Harley Nightster 440 name has been patented in India that signals the next motorcycle that could be spawned on the 440 platform…
Hero MotoCorp, which is handling the complete sales, service and manufacturing of the newly created, smaller motorcycles for Harley Davidson in India, has recently launched the X440 – which goes onto become the most affordable Harley in the world.
The media rides have happened, reviews are out, bookings are open and there are fairly positive words about the motorcycle. How would it fare in the real world remains to be seen as deliveries will commence from October onwards. While everybody awaits the public responses of the X, we already have an understanding about the next model that could be developed on this platform.
Hero has patented the name Nightster 440 in India and that has spilled a few beans. Nightster is from the new breed of Harley Davidsons and gives us a fresher look into the Sportster category of the company. It is also the most affordable motorcycle in the big bike line-up.
The Nightster 440 will definitely follow the same street sport cruiser design of the bigger Nightster 975. Hence, expect a humped (and possibly slanted) fuel tank with low-slung posture and a street cruiser type seating geometry for this one.
No doubt that the star of the show will be the same, extremely torquey oil-cooled, single cylinder 440cc engine that, on the X440 belts out 27 bhp of peak power and 38 Nm of max torque. It is expected to be tuned different for the street cruiser-like application on the Nightster 440.
Hero Developing Motorcycle Based on Harley X440; Launch This Fiscal
I just read on a couple of portals that the upcoming Nighster ‘will‘ be placed under the X440, however, I strongly disagree. The X440 is the base of this platform and I do not think there would be anything under it. There will be more motorcycles on this platform but all Harley-branded models will be placed and priced higher than the X. So, expect the Nightster 400 to be sportier, more kitted and obviously come at a higher price point.
Nobody has any clue about the launch time frame but I do not see it coming this year. It could be introduced sometime next year, at the earliest.
