Harley-Davidson has partnered with a Chinese company called Qianjang Motors and together the alliance will make the most affordable Harley-Davidson ever. The new Harley-Davidson motorcycle will be made in China and will be first sold in the Chinese market following its entry into other Asian and Indian market in 2020-21.
The motorcycle in question is expected to be powered by a 338cc, parallel-twin engine with liquid-cooling. The brand has ditched its traditional cruiser styling and the new bike is likely to be a naked streetfighter. It is expected to get a steel trellis frame, upside-down front suspension, a mono-shock on the aluminium swingarm and hydraulic discs on the front and rear. In terms of styling, the new bike is likely to get LED headlights on the front, underbelly exhaust, radiator shrouds, sculpted tank, single piece rear cowling, semi-digital instrument console, a semi step-up seat etc. There is no official image or any leaks which hint towards the final styling of this new 338cc motorcycle.
Harley-Davidson has been struggling to keep up with the motorcycle market and despite its heritage & legacy, the brand is not doing very well and has been reported to have seen a drop in its revenue over the past few years. The Chinese partner, Qianjang owns the Benelli brand which could help tap the brand’s successful sales network. Also, it is important to note that the Chinese carmaker Geely hold large stakes in the Qianjang brand.
The Harley-Davidson 338cc motorcycle has not been officially named yet, and the bike is expected to hit the Chinese market by the end of 2020 followed by Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, India and Australia in 2021. If Harley-Davidson decides to launch the bike in India, it could be assembled at the brand’s Haryana facility which could keep the cost in check as the market in this segment is cost sensitive.
When launched, the new Harley-Davidson 338cc motorcycle will rival the likes of Royal Enfield, Jawa, and even naked motorcycles from brands like KTM, Yamaha, Honda, etc.