Harley-Davidson X 500 vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

  • Published April 20, 2023
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Twin-cylinder bikes from veteran bikemakers compared on paper

Harley-Davidson has unveiled its most affordable twin-cylinder motorcycle in China, the X 500. It has been developed in collaboration with QJ Motor and is based on, or is just a rebadged, Benelli Leoncino 500. We pit it against the capable Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 on paper.

Engine

Specifications

Harley-Davidson X 500

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Engine

500cc, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine

647.95cc, twin-cylinder, air/oil-cooled engine

Power

47.45PS

47.5PS 

Torque

46Nm 

52.3Nm

Gearbox

6-speed

6-speed

Despite the difference of 150cc, both bikes manage to produce similar torque and power outputs and we can expect the performance to be on a par, too. However, the liquid-cooling on the H-D makes it a slightly more sophisticated motor.

Considering the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is 10kg heavier, the Harley-Davidson X 500 should have an upper hand in terms of performance, but again, nothing too significant.

Underpinnings

Specifications

Harley-Davidson X 500

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Front suspension

50mm rebound-adjustable USD fork

Telescopic fork

Rear suspension

rebound & preload-adjustable monoshock 

preload-adjustable dual gas-charged shock absorbers

Front brake

Floating twin disc

320mm single disc

Rear brake

Single disc

240 mm disc

Front tyre

120/70-ZR17

100/90-18 M

Rear tyre

160/60-ZR17

130/70-R18 M

When it comes to hardware, the H-D X 500 offers a more premium setup with its USD and monoshock suspension setup along with dual discs up front. That said, the Interceptor is not a bad handler at all and you can check out what we think about it here.

The fatter rubber on the H-D, however, should add to cornering confidence.

Dimensions

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Specifications

Harley-Davidson X 500

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Wheelbase

1,458mm

1,398mm

Ground clearance

153mm

174mm

Fuel tank capacity

13 litres

13.7 litres

Seat height

820.1mm

804mm

Kerb weight

208kg

218kg

With a shorter seat (at 804mm), the Interceptor 650 should be more accessible to shorter riders, however, its heavy kerb weight could be an issue for some. The X 500, on the other hand, is lighter and has a shorter wheelbase, and the fatter tyres should ideally offer great handling.

In terms of features, both bikes are quite dated and come equipped with analogue consoles with digital insets. Both get dual-channel ABS as standard. No Bluetooth connectivity or navigation is offered on either of the bikes.

 

Harley-Davidson X 500

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Semi-digital console

Yes

Yes

Bluetooth Connectivity

No

No

ABS

Yes

Yes

Price & Verdict

Harley-Davidson X 500

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Unannounced 

Rs 3,03,000 (ex-sh Delhi)

(all prices ex-showroom)

Considering the Harley-Davidson X 350 is priced at an equivalent of Rs 3.83 lakh in China, if the X 500 were to come to India, it would be much more expensive than that. That said, the X 500 will not be coming to India, which is good, as it would have not attracted a lot of buyers. The good news is, Hero-Harley’s joint collaboration will result in the launch of the recently unveiled HD4XX soon in India.

Apart from this, the Royal Enfield Interceptor is still a great value-for-money product and offers good performance at an affordable price tag.

Harley Davidson X 500 Video Review

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