Just in the beginning of October, Harley-Davidson teased the Sprint 440, third motorcycle from its joint venture with Hero. Now, the cruiser motorcycle has been spotted at a showroom before its launch. Considering it looks production-ready, we’d expect the launch to be really close as well. While all three are based on the same platform, the major distinguishing feature of the Sprint 440 is its faithful adherence to the cruiser philosophy, compared to the X440 and the X440 T.
- Elements such as an upswept handlebar, bucket seat and forward-set footpegs suggest a typical cruiser format
- Likely to get a different instrument cluster compared to the X440s
- Expected to retain the 440cc engine, but state of tune and sprockets could be different
Harley-Davidson Sprint 440: What do we know so far?
Redesigned seat, handlebar and footpegs for a traditional cruiser look
As we reported after the teaser, the motorcycle’s front wheel is markedly larger than the rear. Considering the X440 duo already run on an 18-17-inch front-rear tyre setup, it’s likely the Sprint will have either a bigger front tyre, or a smaller rear tyre. The shape of the fuel tank is also far more rounded and classical, similar to the much bigger Low Rider S and Street Bob. The tank flows into a single-piece, scooped-out bucket seat, with space for a rider and pillion. The seat height also appears to be markedly lower than the X440s, which should make the Sprint accessible to a wider number of buyers. The subframe also appears to be redesigned, likely to account for the lower seat. The riding position too is typical for a cruiser, with upswept handlebar and ever so slightly forward set footpegs.
We have also been able to get a decent look at the instrument cluster and the switchgear, both of which look slightly different. The display unit appears to be new and both switch cubes have fewer buttons. It’s likely that the new switch gear layout implies that the instrument cluster is getting an update, but we’d have to see if that ends up being the case. We currently don’t know if the Sprint 440 will get ride-by-wire – like on the X440 T – the presence of which would bring it ride modes and traction control.
The Sprint 440 is expected to retain the 440cc, single-cylinder, air- and oil-cooled unit from the existing 440s. On the X440 (and the T), this engine makes 27hp at 6,000rpm and 38Nm at 4,000rpm, and it remains to be seen if the state of tune for the Sprint will change in any way. However, we would expect changes to the front and rear sprockets for a stronger low end performance, expected of a cruiser. The exhaust end can is different on this unit as well, suggesting that the Sprint 440 could sound different, at the very least.
Alongside the changes to the engine, rake, trail and wheelbase numbers should also change, as well as a possibly wider front tyre compared to the X440s. Suspension units appear to be unchanged, with a USD fork and twin-shock. However, adjustments to the setup are more than likely considering the changes to the riding position and the cruiser format. For example, the twin-shock appears to be mounted further back onto the swingarm, contributing to the aforementioned longer wheelbase and lower seat height.
While there isn’t a concrete launch timeline yet for the Sprint 440, we’d anticipate it to be sooner than later considering the motorcycle in the images looks production-ready. Currently, the X440 starts at Rs 2.35 lakh and goes up to Rs 2.86 lakh for the T variant. It remains to be seen where the Sprint will slot in that range. At least at launch, the Sprint 440 won’t have any direct rivals, with the Honda Rebel 500 E-Clutch currently expected to launch early next year.
Images: xtremeAnkit (Reddit)