Benelli Leoncino 500

Is the Leoncino 500 still sold in France?

No. The 2024 model year is the last in the Benelli France range: importer Moteo’s catalogue, published in January 2024, still listed the Leoncino 500 (green) and the Leoncino 500 Trail (black or red). The 2025 and 2026 catalogues no longer offer it, and its pages have been removed from the official French website.

It has no direct successor. The French Leoncino range now goes from the 125 to the Leoncino Bobber 400, a 386 cc V-twin, then to the Leoncino 800 and 800 Trail: these are different models. The Leoncino 500 Trail is still sold new in Italy, the UK, Germany and Portugal, and the standard version in the UK.

Which versions and at what price?

Two versions share the engine, frame and weight:

• the Leoncino 500, with 17-inch alloy wheels, road tyres and an 815 mm seat;
• the Leoncino 500 Trail, with 19- and 17-inch spoked wheels, tube-type dual-purpose tyres, a longer-travel fork (135 mm) and an 835 mm seat.

No official French price can be consulted any more. For reference, Benelli Italy lists the Trail from €5,990 in 2026 and Benelli UK offers the two versions at £4,299 and £4,499. The Italian press quoted €5,990 for both versions in 2021 (Insella) and for the Leoncino 500 in 2024 (Quotidiano Motori). In the United States, Ultimate Motorcycling quoted $6,199 in 2021.

How good is the engine?

The 500 cc parallel twin (69 x 66.8 mm), with twin overhead camshafts and liquid cooling, makes 47.6 hp (35 kW) at 8,500 rpm and 46 Nm at 6,000 rpm: it is A2-compliant without a restriction kit. It has been Euro 5 compliant since the 2021 model year; according to the Italian press, it gained a secondary air system, revised catalysts and a shorter primary drive at that point, with no change in power. The gearbox has six speeds and Benelli quotes 160 km/h on its British and Italian spec sheets.

MOTORRAD finds it flexible and strong between 3,000 and 7,000 rpm, inSella punchy from low revs. Moto.it, MOTORRAD and inSella note vibrations at high revs, and Moto Magazine an engine that runs out of breath. inSella and Ultimate Motorcycling find the clutch heavy. The gearbox divides opinion: stiff for Moto Magazine, smooth and precise for Motoplanete.

How does it ride?

The steel trellis frame carries a 50 mm upside-down fork and a laterally mounted shock with preload adjustment. Braking relies on twin 320 mm semi-floating discs with radial four-piston calipers and a 260 mm rear disc, with two-channel ABS. For the Trail, however, Benelli Italy and Motorbox describe two-piston floating calipers, whereas the French catalogue lists the same radial calipers as the standard version.

At 207 kg kerb, the Leoncino is no lightweight, but reviewers find it manageable and neutral (Moto.it, MOTORRAD, Motoplanete). MCN, Ultimate Motorcycling and Moto Magazine praise strong brakes; Motorbox finds the Trail’s easy to modulate but lacking power. MOTORRAD and Moto.it find the suspension too soft when ridden hard. According to 1000PS, the Trail is genuinely at home on dirt tracks.

What equipment does it have?

Equipment is simple: full LED lighting with an arc-shaped daytime running light, an LCD dash with gear indicator and a side-stand cut-off switch. The Leoncino has no riding modes, no traction control and no connectivity, and the throttle is cable-operated. The dash is hard to read in bright sunlight (Moto.it, MOTORRAD, Motorbox); Ultimate Motorcycling notes a speedometer reading about 10% high and an unreliable fuel gauge.

Who is it for?

It suits A2 licence holders looking for a twin with Italian neo-retro styling, as well as experienced riders: Ultimate Motorcycling highlights the breadth of its appeal. On the used market, it is worth telling the two generations apart.

Fuel consumption and maintenance

Benelli quotes 4.2 L/100 km, giving a theoretical range of about 300 km from the 12.7-litre tank. The Italian press recorded about 4.0 L/100 km on the 2021 Trail (Motorbox) and 5.0 L/100 km in mixed use on a 2020 model (inSella). The owner’s manual (US edition) specifies an oil change every 6,000 km or every year and a valve clearance check at 25,000 km. Benelli France provided a 3-year warranty for private use.

Generations and recalls

The first generation (2017-2020, Euro 4) can be recognised by its black fork and tank badge on a black insert; the Euro 5 generation (2021-2024) has a silver fork and a badge painted directly on the tank. A European recall (Safety Gate A12/0676/18) covered the front brake pump of 2017 models. No recall affects the Euro 5 generation.