Harley-Davidson will roll out a sub 500cc motorcycle in India next year.  According to Indian outlet Gaadiwaadi, the new Harley will have a 250 – 300 cc v-twin engine and is just a year away from its unveiling.

More Roads To Harley Initiative

The new bike is part of Harley’s “More Roads To Harley-Davidson” initiative.  India will be its rollout point as Harley moves to reach new customers in Asian and emerging markets.

The new machine will be smaller than Harley’s Street 500.  Gaadiwaadi says that certain reports indicate that the bike will also carry the “Street” moniker.  They also say that the bike will likely use a conventional telescopic fork and a twin-sided rear spring set up to help reduce costs.

Certain Indian outlets think that Harley’s new small displacement engine could be similar to Harley’s 500cc twin. Photo credit: Gaadiwaadi

Even with a displacement of between 250-300cc, Gaadiwaadi says that the engine will have a V-twin configuration.  They estimate that the engine will put out between 25 to 30 HP with a torque output of  22 lb-ft. The powerplant will be connected to a six-speed gearbox.

Indian partner

It’s not likely that Harley will attempt to produce the above motorcycle on its own.  The MoCo will probably partner with a local manufacturer to get the benefit of its small bike manufacturing experience and India’s lower production costs.

But which company it will partner with is unknown.  Presently, there are KTM/Bajaj and BMW/TVS partnerships.  If Harley were to choose one of the major Indian manufacturers, that leaves Hero, Royal Enfield, and Mahindra as the remaining potential India based partners.

Harley has probably chosen its partner if it is to roll out the small displacement machine next year.  It will be interesting to see whether the new small-displacement Harley is an all-new bike or merely a re-badged model carrying Harley’s name.

Vezi sursa