The Harley-Davidson X440 has finally been launched in India and Hero is now developing its own product which will be loosely based on the same platform. The Harley X440 was developed right here in India by Hero MotoCorp, with inputs from the Milwaukee-based marque.
- Engine will be shared between the two, but in a different state of tune
- Hero 440 will be more sporty, might be a naked streetfighter
We can estimate that base engine and chassis may be similar but the Hero might have a more sporty focus with 17 inch wheels, more edgy styling and more involving ergonomics. Our sources have also indicated that the Hero 440 will have its own distinct sound which will be different to the H-D X440. Considering that the Hero 440 will target a much younger audience than it’s H-D cousin, it could offer even more features than seen on the X440.
It's possible that the Hero derivative could have a different cubic capacity to the X440 to further accentuate the difference between the two bikes which will be sold from the same dealer network.
The X440 will be sold out of the existing Harley dealership but also through a number of premium Hero dealers that will be coming up over the next few months. Hero is targeting having this bike available in a wide dealer network nationwide as soon as possible. The idea is also for the bike to be serviceable across the country. Given that the bike is completely locally made, you can expect service and spare parts costs in around the same ballpark as Royal Enfield.
A few weeks ago, we broke the news of Hero working on multiple premium machines, including the X440, and in that same document there was a silhouette of a naked bike next to the small Harley. This furhter bolsters the idea that the Hero 440cc dervative could follow the form factor of a naked bike. The launch of this upcoming Hero 440 is slated to take place by March 2024.
With inputs from Ketan Thakkar.
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