The Benelli Leoncino 250 Gets Updates For 2022

The little Leoncino has some new duds for the new year.

By: Earl Davidson

Dec 12, 2021 at 2:50pm ET

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Benelli presents its newest crop of 250cc Leoncinos for the new year after presenting new models at EICMA 2021. The new small-displacement model gets a new headlight and graphics while retaining the same capable base that the Leoncino platform is known for.

Equipped with a 250cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine motor, the base of the little Leoncino is still the same motor but now with a Euro 5 emissions standard. The single-cylinder is also mated to a six-speed gearbox, and it produces 25.8 hp at 9,250 RPM.

Built on a steel trellis frame, it’s pretty equipped as far as being just a 250cc motorcycle. Putting bigger bikes to shame is a set of upside-down forks with a 41-millimeter diameter with up to 51 millimeters of travel. The brakes are quite big for the power that it produces as well, coming in at a 280-millimeter single floating front disc with a four-piston caliper, and a smaller 240-mill disc at the back with a single-piston caliper doing all the clamping. Benelli also wheeled this bike for the streets, with both its front and rear sporting a 17-inch aluminum alloy set wrapped in 110/70 and 150/60 tires, respectively.

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Perhaps the most interesting development for the Leoncino 250 is the new headlight. Once basic, the unit installed is now going to be full-LED and borrowed from its bigger brother, the Leoncino 500. On top of that, you still get a digital instrument cluster, and also the little lion on the front that harks back to the model’s name.

The new graphics are also updated. Overall, the new graphics, which indicates a stylized “250” on the side and some high-visibility yellow for some added pop. The wheels, while black, get the same treatment, but only for the anthracite colorway. Expect a price around the $4,000 USD mark for this updated model. In Europe, the model goes for € 3,740 EUR, which includes the cost of getting it on the road.