After a long and eventful build-up, we finally have an official launch date for Hero’s new bike based on the Harley-Davidson X440. The upcoming model, which we now know for certain will be called the Mavrick, will be launched in India in just about two weeks’ time, on January 23.

Though it will share much of its componentry with the X440, there will be some notable deviations as well. For starters, the first spy shot of the upcoming bike emerged recently, showing that it will receive a telescopic fork in place of the Harley’s upside-down unit. This strongly suggests that the Hero machine will be priced below the X440, which currently sells for Rs 2.40 lakh to 2.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Other noteworthy details from the spy shot include a redesigned headlight featuring an H-shaped LED DRL, and various other styling tweaks including wheels that appear to sport a different design. The grapevine also suggests that the Mavrick will be aimed at younger buyers and offer a slightly sportier and more engaging riding experience than the Harley. This also seems to be backed up by the teaser of the exhaust note that Hero put out recently, featuring a faster beat, with less thump and more rasp.

The actual engine itself is expected to remain largely unchanged, so expect a 440cc air- and oil-cooled motor. Output figures should remain in the ballpark of the Harley (27hp, 38Nm), though Hero could play around with the state of tune to alter the character slightly. In the X440, we’ve found this to be a punchy, smooth and characterful motor with a nice spread of torque, and you can expect most of those characteristics to be carried over.

It’s quite likely that the trickle feed of information from Hero will continue all the way up to the launch date, so watch this space for more updates.