New V4 cruiser drawings registered
Chinese brand Benda is becoming something of a cruiser specialist – with a broad array of bikes from the V-twin Napolean 250 and 450 to the crazy inline-four LFC700 with its side-mounted pop-up headlights and 300-section rear tyre – and now it’s on the verge of adding a 900cc V4 model to its lineup.
Benda already has one V4 bike, the Dark Flag 500. It’s powered by a 496cc V4 with 40kW and 42Nm of torque, but it’s about to be joined by a larger 900cc version that’s shown in these official designs. Externally, the engine appears identical to the smaller version, which comes as no surprise – Benda first revealed the engine alone back in 2021, showing both the 496cc version and an 1198cc derivative, both using identical castings for the block and cylinders. We’ve yet to see the 1198cc engine find a home in a bike, but it’s clear there’s plenty of meat in the engine’s overall size to be able to make the 900cc version in the upcoming model.
How do we know this is the 900? Well, it says so on the numberplate, which reads ‘BD900’. All previous Benda models have had ‘BD’ codenames followed by their approximate capacity, so there’s no reason to believe this will be any different.
The detailed drawings show that while the bike’s overall shape and proportions are similar to those of the Dark Flag 500, its construction is very different. The smaller bike has a cast aluminium chassis, reminiscent of the design used on the Indian Scout models from 2015-2024, while the new BD900 uses a tubular steel design that appears more conventional. Interestingly, Indian has taken the same route with the 2025 Scout range, ditching the innovative alloy frame of the previous generation in favour of a simpler steel design. The move towards a more traditional design continues with right-way-up forks in place of the upside-down units used on the 500, and a longer, more conventional-shaped rear fender.
The tank retains a similar design to the Dark Flag 500, with the Benda logo set into a hexagonal badge at the leading edge of a curving indentation on the side. The fuel filler is offset to the right, and there’s a belt-style strap over the top of the tank. Forward-set foot controls and a very low seat appear to make for a traditional cruiser riding position.
Unlike the less powerful 500, which has a single disc, the 900 has twin front brakes but it makes do with cheaper J.Juan four-pot calipers instead of the Brembo unit used on the smaller bike.
The designs seen here are clearly finished, so it’s likely that the Dark Flag 900 will be officially revealed soon.
