This Might Be the Most Approachable Cruiser Literally Ever

The dimensions of the bike are one big factor. The insanely easy-to-use transmission is inexorably another.

Silver and black Benda motorcycle with a round headlight and visible engine details.

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One unmistakable motorcycle trend over the past few years has been technology — often tied to shifting — that makes bikes easier to ride.

Just about every brand offers bikes requiring very little clutch pressure to engage; everyone from Ducati to Honda is experimenting with semi-autonomous shifting, and a few brands are leaning hard into automatic transmissions offering scooter-like twist-and-go throttles.

Silver and black Benda cruiser motorcycle parked on a tiled urban plaza with modern buildings in the background. — The Benda Rock 250 CVT’s approachable size and automatic transmission make it exceptionally approachable.

That last approach not only really lowers the barrier to entry but also makes it possible for people who can’t physically shift to experience two-wheeled bliss.

The latest bike from Hangzhou, China-based Benda takes it to the extreme, combining an automatic transmission with compact dimensions for quite possibly the most approachable cruiser ever. Meet the new Rock 250 CVT.

Throttle service

For the uninitiated, CVT is short for Continuously Variable Transmission, which refers to a system that uses pulleys and a belt or chain rather than gears to transfer engine power to the wheel(s).

Black and silver Benda BD250-160 cruiser motorcycle on display stand indoors. — The bike is the smallest of three intriguing cruisers Benda showcased at the recent EICMA motorcycle show.

That all happens by itself under the surface, meaning you can ride a motorcycle the way you would drive an automatic car, no manual shifting required.

All you need to do is twist the throttle, like you would on a scooter, and the bike will speed up, leaving you to focus on such other fundamentals as braking, signaling and turning.

Silver and black Benda BD250-160 motorcycle parked on a tiled urban plaza with modern glass buildings in the background. — Like the Chinchilla and Napoleonbob before it, the Rock 250 CVT nails those distinct neo-retro vibes.

On the upside, this really takes the stress out of speed management, especially when you’re navigating through city traffic, which typically requires a lot of clutch feathering as you toggle between second and third gear.

It also, of course, makes for a smoother introduction to motorcycling for newbies, especially the increasing number with no previous exposure to a stick shift.

Easiest rider?

Will the ease of use and potential drift toward distraction lead to more bike accidents, as one GP editor theorizes? Only time will tell.

What can’t be debated is the fact that the dimensions of this head-turning neo-retro cruiser make it especially easy to ride, even without CVT. (Yes, you can get it that way, too.)

Close-up of a black and silver Benda motorcycle engine with visible exhaust pipes and fuel tank. — The engine may not be big, but with that iconic V-twin configuration, it certainly looks good.

That starts with the small-displacement engine, a liquid-cooled, 249cc V-twin, making numbers that won’t exactly blow your hair back: 25.8 horsepower and 18.4 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm.

A low center of gravity, internal balancer shaft and belt final drive, Benda says, make for an exceptionally smooth, vibration-free ride.

Person wearing a black leather jacket and brown pants sitting on a silver and black Benda motorcycle in an urban setting. — The Rock 250 CVT’s relatively low seat height and weight opens up the appeal to a wider range of riders.

Throw in a seat height of 28.3 inches and a curb weight of 390 pounds, two numbers that boost the appeal to smaller riders, and this thing just might be even easier to saddle up than some e-bikes.

Not to mention looking a heck of a lot cooler, of course.

Availability and pricing

Pricing and availability for the Benda Rock 250 CVT have not yet been announced. But considering leading US Benda distributor Keeway America favors the brand’s cruisers — the three bikes it carries are the Chinchilla 300, Chinchilla 500 and Napoleonbob 500 — I would not be surprised to see this bike make the jump.

Based on the pricing of those models, I could see it landing somewhere in the range of $5,000.

Silver and black Benda cruiser motorcycle with V-twin engine and black exhaust on white background.

Benda Rock 250 CVT

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About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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