You see it parked and instinctively ask yourself: How much does that cost? Custom cruisers of this size—with chrome accents, a solo seat, 18-inch spoked wheels, and that low-slung V-twin profile—usually start at €15,000, and often much more.

In its road-test summary, 1000PS writes: “Outsiders assume it’s a custom cruiser costing tens of thousands of euros, yet this exceptional Chinese motorcycle is available for under €6,000.” That one sentence tells you almost everything you need to know about the Napoleonbob 250.

€5,599 MSRP plus €300 in additional charges. That is the price. For a motorcycle that looks on the street like it came out of a high-end custom chopper shop. That is the central message of the Benda Napoleonbob 250.

Who Benda Is and What It Wants

Benda Motor comes from Hangzhou, China, and operates in Germany through Benda Motor Europe GmbH. The company is no stranger to the European market: over the past several years, Benda has developed multiple models specifically for Europe, supported by official dealer networks and EU type approvals.

The Napoleonbob 250 is Benda’s promise that a 250 cc bobber does not have to be a compromise—technically or aesthetically.

The concept is clear: 1940s bobber styling combined with modern reliability. Chrome accents, stripped-down lines, a solo seat, and a tall front nacelle surrounding a round headlight. That could easily come across as generic. On the Napoleonbob, however—judging by everything described in the 1000PS test—it works, with convincing fit and finish. “Very good detail quality” is the verdict. That is significant praise for a Chinese motorcycle costing less than €6,000.

The Engine: 249 cc V-Twin—a Unique Selling Point

249 cc. V-twin. DOHC, four valves per cylinder, eight in total. Liquid-cooled. 26 hp at 9,000 rpm. 25 Nm at 5,500 rpm. Assist-and-slipper clutch. Euro 5+.

That is the most comprehensive engine specification we know of for a 250 cc motorcycle. And it is the one area where the Napoleonbob 250 truly stands alone in its segment: no other mass-produced 250 in this price class has a V-twin.

Most 250s use single-cylinder engines. The few parallel twins in this displacement range are rare and expensive. A 249 cc V-twin for €5,599 is an engineering statement. It sounds different from a single. It feels different. The 25 Nm at 5,500 rpm is respectable for a 249 cc motorcycle. With 26 hp (19 kW), there is plenty of margin below the A2 power limit. A D.I.D chain comes standard—a proven, name-brand quality component in the drivetrain.

The Multilink Fork: Design and Function

Up front is a multilink suspension fork. It is neither a conventional telescopic fork nor a USD fork. Instead, it uses a parallelogram-style design familiar from older American custom motorcycles—the “Springer fork” of the Harley-Davidson era.

On the Napoleonbob, it is a modern interpretation: 75 mm of suspension travel, precise control according to Benda, and a visual centerpiece that elevates the bobber design to a level not automatically found even on motorcycles costing three times as much.

The price of that aesthetic decision is 75 mm of front suspension travel. That is short. An enduro motorcycle may have 200 mm. An adventure bike around 180 mm. A naked bike 120 to 130 mm. Here you get 75 mm—and at the rear, the twin hydraulic shocks provide just 38 mm.

That is bobber philosophy: style comes before suspension travel. Riders who understand that may buy it anyway. Those who do not should absolutely take a test ride first.

What the 1000PS Test Says: Honest and Complete

1000PS tested the Napoleonbob 250 in January 2026. Its verdict is honest in both directions.

On the positive side: extremely distinctive styling, a unique V-twin engine in the segment, enormous attention-getting presence, very good detail quality, and an emotional riding experience.

On the negative side: extremely limited cornering clearance, harsh rear suspension, an uncomfortable riding position, and a loud overall noise level that becomes tiring over time.

That is not a contradictory test. It is a test that accurately describes the philosophy of the motorcycle: the Napoleonbob 250 is designed for riders who value character over comfort.

The riding position is typically bobber-like: low and stretched forward. The solo seat was not designed for long highway stretches. With only 38 mm of rear suspension travel, road imperfections come through clearly. That is not a weakness in the design—it is the design.

A bobber is not a long-distance touring bike. It is a motorcycle for short rides, for the café at the end of the road, for Sunday mornings when you are not interested in going far but want to look good getting there.

748 mm Seat Height: Low, but the Riding Position Changes the Equation

748 mm. That is one of the lowest seat heights around. If secure footing at a stop matters to you, the Napoleonbob delivers.

But the 1,545 mm wheelbase and stretched-forward bobber riding position still mean shorter riders need to pay attention while maneuvering. You sit low, but the motorcycle itself is long.

€5,599, 3-Year Warranty: Calculating Price vs. Risk

€5,599 MSRP. Add €300 in additional charges. A 3-year warranty comes standard, with another 2 years available as an extension. That is the purchase proposition.

It is tempting. It is also a purchase that requires a conscious decision. Anyone buying a Chinese motorcycle from a relatively young brand accepts that the dealer network is smaller than Yamaha’s or Honda’s, that parts supply is less established, and that resale value is less predictable.

Those risks exist. The price compensates for them to some extent.

If you buy the Napoleonbob as a fun bike rather than your primary means of transportation, the equation can work. If you depend on the motorcycle functioning reliably every day, check the location of your nearest Benda dealer and its service capacity before buying.

Euro 5+, EU type approval, and Benda Motor Europe as the official German importer: the legal foundation is in place. That is not trivial: it means the Napoleonbob is not a gray-market import but a fully legal vehicle backed by warranty rights.

Official fuel consumption is 3.1 L/100 km. CO₂ emissions are 71.3 g/km. For a V-twin with bobber character, that is remarkably economical.

Verdict: The Motorcycle That Creates Its Own Category

The Benda Napoleonbob 250 cannot be directly compared with any other motorcycle in this price class. That is both its greatest advantage and its greatest challenge.

26 hp, 249 cc, €5,599—that sounds entry-level. The multilink fork, V-twin, chrome accents, and detail quality say something very different: not entry-level, but a statement.

If that statement speaks to you, you are buying a motorcycle that attracts more attention on the street than a Ducati Panigale.

 

Quick Check

+ V-twin engine (249 cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled): the only V-twin in the class below €6,000

+ Detail quality at a level that makes you forget the price (1000PS test, January 2026)

+ Multilink suspension fork: a visual signature normally associated with custom motorcycles costing several times as much

+ 748 mm seat height: exceptionally low

+ €5,599 MSRP plus €300 in additional charges: affordable motorcycle

+ 3-year warranty + 2-year extension available: warranty package better than most competitors

+ Assist-and-slipper clutch and D.I.D chain standard: quality drivetrain components

+ Euro 5+, EU type approval, official German importer: no gray-market import, full warranty coverage

+ Attention factor on the street: nobody guesses the price correctly

+ Official fuel consumption of 3.1 L/100 km: economical for a V-twin with bobber character

 

– Extremely limited cornering clearance (1000PS test)

– 38 mm of rear suspension travel: harsh rear suspension; road imperfections are clearly noticeable (1000PS test)

– Uncomfortable riding position over longer distances (1000PS test)

– Loud overall noise level becomes tiring over time (1000PS test)

– Stationary noise level not published (suitable for Tyrol?)

– Benda dealer network in Germany is smaller than those of Japanese or European brands: locate the nearest service partner before buying

– Parts supply is less established than at Yamaha, Honda, or Kawasaki

– Resale value uncertain: young brand with limited market penetration

– 9.5-liter fuel tank: approx. 300 km range; sufficient for day trips, limited for long-distance riding

––  Solo seat: no passenger accommodation possible

 

Technical Specifications: Benda Napoleonbob 250 (2026)

Make / Model: Benda Napoleonbob 250 (2026; 249 cc V-twin; Retro-Mechanical Bobber; A2); manufacturer: Benda Motor (Hangzhou, China); German distributor: Benda Motor Europe GmbH

Engine: V-twin, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder (8 total), liquid-cooled; 249 cc; 26 hp (19 kW) at 9,000 rpm; 25 Nm at 5,500 rpm; assist-and-slipper clutch; 6-speed transmission; D.I.D chain; Euro 5+; CO₂ 71.3 g/km; 3.1 L/100 km

Front suspension: Multilink fork (parallelogram design in Springer style); 75 mm travel

Rear suspension: Twin hydraulic shocks; 38 mm travel

Brakes: Single 320 mm front disc (radial-mount four-piston caliper, 32 mm piston diameter); rear disc; ABS

Wheels / Tires: 18-inch spoked wheels; 130/80 R18 front; 160/70 R18 rear

Weight / Seat height: 182 kg ready to ride; 748 mm seat height; 120 mm ground clearance; 1,545 mm wheelbase

Dimensions: L × W × H: 2,333 × 838 × 1,038 mm

Fuel capacity / Consumption: 9.5 liters; 3.1 L/100 km (official, Euro 5+); approx. 300 km range

Electronics: ABS; TFT display; Bluetooth; LED lighting

License: A2 (19 kW / 26 hp < 35 kW A2 limit)

Stationary noise: Not published (Tyrol limit: 95 dB(A))

Warranty: 3 years + 2-year extension available (Benda Motor Europe)

Colors: Retro Green; Titanium Silver; Phantom Black

Competition: No direct competitor: no other production 250 in this price class uses a V-twin. Distant alternatives: Honda GB350S (approx. €4,700; 21 hp; single-cylinder), Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (approx. €4,400; 20 hp; single-cylinder). Napoleonbob: more character, less performance, comparable price.

Price (Germany): €5,599 MSRP plus €300 in additional charges (Benda Motor Europe)