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-   -   Benelli-based Harley-Davidson 350cc & 500cc motorcycles to be globally unveiled soon (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/263376-benelli-based-harley-davidson-350cc-500cc-motorcycles-globally-unveiled-soon.html)

Harley-Davidson has finally announced the unveiling date of its much-awaited entry-level motorcycles. The American brand will debut two motorcycles on March 10, 2023.



According to reports, Harley-Davidson will unveil the X350 and X500, both of which will share its platforms with current Benelli models. Thanks to Harley-Davidson's tie-up with China's Qianjiang Motors, the X350 motorcycle will share its platform with the Benelli 302S, while the X500 will be based on the Leoncino 500.

The Harley-Davidson X350 will be powered by a 353cc twin-cylinder engine producing 36 BHP, while the X500 gets a 500cc engine churning out 47 BHP. Both motorcycles get USD forks at the front and a mono-shock at the rear, disc brakes at both ends and LED lighting all around.



Ahead of its debut, images of the two motorcycles have been leaked online. The leaked images reveal muscular bodywork, wide handlebars, LED headlights and a single-piece seat.

The Harley-Davidson X350 will rival the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Honda H'ness CB350, while the X500 takes on the likes of the Benelli 502C and the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650.

Source: BikeWale

Link to Team-BHP news

I hope Harley are not seriously considering launching these in India?

After the disappointing saga which were the Street 500/750 and the Street Rod in addition to the embarrassing reputation those bikes developed in India and abroad; these 2 may be perceived more as an insult rather than Harley Davidsons.

47 hp from a 500 cc engine is not bad, just hope it will be a reasonable proposition unlike the overpriced honda models.

Considering the Harley brand value that Harley believes it has, I don't have any hopes of a decent price point. The Leoncino 500 that the Harley 500 will be based on is sold in India for 4.7l ex showroom and I am sure Harley will put a premium on what is essentially the same bike.

The Street 750 was made in India and was still very expensive so these bikes which will be imported from China and simply assembled here will definitely be overpriced. So in all likelihood Harley will not launch these in India.

It's surprising that Harley didn't choose the QJ SRV 300 (which is part of the Benelli group) to be the base model given that's a V Twin like every other Harley available and not the boring Parallel twin engine's that both the X350 and X500 will be using.

India-bound Harley-Davidson X 350 unveiled in China

Harley-Davidson has unveiled its most affordable motorcycle to date. It is called the X 350 and it has been developed in collaboration with China-based QJ Motors.



The Harley-Davidson X 350 borrows styling used from Sportster XR1200X. It features a teardrop-shaped 13.5-litre fuel tank with a stepped seat, a circular LED headlamp and a single-pod instrument console. The bike weighs 180 kg.

The X 350 is powered by a 353cc, 2-cylinder engine that is shared with QJ Motors’ SRK 350. It develops 36.2 BHP and 31 Nm @ 7,000 rpm and is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.



The X 350 rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and features adjustable upside-down fork suspension at the front and a mono-shock at the rear, which can also be adjusted for preload and rebound. Braking is handled by single petal-type discs with a 4-piston caliper at the front and a single rotor with a single-piston caliper at the rear.

Harley-Davidson is expected to bring the X 350 to India as well. It could compete with the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and the Honda H’ness CB350.

Link to Team-BHP News

What is the estimated price of this?

Though the bike looks Harley with Chinese characteristics, i wouldn't dismiss it would not sell. People pay for the brand, especially if the bike drolls the same rhythmic Harley exhaust sound. For sure, this will have a presence on the road to pull attention.

I remember when BMW 310rr was released it was teased as flop. But last i checked, it was/is still bringing much-needed sales numbers for BMW motorcycle division. It's keeping the dealership happy with a good amount of customers coming for service paying 2 times as one pays for TVS service and also keeping people busy in the workshop. Priced competitively, this too will sell in India with good aftermarket support.

So simply put an American branded Chinese motorcycle sold in India by Indian company

There's a Reason Enfields and CBs are technically below 350 at 348-9 because 350 and + get hit with a different tax rate.
In the current scenario, bikes below the engine capacity of 350cc attract a bike GST percentage of 28%. However, with an engine capacity of more than 350cc margin, then the bike GST rate goes up by an additional 3%, amounting to 31% in total.

3% won't make much difference to someone who's determined to buy but If they price it high it'll end up a High Price Small cc bike like the CB300R,which is a Fantastic Bike Priced idiotically by Honda.
But I must say that the 36hp figure will be attractive to many.

The rhythm will depend on how the engine is configured - if it's a 45 degree v-twin with a single crankshaft pin, we'll get the iconic potato - potato sound. The rest depends on the silencer, but I doubt a small engine will produce that rich exhaust sound.

The engine is basically shared with QJ motors, which basically feels like the same engine used by Benelli TNT 300 (In-line twin). So even though it sounds really good, I don't think it will be having a typical "Harley Sound"

When Bajaj partnered with KTM, they were basically gift-wrapped a fantastic engine.

What did they do with the 390? Did they make a lazy knock-off of the Duke, thereby cannibalizing sales with a valued partner? Did they stick it in an existing Pulsar and call it a new bike?

No. They made an all-new creation with the Dominar. Not quite a cruiser per se, definitely not a crotch rocket like the Duke, but a whole different thing altogether.

Harley basically took an existing bike that Benelli threw in the trash, pasted an HD badge on it and are patting themselves on the back for their hard work.

This is even lazier than the BMW 310 RR being basically an Apache 310 with a paint job and BMW logos on it. At least they actually helped create that engine and foundations with TVS.

A world-leading aspirational brand, reduced to using a photocopy machine and being proud of it. Talk about a fall from grace.

Even though it's a 350, the power figures are good. It seems like a decent rival to the Interceptor 650. Considering the partnership with Hero, I expect the pricing to be aggressive and under 4 lacs onroad. Fingers crossed!!

The bike itself doesn't look bad, but it does feel like the Brand gets diluted with such products. Many RE fans I know have HD as the aspirational brand, and they wish to go from RE 350>650>HD. The overall design looks almost identical to the TNT300 (frame, rear suspension etc) with a Retro Look. The power figure is exciting, much higher than RE, Jawas, Honda 350s. Pricing is the key.

Looking forward to this as well as the Bajaj-Triumph bikes.

More appropriate to call the bike CHarley DavINDson rl:
Jokes asides, HD Iron riders are mocked in US because the bike only has 883cc