Benda’s brand name might not be well suited to English-speaking nations, but the company’s recent output has been dropping jaws in its Chinese homeland. Now the firm has officially unveiled the production version of its LFC 700 four-cylinder cruiser and surprised again by dropping another model with the same engine – the LFS 700.
In production form, the LFC 700 comes in two versions. The cheaper model gets Nissin brakes and a slightly lower-powered version of the firm’s new 680cc four, with 63kW at 10,000rpm and 60Nm at 8000rpm. The higher-spec model hikes the power to 69kW at 11,000rpm and the torque to 63Nm at 8500rpm, while adding a slipper clutch and Brembo brakes to the mix. In China, the LFC 700 starts at 45,800 yuan, which is just AUD $9500.
The surprise new model, the LFS 700, is even more intriguing. Based on the same engine, it ditches the LFC’s long, low look in favour of a flat-tracker-inspired roadster shape, with a completely new chassis – part cast alloy, part steel tube – and swingarm to give a shorter wheelbase. Like the LFC, the LFS has distinctive styling. Particularly interesting is the exhaust, which features flattened end cans hiding with slit-shaped exits that hide behind the number board-style panels at the back.
It’s priced lower than the LFC, with a starting tag of 38,800 yuan (equivalent to around AUD $8000) in its home market. Of course, both models will cost more once exported, with duties and shipping costs added to the mix, but they’re still likely to look cheap compared to established Japanese or European rivals.
Unlike a lot of Chinese brands, which are focussed on their home market, Benda is already setting up deals to supply its bikes internationally, with a dealer network already in place in Spain and another set to open soon in Italy.
Benda has also unveiled a new 300cc cruiser, the VTC 300, based on the same water-cooled V-twin as its existing Fox 300 bobber. Notably, at the start of this year the company teased three new machines that were in the pipeline. Two of them were the LFS 700 and the VTC 300. Now those bikes have been launched, the focus goes to the third model – the VTR 300 Turbo. It’s expected to be a turbocharged, fully faired sports bike, and given Benda’s impressive record of living up to its promises so far, there’s good reason to be excited to see what it turns out to be like.
