Benelli Leoncino 250 Coming To India Soon

In India, the 250cc class of motorcycles is seen as one of the most versatile and practical engine displacements in the market. Given the country’s congested city streets and tight rural roads, bikes belonging to this segment have just enough power to cruise on the highway efficiently, as well as make for fun runabouts around town. 

Dominated by the like of Yamaha with the FZ 25, and Bajaj with the Dominar 250 and the upcoming Pulsar 250F, KTM and Husqvarna also offer premium entrants into the 250cc segment in the form of the 250 Duke and Svartpilen 250 respectively. It is in this segment which Chinese-owned Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Benelli, wants to enter with the Leoncino 250. The smallest Lion Cub of Pesaro has been available in Europe and other Asian markets since last year, and it will certainly make for an enticing option for those in the market for a premium and stylish commuter. Let’s take a closer look at the India-bound Leoncino 250. 

For starters, we find a BS6-compliant 249cc single-cylinder engine equipped with liquid-cooling and fuel-injection. Rated at a decent 24 horsepower, this little mill punches well within its weight class, making similar power figures as its premium competitors. A standard six-speed manual gearbox makes for smooth power delivery to the rear wheel. Just like its bigger sibling, the Leoncino 500, the 250 gets inverted forks, a preload-adjustable rear monoshock, and ABS-equipped front and rear disc brakes, albeit missing one rotor up front. LED lighting, as well as a full-LCD digital display with day and night modes comes as standard kit, too. 

From a design standpoint, the Leoncino 250 is very much attune to Benelli’s overarching design language for its Leoncino range of bikes. With the 250, 500, and 800 all bearing retro-styling, the smallest bike can certainly serve as an aspirational motorcycle for those who are looking to upgrade into its higher-displacement stablemates down the road.