The Honda Rebel 300 Gets Another Rival From China

Benda Motorcycle is one of the few Chinese motorcycle brands that has been lauded for its originality. Alongside the newly launched LFC700, the bikemaker also showcased a new variant of the Jinjira, called the Greystone BD300-16, the same model that was spied last month.

So, why did Benda choose to launch the Greystone as a variant and not a replacement to the Jinjira? Well, as good as the current motorcycle is, the puny pillion seat and the 1,420mm wheelbase didn’t work for the domestic market. Hence, Benda conceptualised a new bike to fix these problems.

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The Benda Greystone BD300-16 comes with a bunch of subtle changes over the standard Jinjira. Ergonomically, instead of the flat dragster-style handlebar on the standard model, the Greystone comes with a taller cruiser-like handlebar. Even the footpegs are a bit wider on the new model and of course, it gets a comfortable two-piece saddle.

The Greystone even gets a new alloy wheel design, a 130-section front tyre (instead of the Jinjira’s 120-section unit) and a 16-inch rear wheel replacing the 15-inch unit from the standard model. Benda has even switched to a twin-exhaust setup to make the bike more appealing.

The Benda Greystone continues to use the same 298cc V-twin motor belting out 30.5PS at 8,500rpm and 25.3Nm at 7,000rpm via a belt drive. This engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox, but it now comes with a slipper clutch.

Benda Motorcycle hasn’t revealed the pricing or the launch timeline of the Greystone. The Benda Jinjira BD300-15 carries a price tag of CNY 19,880 or roughly Rs 2.29 lakh, so the Greystone should carry a slight premium over this. While this motorcycle will follow its sibling to the European market, India is unlikely to get this 300cc V-Twin cruiser.