Did an Upstart Motorcycle Brand’s Forward-Thinking New Bike Just Beat BMW at Its Own Game?

Having been fortunate enough to get seat time on everything from a 1960s R60/2 to a brand-new 2024 R1250 GS Adventure, I’m a big fan of BMW’s boxer platform.

The horizontally opposed twin offers a low center of gravity that makes for a great ride, and it generates a healthy amount of torque that ensures a very broad, usable powerband.

Though BMW didn’t outright invent the boxer (that would be Karl Benz), it has proven influential to the engine’s survival in the two-wheeled world. Since introducing the R32 back in 1923, the brand has remained committed to the architecture, fielding it in both on- and off-road applications alike. 

Benda

Since that time, few have dared attempt to improve upon the design. However, an upstart Chinese manufacturer has just created a concept that has the potential to beat BMW at its own game.

Outside the box(er)

It’s called the P51, and it comes from Benda. If you’re already familiar with the outfit, it’s probably on account of creations like the Chinchilla or the Napoleonbob.

Benda

Unusual naming conventions aside (this bike takes its moniker from the WWII fighter plane), the brand is making some big moves to expand its share of the motorcycle market. Like the recent Rock 250 CVT, the concept you see before you has the potential to cause quite a stir. 

That’s because it combines a horizontally opposed twin with an electric motor in a modular hybrid system. In doing so, Benda has managed to create a bike that offers an impressive amount of power for its size and weight.

Benda

As such, even though the P51 concept tips the scales at 392 pounds and measures 250cc in displacement, Benda claims that it makes 62 ponies and 73.75 lb-ft of torque. 

For perspective, your average quarter-liter motorcycle puts out about a third of that. Moreover, on the boxer front, specifically, the P51 is chasing down some much larger motorcycles.

BMW’s 1,800cc R18 produces 91 horsepower and 120 lb-ft of torque, while its 1,170cc R12 NineT is good for 105 horsepower and 85 lb-ft of torque. However, at anywhere from 100 to 200-plus pounds heavier, each one comes with a significant weight penalty.

Benda

As applied to the P51, then, this kind of power makes for some blistering acceleration. Benda says that the concept will do 0-60 mph in less than 3.7 seconds, putting the diminutive twin in supersport performance territory. 

Small but mighty

Beyond a remarkable torque output, some impressive weight savings and shocking acceleration, the P51 concept’s hybrid system also offers a variety of practical benefits.

Benda

For starters, it makes for a smoother ride. Because Benda was able to pair the engine with an electric motor, it could utilize a lower capacity powertrain with smaller pistons, thereby resulting in less vibration to the rider.

What’s more, the P51 promises not only greater versatility but also improved accessibility. Thanks to the integration of selectable drivetrain functions, Benda’s concept offers supports both hybrid and electric modes, per MCN. 

Assuming that it’s anything like Kawasaki’s hybrid motorcycles in practice, this would facilitate fully automatic riding and eliminate the barrier of using a clutch lever. On a modular, small-capacity twin, this would create a bike that could be approachable enough for first-timers yet compelling enough for those with some experience behind the bars.

Benda

In any case, Benda’s concept is certainly indicative of a trend in the car world. As automakers have rushed to stay abreast of increasingly stringent emissions regulations, they’ve eschewed outright engine displacement for forced induction and hybrid assistance. It’s why exotics like the Ford GT had a V6 under the hood.

While the weight penalties have long been too significant to justify the technology in a two-wheeled application, Benda’s P51 concept proves that it’s just around the corner.

Benda

More to come

At this stage, Benda’s P51 remains a concept. However, given the Chinese brand’s rapid progress in getting some of its other bikes to market, this little boxer could be here sooner than you think.

Moreover, when you consider the weight savings and the remarkable acceleration made possible by a hybrid, horizontally opposed twin (not to mention the obvious environmental benefits), there’s clear cause for something like this to make its way to the road.

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