HARLEY-DAVIDSON X440

The first ever Harley-Davidson co-developed with Hero MotoCorp, and the smallest yet, is a surprise package!

- ABHAY VERMA

My first taste of a Harley-Davidson was back in 2010 when I was part of the posse of Indian journalists riding a bunch of Harley-Davidsons across Rajasthan. This was the first time the bikemaker had organised a media ride and while there were nearly a dozen bikes to ride, my heart was set on the iconic Fat Boy. It lived up to my expectations, but there was another motorcycle that turned out to be a pleasant surprise, the XR1200X. It felt more modern than other Harleys and also had a sportier demeanour. Heck, I even pulled a wheelie on it, ticking an item off my bucket list – a wheelie on a Harley-Davidson! And the XR1200X was an instant favourite. Why am I waxing eloquent about the XR though? Because the new Harley-Davidson X440 reminds me of it in a lot of ways! 

The ‘X’ prefix is obvious, but so is the design inspiration. The X440’s front end is heavily inspired by the XR1200’s and I’d like to believe that’s a conscious effort. What makes the X440 even more special, besides it being the smallest displacement Harley-Davidson yet is that it is the first product Harley has co-developed with Hero MotoCorp, right here in India. Then there’s the fact that the X440 is the first Harley in about 50 years to be powered by a single cylinder engine and not the trademark V-twin engines! Not enough? How about the fact that the X440 is also the most affordable Harley, priced from ` 2.29 lakh onwards? Our ride experience of the X440 at Hero’s own test tracks was short, but gave me an opportunity to ride and understand it.