In 6 Images: The Most Affordable Indian And Chinese Harleys Differences Explained

Both are affordable Harleys, but very different from each other in many ways

Leaked images have revealed the most affordable made-in-India Harley-Davidson bike co-developed with Hero. But how different is it from the X350, the Harley-QJ Motor bike recently launched in China? Find out here:

Design

While both bikes feature roadster-like styling, they look quite different. The HD400 looks more muscular as its design appears to be derived from the XR1200X, with a beefy fuel tank complimented by retro touches. The X350, on the other hand, flaunts a relatively sportier appeal, and is more sleek. In a way, it looks like a shrunken Harley-Davidson Sportster S.

Engine

In the leaked images, the bike gets a license plate denoting HD4xx, which suggests that the upcoming Desi bike will be powered by a 400-450cc engine. And from what we could gather from the images, it’s a single-cylinder air-/oil-cooled engine. 

Powering the X350 is a 353cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine which means one more cylinder than the HD400 and a more sophisticated cooling system. This should help in offering a comparatively better performance.

Underpinnings

While the HD400 features a USD fork and dual gas charged shock absorber suspension, the X350 gets USD fork, and a rebound damping and preload-adjustable monoshock.

The X350 features twin petal discs up front which should result in better stopping power, whereas the HD400 makes use of a single large conventional circular unit. At the rear both get single discs.

Features

With a fully digital TFT console, the HD400 feels more modern. However, it gives out basic readouts like speedometer, odometer, tachometer, fuel indicator and time. Whether it has Bluetooth connectivity and navigation still remains to be seen. The X350 is more retro as it comes equipped with a semi-digital instrument cluster with, again, basic readouts. Both feature all LED lighting.

Lastly, the X350, will obviously not make it to India, as it is a China-specific model. However, the HD400, is an made-in-India product, designed for our market. So expect it to be launched around July-August 2023 with an expected price tag of Rs 2.5-2.7 lakh, (ex-showroom). On the other hand, the Harley-Davidson X350 costs CNY 33,388, which is equivalent to Rs 3.93 lakh.