Recent years have given birth to quite a wide selection of cruisers. Of course, the big-bore V-twin cruisers from the likes of Harley-Davidson and Indian continue to thunder along. But perhaps more importantly, the cruiser segment has branched out to include small-displacement machines, too.
Now, of course, any real motorcyclist would be quick to disregard any and all small-displacement cruisers whose engines are anywhere south of 1,900cc—sorry, 117 cubic inches. But hey, clearly, none of us here are real motorcyclists, right?
Kidding aside, any two-wheeled enthusiast who’s attune to the times would see the growing small-displacement cruiser segment as a big win for the motorcycle industry. Not only do they make motorcycling more accessible to a wider audience—beginners and height-challenged folks alike—but they’re also practical, and not to mention, pretty damn cool.
I mean, just look at the new Leoncino Bobber 400 from Chinese-owned Italian manufacturer Benelli. It’s compact, retro-inspired, and approachable enough for pretty much anyone to ride. It’s pretty unique, too, and might signal some pretty big things to come from Benelli. Let’s take a look at why this just might be the case.
You see, Benelli’s small-displacement range used to be powered solely by parallel-twin engines. The brand has the 500cc and 300cc parallel-twins, both equipped with a 360-degree crankshaft. These engines are found on bikes like the TRK 502X and TNT 300, respectively. But the new Leoncino 400 Bobber doesn’t get any of these engines.
Instead, it’s rocking what appears to be an all-new engine: a 384.5cc, 60-degree V-twin. It’s an engine that’s very much fitting of the cruiser platform, albeit one that’s down in size when compared to what we’ve gotten used to. But this is all well and good, as it’s clear that the small-displacement segment is where it’s at for now.
Benelli claims 34.5 horsepower and 36 Nm (around 26.6 pound-feet) of torque from this compact V-twin, and quite frankly, these specs aren’t impressive by any measure. But hey, this thing’s a bobber, and bobbers aren’t exactly meant to go fast.
Engine aside, the Leoncino 400 Bobber isn’t that much different from the competition. It rolls on 16-inch wheels a la Honda Rebel 500 fore and aft, and gets an inverted front fork and a pair of shocks at the back. It gets a simple TFT display pod that keeps things retro-looking, too.
As of the moment, there’s no word just yet as to whether or not this thing will be part of Benelli’s US lineup. But looking at the bigger picture, it’s more than likely that this new compact V-twin engine will make its way to other models in the near future. Perhaps a small-displacement tourer, or even a retro scrambler and cafe-racer duo. Only time will tell.
What do you think? Would you rock the new Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400 as your daily ride? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Benelli
