SuzukiSavage.com - Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400

ThumperPaul

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Re: Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400
Reply #30 - 01/17/25 at 05:33:21

MMRanch wrote on 01/16/25 at 21:57:37:

Guys , we all know those 500 to 750 cc bikes fill a lot of niches' in the world.

I got belt drive's on both my Enfield bikes now , so I have to keep them now and I sure like the 75 - 80 mpg of the little 350cc Roll Eyes

MM, that’s crazy good gas mileage! It’s gotta be the modern fuel injection at work! RE did a nice job marrying retro style with 21st tech. Fuel injection, front/rear disc brakes, ABS, instrumentation, and more! Yup, you gotta keep ‘em now since you souped up the 350 and converted to belt drive on both! For the 350 Meteor, my only wish is that it was a bit lighter. It’s pushing almost 420lbs. While it’s not heavy, just seems it could be lighter and a bit more nimble. I’ve never ridden one, so I have no idea about rear world ride and handling. I have seen you throw around the 650 with ease though! That bike suits you really well!

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blod

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Re: Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400
Reply #31 - 01/17/25 at 07:33:37

ThumperPaul wrote on 01/17/25 at 05:33:21:

MMRanch wrote on 01/16/25 at 21:57:37:

Guys , we all know those 500 to 750 cc bikes fill a lot of niches' in the world.

I got belt drive's on both my Enfield bikes now , so I have to keep them now and I sure like the 75 - 80 mpg of the little 350cc Roll Eyes

MM, that’s crazy good gas mileage! It’s gotta be the modern fuel injection at work! RE did a nice job marrying retro style with 21st tech. Fuel injection, front/rear disc brakes, ABS, instrumentation, and more! Yup, you gotta keep ‘em now since you souped up the 350 and converted to belt drive on both! For the 350 Meteor, my only wish is that it was a bit lighter. It’s pushing almost 420lbs. While it’s not heavy, just seems it could be lighter and a bit more nimble. I’ve never ridden one, so I have no idea about rear world ride and handling. I have seen you throw around the 650 with ease though! That bike suits you really well!

I drove about 500 miles to check out a Royal Enfield 500 Classic that had all the new modifications. First impressions was that it looked great, but that was not the case when I took it for a ride. The engine seemed to buzz (for lack of a better word ) rather that thump as I was expecting. I went home without it.

It was nothing like riding a real Royal Enfield, it was like riding something totally different, something that I had not experienced before or since. It had the looks but the charm just was not there. Such a shame.

That said, I would take a 650 interceptor for a test ride if I did not live on a gravel road.

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« Last Edit: 01/17/25 at 17:32:11 by blod »

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blod Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 300	Re: Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400 Reply #32 - 01/23/25 at 11:11:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tn802rb2Rw
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ThumperPaul

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Re: Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400
Reply #33 - 01/23/25 at 12:31:38

Nothing surprising in the comparison. If someone is really into carbs, points, drum brakes, and other old technology - get the old bike. If you like the look of an old school standard motorcycle, but also like some more modern 21st century technology, go for a newer model.

I like the Triumph Speed 400 as well. It has some of that old world charm in an updated 21st century package.

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Dave

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Re: Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400
Reply #34 - 01/23/25 at 13:35:19

Funny: In that video he says the old bike has heavy flywheels and revs slow - while in comparison the new bike has light flywheels and revs quickly.

I rode MM's Meteor 350 and it seemed to rev pretty slow and accelerate even slower! MM told me it was a long stroke and had heavy flywheels - and it sure felt that way. It holds it's speed well once you get there, it just doesn't seem in a hurry to get to that speed.

MM's Meteor 350 is a very comfortable motorcycle. The seat is cushy and the handlebars are much higher than they are on my Sport Touring motorcycles (and my Cafe' Savage).

There used to be a considerable number of the old Bullet 500 bikes for sale on the Cincinnati Craigslist at very reasonable prices. I haven't seen one come up for sale in several years. As much as I liked the way they looked - everybody I talked to about them said they weren't really very reliable and needed a lot of tinkering to keep them running. I just didn't feel like I wanted a bike like that (if true).

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blod

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Re: Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400
Reply #35 - 01/23/25 at 15:19:57

Dave wrote on 01/23/25 at 13:35:19:

As much as I liked the way they looked - everybody I talked to about them said they weren't really very reliable and needed a lot of tinkering to keep them running. I just didn't feel like I wanted a bike like that (if true).

Kinda stating the bleedin obvious , but motorcycles designed long ago all need more maintenance to keep them running properly. Everyone to their own ,but I like keeping them in good working order, knowing what to do soon becomes second nature. They are usually easy to work on.

I have just bought a CJ 750 which was designed in 1932. If my last one is anything to go by I expect the running in period to be 5000 kilometers.

Dave wrote on 01/23/25 at 13:35:19:

There used to be a considerable number of the old Bullet 500 bikes for sale on the Cincinnati Craigslist at very reasonable prices. I haven't seen one come up for sale in several years.

It's the same here in Canada, the majority old ones seem to have vanished, those that do occasionally appear always have a high asking price. That tells me people who have them know they are worth keeping.

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