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NEW BIKES ü Typically beautiful
Italian scene; the
bike’s not bad too…
FIRST RIDE
BENELLI LEONCINO
800 TRAIL
Basic Benelli
has a way to go
THE NEW LEONCINO 800 comes in two
versions; a naked Road model and a
Trail model. Benelli is focusing on the ü The Benelli Leoncino
Trail, so this meant exploring the rugged 800 Trail makes light
work of the loose
countryside inland from Pesaro aboard
the Trail during the launch.
The Trail is £7799, £300 more than the The mirrors give an excellent view
Road version at £7499 but both are behind with no vibration but less
powered by the same 754cc, 75bhp THE FACTS satisfactory is the five-inch TFT digital
parallel-twin motor. The Leoncino 800 dash, which is hard to read in sunlight.
has a cable throttle, so there’s no riding Price £7799 The Leoncino booms out a pseudo-90°
modes; just the ABS that is required to Engine 754cc DOHC parallel twin, 4v V-twin soundtrack and its ultra-flat
achieve Euro5 compliance. per cyl, l/c torque curve makes it easy to ride. The
It has a well thought-out riding Transmission Six-speed, chain six-speed gearbox shifts sweetly and
position, with the stepped seat and Power 75bhp @ 9000rpm silently, although the grabby clutch
relatively low-set footrests delivering a Torque 50lb·ft @ 6500rpm leaves a little to be desired.
relaxed and confidence-inspiring stance Fuel capacity 15 litres The Leoncino still needs a bit of
both off-road and on. Seat height 834mm refinement to be classed as a real
The Trail carries alloy-rimmed wire Wheelbase 1483mm Pictures Benelli/Fabio Polimeni competitor to Ducati, Yamaha and
wheels made in China but shod with Kawasaki. However, it has the makings
chunky dual-purpose Pirelli Scorpion Weight 246kg (kerb, claimed) of a good bike once fitted with ride-by-
Rally STR rubber, which works well on Rider aids ABS wire (planned for the future) and steps
both trail and tarmac. up to the next level. ALAN CATHCART
FIRST RIDE PIAGGIO MP3 530 HPE EXCLUSIVE p It weighs more
than a R1250GS and
It’s a commuting heavyweight makes 44bhp...
PIAGGIO’S REVAMPED £11,500 530 HPE well enough but lack the power for
Exclusive is lighter, has more grunt, a spirited riding. New wheels (13in front,
heap more tech and a new look. 14in back) are shod with Michelin City
The three-wheeler leans through Grip 2 rubber which does the job though
corners like a normal bike but you can it could be better in the wet.
also lock the MP3 upright at a standstill, Piaggio’s range-topper is powered by
to save putting your feet down. And you a single-cylinder engine producing
can ride it with a car licence. 44bhp. Bored out from 493cc to 530cc,
The new 530 has lost 7kg, although it it has a new cylinder head, a lighter
still weighs a whopping 280kg! Such a piston, larger valves, a new cam and THE FACTS
heavy front end takes some getting used combustion-chamber shape. The MP3
to but it’ll filter through narrow gaps. accelerates with vigour but its weight Price £11,500
New By-Bre calipers and ABS work hinders performance. But what oomph it Engine 530cc SOHC single, 4v, l/c
has is delivered nicely via its smooth Transmission CVT gearbox
twist-and-go CVT gearbox. Power 44bhp @ 7250rpm
There’s space for two small helmets
under the seat and there’s keyless Torque 37lb·ft @ 5250rpm
ignition/seat/fuel flap, cruise control, a Fuel capacity 13.7 litres
USB charger, LED lights, a colour dash, Seat height 790mm
new switchgear, blind-spot detectors Wheelbase 1550mm
and a reverse gear. Weight 280kg (kerb, claimed)
There will be a cheaper 35bhp MP3 Rider aids ABS, riding modes, traction
400 HPE Sport version (£9800), with the control, cruise control, reverse gear, Pictures Piaggio
same updates but no reverse gear/ blind-spot detection
P MP3 is OK in the wet but it could be better camera or cruise control. MICHAEL NEEVES
28 SEPTEMBER 2022
