The two iconic two-wheeler brands launch first co-developed product as part of licensing agreement.The much-awaited American motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson launched the X440 on Monday evening at Hero MotoCorp’s Global Centre of Innovation and Technology in Jaipur at its most affordable price point of Rs 2.29 lakh. Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, and the iconic American motorcycle-maker launched their first co-developed premium motorcycle to be introduced under the licensing agreement between the two brands.
“I don’t know of any other established player which has a history longer than 120 years. Harley is the most established brand and player in motorcycling. This is the first time Harley is coming in this segment in India. This clearly is going to elevate the entire premiumisation strategy of Hero,” Pawan Munjal, Executive Chairman of Hero MotoCorp, said.
The Harley-Davidson X440 marks Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson’s foray into the 440cc segment for the first time in India. Co-developed by Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson at the Hero CIT, the Harley-Davidson X440 will be manufactured at the company’s Garden Factory at Neemrana, Rajasthan.
“We started this partnership in 2020 when we spoke for the first time, and we’re excited to launch our first collaboration and this motorcycle that fits right into that strategy to expand into new categories. This motorcycle will be available in our existing network and beyond,” Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson.
“There are hundreds of thousands of customers who want to buy Harley Davidson which was till now unaffordable for them. We do expect fairly large numbers to come from this particular product,” he adds.
Munjal added that Hero will be launching a range of premium stores as well. “We had given ourselves a target of 100 premium stores by end of March. Premium stores are not just a part of our distribution strategy, the role is also about enhancing the premium imagery. It will be a complete 360 degree turn of our premium brand experience,” he adds.
He said that the launch of the Harley-Davidson X440 is a significant milestone in Hero’s premium journey and lays a strong foundation for its future growth. “The motorcycle brings the best of the iconic Harley-Davidson’s signature elements with the manufacturing expertise and trusted quality of Hero. Together, we aim to create a unique value proposition for customers in the Indian market and target a wider range of motorcycle enthusiasts,” he adds.The Harley-Davidson X400 competes with Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Meteor 350, as well as the upcoming model from the Bajaj-Triumph partnership.
