Benelli Leoncino 500: History and Modern Classic Character

The Leoncino 500 brings together Pesaro's historic heritage and the contemporary design of the Benelli Style Centre. It is a slim, essential road-going scrambler, with a teardrop tank, full LED headlamp and the iconic little lion perched on the front mudguard.

In 2017, under the new direction of the Q.Jian Jiang group, Benelli launched a motorcycle destined to rewrite the rules of the European middleweight market: the Benelli Leoncino 500. Conceived by the Benelli Style Centre in Pesaro as a thoroughly modern tribute to the legendary 1950s model, the Leoncino 500 blended the elegance of classic lines with the practicality and effectiveness of a contemporary road chassis. Success was immediate and overwhelming, making the bike one of the best-sellers in Italy thanks to magnetic design and simply unbeatable value for money.

The Leoncino 500 range has come in two variants with distinctly different characters:

• Leoncino 500 Standard (Road): fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels front and rear with sporty road tyres, a low seat and a short sporty exhaust.
• Leoncino 500 Trail: the scrambler-inspired version. Equipped with wire-spoked wheels with a 19-inch front wheel, Metzeler Tourance knobbly tyres, longer-travel suspension and a look ready for light dirt and gravel roads.

The design of the modern Leoncino 500 was developed entirely in Pesaro to preserve the brand's genetic authenticity. The designers spent months just defining the exact curve of the tank, which had to blend perfectly into the seat, recreating the visual harmony that made the original 1951 model famous without falling into retro styling for its own sake.

The Leoncino 500 holds its value very well on the premium used market. The great mechanical reliability of the twin engine keeps running costs extremely low.

• First-generation models (2017-2020) sit on the used market between €3,000 and €4,000.
• Newer models (Euro 5) and Trail versions in excellent condition hold steady between €4,200 and €5,200, making them a smart, economical choice for anyone looking for a substantial everyday heritage bike.