thought has gone into the design of the bike.
The lion ‘working’ throughout the display screen when switching on the ignition
Tires
The tires on the Leoncino are Pirelli MT60 RS that are described as knobbly tires for highway lovers.
I used to be skeptical about these tires when the bike arrived as they appear like they’re designed for going off highway and I had the bike in the course of winter on chilly, damp, mucky (from the salt) roads.
The rear Pirelli MT60 RS tires
Pirelli describes these tires as: ‘Pure adrenaline for on or off highway. Excessive-performance radial tools upgrading the highway efficiency of knobbly tyres’.
The knobbly selection of highway lovers with:
- Particular radial carcass to make sure wonderful dealing with
- Tread sample optimized to be used additionally on moist surfaces
- Particular Superbike racing compound able to maximizing grip and highway holding for a pleasing driving sensation
I used to be impressed with these tires. They carried out effectively within the highway circumstances that they have been confronted with. On damp, moist, chilly roads the tires caught to the roads very properly, I didn’t have any ‘moments’ when the tires went away from me.
I like the best way the Leoncino handles with the MT 60’s, they definitely gave me the boldness I crave from a tire.
LED Lights
All of the lights are LED on the Leoncino. The headlight is a single rectangular form with “Leoncino Benelli’ within the middle. The daytime working mild runs across the prime half of the sunshine and does look moderately cool.
The entrance view does look good
The lights provide good visibility and the principle beam at night time has a large expanse to it so it lights up the facet of the highway properly.
The rear mild sits slightly below the seat and is an uncommon form however suits the bike properly. The rear indicators additionally look good. Each units of lights illuminate effectively.
The rear mild properly housed underneath the seat
So, What’s the Benelli Leoncino 800 wish to Journey?
Manner, manner higher than I assumed it will be. Having heard all kinds of tales about ‘Chinese language’ bikes and their high quality, I used to be tremendous impressed with the Leoncino.
This bike exceeded my expectations. The Leoncino looks like a pleasant bike even simply when sitting on it, it doesn’t really feel like a motorbike that prices $8,841.
The type and design of the Leoncino jogs my memory of a Scrambler of one other Italian branded motorbike firm. Certainly, the bike was mistaken for this various instances.
I actually just like the styling and the driving place could be very snug. The eye to the little particulars with the Benelli or Leoncino model and the little lion in its outstanding place on the entrance mudguard add to the enchantment of this bike.
When parked up the Leoncino garnered quite a lot of curiosity. Some have been enthused by the styling and high quality of the bike and lots reminisced about Benelli, previous and current. It was beautiful to listen to tales of fond reminiscences from a bike firm steeped in a lot historical past.
The seat top at 805 mm was good for me at 5’6”, my ft have been properly planted on the bottom.
I did, nonetheless, discover the load of the Leoncino just a little on the heavy facet, not when driving however simply shifting it about. There have been positively a couple of grunts when getting the bike out of the storage! My different half who’s taller and heavier than me didn’t have such a difficulty with the load.
Thought has gone into the design and housing of the seat
With 76 horses of energy, the bike pressed on effectively and dealt with so properly within the corners, it felt steady and planted. I might all the time really feel myself grinning on the finish of a twisty highway due to how the bike made me really feel and carried out.
One factor I did have a difficulty with have been the brake and clutch levers. Each of those are adjustable and have been on their closest setting however even then I might about simply attain the levers. I didn’t assume my fingers have been brief. I must change these.
The brake and clutch levers, though adjustable, are made for very lengthy fingers!
A tail tidy must be placed on additionally. I feel the rear finish would look a lot nicer tidied up and would improve the look of the rear brake.
Though I didn’t significantly discover any wind blast when driving, a display screen or entrance fairing would end the entrance finish properly.
A tail tidy is a particular should!
I just like the Leoncino. It is a very properly put collectively bike and you might be getting an terrible lot of motorbike to your pennies. The Leoncino definitely endeared itself to me and I’m certain it should to you too.
2023 Benelli Leoncino 800 Video Assessment
Professionals
- The R&D of Benelli’s is finished in Pesaro, Italy and I feel this reveals by within the design of the bike, it appears trendy and trendy however with a nod to the historical past of Benelli
- Seat top of 805 mm which for these of us of a shorter disposition is nice, my ft have been firmly planted on the bottom giving me good traction when shifting the bike
- No driving modes which is how I like my bikes, it’s simply you and the bike when driving.
- The 5” tft shade display screen is evident to learn and simple to learn particularly when glancing down when driving
- Three shade choices – metal grey, terrain brown and forest inexperienced
Cons
- With a weight of 222 kg I discovered this bike to be just a little bit prime heavy
- A entrance display screen or small fairing would tidy the entrance find yourself as too would a tail tidy be good for the rear!
- For a contemporary exhaust this doesn’t look as unhealthy as some on new bikes however I must change this and it positively must be louder pipe to reinforce the stunning sound of the dual engine
