Harley-Davidson Prepares To Launch X350 And X500 At The Japanese Market

X500 and X350. (Doc. Young-machine)

JAKARTA - Successfully with the response of fans from the affordable version of motorcycles presented in India and China, now Harley-Davidson continues to add new markets in Asia by bringing X350 and X500 to Japan which will be marketed starting October 2023.

Previously, the Harley-Davidson collaboration with India's Hero MotoCorp gave birth to X440, a small capacity model with one cylinder managed to set a record with more than 25,000 orders in the first month of sales.

Furthermore, in China, Harley-Davidson is also partnering with leading manufacturer QJ Motor to develop a lineup of small-capacity motorcycles that are manifested with the launches of X350 and X500, two models that are heavily based on existing models in the QJ Motor/Benelli line.

To date, these two small to medium-sized roadsters are only available in China, with launches in Australia scheduled before the end of 2023. However, the next country to own these two motorcycles is Japan starting October 2023.

Quoted from Rideapart, September 27, Harley-Davidson confirmed that X350 and X500 were created as part of this brand's global strategy by carrying a much smaller engine and a design that looks more like a standard and naked motorcycle.

X350, for example, has a flat tracker style but still looks modern but has a lot in common with Benelli 302S, while X500 has an American roadster style but basically Benelli Leoncino 500 has an overhauled look. Both are models produced by QJ Motor in China.

In terms of performance and technology, the Harley-Davidson X350 is powered by a liquid-cooled 353cc parallel-twin engine, fuel injection. This machine is claimed to produce 36 dk of power at 9,500 rpm and a torque of 31 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The power is channeled to the rear wheels through a manual transmission of six accelerations.

Meanwhile, X500 provides a slight additional power with a liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine with a capacity of 500cc. This engine produces 47 dk at 8,500 rpm and a torque of 46 Nm at 6,000 rpm.

There is no official information regarding the price and availability of these two new motorcycles in the Japanese market. However, with the high enthusiasm of fans for the more affordable variant of the Harley-Davidson, it is also expected to get a very good welcome on the Japanese market.