Poseur: Criticism of Harley-Davidson X440

Is the X440 a poor man’s Harley-Davidson?

Over 12,000 units of Harley X440, and Hero Mavrick 440 (which has the same engine), sold from April to December 2024. X440 is a partnership between Harley-Davidson and their exclusive distributor in India, Hero MotoCorp. Both X440 and Mavrick 440 have distinctive features and specs with engine and frame as common elements. It competes with other motorcycle brands having models with 350cc to 500cc engines.

Entry level models play a crucial role in automotive industry and its related economics. Once the bakery gives you a taste of its goodies, you get the sweet tooth and sooner than later, you are tempted to go back and get something more or something bigger and better. I think its not just about volume sales though that is a primary and immediate benefit toward maintaining a global brand presence.

If one has to compete with the ideology of urban mobility and utility and commuting costs as evangelized by Electric Vehicles (EVs) then smaller engine motorcycles can be a great competitor and even push away the Electric Vehicle imposition by governments and bankers and Wall Street.

A customer’s preference is the ultimate mandate to discourage manufacturers having unsold stock and debts to pay to angel investors among tech startups.

For those in love with big V-Twins, the smaller capacity engines can be a great second bike or an introduction bike for wifey or teenage kid. Enjoy your big V lifestyle while you utilize the local benefits of a lightweight bike or single cylinder engine.

Don’t discount the X440, they are coming up with a new updated spec and design this year. They sure don’t discount the practice of cross sales and add-on sales. After all, Harley-Davidson is a lifestyle product. It is never just a motorcycle sale.