Find out how the newly launched Leoncino 250 scores against its closest rival the Jawa 300 and the popular 250 Duke
Benelli has launched its most affordable offering the Leoncino 250 in India recently. The motorcycle is positioned below the TNT 300 and is inspired from the Leoncino 500 Scrambler that too launched recently in the country.
The customers can book the motorcycle by going to their nearest Benelli showroom and paying a token amount of fully refundable Rs. 6,000. The Leoncino 250 takes its styling inspiration from classic motorcycle but gets plenty of modern elements at the same time. The Benelli Leoncino 250 rival directly against the likes of Jawa 300 and the KTM 250 Duke.
Benelli Leoncino 250 Vs Jawa 300 Vs KTM 250 Duke: Styling Comparison
The Leoncino 250, borrows its styling cues from the Leoncino 500 Scrambler. The motorcycle features a full LED headlamp at the front integrated with a Horseshoe shaped LED DRL lamp. It even gets a full digital display and also features a blacked-out engine and radiator.
The Leoncino 250 also gets a wider single handlebar, a peanut-shaped fuel tank, and a comfortable single-piece seat for the rider and pillion. Like the bigger and more powerful Leoncino 500 Scrambler, the Leoncino 250 also features a lion emblem positioned on the front fender. The motorcycle also gets a dual-tone (black and silver) muffler. The bike is available in 4 colours – white, grey, red, and brown.
The Jawa 300 styling remains almost identical to the original Jawa offering from the 1970s. The motorcycle gets a round-shaped halogen headlamp at the front, a round analog instrument cluster integrated into the headlamp cluster, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank and a single-piece seat at the rear.
One of the major highlights of the Jawa 300 is its twin exhaust pipes finished in chrome. The motorcycle also gets a chrome finished engine as well to keep the retro vibe alive. The Jawa 300 is available in three different colour options including – black, grey and maroon.
Compared to its rivals here, the KTM 250 Duke looks sporty and modern. The motorcycle takes its styling inspiration from the 1290 Super Duke R. The front headlamp of the 390 Duke looks almost identical to the 390 Duke but instead of the full-LED headlamp, the 250 Duke features a halogen setup.
The 250 Duke also misses out on the TFT instrument cluster that you will usually find in the 390 Duke and gets an LCD instrument cluster instead that you will also find in the 200 Duke. The 250 Duke also gets a sharp fuel metal fuel with a sharp tank shroud which helps in better aerodynamics.
It also gets a better-contoured split seat with improved cushioning. Just like every other KTM Streetfighter, the 250 Duke also gets an exposed trellis frame at the rear and a side-mounted exhaust. The KTM 250 Duke is available in two colour options-Orange and White.
Benelli Leoncino 250 Vs Jawa 300 Vs KTM 250 Duke: Engine Comparison
The Leoncino 250 is powered by a 249cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine that features a double overhead camshaft with 4-valves per cylinder. The unit paired with a six-speed gearbox produces about 25.4 bhp of peak power at 9,250 rpm and a peak torque of 21Nm at 8,000 rpm.
The Jawa 300 is powered by a 293cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected motor. The unit paired with a six speed gearbox produces about 28 bhp of peak power at 6500 rpm and 27 Nm of peak torque at 5000 rpm. This is the same engine which also powers the Jawa 42 as well and is known for its vibe free nature.
The 250 Duke, on the other hand, is the most powerful motorcycle amongst the trio. The sports naked motorcycle is powered by a 248.76cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine. The engine paired with a six-speed gearbox produces about 30PS of peak power at 9000 rpm and 24 Nm of peak torque at 7500 rpm.
This engine is a completely new unit and not a re-bored version of the 200 Duke. The radiator design of the 250 Duke is new and promises more efficient cooling.
| Leoncino 250 | Jawa 300 | KTM 250 Duke |
| Single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected motor | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine |
| 249cc | 293cc | 248cc |
| 25.4 bhp at 9,250 rpm | 28 bhp at 6500 rpm | 30 PS at 9000 rpm |
| 21 Nm @ 8,000 rpm | 27 Nm @ 5,000 rpm | 25 Nm @ 7,500 rpm |
| 6 speed | 6 speed | 6 speed |
Benelli Leoncino 250 Vs Jawa 300 Vs KTM 250 Duke: Suspension and brakes
The Leoncino 250 uses a steel trellis frame and is suspended by a 41 mm upside-down fork up front and features a pre-load adjustable monoshock setup at the rear. The braking department of the motorcycle is taken care of by a 280mm petal-shaped disc brake at the front and a 240mm disc brake at the rear. A dual-channel ABS is also offered as standard for the safety of the rider.
The Jawa 300 uses a double-cradle frame and is suspended by a Telescopic hydraulic fork at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear. The braking duties of the motorcycle are handled by a 280 mm disc brake at the front and a 153 mm drum brake at the rear. There is also an option of a rear disc brake available as well.
An option of a dual-channel or single-channel ABS (depending on the variant) is also offered as standard for the safety of the rider. The KTM 250 Duke uses a powder-coated split trellis frame and is also the lightest motorcycle amongst the trio.
The motorcycle uses a 43mm upside-down telescopic fork at the front and pre-load adjustable monoshock absorber at the rear sourced from SKF Japan, and have been imported. The braking duties of the motorcycle are taken care of by a 300 mm disc brake at the front and a 230 mm drum brake at the rear. A dual-channel ABS is offered as a standard for the safety of the rider.
Benelli Leoncino 250 Vs Jawa 300 Vs KTM 250 Duke: Price Comparison
The recently introduced Benelli Leoncino 250 is priced at Rs 2.5 Lakhs (ex-showroom). The Jawa 300 retails at Rs 1.64 lakh (ex-showroom). The KTM 250 Duke, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 2.14 lakh (ex-showroom). The Jawa 300 is the most affordable motorcycle amongst while the Leoncino 250 is the most expensive motorcycle amongst the trio.
Benelli Leoncino 250 Vs Jawa 300 Vs KTM 250 Duke: Comparison verdict
The Benelli Leoncino 250 combines retro looks and modern elements exceptionally well, which is enough to keep the buyers engaged. The Leoncino 250 will prove to be a perfect companion for those who looks for a perfect motorcycle for city rides and occasional long hauls.
The Jawa 300, on the other hand, features a retro styling and will attract the attention of those buyers who are a huge fan of retro styled motorcycles. The Jawa 300 is also the most affordable motorcycle amongst the trio and produces an impressive amount of power and torque output for a 300cc motorcycle.
The KTM 250 Duke is the most modern and sporty motorcycle amongst the trio. The 250 Duke can be an ideal motorcycle for short commute but keeping the sporty ergonomics in mind, we believe that the 250 Duke won’t be a comfortable companion for long hauls. Nonetheless, the 250 Duke is the lightest and also the most powerful motorcycle when compared to its rivals here.