Benelli unveiled a series of new bikes at the EICMA motorcycle show – from mini trail bikes to street machines. Founded in Italy in 1911, the company is probably best known by modern bikers for the Tornado Tre, and its distinctive twin fans in the tail unit.
Benelli is now part of a large Chinese company – Qianjiang-Benelli Motocycle Group (QJB) is based in Wenling, Zhejiang Province. Qianjiang Group – which also owns Keeway – bought Benelli in 2005, further investing 26 million USD.
Benelli Leoncini 500
THE SPEC: Power: 47bhp @ 8500rpm | Torque: 46Nm @ 6000rpm
Kerb weight: 207kg | Tank size: 12.7litres
Seat height: 815mm | ETA in UK: Jan 2018 | Price: £5499
IN BRIEF: The Leoncino has a 500cc twin-cylinder motor, 17” alloy wheels and a six-speed gearbox. It’s got ABS, a digital dash and LED headlights, with the ‘Lion of Pesaro’ on the front mudguard, which will, we’re told, be in place on the UK bikes too – it has to be a certain radius to prevent injury, just like the mudguard. Four-piston calipers on the front bite a pair of 320mm discs.
Benelli BN125
THE SPEC: Power: 11bhp @ 9500rpm | Torque: 10Nm @ 7000rpm
Kerb weight: 142kg | Tank size: 13.5litres
Seat height: 780mm | ETA in UK: March 2018 | Price: £2399
IN BRIEF: The compact, naked BN125 is ‘designed to capture the hearts of the newest generation of commuters and those who just want to have fun on the open road.’ It’s got a single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled engine with a five-speed transmission, 17” wheels and a steel trellis frame that carries 35mm upside-down forks, and a single shock with preload adjustment. The front brake is a single 260mm disc with a three piston sliding caliper that’s linked (instead of ABS) to a two-piston rear with 240mm disc.
Benelli TRK 502 X
THE SPEC: Power: 47bhp @ 9500rpm | Torque: 45Nm @ 5ill do000rpm
Kerb weight: 223kg | Tank size: 20litres
Seat height: 840mm | ETA in UK: June 2018 | Price: £TBC
IN BRIEF: ‘TRK 502 X has been designed to meet the needs of the most demanding riders, who wish to travel without boundaries.’
It’s got a 500cc liquid-cooled twin cylinder motor with four valves per cylinder, while the frame is a steel trellis with a 19” front and 17” rear wheel. Suspension is 50 mm upside down forks and a single shock, adjustable for preload, rebound and compression. Front brakes are two sliding two-pot calipers on 320mm discs.
Benelli Leoncini Trail
THE SPEC: Power: 47bhp @ 8500rpm | Torque: 46Nm @ 6000rpm
Kerb weight: 210kg | Tank size: 12.7litres
Seat height: 825mm | ETA in UK: June 2018 | Price: £TBC
IN BRIEF: This is the ‘all terrain’ version of the Leoncini, with knobbly tyres on its aluminium 19” front, 17” rear alloy rims. Suspension is adjustable – the front’s got upside down 50mm forks, while the rear has a single shock. The Leoncino and Leoncino Trail share a steel trellis frame, as well as the lion on the mudguard, and a pair of 320mm discs with two-piston sliding calipers.
Benelli 752S
THE SPEC: Power: 81bhp @ 9000rpm | Torque: 67Nm @ 6500rpm
Kerb weight: 235kg | Tank size: 15litres
Seat height: 800mm | ETA in UK: TBC | Price: £TBC
The 752S has a tube trellis frame with steel plates carrying the new Benelli four-stroke 750cc liquid-cooled twin-cylinder motor. The suspensions comprises 50mm upside down forks with 117mm of travel, and a preload-adjustable rear shock with 45mm of travel. Front 320mm discs are bitten by a pair of four-piston calipers.
Benelli 402S
THE SPEC: Power: 20bhp @ 5500rpm | Torque: 28Nm @ 7000rpm
Kerb weight: 176kg | Tank size: 16litres
Seat height: 800mm | ETA in UK: TBC | Price: £TBC
Described as a ‘city cruiser’, the 402S has forward-mounted footpegs, a new 399cc liquid-cooled motor and a six-speed gearbox. It’s got unadjustable 41mm upside-down forks and a preload-adjustable shock, along with a pair of 260mm discs bitten by four-piston calipers up front.
Benelli Imperiale 400
THE SPEC: Power: 39bhp @ 9000rpm | Torque: 28Nm @ 3500rpm
Kerb weight: 212kg | Tank size: 12litres
Seat height: 780mm | ETA in UK: TBC | Price: £TBC
Said to reflect the Benellis of the 1950s, the Imperiale has a steel cradle frame carrying a 373.5cc motor, with unadjustable 41mm forks and a pair of rear shocks. A single 300mm front disc is grabbed by a two-piston sliding caliper.
Benelli TRK 251
THE SPEC: Power: 25bhp @ 9250rpm | Torque: 21Nm @ 8000rpm
Kerb weight: 170kg | Tank size: 17litres
Seat height: 835mm | ETA in UK: TBC | Price: £TBC
This mini adventure bike has a steel trellis frame that carries a 249cc liquid-cooled motor and 41mm forks with a 17” wheel, along with a single rear shock. The front brake is a single 280mm disc with a four-piston caliper.
Benelli Leoncini 250
THE SPEC: Power: 25bhp @ 9250rpm | Torque: 21Nm @ 8000rpm
Kerb weight: 167kg | Tank size: 14litres
Seat height: 810mm | ETA in UK: TBC | Price: £TBC
The 249cc motor has a six-speed gearbox, and sits in a steel trellis frame with 4mm upside down forks and a single rear shock. The 17” alloy wheels have a single 280mm disc with four-piston caliper at the front, and a 240mm rear with single-piston sliding caliper.
Benelli Leoncini 500 Sport
THE SPEC: Power: 47bhp @ 8500rpm | Torque: 46Nm @ 6000rpm
Kerb weight: 205kg | Tank size: 12.7litres
Seat height: 815mm | ETA in UK: TBC | Price: £TBC
The 500cc motor is carried in a steel trellis frame with a compact tail unit (though the number plate will still have to be behind the rear wheel), and a round LED headlight in the nose cowl.
17” alloy wheels are carried by a 50mm upside down fork and single rear shock, with four-piston calipers biting 320mm discs up front, and a single-piston unit on a 260mm disc at the rear.
