While cruisers are typically perceived as laidback motorcycles with slow-revving engines, recent entrants such as the Diavel V4 have bucked that trend and how. Now Benda, a Chinese manufacturer, has also revealed its iteration of a V4 power cruiser with some thoroughly modern underpinnings.
BD500 has a 56.3hp, 45 Nm 496cc V4 engine
All-LED lighting, cruise control, cylinder deactivation tech
Benda BD500 cruiser: details
The Benda BD500 is a thoroughly modern machine underneath its relatively old-school bodywork. Its liquid-cooled, 496cc V4 mill produces 56.3hp at 10,000rpm and 45Nm of torque at 8,000rpm. This unusual (for a cruiser) engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch.
The USD fork and twin rear shocks aren’t exactly new but the air suspension at the rear is a feature not seen commonly. This allows the user to raise the rear suspension over sharp bumps, a feature particularly helpful in our riding environment.
The Benda BD500 rolls on 16-inch wheels front and rear, with sizes of 130/90-16 (front) and 150/80-16 (rear). It gets radially mounted calipers biting down on dual disc brakes at the front and a single disc at the rear. Another nifty feature this bike has is the cylinder deactivation tech that shuts off the rear cylinder bank at idle (another feature found on the Ducati Diavel V4), which should help in heat management as well as slightly bump up fuel economy. The BD500 weighs 241kg (wet), making it heavier than the 168hp Ducati Diavel V4, placing it on the heavier end of the scale, considering its displacement figure.
Instrumentation is courtesy of a semi-digital display and the BD500 gets all-LED lighting as standard. Another feature not seen at this end of the displacement spectrum is the presence of cruise control.
Benda BD500 cruiser: India launch
While Benda hasn’t announced any plans to make it to our shores, the recently launched Keeway V302C is a rebadged Benda product sold here. This does open a tiny window for this V4-engined cruiser to someday come here.
Would you purchase a V4 cruiser or stick with more traditional alternatives? Let us know in the comments section below.