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It’s September 2020. After struggling to make headway in India for nearly a decade, Harley-Davidson shutters its Bawal factory. The closure sounds the death knell for its Street series, a platform primarily produced for India and other international markets. To outsiders, Harley flees the subcontinent empty-handed and none the wiser. That’s not the case for long.
Just one month later, with recently anointed CEO Jochen Zeitz at the helm, the Motor Company inks a development and distribution deal with India’s Hero MotoCorp. Hero grants Harley access to its expansive domestic dealer network. In return, the American V-twin brand agrees to share its technology and manufacturing knowledge by jointly developing a new platform for the Indian market. It’s cast as a win-win for both parties.
At the same time, Harley forges ahead with its partnership with China’s Qianjiang Motorcycle Company Limited. Dating back to June 2019, the project precedes the Zeitz regime yet remains a priority in the Milwaukee manufacturer’s international strategy. QJmotor, a Qianjiang subsidiary, provides the basis for the Bar and Shield-badged model with its SRK350 roadster.
In March 2023, the X 350 debuts in China. The X440 isn’t far behind, rolling into the Indian market in July. Though both bear H-D branding and form the company’s X Series, they couldn’t be more different. That goes for their specifications and the customers they court. What does all this tell us about Harley-Davidson's international strategy in the Zeitz era?
Distant relatives
The Harley-Davidson name is synonymous with big, heavy cruisers. It sells such models all around the world. But to seize a larger market share in China and India, the two largest motorcycle markets in the world, Harley had to divert from its traditions. In the X 350, that includes a liquid-cooled, 353 cc parallel twin. The 11.9:1 compression ratio is decidedly non-cruiser, too, along with the model’s 36 horsepower and 22.9 foot-pounds of torque (at 7,000 rpm).
The X440 is just as foreign to Harley conventions, but in its own way. Its air/oil-cooled, single-cylinder engine bumps the displacement up to 440 cc with 79.6 mm of bore and 88.4 mm of stroke. The Indian-made Hog is less concerned with performance, though. A 9.5:1 compression ratio, 22 horsepower (at 6,000 rpm), and 28 foot-pounds of torque say as much. Both models continue in those opposing directions with their componentry.
Seventeen-inch wheels wrapped in Maxxis Supermaxx ST tires buttress the X 350’s sporty character. Twin four-piston calipers mated to petal discs provide sufficient stopping power for a naked bike of this ilk. The X440 is more concerned with surviving India’s rough-and-ready roads. A burly 43 mm, double-cartridge, inverted fork and gas-filled, seven-step preload-adjustable dual shocks help in that department. Harley even allows customers to choose between spoked and cast wheels based on their needs.
Each bike’s use case is evident in its dimensions, as well. The X 350’s maximum lean angle is 52 degrees on the right and 51 degrees on the left. At just 36 degrees in both directions, lean angle isn’t a chief concern of the X440. The 24.8-degree rake and 55.5-inch wheelbase highlight the Chinese roadster’s nimble nature. Meanwhile, the Indian runabout favors accessibility with a 31.7-inch seat height. Its 3.5-inch TFT display prioritizes another form of accessibility, thanks to smartphone connectivity.
The Motor Company adapted the X 350 and X440 to their local environments, but many expected the brand to export the lineup to other motorbike-abundant Asian countries. That’s why the models remaining exclusive to their home markets was a surprise. Upon further inspection, the X Series may not go abroad in the foreseeable future.
No place like home
India is the largest motorcycle market in the world. China isn’t far behind, either. However, Southeast Asia is home to thriving two-wheeler markets. In fact, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia rank above China and India when measuring motorcycles per household.
Despite their smaller populations and land masses, Indonesia and Vietnam slot right behind India and China in overall motorcycle registrations. Vietnam, specifically, relies on two-wheeled mobility, with motorbikes comprising 85% of the nation’s total vehicle count. For a dose of perspective, only 3% of the vehicles registered in the United States are motorcycles, according to J.D. Power.
It’s safe to say that two-wheeled transport is popular in the region. That doesn’t mean all motorbikes suit all Southeast Asian markets. For example, sub-250 cc models account for 95% of domestic sales in Thailand. That leaves the 251-399 cc category just 4% of the sales volume and 1% for motorcycles over 400 cc, so the two new Harley-Davidson X bikes would be outliers. That pattern persists in Indonesia, where sub-150 cc scooters dominate the market.
In addition to those distinct displacement preferences, many Southeast Asian consumers remain loyal to Japan’s Big Four. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha hog 95% of the market share in Indonesia. A local presence matters, too, as Honda and Suzuki both operate production plants in Vietnam. Hero and Qianjiang lack such facilities and distribution networks in Southeast Asia.
The Indian OEM claims to operate in 43 countries across three continents. In Asia, though, it focuses its efforts on Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The Chinese manufacturer, Qianjiang, sells models in Thailand and Malaysia under its Benelli brand, but with just the TNT 135, Leoncino 250, and TRK 251 sneaking under the all-important 250 cc mark, much of the firm’s lineup is considered a “big bike” in the region. The experience of the Asian manufacturers may have influenced H-D’s reluctance to try to sell their new X models beyond the home countries of India and China in Southeast Asia's motorbike-heavy nations.
The upshot
As a matter of fact, Harley hasn’t made any indication that it will send the X Series to any other countries. The brand currently repurposes the X 350 (in the form of the X 350RA) as a training tool for its Riding Academy course in the United States. It’s highly doubtful a production model version would ever join the U.S. lineup, however. Importing the Chinese-made bike could draw the ire of the diehard Harlistas in the United States.
In India, the X440 is expected to serve as the foundation for a Hero-branded spinoff. Indian media outlets anticipate Hero turning to 17-inch wheels, aggressive styling, a distinct exhaust note, and more electronic rider aids to appeal to a younger, sportier crowd with its own version of the X440. The firm could even punch out the displacement to further distinguish the two models. Of course, without confirmation from either brand, this is all speculation at the moment.
What we do know is that Harley-Davidson is back on the international stage with market-oriented options — even if it’s restricting those efforts to China and India for now.
| 2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 | 2023 Harley-Davidson X440 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | ¥33,388 CNY (~$4,655 USD) | ₹2,29,000 INR (~$2,790 USD) |
| Engine | 353 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel twin | 440 cc, air/oil-cooled, two-valve, single |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain | Six-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 36 | 22 @ 6,000 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 22.9 foot-pounds @ 7,000 rpm | 28 foot-pounds @ 4,000 rpm |
| Frame | Tubular steel | Tubular steel |
| Front suspension | 41 mm fork, adjustable for rebound | KYB 43 mm fork, non-adjustable |
| Rear suspension | Single shock absorber, adjustable for rebound and preload | Dual shocks, adjustable for preload |
| Front brake | Dual four-piston calipers, 260 mm discs without ABS | Single ByBre two-piston caliper, 360 mm disc with ABS |
| Rear brake | Single-piston caliper, 240 mm disc without ABS | Single ByBre single-piston caliper, 240 mm disc with ABS |
| Rake, trail | 24.8 degrees, 5.5 inches | 25.5 degrees, 4.0 inches |
| Wheelbase | 55.5 inches | 55.8 inches |
| Seat height | 32.2 inches | 31.7 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 3.6 gallons | 3.6 gallons |
| Tires | Maxxis Supermaxx ST, 120/70-ZR17 front, 160/60-ZR17 rear | MRF Zapper Hyke, 100/90 X 18 front, 140/70 X 17 rear |
| Claimed weight | 430 pounds | 420 pounds |
| Available | Now | Now |
| Warranty | N/A | 60 months, 100,000-mile |
| More info | harley-davidson.com | harley-davidson440.com |
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