French cruiser fans will be among the first in Europe to get to sample the Benda LFC 700, a bike being touted as the world’s first four-cylinder cruiser.
We’ve known about the LFC 700 for some time, and now we can take a look at the wild-looking cruiser's official European specification for the first time.
The first point of note is the price, and the new Benda will be rolling into French garages with a price of €11,990 (£10,000), including tax but excluding start-up and registration costs. There isn’t much to compare the new Benda to, especially given its inline four-cylinder engine makes it a bit of a unique proposition, but the Benelli 502 Cruiser may be considered in the same breath as the LFC, although it does make less power (46bhp) and costs significantly less, £5,199 OTR. The Harley-Davidson Nightster is on more of an equal footing, as it produces a grunty 87bhp and costs a more comparable £13,295. The big question is whether punters would take a chance on a relative unknown in these shores, or side with one of the most famous motorcycle makers on the planet with a significant dealership network.
Technically, the bike is little changed from the specs of the machine already on sale in China and certain other Asian countries. Power still comes from a 676cc inline four-cylinder 16-valve engine, with a claimed power output of 77bhp and peak torque of 44lb ft. The engine is carried within an aluminium frame and power is transmitted to the road via a frankly humungous 310-section rear tyre. To put that into context, the rear tyres of the 180bhp Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R and GT and the 117ci Harley-Davidson Breakout are shod with a dinky 240-section hoop by comparison.
Suspension on the bike is provided by KYB, while the braking system shows calipers produced by Brembo and mated to dual 320mm discs at the front, and a 260mm disc at the rear. The LFC 700 has a 235kg claimed weight, which is a lot less than the Asian-spec machine’s 287kg claimed weight.
Other points of note from the press information are the inclusion of Bluetooth connectivity, a TFT dash, a 17-litre fuel tank, a 700mm seat height and Backlit Commodos - which we are guessing means switchgear.
The bike is predominantly being sold in France, although there are some dealers showing in Belgium and Sardinia. Still no word on if or when we Brits might be able to ride a Benda for ourselves.
More information can be found on the official website.
