Harley-Davidson 350: When Can You Buy It In India?

The upcoming baby Harley will be brought to our shores via the CKD route

• The HD350 will be powered by a 338cc motor. 
• It is likely to be priced between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh. 
• Harley-Davidson might unveil the production version of the HD350 at EICMA 2020. 

Harley-Davidson is currently working on several interesting projects as part of its ‘More Roads To Harley-Davidson’ growth plan. The manufacturer not only intends to enter new segments like EVs, ADV and streetfighter, but it is also planning to build low-cost bikes to increase its presence in South East Asia. And for that, Harley-Davidson has teamed up with China-based Qianjiang Motorcycle Company to manufacturer its first-ever 350cc motorcycle, the HD350.  

The design process of the upcoming motorcycle is already finished and now, the baby Harley has moved to the production stage. So, when will we get to see the entry-level Harley-Davidson rolling out of the showrooms? Well, there’s no confirmation on that as of now, but it is expected to launch in China and other foreign markets by the end of 2020 followed by an India launch in early 2021. 

Harley-Davidson will bring the HD350 in India via the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route and will assemble it in its manufacturing facility in Haryana, the same plant where the 750cc motorcycles are also manufactured. The fact that the upcoming entry-level Harley will be localised in India hints that the bike maker might launch it at a competitive price tag. As of now, there’s no word from the company about the prices, but we expect it to retail at around Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom). 

Both companies are tight-lipped about the HD350’s design and its specifications. However, we do know that it will be powered by a 338cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine. This isn’t an all-new engine but just a reworked version of the Benelli 302’s motor. And considering that this powerplant has gained some extra ceecees, it’s bound to get a bump in power and torque figures as well. 

The small-capacity premium motorcycle segment is heating up quite rapidly as several manufacturers are trying to make a place for themselves. Until now, the KTM-Bajaj partnership has really worked wonders for both bike makers and Bajaj is planning to do the same with Husqvarna and Triumph. Even BMW Motorrad had to team up with TVS to come up with an entry-level motorcycle specifically for markets like India. However, we have to wait and see whether Harley can really pull off such a risk and post a positive growth in a competitive market like ours.