With the launch of the new X440, the segment is sure to feel the churn as buyers get a chance to own the most affordable bike of the premium bikemaker Harley Davidson (HD). In order to know how impactful X440 is, we pit it against its contemporary rivals and make a comparison on all important parameters including engine specifications, features offered, and asking price among others. Here’re the results:
1) Engine and Gearbox: Following the supremely powerful Legacy of HD, X440 offers the decent max power which is second only to the Roadster in this comparison. However, when it comes to the rotational force in Nm, X440 is way ahead of its rivals with 38Nm at its disposal, translating into a highest torque-to-weight ratio of 199.5 Nm/tonne. Roadster is the only bike here which features oil-cooled technology while all others use air-cooled mechanisms for dissipating the heat of their engines. In terms of the gearbox, both X440 and Roadster feature a 6-speed gearbox while the Classic 350 and H’ness CB350 come with a 5-speed ratio.
2) Dimensions and Weight: H’ness CB350 is the lightest bike here while Classic 350 comes across the heaviest with 195 kg of kerb weight. At 190.5 kg, X440 stacks somewhere in the middle and this coupled with its seat height of 805 mm, should make the bike easily manageable for majority of riders in the country. X440 also boasts a high ground clearance of 170 mm and a decent fuel tank with a capacity of 13.5 litres.
3) Suspension Hardware and Brakes: In the suspension and the brake department, X440 enjoys a distinctive edge owing to its USD forks and largest 320mm of front disk size. It also has the fattest 140 mm rubber at the rear though at the front all bikes come shod with 100mm wide tyres. RE is the only bike in this comparison featuring the rear drum brake for the lower variants of the Classic 350 although it also boasts thes largest 270mm rear disc for its top variant.
4) Features and Equipment: The top variant of X440 comes equipped with a number of desirable features including TFT Dash with Bluetooth connectivity that is capable of offering notification alerts and navigation controls to riders. The bike also gets Diamond-cut alloys, 3D badging, and machine finishes on the fins of the engine among others. Even the lower variants of the bike are well equipped though Bluetooth here is sans advanced connectivity features.
5) Price: With this latest launch of X440, HD has made its foray into the segment that has long been dominated by the likes of RE. Although X440 is pricier than all its rivals, it is far better equipped than the rest of the contenders in this comparison with even its lower variant getting features such as TFT dash, LED lights, USD forks and basic Bluetooth connectivity. Undoubtedly, HD X440 makes a lot of sense and all riding enthusiasts who always dream of buying HD can now certainly fulfil their aspirations with this new launch. However, the Speed 400 has captured more market share in just one week than most of its rival combined, expect for RE. Harley design seems to be not so great and the Speed 400 is top-to bottom a motorcycle that is hard to criticize in any area. Making it a top choice instantly for a lot of people.
