This in from Harley Davidson…
It appears that the successful launch of the X400 motorcycle in India from Harley Davidson in collaboration with Hero Motocorp could hit a stumbling block…and it’s over the name.
The X440 single cylinder engine motorcycle was launched a couple of months ago with early pre orders soon topping 25,000. Deliveries are due to start at the end of this month. However it appears the companies may have missed a vital bit of information when naming the bike.
Another company called Ultraviolette Automotive based in Bengaluru producing EV bikes, is set to commence a legal dispute over the product name, which they contest was already theirs…or almost.
According to Indian publication; The Economic Times and various other local press agencies
“Ultraviolette has raised objections to the use of the ‘X440’ name, asserting that it bears a striking resemblance to their own ‘X44’ trademark, which was filed in September 2022. As per records available on the national trademark filings portal, Ultraviolette’s ‘X44’ trademark application is currently listed as ‘Accepted and Advertised.’ “
So Hero MotoCorp made theri X440 trademark application as early as Nov 8th 2022, which was about two months after Ultraviolette. The first deliveries of the X440 are to be delivered soon so the trademark application has as ‘opposed’ status on it.
The H-D adn Hero X440 relates to the engine size however the Ultraviolette X44 has not as yet been determined what it relates too. Ultraviolette currently has another EV motorcycle for the Indian market which is called the F77
As yet it is not clear how successful the claim against H-D and Hero would be and also whether the X44 would be linked to an actual production unit. It is also undetermined whether the X44 is regarded as too similar for there to be any infringement.
If it is deemed so, then Hero and H-D may be forced to make immediate changes to the name of the bike. All future bikes would come under the new title, whilst we would presume, existing bikes already delivered would have to be recalled to be ‘rebadged’ in some form.