The Chinese automotive industry might be infamous for ripping off designs of other manufacturers and fiddling around with some of the most iconic and popular automotive designs. In a recent case, Chinese bikemaker Xianglong went ahead and sacrilegiously derived inspiration from the TVS Zeppelin concept and launched its own version of it, dubbed as JSX500i. But not all Chinese manufacturers are the same and Benda should be a living proof of it.
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The Chinese two-wheeler maker showcased the LF-01 concept at the 18th Motor Expo held at Chongqing, in September last year and now, it has launched the LFC700 cruiser motorcycle based on the same concept!
While the popular middleweight cruisers take the retro route in terms of styling, the LFC700 has gone down the radical route and it seems to be working for it! It looks sharp and beefy at the same time. Even in its production form, it looks like a concept. That has been achieved by incorporating sophisticated aluminium body panels that make it look futuristic. The front end is highlighted by a round headlamp unit which is flanked by fighter-jet inspired small gaps serving as air intake vents. One aspect of the concept motorcycle that really stood out was the massive 310-section rear tyre.
The Benda LFC700 can be had in two variants: Standard and High Power. On the performance side of things, both the Standard and High Power models share the same powertrain. The LFC700 gets a 680cc inline-four cylinder engine which gets electronic fuel injection and liquid cooling. The High Power variant churns out 94PS and 63Nm while the performance output of the Standard variant is set at 86PS and 60Nm. Benda claims that the Standard LFC700 can hit a top speed of 170 kilometers per hour while the High Power version is claimed to be capable of hitting 195 kilometers per hour.
The High Power variant gets a slipper assist clutch for added convenience and safety. It also gets KYB branded suspension components which consist of an inverted fork and adjustable rear monoshock. The High Power version packs impressive Brembo brakes. On the other hand, the Standard variant gets in-house built springs and uses Nissin radial calipers with dual front discs and a single rear unit. Unlike the Benda LF-01 Concept, the production-ready LFC700 misses out on a ride-by-wire system and cruise control. It does get a full-color TFT instrument cluster with built-in navigation, as well as a full suite of LED lights to keep things highly visible at night.
Also read: Say Hello To Xinshiji Finja 500 – Kawasaki ZX-10R’s Distant Chinese Cousin!
The High Power variant is priced at CNY 45,800 (about Rs 5.27 lakh) while the Standard variant is pegged at CNY 38,800 (around Rs 4.46 lakh).