Benelli Leoncino 250 review, road test

The Leoncino 250 uses a steel trellis chassis, a 41 mm USD fork and a pre-load adjustable monoshock that work together to provide a rather sporty riding experience. Filtering through traffic comes naturally, given its compact proportions, and it manages to hold its own even at speed. While the performance it offers doesn’t necessarily require this, the grippy Metzeler M5s are certainly a welcome addition, and they inspire a great deal of confidence while cornering. With a kerb weight of 162kg, the 250 is also reasonably light and it feels that way too. Braking is handled by a 280mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear, and while it could do better in terms of feel, stopping potential is adequate and certainly one of the better ones in the segment.