Don’t Need a 250cc Boxer-Engined Motorcycle? Here’s One Anyway

Leave it to none other than Chinese manufacturer Benda to come up with something weird and totally different.

Photo by: Benda Motorcycles

By: Enrico Punsalang

May 1, 2025 at 7:35am ET

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For the longest time, Chinese motorcycle brands had a bit of a reputation problem. Knockoff designs, questionable quality, and a tendency to “borrow” from the big names made it easy to dismiss them. But things have changed. Fast. Today, companies like CFMoto and QJ Motor are building real bikes with real tech, and they're pushing boundaries instead of copying them.

And then there’s Benda, a brand that’s never been afraid to get a little weird.

Patent images recently surfaced of what could be Benda’s next creation: the BD250-3B, a small-displacement roadster powered by a water-cooled 250cc boxer engine. Yep, boxer—as in, horizontally opposed cylinders, just like BMW's legendary twin. But let’s be clear: this isn’t a clone. It’s not trying to be a mini R nineT or a scaled-down GS. It’s something else entirely.

From what we know, the engine features vertical cooling fins, a longitudinal crank layout, and a chain final drive, ditching the typical BMW shaft setup. There’s also talk of a hydraulic system to redirect the engine’s output 90 degrees toward the sprocket, which is both odd and intriguing. Power figures aren’t out yet, but if they squeeze even 30 horsepower out of a 250cc boxer, that’s already pretty respectable.

Photo by: Benda Motorcycles

But the real oddity might be the chassis. Thick steel tubes make up the main frame, running from the rear all the way to the steering head. There's a central rear shock mounted low with a complex linkage system, and a fairly conventional front fork hidden under bodywork designed to make it look like a hossack setup or some other exotic front suspension design.

Now, in the midst of all this design weirdness, it can be hard to put your finger on what this bike's purpose really is. Nevertheless, it’s clear Benda isn’t just playing it safe; it's trying something different.

And that’s what makes this whole thing so interesting. Because honestly, who builds a 250cc boxer? No one. That’s kind of the point. Benda isn’t copying BMW here as much as they are inspired by the layout, and then running with it in their own direction. In a world full of cookie-cutter nakeds and cloned cruisers, this thing stands out, even if we’re not quite sure why it exists yet.

What do you think?

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So here’s the question: do bikes like this even need to exist? Who is a small-displacement boxer roadster actually for? Is it a stepping stone for beginners who want something unique? A design exercise just to prove they can do it? Or maybe it’s aimed at riders who are simply bored of the usual and want something that sparks curiosity.

Whatever the answer, one thing’s for sure, Benda’s making us ask new questions. And maybe that’s the most exciting part of all.