Harley-Davidson Sprint 440 spotted ahead of launch

Earlier this month, Harley-Davidson teased the Sprint 440, the third motorcycle from its joint venture (JV) with Hero MotoCorp. Now, the cruiser motorcycle has been spotted at a showroom before its launch. Considering it looks production-ready, we expect the launch to be really close. While all three bikes manufactured under the JV are based on the same platform, the major distinguishing feature of the Sprint 440 is its faithful adherence to the cruiser philosophy compared with the X440 and X440 T.

1. Elements such as an upswept handlebar, bucket seat and forward-set foot pegs suggest a typical cruiser format
2. Likely to get a different instrument cluster from the X440s
3. Expected to retain the 440cc engine, but its state of tune and sprockets could differ

Harley-Davidson Sprint 440: What we know so far

Redesigned seat, handlebar and foot pegs for a traditional cruiser look

As we reported after the teaser, the motorcycle’s front wheel is markedly larger than the rear one. Considering the X440 bikes already run on an 18/17-inch front/rear tyre setup, the Sprint will likely have either a bigger front tyre or a smaller rear tyre. The fuel tank’s shape is also far more rounded and classical, similar to that of the much bigger Low Rider S and Street Bob. The tank flows into a single-piece, scooped-out bucket seat, with space for a rider and pillion. The seat height also appears markedly lower than that of the X440s, which should make the Sprint accessible to a wider number of buyers. Even the subframe appears to be redesigned, likely to account for the lower seat. The riding position, too, is typical for a cruiser, with an upswept handlebar and ever-so-slightly forward-set foot pegs.

We have also been able to get a decent look at the instrument cluster and switchgear, both of which look slightly different. The display unit appears to be new, and both switch cubes have fewer buttons. The new switchgear layout could imply that the instrument cluster is getting an update, but we’d have to see whether that ends up being the case. We currently don’t know whether the Sprint 440 will get ride-by-wire – like the X440 T – the presence of which would bring ride modes and traction control to the bike.

The Sprint 440 is expected to retain the 440cc single-cylinder air- and oil-cooled unit from the existing 440s. On the X440 (and the T), this engine makes 27hp at 6,000rpm and 38Nm at 4,000rpm, and it remains to be seen whether the state of tune for the Sprint will change in any way. However, we anticipate changes to the front and rear sprockets for stronger low-end performance, which is expected of a cruiser. The exhaust end can is different on this unit as well, suggesting that the Sprint 440 could sound different, at the very least.

Alongside the changes to the engine, rake, trail and wheelbase numbers should also change; a wider front tyre than the X440s is also a possibility. Suspension units appear to be unchanged, with a USD fork and twin shock. However, adjustments to the setup are more than likely, considering the changes to the riding position and the cruiser format. For example, the twin shocks appear to be mounted further back onto the swingarm, contributing to the aforementioned longer wheelbase and lower seat height.

While there isn’t a concrete launch timeline yet for the Sprint 440, we believe it should be sooner rather than later considering the motorcycle in the images looks production-ready. Currently, the X440 starts at Rs 2.35 lakh and goes up to Rs 2.86 lakh for the T variant. It remains to be seen where the Sprint will slot in that range. At least at launch, the Sprint 440 won’t have any direct rivals, with the Honda Rebel 500 E-Clutch currently expected to arrive early next year.

Images: xtremeAnkit (Reddit)