We all knew it was coming but now Harley-Davidson has made it official by confirming their 500cc motorcycle is on the way and will makes its world debut at the 2014 Auto Expo in New Delhi. Although the name of the bike hasn’t been decided (or perhaps revealed), the 500cc cruiser is going to be manufactured completely in India and exported the world over. This will help the American automaker to quickly satisfy demand in Asian markets, where this motorcycle is squarely aimed at. With a low seat height, the smaller Harley will suit shorter riders of Asia.
Harley-Davidson will also sell the entry-level bike in Europe, where it can tap into biker’s with learner license who can only ride motorcycles with restricted displacement (mostly below 500cc). This is sure to help the automaker in boosting volumes as its arch rival is heading after it for the numero uno spot in overall sales. You guessed it right, Harley’s arch nemesis is none other than Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, aka KTM. The Austrian automaker overtook BMW Motorrad recently and is now looking at displacing Harley-Davidson from the top spot.
“Nimble, light weight, has a low seat height and supple throttle and braking. I’ve ridden it – it looks great, sounds great, it’s a Harley, and it’s priced right”, Matthew Levatich, COO, Harley-Davidson said when asked about the bike at the company’s 110th anniversary celebrations.
As we already reported last month, the upcoming Harley-Davidson bike is being tested in full swing and is underpinned by the G-Platform. The 500cc twin-cylinder engine is expected to output around 40 BHP of power and 45 Nm of torque. Prices should start sub Rs. 4 lakhs which is sure to lure many to the cruiser brand. The company is also considering the development of electric Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which is sure to please the Prius lovers amongst us. That said, it sure is good news for all cruiser lovers. The 500cc Harley is not far and we get it first in our country.
Source – Gizmag
