Harley-Davidson X440 S vs Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Apex

The Harley-Davidson X440 S and the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 are both roadsters and are priced under Rs 3 lakh. So if you are looking for a 400cc+ bike with a bit of retro appeal, these two might be on your radar. 

That said, the similarities end there and both bikes are quite different in pretty much all the other aspects. Here’s what you need to know about these bikes before you make a choice.

Price & Variants

• Who would’ve thought that a Harley-Davidson bike would be priced quite close to a Royal Enfield. 

• That said, both the bikes have their unique flavour, and do things rather differently. 

Dimensions & Design 

• Both the X440 S and the Guerrilla 450 are long, wide and heavy bikes, staying true to their retro roots.
• It will take a bit of an effort to move them around in parking lots or even at painfully slow traffic speeds. 
• Royal Enfield has gone for quite bold colour schemes - red, black and grey, and green. Out of these, the red looks aggressive. Even though it’s the simplest of colours between the three, we think it makes the Guerrilla look quite attractive.
• On the other hand, Harley keeps things simple with just two colour choices: black, and orange. 

Features & Safety

• As we said earlier, these are both neo-retro bikes and after their retro designs, they fulfill the ‘neo’ part with having a decent list of features. 

• Both have clean, simple TFTs but the Guerrilla 450’s console feels like the easier to read yet the more premium one of the two. It also has 2 ride modes, something that the X440 S misses out on as well. 

• That said, if you want riding modes, you can check out the X440T, which is significantly more expensive. 

• The X440 S has some nice bits like the diamond-cut wheels and machined engine fins, both of which definitely make the case for spending more money on the S over the X440’s base Vivid variant. While the X440 S also has a lot of e-sim features, they’re something that most of us will never really use in our everyday lives so we won’t get into it. 

• To sum things up, both bikes are reasonably feature-loaded and none of the consoles will leave you wanting for more. But if we had to pick one, we’d go for the Royal Enfield’s circular TFT. 

Engines

• Their engines are where both bikes feel the most different, for they’ve engines that behave in a completely different manner. 

• The X440 S, in that way, is an authentic retro bike because its engine is all about torque. You’ll feel it from the word go and be it slow commuting or fast paced highway cruising, you can pretty much do it all under 4,000rpm on the X440 S. In fact, even cruising at 100kmph in 6th gear comes just under 4,000rpm, that’s how relaxed and easygoing this engine is. 

• The Guerrilla, on the other hand, properly wakes up only after about 3,000rpm, under which it feels a bit lethargic and will even feel like the bike’s complaining a little bit. But then cross 3,000rpm and there’s a surge of power, maybe even too sudden an urge. From there onwards, the bike pulls in an exciting way and while the Guerrilla looks retro, it’s quite a thrilling bike to ride. 

• While it has the same engine as the Himalayan 450, it’s tuned to be a bit more exciting on this retro roadster and that it definitely is. 

• Its slightly lower weight also helps, for you’ll end up slicing through traffic quite rapidly on the Guerrilla 450, for it’s quite responsive. 

Verdict 

If you’re someone who likes retro bikes because of how pretty they look, but actually want something more performance-oriented, the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is the one for you. The performance also means that the Guerrilla will demand more from the rider, especially at low speeds. But once you get over that hurdle, the Guerrilla 450 comes into its own and is properly exciting. 

But then if you want an out-and-out retro bike, one that looks retro and rides like one too, the Harley-Davidson X440 S is a charming thing. It’s the more affordable of the two and also just ticks all the boxes you’d want from a retro bike. That engine will put a big smile on your face each time you ride it. 

Rivals: 

• While the X440’s engine is better suited for the highways, the Classic 350’s road presence is something the X440 cannot match.
• If you want a bike that feels exotic and very exclusive, the Goan Classic 350 will turn heads like not many bikes in this segment can. 
• Want excitement and thrill? Get the Triumph Speed 400, for it’s a modern bike underneath. Want a properly retro bike? Get the X440 S.
• The Bajaj Dominar 400 is geared towards performance so if you want an old-school riding experience, get the X440 S. 
• If you’re fine with a taller bike, the Scrambler 400 X is more spacious and will make for a better touring bike than the X440 S. 
• The X440 S is a laidback and easygoing bike while the RTR 310 is all about fun and excitement. So pick the flavour you like.