This Small Cruiser From China Wants To Infiltrate US Roads

Table of Contents

Can it poach potential buyers away from the Honda Rebel and Kawasaki Eliminator?

A bike I reckon should definitely make its way to the States.

A futuristic muscle cruiser with a massive 310 rear tyre, and the Darkflag, a wild take on a V4-powered cruiser.

And fair dinkum, it's a right weird name. But let's have a crack at breakin' it down.

Photo by: Benda Motorcycles

Napoleon Bonaparte wasn't exactly the biggest bloke, but he was a strong, strategic, and pretty formidable leader. Could that be what Benda's getting at with this new bobber? Small in build but big in impact? Let's take a closer look.

The Benda Napoleonbob 500 is powered by a 475.6cc liquid-cooled V-twin that produces 47 horsepower and 31 pound-feet of torque. It's got a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch, meaning smooth gear changes and less wheel hop when downshifting hard – especially helpful for new riders.

Suspension-wise, you get telescopic forks out the front with 100 millimetres of travel. Don't be tricked by the fork covers – this bike isn't rocking some fancy hossack or telelever – it's just a good old-fashioned telescopic fork under some fancy-looking plastics. Meanwhile, at the back, it gets a preload-adjustable monoshock with an incredibly short 30 millimetres of stroke. The brakes are alright, with a 320-millimetre disc in the front and a 260-millimetre disc in the rear. Lastly, the bobber rolls on 16-inch wheels with some chunky tyres – 150/80 in the front and 180/65 in the back.

Photo by: Benda Motorcycles

Photo by: Benda Motorcycles

The Two-Wheeled Chinese Invasion

• Will This New Entry-Level Sportbike Rule the Roost?
• The 2025 CFMoto 700MT is gunning for a slice of the market share from Japan's major players in the motorcycle industry.

The retro-style bobber has a floating centre console with a colour TFT display, an LED headlight, and illuminated buttons. It weighs in at 473 pounds when wet, which isn't too bad for a bike in its class.

But here’s the kicker. Benda’s offering the Napoleonbob 500 at a price point of just $6,399. That’s right in the sweet spot where Chinese motorcycle brands like to play—offering more bang for the buck than the big-name brands. But here’s the real question: Can Benda’s aggressive pricing and respectable spec sheet entice customers away from more established names?

Only time will tell.

Benda Motorcycles