The patent images haven’t confirmed the presence of a turbocharger, but the elaborate side fairing could be used to hide it from naked eye
Around the same time last year, Chinese bikemaker Benda teased three new motorcycles namely LFS-700, VTC-300, & VTR-300 Turbo. Prior to that, the brand was relatively unknown in international markets. Since then the company has had a dedicated European dealer network and has launched two of the three bikes mentioned above.
The company has now turned its focus to the upcoming sports bike VTR-300 Turbo which was announced back in January 2021 along with its cruiser sibling and the 700cc flat tracker, both of them already been officially revealed. Ahead of its launch later this year, official patent images of VTR-300 Turbo have been leaked on the internet.
The leaked patent images give us the first clear view of the upcoming entry-level superbike’s design. And unlike most Chinese auto manufacturers who blatantly rip off designs from prominent international models, Benda has taken an effort to create something new, probably since it has been developed for European markets.
Upcoming Benda 300cc Sports Bike – VTR300 Turbo
At first glance, the silhouette of VTR-300 Turbo is similar to most contemporary sports bikes, however, it receives some eye-catching styling details. For starters, it flaunts a unique front fascia which is difficult to decode whether the split lighting setup is the main headlamp or LED DRLs. The broad apron also houses what appears to be a single LED lamp at the centre.
The side-on view gives us more details about the bike’s design. While VTR-300 Turbo appears to sit on a tubular steel trellis frame which features side panels that merge into beam-like elements. The lines could simply be cosmetic in nature or might also serve a functional purpose of drawing in cool air around the sides of the V-twin engine. Other notable highlights include an underbelly exhaust and a clip-on handlebar.
Interestingly, the patents don’t explicitly reveal or confirm the presence of a turbocharger, however, it is possible that it could be nestled underneath the fairing which will help maintain its cool. Moving towards the rear, it gets a raised and stubby tail section and split-style seating like most modern superbikes. It also features twin air ducts which appear to be more than just aesthetic touches.
Expected Mechanical Specs
The images reveal that the steel trellis frame is suspended on upside-down forks at front and a mono-shock attached to a pivoted swingarm at rear. The bike will roll on 10-spoke alloy wheels shod with slicks. However, it only gets a single disc up front with Brembo calipers which suggests that performance will not be manic.
Powering VTR-300 Turbo is the same 298cc liquid-cooled, DOHC V-twin engine found in its cruiser sibling VTC-300. In the cruiser, this engine can churn around 30 bhp, however, with a turbocharger on board, this BD2V58MN engine could dish out around 45 horses. The motorcycle is expected to make its global debut later this year. Upon its launch, it could rival the likes of KTM RC 390, Yamaha R3, Ninja 300, Honda CB250RR, etc.