We already know that Harley and Hero intend to collaborate on a new 400cc small displacement bike for India. That’s our lead story here for obvious reasons. But there are also a couple of angles to consider with the Indian media coverage of these photos, which we’ll cover more thoroughly below.
Read Here:Harley Pan America Review
Hero Motocorp made a single-cylinder, air-cooled 400cc engine.
Two H’s (Hero and Harley)
Hero, India’s largest motorcycle and scooter manufacturer, had a strong presence in the Indian market, and Harley’s execs wanted to ensure they got their partnership right. Manufacturing smaller Harleys in high volumes for the Indian market wasn’t easy.
The LED light looks cool.
We were first alerted to the possibility of Harley-Davidson and Hero joining forces thanks to an obscure news article and some “spy shots” obtained by the Indian automotive publication Evo India. All indicators suggest this collaboration will involve small displacement motorcycles, possibly in the 400cc range or lower. And this is now true.
Badge HD-400X
The images reveal the all-new motorcycle, which is badged as the Hero HD-400X. Neither company has yet to release specific details about the bike, such as performance figures and pricing.
The round console looks simple, allowing users to take calls and control communication.
The new images come to us courtesy of a source present during these tests in India, so they’re said to be “ground-truth” images of what the bike will look like. They have also been published in several popular Indian sources.
Budget-conscious bike
However, when it does reach dealerships by the end of 2023, the model effectively fills out Harley’s lineup of street motorcycles with a new model that provides budget-conscious customers with better access to Harley’s world of big V-twins without requiring them to sign up for a massive loan on an Ultra Classic or Street Glide Special.
The tubular steel frame and 400cc air- and an oil-cooled single-cylinder unit which should be able to generate a decent 30 hp, is made by Hero.
This new bike has Ceat tubeless tires with 17 and 18-inch front and rear wheels, respectively.
Motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson has never released a new bike smaller than 500cc, but the company is set to break that mould soon.
The new bike looks like a mix between the current Sportster lineup and the larger Harleys. While we know Hero has made only 200cc bikes up till now. With this, Hero had surpassed its barrier.
Moreover, we see ByBre callipers and dual-channel ABS on this bike.
Features
The styling of the Harley-Davidson 4XX is the area where Harley has exercised its influence most visibly. The overall design of the bike is pretty much identical to the cruiser from which it is derived, with LED lights, smartphone connectivity, digital gauge, upside-down forks and twin rear shocks, ByBre brakes, upright ergonomics and mid-controls, 17-inch wheel on the front and 18 inches on the rear wrapped by Ceat tires.
The official unveiling is expected sometime in mid-July to late August of 2023. However, full specifications will not likely be available until after the official unveiling or later.
The rear takes cues from Harley-Davidson Street 750
Price
And we will see this bike in showrooms around the Diwali holiday on November 12, 2023. As of today, expect the model’s price to be around ₹2.5 lakh ($3,052).
Competition
We have heard a lot of talks recently about small-displacement machines like the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Meteor 350, the Jawa lineup, or the Honda H’Ness CB350. These machines are lower-capacity and more approachable than larger displacement bikes, making them future classics. But are they too niche?
Expect the seat height to be between 790mm and 810mm
Current Trend
While we love the idea of smaller-diameter wheels, in India, there is also a growing interest in bikes with engine capacities between 250cc and 500cc. This is where foreign brands such as Triumph seem to be focusing their efforts – something that is evident from the recently spied Triumph and Bajajs sub 400cc bike.
We see the Cruiser and Retro naked cues in this bike, which is not only comfortable but also acts as an economical bike.
Source: Evo India
