Benda LFC 700 PRO in the 1000PS Bestzeit Test

I was expecting a sonorous rumble. Instead, the Benda LFC 700 PRO screams hoarsely at me, as if someone had bolted the wrong engine into this hefty cruiser. Visually, it doesn't add up at all, but in the saddle it's surprisingly good fun. We don't grant any grace period for unusual concepts: the Benda also has to tackle the compact Bestzeit track in Bad Fischau. Its 300 rear tyre makes a statement even standing still, and the Brembo brakes promise substance behind the show. The question: how much of it can you actually use between tight hairpins? On the straights and under braking, this bike has plenty to offer. When turning in, however, it demands a completely different approach than you'd expect from an ordinary 700.

This engine pulls precisely and sportily out of the hairpins while you're still trying to reconcile the sound with the wide rear end in your head. I quickly get used to the screaming and the forward urge. According to the listed specs, the liquid-cooled inline four displaces 677 cc, produces 64.1 kW or 87.2 hp at 10,300 rpm and delivers 60 Nm at 8,600 rpm. Gears are changed via a six-speed gearbox. Those are the key data; in the saddle, it's above all the revvy character that sticks with you. There's no laid-back cruiser rumble here, but an engine that loves to drive forward. Anyone who likes precisely this unusual contrast between a hefty appearance and a sporty powertrain will find a major part of the Benda's appeal in it.

You shouldn't underestimate this bike when accelerating and braking. The Benda puts its power down to the rear wheel and stays stable and precise under braking. Precisely because it can't be flicked nimbly around every hairpin, this strength matters: your speed has to be right before the corner. The high-quality Brembo brakes do a really good job here. I can brake hard without the bike feeling unsettled. That's not a measured braking distance, but my impression on our test track. So on one side there's the big show effect, and on the other there's genuinely usable technology behind it. For me, the brakes are a clear plus and a good basis for coping with the limits of this concept.

In the tight hairpins, it quickly becomes clear where the big bottleneck lies. You sit relaxed, far away from the front wheel and with the footpegs close to the tarmac. Add to that the width of the bike. This combination limits the maximum lean angle and thus what you can achieve sportily on our track. The air suspension stands out positively: it raises the Benda while riding, creating a little extra room. The height can be adjusted depending on whether you're taller and want to sit higher or are on the shorter side. The design limits don't disappear, though. According to the specs, the seat height is 693 mm. What remains decisive for this test: the air suspension helps, but it doesn't turn the relaxed cruiser posture into a basis for deep lean angles.

Parked outside the ice cream parlour, a rear tyre like this effortlessly steals the show from bikes costing two or three times as much. In return, it demands serious effort when turning in. The specs list 300/35-18 at the rear and 130/70-19 at the front. When braking into the radius, I feel a strong righting moment, and otherwise too, the Benda doesn't willingly drop into a lean. You have to push hard on the handlebars to get it through tight hairpins. Important: it doesn't feel nervous or unpredictable. It simply takes strength and a clear steering input. More compact bikes follow your line of sight far more naturally. Experienced cruiser riders will find this behaviour easier to put into context. Anyone coming from another 700 should take time for exactly this on a test ride, because displacement alone tells you little about the physical effort required here.

I was recently at the casino square in Velden and can picture the Benda parked right there. With this tyre and this sound, it should steal the show from quite a few considerably more expensive bikes. The brakes and the finish also suit this appearance. Put bluntly: the LFC 700 PRO is a poser with an entertaining engine, but not a bike for sporty corner hunting. Its wet weight is quoted at 258 kg, and according to the specs the tank holds 17 litres. What's decisive for my verdict, however, are the limits I experienced when turning in and in terms of maximum lean angle. If you want to enjoy the presence and the unusual powertrain, you can have fun with it. For tight corners, there are more accessible concepts.

Ten warm-up laps have to be enough to build confidence. This is followed by a flying lap, whose run-up from a standstill starts just 20 metres before the timing line. Clutch modulation and traction when pulling away therefore already affect the result. Our Ridelink Wingman records the ride. The compact supermoto track in Bad Fischau serves as a handling course with tight hairpins, changes of direction and short straights. We're mainly interested in how quickly harmony develops in the saddle and how intuitively a bike responds. Top speed isn't the point here. The accompanying Bestzeit videos sometimes appear on the 1000PS YouTube channel only weeks after the report. Even without a video, the takeaway from this ride remains useful: the Benda's engine and brakes are fun, while the tight radii show you its concept-related limits.

• Check out the Ridelink Wingman as a data recording tool
• SP Connect motorcycle mounts at a glance
• Onboard footage: Insta360 Ace Pro 2
• NastyNils' gear at Louis
• All videos of the 1000PS Bestzeit series, some only online a few weeks after the report
• Want to ride the track yourself? Book here
• About the author NastyNils