SSR now importing QJ Motors bikes. (Will they abandon Benelli?)

[ChopperCharles]

There's an adventure bike, three sportbikes, a cafe-styled Leoncino bored out to 550cc (And $700 less than the Leoncino), a 300cc V-Twin that would be a great Meteor competition, and an uglier, heavier TNT135.

I'm not sure why SSR is bringing over bikes that directly compete with Benelli, unless they're planning on dropping the Benelli brand. That's what they did with the Razkull and all their other street-only bikes. Once old stock was sold off they quietly removed those models from their website. I hope that's not the case now with Benelli, they seem to be selling pretty well at my local dealership. They've sold quite a few Leoncinos and TRK502Xs.

Charles;.

[culcune]

Originally Posted by ChopperCharles

I'm not sure why SSR is bringing over bikes that directly compete with Benelli, unless they're planning on dropping the Benelli brand.

Charles;.

I just Googled QJ and in their 'about' section it mentions that they are the ones who purchased Benelli back in 2005, so they are one and the same.
It does make me wonder what, if anything, SSR will do with Benelli. https://motor.qjmotor.com/about

[ChopperCharles]

Yes, I've known that for ages. But the Benelli brand is the better known brand, and I want to see it live and thrive. And all the Benelli versions of the QJ bikes have much, much better styling.

Charles.

[culcune]

Originally Posted by ChopperCharles

Yes, I've known that for ages. But the Benelli brand is the better known brand, and I want to see it live and thrive. And all the Benelli versions of the QJ bikes have much, much better styling.

Charles.

Benelli has a long history. and their styling is top notch, not to mention, the US press has been mostly on the favorable side--favorable being they acknowledge Benelli bikes as mainstream as any other (e.g. the 'Chinese' part is not a 'negative') although they do seem to mention them as being a bit heavy compared to other bikes in the various categories.

The only argument for the QJ name or the full company name (Quanging?? Sp?) is that retro side-hack BMW-replica bike they used to sell (I believe it is the same company). It had a cult following in the mid to late 2000s with a few bikes here in the US and many ex-pats and tourists in China buying them and riding them around with and without Chinese licenses to mixed results (several were jailed and deported).

Otherwise, they should stick to the Benelli name and embrace it, and not have similar models under the QJMotor name. I am with you on that!

[b3n]

QJ or Qianjiang also sold bikes under the Keeway brand, I think they are starting to revive that brand now too.
Keeway is fairly well-known in Europe.
On the US market, they sold scooters in the late 2000s, the most popular was probably the Keeway Hurricane.