Harley-Davidson X440 or Hero Mavrick 440 - This Or That?

Platform-sharing is not a new practice and has been in application in both cars and motorcycles. From Maruti Suzuki and Toyota, to KTM and Husqvarna many brands have tried this formula for many years While some choose to share the platform architecture, some go beyond and share everything – right from the engine to even the body panels. But over here its about two bikes – the Harley-Davidson X440 and Hero’s Mavrick 440. 

Both the H-D X440 and the Hero Mavrick 440 roll out from the same manufacturing line, i.e. Hero’s Garden Factory in Neemrana, Rajasthan. Development for both the bikes started at the same time as well, with the only exception being that the Harley-Davidson X440 was launched before the Hero Mavrick 440. This wasn't surprising as Hero had developed the bike for Harley and it was obvious the American bike would make its debut first. Despite Hero entering the market later and at a more competitive price, it hasn't made the impact it expected to do. In this article we talk about whether you should stick to he Harley or save a lot of money and opt for the Hero offering. 

Mechanically The Same

The Harley-Davidson X440 was the first of its kind single-cylinder, American motorcycle that was completely made in India, for Indians, by Indians. Yep, while the overall design and engine configuration were laid out in Milwaukee, converting it into a reality laid on the shoulders of Hero MotoCorp. 

Which in turn allowed the Indian company to develop a completely new engine from scratch that even it could use in its motorcycle. And this gave birth to the 440 cc, single-cylinder, air/oil cooled mill which developed for 27 bhp and 38 Nm in the X440. The Hero Mavrick 440 also uses the same engine albeit in a slightly different tune, wherein, the bike did produce the same 27 bhp, however, torque output reduced by 2 Nm to 36 Nm.

Did It Make Any Difference?

With less torque on offer, yes it did, but not very vividly. For you see, both the brands had made a powertrain which by default was very torque heavy. And it was this innate character that is retained in both the roadster bikes. After all, both were entrusted to take on   the Royal Enfield Classic 350, which also boasts a similar character. So, from a mechanical point, even though both the motorcycles read differently on paper, in the real world they really are not that different. 

More Premium Than The Other

Being a manufacturer of premium bikes has its perks, and the same reflected with the Harley-Davidson X440 as well. From shiny metal body panels, to premium USD fork, and diamond cut alloys, and a much better looking fully digital instrument console. You name it, and you have it. As a consequence, the Harley-Davidson X440 ended up with a premium asking price from ₹2.40 lakh to ₹2.80 lakh (ex-showroom price, Delhi). 

On the other hand, while the Hero Mavrick 440 missed out on 43 mm USD fork, it gets 43 mm telescopic fork instead. Its body panels might not look as plush as the H-D X440’s, but the inclusion of plastic panels helps make it lighter in comparison. In fact, with the spoke wheel options, the Mavrick 440 is almost 3 kg lighter than the Harley-Davidson X440. Similarly, while the Mavrick 440 also gets a fully-digital instrument console, it’s layout feels a bit cluttered, and that busy. Lastly, with an ex-showroom price starting from ₹1.99 lakh onwards, and topping out at ₹2.24 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), Hero’s 440 cc roadster felt like a much more reasonable and affordable alternative. 

This Or That?

So, if you choose the Hero Mavrick 440 over the Harley-Davidson X440, would you really miss out on much? Not really. Both the bikes have a similar ride quality, with the H-D X440 offering a slightly more plush ride, and even the performance is almost identical. But in the larger context, there’s really not much of a difference between the two bikes, after all both are targeting the same competition, the Royal Enfield Classic 350. So, if you’re not brand conscious, but in the hunt for  a functional and comfortable roadster motorcycle,  you wouldn't really not miss out on much if you choose the Hero Mavrick 440 over the Harley-Davidson X440.