Third Stage of Middle Harley: Air-Oil-Cooled Single「X440」Launched in India! Expect more Countries to Follow!

Harley-Davidson will launch in India a new model, X440, equipped with an air-cooled single-cylinder 440cc engine. Harley, well-known for its large-displacement V-twins, has launched a series of middle-class sports models this year, and the X440 is the third model in the lineup.
The X440 Denim, with spoked wheels, and the X440 Vivid, with cast wheels, are available as variations, The X440 S has a blacked-out engine.

Prices in India start at 229,000 Indian rupees or about 396,000 Japanese yen (approx. 2776 USD). It is one of the cheapest units in Harley's lineup and is a direct competitor to the Honda GB350 and Royal Enfield middle lineup, which are popular in the region, as well as Triumph's new 400cc family, which was just announced recently. Currently, no information on sales outside of India has been announced, but as the middle class is in high demand in the Asian region, we expect to see it introduced in other Asian countries, including Japan.

Table of Contents

Newly designed air-oil cooled engine mounted on a chassis jointly developed with Hero MotoCorp
1. X440

Newly designed air-oil cooled engine mounted on a chassis jointly developed with Hero MotoCorp

Hero MotoCorp, India's largest motorcycle manufacturer, was heavily involved in the development of the X440. Established as Hero Honda, a joint venture with Honda, the company became independent in 2011. Currently, the company is strengthening its ties with Harley and is also involved in vehicle sales and maintenance guarantees in India.

For this reason, the X440 has a completely different backbone from the middle-class models X350 and X500 that were announced earlier in Harley China. Although the styling is similar to a refined version of the classic flat tracker, the engine is completely different. It has a long bore stroke of 79.6 mm x 88.4 mm, similar to the GB350 and Royal Enfield Hunter 350, which also have long-stroke air-cooled engines. It can be said that this engine was chosen with a strong awareness of its rivals in the Indian market. Nevertheless, the engine output is 27 PS/6000 rpm, and the maximum torque is 3.87 kgf-m/4000 rpm, which is a high power output that puts it ahead of both the GB and Hunter.

Equipment includes ABS front and rear, KYB front forks, and twin rear shocks with adjustable preload. Full LED headlights with daytime running lights (DRLs) are included. The instrument panel features a 3.5-inch full-color LCD display, smartphone connectivity, and USB power.
This is a very high level of equipment even by today's standards.

Wheel sizes are 18 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear. The X440 Denim, a spoked-wheel model, and the X440 Vivid, a cast-wheel model, are available as standard models, while the X440 S, in a sportier color scheme, is available as a high-class model. This model has the same cast wheels as the Vivid, but the engine has been blacked out and the brake calipers have been painted with BYBRE, a Brembo group brand. It also appears that grab bars will be standard equipment.

The selling price is 229,000 Indian rupees or about 396,000 Japanese yen (approx. 2776 USD).
Considering that GB350 (CB350/Haines in India) is priced at 238,807 Indian rupees or about 413,000 Japanese yen (approx. 2896 USD), it is a very strong competitor for GB.
Information on its overseas launch has not yet been announced, but if it were to appear in the Japanese market with the latest level of equipment and at a reasonable price, it would surely cause a stir in the middle-sport class! We look forward to further news.

The X440 presented in India is the third middle-class Harley to be released this year, but it will be powered by a completely different engine than the earlier model presented in China.