Beginner riders are more spoiled for choice than ever, as Benelli Philippines has now introduced the Leoncino 250, a quarter-liter-sized scrambler that essentially acts as a younger brother to the Leoncino 500.
Similar to its 500cc sibling, the Leoncino 250 sports modern retro styling, familiar LED lighting, a sporty exhaust, a European scrambler look, and the little Benelli lion on the front fender.
The main differentiating feature of the Leoncino 250 is its powerplant, a 249cc DOHC single-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. This mill is good for around 25hp at 9,250rpm and 21Nm of torque at 8,000rpm. Claimed fuel consumption for this bike is at about 36.5km/L for combined city and highway use, which is pretty decent for a bike that can be used as a weekday commuter as well as for tearing up twisty roads on weekends.
At the front end of the Leoncino 250 is a 280mm petal-shaped brake rotor paired with a four-piston caliper, while rear stopping duties are handled by a 240mm rotor and a single-piston caliper. Both ends are equipped with ABS.
Keeping the bike aloft is a 41mm inverted fork up front and a rear swingarm-mounted central shock absorber. The little Leoncino’s 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels come fitted with big-bike-sized tires—110/70-section rubber in the front and 150/60 in the rear. This bike weighs in at just 162kg, making it quite accessible to newer riders. The combination of a sporty suspension setup, wide tires, and a light curb weight makes for an agile ride that even newbie riders can have fun with.
The instrumentation here is a rectangular affair, with a central digital screen and a complete suite of indicators for things like gear position, low fuel, neutral, and more. This display arrangement is a bit different from the Leoncino 500’s more rounded style, but it does look a bit more modern.
Have you taken an interest in this new naked roadster/scrambler from the Pesaro brand? The 2021 Benelli Leoncino 250 can be had for P199,000 at the Benelli showroom.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopBikes.ph. Minor edits have been made.
