Harley’s first modern-day single-cylinder engine will be an oil-cooled unit.
We’re just about one month away from the launch of the most hotly anticipated Harley-Davidson in recent times. The upcoming H-D X 440 roadster is going to be built right here in India, in partnership with Hero MotoCorp, with an official launch slated for July 3. Here’s what you can expect at the launch event.
Harley-Davidson X 440: engine
As the name indicates, this new Harley will be powered by a 440cc motor. However, unlike the twin-cylinder X 350 and X 500 recently shown overseas, the X 440 will sport a single-cylinder engine. This will be the Milwaukee giant’s first modern-day single-cylinder mill, and it will be air-cooled. Given its displacement, and the fact that it is oil-cooled, it is likely to be a good deal more powerful and torquey than something like a Royal Enfield Classic 350 (20hp/27Nm). You could even see as high as 40Nm from this motor, which should make for a fairly effortless urban experience. The final drive is in the form of a chain, making this only the second modern-day Harley after the Pan Am to employ chain-drive.
Harley-Davidson X 440: chassis
Things are similarly conventional in the chassis department, with a tubular steel frame holding everything together. Suspension comprises an upside-down fork and twin shock absorbers, along with a single brake disc at each end and dual-channel ABS. Early images of the bike showed CEAT Zoom Cruz rubber, but the production bike will sport MRF tyres that sport a retro tread pattern quite similar to that of the Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp. Wheel sizes are 18-inch at the front and 17-inch at the rear, which gives the motorcycle a nice, commanding stance.
In terms of both styling and seating, the X 440 looks more like H-D’s old XR roadsters than its trademark cruisers, sporting a flat handlebar, neutral ergos and a butch design. Cornering clearance also appears to be fairly generous, and it will be interesting to see what the dynamics of this machine are like.
Harley-Davidson X 440: features
The round headlight has a DRL bar running across the centre, and it’s likely that the headlight itself will also be an LED unit. The round indicators also sport some neat detailing, with Harley logos at the centre, and overall, there seems to be high attention to detail across the motorcycle, and fit levels appear quite good. Areas like the polished cooling fins on the engine, and the fasteners across the motorcycle all point towards this. Instrumentation will be fully-digital, in the shape of a single round pod. It would not be surprising to see Bluetooth connectivity on the features list.
Harley-Davidson X 440: expected price, rivals, launch date
Given everything we’ve seen so far, the Harley-Davidson X 440 should cost between Rs 2.5 and 3 lakh (ex-showroom) once it is launched on July 3. Perhaps there will be a slightly different version than the one we see here, which will sport slightly simpler equipment and form an entry point to the range. At this price, the Harley will sit a little higher than the simpler, air-cooled RE Classic 350 (Rs 1.9 lakh to 2.2 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi). But it will also likely be a little more affordable than the more advanced liquid-cooled Bajaj Triumph models that are making their debut on June 27 before being launched on July 5, right after the X 440.