Harley Davidson

Leaked documents reveal that new entry-level Harley-Davidson bikes for China share key hardware and use engines manufactured by QJ MotorNew Harley Davidson 350cc MotorcycleHarley-Davidson has a new strategy in place, wherein it is collaborating with regional partners to create entirely new products in middleweight segment. An example is China, where the American motorcycle manufacturer has been working with Qianjiang Motors. This partnership will spawn several new products, the first of which will be X350 and X500 motorcycles.A teaser released recently indicates that either one or both of these bikes will launch on March 10, 2023. Ahead of their launch, some of the key specifications of these bikes have leaked online.Harley Davidson X350 and X500 launch on 10th March 2023Harley-Davidson X350 – 350cc motorcycleHarley-Davidson X350 and X500 have a retro theme, as is evident with the round headlamp and rear-view mirrors and circular instrument pod. Apart from that, each of these bikes have quite a few unique features. Overall, X350 has a more modern character with sharp fuel tank, step-up seat design and extended tail section.In terms of performance, Harley-Davidson X350 will be powered by a 353cc motor. It will deliver 35-36 PS of max power. Earlier, the bike was proposed to be powered by the liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine that was in use with Benelli 302S. However, QJ Motor had later introduced an updated 353cc version of this engine.New Harley Davidson 350cc MotorcycleOther details revealed include the bike’s weight at 195 kg. Claimed top speed is 89 mph, which is around 143 kmph. Hardware specs include USD front forks, monoshock rear suspension, alloy wheels and disc brakes at both ends. The same configuration has been used for the larger capacity X500 as well. There’s a slight difference though, in that, X350 has petal rotors at front whereas X500 utilizes conventional rotors.Harley-Davidson X500 – 500cc motorcyclePowering Harley-Davidson X500 will be a 500cc motor, generating 47.5 PS and 46 Nm. This engine is already in use with bikes like Benelli TRK 502 ADV, Leoncino 500 scrambler and 502C cruiser. Harley-Davidson X500 will have kerb weight of 207 kg, making it a bit lighter than respective Benelli bikes. X500 top speed is claimed at 99 mph or approx. 159 kmph.If launched in India, Harley-Davidson X350 and X500 will primarily rival Royal Enfield bikes. In 350cc segment, Harley-Davidson X350 will compete against the likes of Classic 350, Meteor 350 and Hunter 350. On the other hand, Harley-Davidson X500 will take on the 650 twins – Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650.New Harley Davidson 500cc MotorcycleLaunch of these new bikes in India has not been confirmed yet. Harley-Davidson has a JV in India with Hero MotoCorp. Here too, the plan is to aggressively target the middleweight segment that is currently dominated by Royal Enfield.Backed by Hero’s affordable manufacturing, it is possible that Harley-Davidson may be able to achieve a competitive price point for its first small-capacity bike for Indian market. Harley will also benefit from Hero’s vast countrywide network of dealerships. Once launched, these new Harley’s will take on Royal Enfield and upcoming Bajaj Triumph motorcycles. More

Vintage Harley Davidson motorcycle has just been auctioned for a record amount of USD 953,000 – about INR 7.73 croreHarley Davidson 1908 Strap Tank – Record Auction1908 Harley Davidson Strap Tank motorcycle fetched a record sum at an auction, making it the most expensive motorcycle ever. If you are wondering, how did it manage to fetch such a huge price? Well, this is one of 450 motorcycles Harley Davidson manufactured in 1908. Of those, about 10-12 motorcycles survive today. And the fact that this motorcycle is more than 110 years old, and in working condition.It is called Strap Tank because it has its oil and fuel tank strapped to its frame with nickel straps. This particular Strap Tank model is a 1908 model year. It wears the Engine no. 2241, Carburetor no. 1049. It has been restored by Paul Freehill.1908 Harley Davidson MotorcycleAlong with this one being a vintage, and a rare machine, it was also the one with genuine parts – which helped fetch record price. For example, a HD Strap Tank from 1907 was auctioned in 2015 which garnered $ 715,000 (approx Rs. 5.91 crore) after auction fees.The one recently sold was completely genuine and was not made up of a combination of various parts. Which is why it managed to fetch more money. Just like other Strap Tanks, this one was also built in Harley-Davidson’s original one-storey factory.Harley Davidson 1908 Strap Tank – Most expensive motorcycleThe one auctioned in 2015 was not restored to its original condition. Whereas the record-setting 1908 model garnered $ 935,000 (approx Rs. 7.73 crore) after auction fees. Making it a rarer find. Parts including its wheels, engine belt-pulley, muffler sleeve, seat cover and even its fuel and oil tank were declared authentic.Harley Davidson 1908 Strap TankHistoric ModelStrap Tanks are a rare find as all of them are now either destroyed or possessed by private collectors. Record-setting 1908 Strap Tank was sold by Mecum Auction in Las Vegas, Nevada. Strap Tank is considered to be one of the earliest models from Harley-Davidson, hence the demand.Founded in 1903, Harley-Davidson is one of the only two American motorcycle companies to survive the great depression. Another is its arch-rival Indian Motorcycles. Both companies have stood the test of time and have evolved to compete at the highest level in America with Japanese and European offerings.Harley Davidson 1908 Strap TankVintage motorcycles have a place in most private collectors’ hearts. Previously, we had Vincent Black Lightning auctioned for $ 929,000 at Bonhams Auction in Las Vegas in 2018 as the record holder. Speaking of Vincent, Bajaj has trademarked Vincent name in India. Which is likely to spawn a lineup of classic motorcycles to rival Royal Enfield. More

Harley-Davidson aims to bring almost all of its model lineup to India and in that regard, we also get Pan America ADVHarley Davidson Pan AmericaHarley-Davidson has been the most iconic American motorcycle company in the world. Okay, Indian Motorcycles exist. Still, Harley-Davidson has its own charm. It has a cult following even today and has spawned thousands of custom choppers by modders too. Harley-Davidson is seen with high regard when it comes to cruisers around the world.But there is rising popularity in ADVs and for a good reason. Just like SUVs are getting more popular among cars. Even manufacturers like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley and Aston Martin make SUVs now. Sticking with ADVs, they can do most things that genre-specific motorcycles can only dream of. Touring, cruising, trail-riding, even off-roading? No problemo for ADVs.Harley Davidson has set its foot into EV world with models like LiveWire and others. With Hero MotoCorp backing the American brand in India, Harley-Davidson has managed to do a lot better in FY2022 over FY2021. The Milwaukee based company even sold out its new electric offering S2 Del Mar in just 18 minutes.Harley-Davidson Pan AmericaTo cater to this rising ADV popularity, Harley-Davidson launched Pan America. This is Harley’s first ever ADV who has been only manufacturing big, brawny V-twin cruisers till now. With changing times, Harley-Davidson, as a company, has grown longer in its tooth and has been branching out to cater to various genres.Harley Davidson Pan AmericaPan America ADV came with a new Revolution Max engine that is only offered with Pan America (1,250cc) and Bronx Streetfighter (975cc). This engine is a lot more performant than the company’s Milwaukee-Eight engine range. Even though it displaces almost as much as an Evolution engine, Revolution Max, like its name suggests, is a revolution to the max in terms of Harley-Davidson engines.Pan America ADV was on sale in India as well and got two variants. Standard and Special. Pan America Standard was priced at Rs. 16.90 lakh (ex-sh) and Pan America Special was priced at Rs. 21.11 lakh (ex-sh). But if we look at 500cc+ sales charts, Pan America has been a hard sell. Especially in 2022. Hence the company has slashed Pan America prices by Rs. 4 lakh. Effectively, Pan America Standard now costs 12.91 lakh (ex-sh) and Pan America Special now costs 17.11 lakh. With new pricing, Harley-Davidson aims to sell more units in India.Specs & CompetitionHarley-Davidson Pan America comes with a 60-degree V-twin Revolution Max engine that displaces 1,252cc while generating 150 bhp at 8,750 RPM and 128 Nm of torque at 6,750 RPM. It is coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox while Honda Africa Twin offers an option for a DCT automatic. Pan America ADV comes with a large 21L fuel tank for the long hauls. It weighs a hefty 258kg and can hit a top speed of 200 km/h.Pan America Special gets brawny points like a semi-active suspension, adaptive lights, TPMS, spoked 19” wheel at front and 17” at the rear and even gets an option of adaptive ride height as well. With new pricing, Pan America ADV Standard rivals BMW F850 GS, Triumph Tiger 900 and the likes. While Pan America Special rivals Honda Africa Twin, Triumph Tiger 1200, and the likes. Harley-Davidson Pan America seems to be a better priced motorcycle now. More

Hero MotoCorp has sold 601 units of Harley Davidson motorcycles in India in FY2022 which is nearly triple the volume recorded in FY2021New Harley Davidson NightsterAmerican motorcycle giant Harley Davidson has regained leadership in the premium motorcycle segment in India which has been propelled by its partnership with Hero MotoCorp. This comes as a truly remarkable feat considering the iconic brand quit independent operation in India back in September 2020.According to data shared by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Hero MotoCorp managed to sell 601 motorcycles from the Harley Davidson brand in FY2022. The American manufacturer has nearly tripled its sales as compared to FY2021 when it managed to retail only 206 units.Harley Davidson Takes Top Spot – 1000cc+ Motorcycle SegmentOut of the 601 units sold last financial year, 531 units were above the 1,000cc mark, making Harley Davidson an overwhelming market leader in the 1,000cc and above segment. The iconic brand took control of 37 percent of market share in the last financial year for motorcycles in the 1000cc and above space. In comparison, Harley recorded a market share of 27 percent in FY21.The company’s sales were mostly driven by its latest flagship models Pan America 1250 Special and Sportster S. In process of gaining back the throne, Harley Davidson went past other premium motorcycle brands like Triumph and Kawasaki with respective yearly volumes of 336 units and 283 units recorded in FY2022.1000cc+ Motorcycle Sales FY22Other prominent Japanese brands like Suzuki and Kawasaki registered a volume of 233 units and 71 units respectively. Most of the company’s current success has been attributed to Hero MotoCorp which took over retail operations from Harley Davidson in October 2020, after the latter quit independent operations in the country. The Milwaukee brand’s Indian operation seemed to be in a state of disarray even after 11 years of existence in the market.Possible Reasons for Sales GrowthSince Hero MotoCorp took charge of operations for Harley Davidson in India, the latter has benefitted from the former’s wide distribution network across the country. Since then, Hero has also expanded Harley’s in India network to comprise 13 showrooms and 10 service centres. Further, Hero also restarted customer interaction events like HOG rallies across the nation.The last such HOG event was conducted in Mahabaleshwar between April 9-10 this year, after a two-year hiatus that saw participation from more than 540 Harley-Davidson owners across the country. The next H.O.G Rally has been scheduled to take place in Hyderabad between August 26-27. Harley Davidson has now set up a separate vertical to drive its new business of products and merchandise distribution in the country.Previously, some Harley Davidson models were locally assembled at its rented facility in Bawal, Haryana. The American brand currently retails fully imported models brought to the country via the CBU route which includes models like Sportster S, Iron 883, Forty-Eight, Fat Bob and Pan America 1250. More

New electric motorcycle from Harley Davidson under the LiveWire brand is based on a modular EV platformNew Harley Davidson Electric Motorcycle – S2 Del Mar will be their most affordable yetHarley Davidson ventured into the electric mobility space back in 2019 with the launch of its electric motorcycle named LiveWire. Since then LiveWire has gone to become a separate vertical within the American motorcycle giant specifically dedicated to the company’s upcoming lineup of EVs.The first model under this spinoff brand was LiveWire One which made its debut in July last year. The iconic motorcycle brand has now revealed its next offering in the EV space – called S2 Del Mar Launch Edition. This new electric Harley Davidson is the second EV offering under the LiveWire brand.Harley Davidson LiveWire Electric S2 Del MarSince LiveWire One is a very costly affair at USD 22k (about INR 17 lakh), the brand needs an affordable EV offering to create a space among mass-market buyers. S2 Del Mar will be priced in the USD 15k region upon launch. This will be about Rs 8.9 lakh as per today’s currency conversion rates.The battery-powered motorcycle is based on a new modular Arrow EV architecture. This new platform will serve as a base for upcoming LiveWire electric bikes like S3 and S4. S2 Del Mar has been built on a monocoque frame that employs the battery pack with aluminium casing as the stressed member. Hence, the steering head, as well as the swingarm pivot, are linked to the battery pack.[embedded content][embedded content]Expected Motor & Battery DetailsThe company is still tight-lipped about exact details of the motor. That said, images reveal the motor sits just behind the pack, near the swingarm pivot. S2 Del Mar is expected to use an air-cooled setup for the battery considering it’s a relatively low-end offering compared to LiveWire One. The motor used in this bike is expected to return a performance equivalent to that of a 700cc IC engine-powered motorcycle. 0-100 kmph acceleration is achieved in about 3.5 seconds.Harley Davidson will be using “21700” type cells for the battery pack that should offer at least a 100 miles (160 kms) range on a single charge. Since the platform is a modular one, the brand can use batteries and motors of different sizes and specifications on future models. This architecture should also host multiple design styles for upcoming motorcycles.Design & Other DetailsSpeaking of design, S2 Del Mar has carried most of the styling attributes from its concept e-bike which follows a flat track theme. New images reveal the bike’s rear end that features the rear wheel, a stubby tail section and a tyre-hugger with an integrated number plate holder. Harley is also expected to equip this electric motorcycle with plenty of gizmos that will be updated OTA.Bookings for S2 Del Mar Launch Edition had opened earlier today. But had to be closed, as the entire first lot of 100 units got sold out in under 18 minutes. India launch of this new Harley Davidson electric motorcycle is not yet confirmed. Debut of the production bike is in 2023. More