Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Benda is one we’ve talked about quite a bit in the past. We know for a fact that Benda breaks the stereotype associated with Chinese bikes as it has some of the most outlandish, otherworldly-looking bikes in production.
Case in point: the LFC700, a futuristic-looking cruiser with angular lines and an unexpected powertrain. Initially, we all thought that the LFC700 would never make its way outside of Benda’s home country of China. But surprise, surprise, Benda has launched the futuristic cruiser in France, hinting that it could soon make its way to other European markets, too.
So, what exactly makes the Benda LFC700 so special?
Well for starters, its styling is pretty unique, and is unlike the conventional cruiser we see from a variety of manufacturers today. Its lines are futuristic, and to my eye, look like an evocation of bikes such as the Honda NM750, Ducati Diavel, and Yamaha VMAX.
The LFC700 rolls on some oddly sized rubber, too. The front wheel measures 19 inches and is shod in chunky 130/70 rubber. Meanwhile, the rear wheel is 18 inches and gets a massive 310 cross-section tire. This means that the bike surely looks like it's rocking a much bigger engine than it actually is.
Speaking of which, the bike is powered by an engine you’d very much rather expect to find in a naked streetfighter or sportbike: a 676cc, liquid-cooled four-banger.
With 79 horsepower at 10,000 rpm and 44 pound-feet of torque at 8,000 rpm, its powerband falls well within sportbike territory, too. And so it’ll surely make for an interesting sight expecting a sportbike to whizz past as you hear the banshee howl of an inline-four, but instead, see this thing ride past.
Other features on the LFC700 are fairly commonplace when it comes to made-in-China bikes. It gets a full-color TFT display, full-LED lighting, and as-standard dual-channel ABS.
In France, it carries an MSRP of 11,900 euros, or about $12,000 USD—fairly premium, but it’s hard to benchmark its price as there aren’t any other bikes quite like it in the market.
One thing is for certain, it'll be certainly interesting to watch and see how well, or poorly, the LFC700 does.
