Is This Affordable New Retro-Styled Cruiser Too User-Friendly?

Among the many eternal push-pulls of human existence, a pretty prevalent one in the product world (among other places) is the tension between exclusivity and accessibility.

It’s probably no surprise that often those who possess an exclusive thing generally wish it to remain that way, with others needing to “earn” access to it (like they presumably did).

Benda

Example? Assholes like me thinking you need to be able to operate a fully manual transmission to ride a motorcycle.

Brands themselves have clearly evolved far past such arcane beliefs, with everyone from BMW to Honda to Yamaha realizing that offering motorcycles that are easier to shift — or eschew shifting altogether — just makes good business sense.

The latest manufacturer to wade into these automatic waters and make me clutch my … clutch? Chinese upstart Benda, whose new V-twin cruiser, the Chinchilla 350 CVT Neo, rides like a scooter. 

The tech

Short for “continuously variable transmission,” CVTs are present in many ATVs, side-by-sides and snow machines. The system swaps conventional gears for two variable-diameter pulleys connected by a belt.

If you can picture it, each half of each pulley is shaped like a shallow cone, with the belt sitting between them. Moving the halves closer makes the effective diameter bigger, and vice versa. 

Benda

At lower speed, the drive pulley connected to the engine is small, while the driven pulley connected to the output shaft is big, creating a low gear ratio. As you speed up that relationship shifts, as it were, to a higher gear ratio.

In Vespas and the like, the effect is typically achieved by a system of weights that move outward under centrifugal force, though some CVTs employ hydraulics toward the same end. 

Benda

As the moto historians at Cycle World point out, the 350 CVT Neo is not the first V-twin to embrace this tech; Aprilia launched a bike called the Mana 850 in 2007, but it never really caught on and was quietly dropped from the line less than a decade later.

However, Benda’s bike and the era in which we live are both different enough that it may not suffer a similar fate.

The truth

Because the reality is that as much as folks like me bellyache over how a “motorcycle” is operated, we are an increasingly small minority, and should be!

While I do believe the four-limb orchestra one must conduct to successfully put a motorcycle in gear, accelerate, slow down, stop and start again is incredibly satisfying, it is no more “essential” to enjoying a two-wheeled ride than driving stick shift is to savoring a four-wheeled drive.

Benda

Throw in the fact that for some people, operating a traditional clutch-and-gear-shift system is physically impossible, and it’s clear that as long as you’re out there with your knees in the breeze, we are of the same two-finger saluting tribe. 

Plus let’s be honest, this lil’ twist-and-go Benda looks pretty fun. Power comes from a 343cc V-twin making 34 hp at 8700 rpm and 23 lb.-ft. of torque. That and its weight of 430 pounds puts it in the same class as many standard CVT scooters — not to mention Royal Enfield’s super-approachable Meteor 350.

Benda

The big difference is, it’s got so much more style. While I don’t love the look — especially the bubbly, borderline cartoonish tank — as much as that of bigger Benda V-twins such as the Napoleonbob 500 and Chinchilla 500, it does present a super-approachable option, especially for riders who might be graduating from scooters to motos. 

There’s also a safety benefit, as removing the clutch and shifter means both the front and rear brake can be mounted on the handlebars (like a bicycle), leaving the legs and feet free to focus on learning to lean, balance and general stay upright — all good things.

Availability and pricing

The Benda Chinchilla 350 CVT Neo is due to hit the European market soon. Considering the $4,899 Chinchilla 300 can already be procured stateside, I think it’s only a matter of time before this bigger, easier-to-ride brother makes it over here, for a bit more cash. 

Benda

Benda Chinchilla 350 CVT Neo

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