Yes, please do a double take, because this is the assessment of the HD400 Cruiser from 2025 Hanway heritage from China, priced at RM22,800 in Malaysia. You will certainly have comments about the styling of the HD400, and this review will try to shed some light on what it is and why it is.
There has been an eruption of China -manufactured motorcycles in Malaysia lately, and this sees no signs of inlet. With a number of China, two -wheelers have made available on the local market, what distinguishes the Hanway HD400 from each other?
Let’s start with a little background, Hanway is a brand that is distributed by MZM Bike, who also treats the Royal Alloy, Italjet and CMC brands in Malaysia. MZM bicycle has not been very active in the two-wheel market in Malaysia, but that will change with a new marketing team and new dealers that are brought on board.
Part of the re-rise of MZM is at the Hanway brand, a motorcycle that is suitable for the current taste in Malaysian motorcyclists for retro bikes. In this case, the HD400 lends heavily from the American Iron School of Design, with a dash of British and German touches that are thrown into it.
With this spirit, and we have our own thoughts about what seems to be a “derived” design, we have brought the HD400 for a review. What we found was interesting, the HD400 is slightly more and less than what it seems.
Dressed in classic black, the HD400 is certainly attractive and the styling does not hurt the eyes. Instead of looking as if someone showed the designer a photo of a motorcycle from the 1950s and said, “Make me one”, the HD400 presents a balanced look, with almost all proportions “just right”.
And as my old technical professor once said to me: “If it looks good, it is true.” With the shiny black lacquer on the HD400 it looks and one of a classic motorcycle wheel is done.
However, design instructions for the HD400 come from a certain model in the line-up of the American brand, that with the song for a name. There is nothing wrong with that, in that there is a certain … “thing” is what the market will pay for.
One thing is certain, the China engine bike makers have entered a market segment that is less than nice for the large bicycle manufacturers. Harley-Davidson’s excursion to the middle weight market with the Street 500, as well as the efforts of Ducati in the Retro-Arena with the Scrambler 400 and BMW Motorrad’s range of 310 cc bikes made in India, are less than fantastic.
There is a reason for this, and this assessment is not the place to discuss it, but will be tackled later in an opinion piece by the author. At the moment, the situation that China has seen a market niche is to operate, both in medium -sized motorcycles and scooters, and it will open wide.
That is why we have the HD400 with its liquid-cooled, parallel-twin DOHC engine that moves 401 cc, so that it is placed directly in the middleweight Cruiser class. Close competition for the HD400 are the Benda 500S, the Chinchilla and Napoleon Bob.
With 42 hp and a maximum torque of 34 Nm, the HD400 places typical songs for its class. If you drive on the HD400, you will immediately realize that this is not the fastest of the 400S, given that it pulls around 198 kg, along with broad shoulders of 16-inch wheels with 130/90 and 150/80 tires, front and rear.
This gives the HD400 a stability at highway speeds, not entirely at heavy cruiser level, but enough to not be worried when an Expressbus flashes by you at an illegal speed. Sitting in the 690 mm high Single Chair, is reaching moderately for the steering wheel, with hands placed low inn the classic boulevard cruiser style.
Steering takes a sturdy grip on the handlebars, and the suspension of the HD400 does not like to be rushed into the corners. The turns must be done with some forward planning and turning must be done with gently relaxing the HD400 congenital.
Suspension comfort is moderate and in accordance with a cruiser like this, where there is sufficient compliance to follow the HD400 to keep it in corners. Picking up speed, a noticeable rolal branch was felt and the rear -wheel suspension started to feel a bit hard.
We cannot complain too much, because the price of the HD400 dictates that suspension will not be top plank items, but be used in the performance of the performance, is sufficient. In the same way braking, with twin discs on the front wheel and a single disk at the back, performs within its possibilities.
Bring the rear brake for the best braking results in the game together with the fronts. We have noticed that this tended to stabilize the HD400 under hard braking, to keep things upright, but otherwise the fronts will do well at normal traffic speeds.
The appearance of the HD400, a mix of the classic German and English styles, with a sprinkling of American, is too hard in the eyes. The HD400 is a good looking machine and we found the shiny black finish that I kept with its classic appearance.
Quality of Build is typical of a China produced motorcycle dedicated to the budget market, with some cases of sloppy frame welding but not enough to call it a dealbreaker. The SwitchGear is also in accordance with the budget and the minimalist combination -analog and digital instrument panel showed everything that is needed.
There is a minimum of clocks and bells on the HD400, if you have recently started comparing it with the current harvest of motorcycles and scooters that come from the middle. But technology is not the reason why the HD400 exists.
Instead, you have to look at the HD400 as what it is, a motorcycle representative of a specific era in motorcycling, brought in modern times. That is sold in Malaysia at a reasonable price, makes it all the more attractive.
So, who needs the Hanway heritage HD400? As a motorcycle it presents a certain image that appeals to the younger, hipster driver. It is very much a relaxed ride and not meant to be rushed or rushed, but rather to enjoy the ride.
It would also serve well as a daily rider, who is able to drive highway when it is equipped with saddlebags or luggage. View the HD400 closer if you want a motorcycle with a small capacity with retro -cooks and modern sensitivities.
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