International Dealer News 162 Aug/Sept 2021 IDN162 August/September 2021 | Page 25

NEWS

China ' s newest big bike brand is moving quickly

By Ben Purvis
A year ago , a virtually unknown Chinese bike maker , Benda , showed a crazy-looking four-cylinder concept bike - the LF-01 - with bold plans to make its own engine and put the machine into production . Now that bike is rolling off the production lines under the name LFC 700 and a second model is due to reach showrooms before the end of the year . Called the LFS 700 , the new model shares the same 680 cc fourcylinder engine , which is vaguely based on Honda ' s CB650 unit , sharing the same bore and compression ratio but with a 2 mm increase in stroke to suspension and Brembo brakes , as well as conventional 17 inch wheels with 180 / 55 rear and 120 / 70 front rubber , it should be able to handle that sort of performance . The bike ' s styling might not be for everyone , but it can ' t be accused of ripping off any existing design . The circular LED headlight with a ring of DRLs on the edge might be normal looking , but it ' s set between jutting side panels that meld into the radiator cowl and feature neatly integrated L- shaped LED turn signals . At the back , there ' s a flat tracker look to the bike with prominent number
Benda four-cylinder LFS 700 expand its capacity . According to Benda , the result is 93 bhp at 11,000 rpm and a peak torque of 46.5 lb ft at 8,500 rpm . In the original LFC 700 model , the engine is bolted to a cast aluminium frame in an enormously long , lowslung cruiser-style bike , with a huge 310 / 35R18 rear tyre - the biggest ever seen on a production bike . Benda ' s first European dealer network , in Spain and Portugal , is already listing the LFC 700 as an upcoming model , due to go on sale in Europe in 2022 . The LFS 700 is a more tempting prospect though , with more conventional proportions but still featuring radical styling that couldn ' t be mistaken for anything else . It gets a new frame , combining a chromoly steel trellis front section with a cast alloy swingarm pivot area , and a much more compact wheelbase than the LFC - measuring 1,480 mm instead of the cruiser ' s huge 1,720 mm . Benda says the bike is good for 130 mph , 9 mph more than the LFC 700 , and thanks to a combination of KYB boards on either side . These boards actually serve a purpose , hiding a duo of slimline , high-level silencers with slot-like exhaust exits flush with the rear edge of the bodywork ; LED indicators are frenched into the rear bodywork . On board , there ' s a 5 inch TFT screen with all the phone connectivity and navigation kit that ' s becoming the norm on modern bikes , but as a Chinese-made machine the LFS ' s price is remarkably low . In its home market , the LFS 700 will cost 38,800 yuan , which equates to around a mere € 5,100 . Of course , import costs and duties mean the bike will inevitably be more expensive when it reaches Europe , but the indications are that it will still be a bargain . The wilder-looking LFC 700 cruiser is being offered in two forms in China - a cheap version with a lowerspec 85 hp engine and Nissin brakes goes for 45,800 yuan ( about € 6,000 ) while the full-power , 93 hp model with Brembos and a slipper clutch costs 46,800 yuan (€ 6,150 ).
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