New 500cc roadster is one of the many upcoming entry-level models from Harley Davidson developed specifically for developing markets
In recent times, Harley Davidson has been working on developing a wide range of new entry-level models for its lineup. The iconic American brand joined hands with Chinese automaker Qianjiang, parent company of Benelli, a few years back for developing affordable small- and mid-capacity engines and platforms.
Recently, some concrete details of the upcoming Harley Davidson 338R were revealed online. Although no spy images of this model have been published yet, this upcoming bike is expected to be the first model to come out of this Sino-US alliance. The next bike to be developed as part of this joint venture has also been caught on camera recently.
2023 Harley Davidson 500cc Motorcycle Spied
As per a media report, this unnamed motorcycle has been caught undergoing a dyno test at a closed testing facility. These latest spy shots have been grabbed from a video uploaded by QJ Motor, a subsidiary of Qianjiang Group, and uploaded on a Chinese website. In all probability, this is a new 500cc bike that has been spotted for the first time.
From looks of it, the motorcycle shares an uncanny resemblance with a typical Harley Davidson roadster. For starters, it gets a familiar retro design with signature styling highlights like a round headlamp with a silver-colored bezel, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank and a single-pod instrument console. Other visual highlights include circular rearview mirrors, a single-piece seat and a broad bobber-style fender at rear.
Further solidifying its significance is the fact that ‘HD 500′ has been scribbled on the rear registration plate mountings placed on the rear tyre hugger. While the prototype doesn’t boast of a Harley Davidson branding anywhere, it does flaunt its new orange logo on the fuel tank which has been seen in recent models like Pan America and Sportster S.
Internals borrowed from Leoncino 500
However, underneath its retro design, the bike shares a lot in common with Benelli. For instance, the exposed steel trellis frame has probably been borrowed from Leoncino 500. Same is the case with other hardware components like a suspension setup comprising upside-down forks up front and a mono-shock at rear, radially-mounted brake callipers, alloy wheels and swingarm.
In all probability, this upcoming Harley Davidson motorcycle will be powered by a 500cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that has also been lifted from Leoncino 500. This unit belts out 47 bhp at 8500rpm and a peak torque of 46 Nm at 6000rpm. The 8-valve motor is paired with a six-speed gearbox.
Expected Launch
As seen from the latest spy shots, the prototype appears to be nearing its final production stage, courtesy of a number plate mount and turn indicators. There could be minute changes at the time of its launch like some more chrome touches which make it look more like a Harley Davidson.
While the bike’s market launch is expected sometime in 2023, we can expect Harley to show a glimpse of this model at EICMA later this year. It is likely to rival Royal Enfield 650cc motorcycles.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
