Ahead of its public unveil later this month, Hero’s upcoming 440cc bike has been spotted testing in the real world alongside its Harley-Davidson cousin. We've learned that it could be called the Mavrick.
- Will use same 440cc engine as H-D X440
- Styling, componentry will be quite different
- Hero 440 will be more affordable than X440
The most prominent change visually is the fact that the Hero 440 uses a telescopic fork instead of the USD unit on the Harley X440. This is likely down to the fact that while this will be a premium model for Hero, its positioning is going to be much more accessible than the X440 in the market. Expect it to find a middle ground between the Karizma XMR (Rs 1,79,900) and the Harley-Davidson X440 (Rs 2,39,500-2,79,500).
Another area of change is the fact that the Hero 440cc bike gets a new headlight, similar to the increasingly common H-shaped LED DRL, also seen on the Xpulse 200 4V. Even the round LED indicators seem to have been moved a little downwards and away from the headlight compared to the X440.
The Hero 440 also uses round bar-end mirrors, not conventional ones like the X440, although it remains to be seen if these are standard fitment or optional extras. Speaking of optional extras, the bike seems to be kitted out with soft saddle bags, auxiliary lights and a pillion backrest, which could be offered as part of the GMA catalogue upon its launch.
While the overall silhouette does remind one of the X440, the tank appears to have been redesigned a little with small extensions visible despite its camouflage. The 440cc Hero motor’s output figures could remain the same 27hp/38Nm as the baby H-D, but gearing could see a change.
All prices ex-showroom, India.
What do you think this bike will be called and what are your price expectations? Let us know in the comments section below.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
