In Pictures: Harley-Davidson X440 Reviewed

In July 2023, Harley-Davidson launched its smallest and most affordable bike, the Harley Davidson X440, co-developed with Hero Motocorp to bring in new riders into their clan. The bike is priced at Rs 2,39,500 onwards (ex-showroom Delhi).

The X440 is a neo-retro bike that has a muscular design language with a large fuel tank and sleek side panels. From certain angles, the X440 does look attractive, but the exposed wires and cables at the front and the oddly bobbed rear fender with its bargain-basement taillight can be eyesores.

It is powered by a 440cc single-cylinder oil-cooled engine making 27.4PS at 6000rpm & 38Nm at 4000rpm. The engine delivers maximum torque in the low and mid-range, making for effortless commuting and relaxed cruising on the highways. It is paired with a smooth 6-speed transmission with a slip-and-assist clutch.

The bike is equipped with a 43mm KYB inverted fork and gas-charged, preload-adjustable twin shock absorbers. They perform well, for the X440’s ride quality is reasonably comfortable. There are 320mm front and 240mm rear ByBre disc brakes with dual-channel ABS. We have no complaints with the brakes as well, for the initial bite is sharp enough and you will be able to shed speed without really having to grab the brakes hard. It has an adequate amount of ground clearance and a long wheelbase aiding its straight-line stability on the road.

It has an upright seating position thanks to a tall handlebar that feels relaxed. And the seat height of 805mm should make the bike quite manageable for a variety of riders. While most associate Harley-Davidsons with cruisers, the X440’s centre-set footpegs make it more of a roadster.

Equipped with a 3.5-inch TFT instrument cluster, it has a bunch of features like phone connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation and has a 3.0 USB port near the console to charge your mobile phone. 

The bike is available in three variants (all prices ex-showroom Delhi): 

• Denim: The most affordable option, with spoke wheels & tube tyres. The logos are stickered instead of premium-looking 3D logos. It is priced at Rs 2,39,500.

• Vivid: This mid-range variant is the most value-for-money model, with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres, and is priced at Rs 2,59,500.

• S: The top model comes with machined diamond-cut alloy wheels, built-in LTE connectivity, geo-fencing and remote immobilisation. It is priced at Rs 2,79,500.

The X440 is a well-put-together package drawing inspiration from the elder sibling, the Harley-Davidson XR1200. Its torquey engine delivers good performance, though mild vibrations can be felt in the top end. With a comfortable saddle designed to munch highway miles. We reckon the Harley-Davidson X440 is a bang for the buck.