[Bhupesh_2628]

Originally Posted by Dushie

Also they are giving 5 years and 70,000 kms warranty for the X440, no other manufacturer is giving that so its the confidence and quality of the product which they have made they are banking on, along with the demand.

Off-topic:
As far as I know, Bajaj provides 5 years and 75,000 km warranty on some of its bikes.

[Dushie]

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

Off-topic:
As far as I know, Bajaj provides 5 years and 75,000 km warranty on some of its bikes.

Agree,But they did not do that for Triumph Speed 400,. If Hero Harley can give 5 years, then why not Bajaj Triumph. Speed 400 comes with 2 years warranty is what i have heard. Anyways, warranty just gives you that extra piece of mind and less worry as you know you will get support and service on the product for a longer time and will have coverage and support for any post production issues that may come up in the coming years.

[Abh1nav]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Some other points i can think of in favor of HD440 over meteor is:
* Weight difference: HD being lighter will be easy to handle/maneuver
*

Completely agree on the practicality aspect of the X440 versus the Super Meteor. Those were my initial thoughts as well. Just that Super Meteor felt surreal as soon I started the engine. Had an instant crush!

Originally Posted by aviator1101

Think of the Super Meteor 650 as the elder sibling of the X440 and it will help easing the dilemma.

Double the cylinders, more power and torque and almost 1.75 times the cost of a X440. It's actually comparable to erstwhile low end Harleys.

If cruising and leisurely riding is what you are looking at, and you have dough to spare, look no beyond the Super Meteor.

The X440 is the cheapest product from Harley made in collaboration. On the other hand, the Super Meteor is the flagship product of Royal Enfield.

Need I say more?

Thanks for this. You've resonated my feelings here. While the heart is already inching towards the Super Meteor, the head says that I need to give the X440 a fair chance to showcase itself. Hence, waiting for the longer test ride before finalising.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Abh1nav

The great Dilemma thereafter:

I casually walked into the Royal Enfield showroom as I had some spare time. Saw the Super Meteor. Had a test ride. Loved it!

I’m getting the bike primarily for weekends, highways and occasional bike rides to the office. So looking for something that can cruise along without a fuss. While one might think that both the bikes cater to different segments, but both fit well into my requirements.

Any help in getting out of this dilemma will be much appreciated!

Abh1nav, since I havent ridden either the Harley Davidson X440 or the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, I cannot give you a definitive answer. However, from my experience of riding motorcycles for several years, I can say that
- The HD X440 seems to be this decade's equivalent of the Continental GT 535. In terms of power, the X440 makes 27.37 PS @ 6000 rpm, while the Continental GT 535 made 29.1 hp @ 5100 rpm. In terms of torque, the X440 makes 38 Nm @ 4000 rpm , while the Continental GT 535 made 44 Nm @ 4000 rpm. What does this mean? Ill come to that in a bit.
- The Super Meteor 650 is a very different motorcycle from the X440. On paper and in your initial back to back rides, the Super Meteor 650 will shine through as the better motorcycle. After all, with a power rating of 47 PS @ 7250 rpm and torque of 52.3 Nm @ 5650 rpm, it has to have the HD X440 beat, right? Right?
- Once the enthusiasm of the initial test rides wear off, you will start noticing the smaller aspects of both motorcycles. For example, the weight. The X440 is no light weight, at its claimed weight of 190.5 kgs. That said, the 241 kgs of the Super Meteor 650 is two whole weight classes above the X440. How easy is it going to be to manage the Super Meteor's weight? Only multiple test rides and parking simulations can tell you that. Also, will you be more comfortable doing long rides on the X440 or the Super Meteor 650?
- A lot of your decision making should revolve around where and when you will be riding your motorcycle. If you will be doing a fair amount of city riding, the torquey nature of the X440 will prove to be a boon. If you will be doing a lot of open highway riding, the superior performance of the Super Meteor 650 will seal the deal for you. If you will be riding a lot in the mountains, the lighter and more torquey X440 will probably be more fun to hoon around in than the Super Meteor 650. If you are a sedate rider who loves to cruise at just about triple digit speeds, the Super Meteor 650 should be the smart choice.

Simply put, these are 2 totally different motorcycles which appeal to completely different types of buyers. The real question is what sort of rider are you and what sort of riding will you be doing?

In many ways, it's a lot like asking which ice cream to buy - butterscotch or chocolate. Some of us will suggest that you get a scoop of butterscotch, others will wholeheartedly recommend going for chocolate and most of us just wish that we could have both!

[VijayAnand1]

Appreciate surjaonwheelz for taking these photographs. Being the guy I am, lo and behold was able to already detect why this isn't a proper HD and why this isn't the lucky charm for Hero-Haa-ley

Grab your quick cuppa.

1. Hero-Haa-ley Ded Check: 1

As you can observe from the image, I've rounded some portions which I feel is not oozing the oomph of a Haah-ley. Be it a test ride or a show-room piece, this isn't acceptable. Rule it off as a one-off you might argue, that the bolt garnish cap might be broken owing to a hot-headed mechanic doing a shoddy installation job of the crash guard? Not really, and you'll know why in a minute.

Secondly, taped wire loom grazing over a super hot single's head? Hero, if you spent that money you spent on sending aluminum boxes to journalists, things would have looked much tidier. SMH..



2. Hero-Haa-ley Ded Check: 2

If you'll observe, the welding doesn't make the dough dance for it. Definitely not! Chain links rusting already, extremely average paint job throughout (you'll know why in a minute) Who am I to argue. SMH



3.Hero-Haa-ley Ded Check: 3

Rusty and all dusty! But seriously, as I've touched upon the paint quality earlier, the swingarm is already chipping paint. Worse, it's already started to rust. Zoom in and you'll know. Observe the chain links. SMH.



Hero-Haa-ley Ded Check: 4

Talking about paint quality gentlemen, looks and feels just like an amateur spray painted crash bar for a motorcycle. This will definitely chip given the wrong circumstances, and the paint sheen doesn't inspire confidence to term this as a Haa-ley. Oh, and did you remember the broken bolt cap. Just look a little further, I've circled the same. SMH



With all due respect, brownie points for Hero and Haa-ley having to have teamed up to dabble on the hot waters of a segment that's been ruled by a Brit for long and still to do. What Hero has done isn't something brave, but something what its competitor forayed all along with zeal and tanked -- literally -- with the Himalayan when it was launched. A product that was half-baked with all the problems in the world a single motorcycle could offer, yet progressively learning, ironing out the wrinkles and taking the title of the most sold ADV motorcycle in India.

With another round of price increase, Hero-Haa-ley will definitely have to up the ante in terms of quality. RE learnt this crucial lesson the hard and long way. Lo, it eventually took light-years for them to catch up, but they're inching there and now its sales chart are a testament as it's lit as a thousand moons combined. What RE had at their disposal? TIME. They had all the time it took to catch up to the game at the right time, with the products. Talk about kaizen philosophy.

Sadly, Hero-Haa-ley has a lot of offer in terms of quality, fit, finish and offering them immediately and in a timely manner. This partnership can end up to be a sad swept under the mat if things aren't course corrected with the intent this partnership has for the long term. This isn't a Harley, sadly, it isn't and it never will be, apart from the slapped sticker. Mark my word on that!

With more and more customers having the choice and the wherewithal, a shoddy product with a reputed name is a sure recipe to tank its future once and for all.

Good luck Hero.

Cheers!
VJ

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

With more and more customers having the choice and the wherewithal, a shoddy product with a reputed name is a sure recipe to tank its future once and for all.

Good luck Hero.

VJ

Hero's products are all built to a cost and unfortunately feel that way. People buying a Splendor may not care but those spending almost 3 lakh will definitely care.

While other Indian manufacturers like Royal Enfield have tried to up their quality game - look at the quality difference between a Thunderbird and a Meteor for example, it's sad that Hero hasn't even tried to improve the quality of their products.

Moreover, the fact that they are still heavily dependent on the Honda sourced engine that powers several of their products speaks to their lack of innovation.

[TusharK]

Harley-Davidson X440 prices hiked by Rs. 10,500

Harley-Davidson has hiked the prices of the newly launched X440 by Rs. 10,500 across all variants. The bike is now priced from Rs. 2,39,500 (ex-showroom). The revised prices will come into effect from August 4, 2023.



The Harley-Davidson X440 was launched last month at an introductory price of Rs. 2.29 lakh. The introductory pricing will end today, but those who book the bike till August 3 will be eligible for it.

Hero MotoCorp had earlier announced that production of the X440 would begin in September at its Neemrana factory. Test drive bikes will reach dealerships on September 1, while customer deliveries are scheduled for October.

The X440 is Harley-Davidson's most affordable bike, developed in collaboration with Hero MotoCorp. The bike is powered by a 440cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine that produces 27 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 38 Nm @ 4,000 rpm.

Harley-Davidson X440 revised ex-showroom prices:

• Denim - Rs. 2,39,500
  
• Vivid - Rs. 2,59,500
  
• S - Rs. 2,79,500

Link to Team-BHP News

[inline4]

Today is the last day to book to get the introductory prices. Saw the Ad in Times of India saying ONLINE BOOKINGS CLOSE TODAY.

there is a price hike of 10500 on all variants. Never seen any manufacturer increase prices during the booking period itself. Curious to know what numbers they have got. Triumph got 10000 bookings as per their announcement.

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Appreciate surjaonwheelz for taking these photographs. Being the guy I am, lo and behold was able to already detect why this isn't a proper HD and why this isn't the lucky charm for Hero-Haa-ley

These bikes as per what the dealer told me are pre-production bikes they used for the launch. I'm certain the production bikes will have a better finish.

Mod Note: Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

[Dushie]

Originally Posted by inline4

Today is the last day to book to get the introductory prices. Saw the Ad in Times of India saying ONLINE BOOKINGS CLOSE TODAY.

there is a price hike of 10500 on all variants. Never seen any manufacturer increase prices during the booking period itself. Curious to know what numbers they have got. Triumph got 10000 bookings as per their announcement.

Most of their dealers have got booking of at least 500 odd bikes. Online booking is additional. I am sure they have already hit the 10,000 mark, hence the price increase and closure of offer. But lot of folks have booked multiple bikes, so we may see cancellations too. Hoping they are able to deliver the same within this year.

Seeing lot of posts on quality and finish. Saw an update stating Hero and HD will take care of the same on post production bikes . Even still if folks are not happy with the quality and finish they can chose not to buy as booking amount is fully refundable. On a personal note, at the price that HD is offering the X440, prepare for higher wait times and further increase in prices post the test drive opens up for the folks who have not booked yet. For folks who have booked already latest news from HD Bangalore dealer is that test drives would begin post 15th August.

[vzvish91]

Originally Posted by TusharK

Harley-Davidson X440 revised ex-showroom prices:

• Denim - Rs. 2,39,500
• Vivid - Rs. 2,59,500
• S - Rs. 2,79,500

Link to Team-BHP News

But why?
I don't get the rationale behind this move from HeroMotoCorp & Harley Davidson!
Can someone please help me with it.

[Dushie]

Originally Posted by vzvish91

But why?
I don't get the rationale behind this move from HeroMotoCorp & Harley Davidson!
Can someone please help me with it.

The price offered was introductory price as part of initial launch for a limited amount of units they will sell. They would have got enough orders for the initial price they had planned the launch for. Bajaj and Triumph did the same for Speed 400 where price was increased by 10k after they crossed 10000 units. Sometimes it also happens due to supply and demand factor too. But with the kind of demand that is there in the market, expect further price increase next year as demand goes up .

[Waspune]

A much needed comparo been the Classic 350, X440 and Speed 400 by Rishaad:

https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-vi...n-video-428923

https://youtu.be/ELo-yLJEJ7w

The X440 seems to bridge the performance gap between the Classic and Speed. It does 0-100 in 9.xx secs thereby trying to provide the best compromise between Classic’s charming character and Speed’s performance.

I just hope Harley improves the fit and finish in the production bikes. Apart from that it looks like a sorted and a well positioned product.

[Abh1nav]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Simply put, these are 2 totally different motorcycles which appeal to completely different types of buyers. The real question is what sort of rider are you and what sort of riding will you be doing?

In many ways, it's a lot like asking which ice cream to buy - butterscotch or chocolate. Some of us will suggest that you get a scoop of butterscotch, others will wholeheartedly recommend going for chocolate and most of us just wish that we could have both!

Thank you for the help here! So well put.

While I do have a fair idea about the kind of riding I plan on the bike, i’d still go for a few more test rides and see which one appeals to both, the head & the heart!

[aniketi]

They should have waited for some more time I guess. At least start deliveries, get some bikes on road and then think of increasing price. I guess they are greedy here and trying to get more bookings before booking period ends. Not a good idea IMHO.

[jaaz]

Originally Posted by Dushie

Booking amount is Rs 5000 and it is fully refundable.

Is it mentioned in their website, that the booking amount is fully refundable?

I didn't find the same even in their T & C.

Still not sure of the Bike, unless you take a test ride. Also, the variants are confusing if it's worth going for the top end.