Never have I seen a modern motorcycle manufacturer act so strangely and secretively in light of launching a brand new motorcycle.
This is the position we find ourselves with the American brand who today have launched the small displacement engine motorcycle; X350 and the slightly bigger brother; X500 for the Chinese market in collaboration with QJ Motor of China.
This motorcycle may also be released in India later this year and potentially other markets too. It could be a big win in financial terms for Harley Davidson and would captured the entry level riders like never before.
For their part, H-D have installed the slightly detuned X350RA in the Harley Davidson riding academies in the USA, however if it were not for independent press reports or social media leaks….the world would be blissfully unaware that the company is embarking on delivering new motorcycles and opening up new markets…so what is there to hide?
Surely they cannot be afraid of some negative PR associated with the ‘Chinese Harley’ or the ‘baby harley’ as these bikes have been called?
Is it the case that the company themselves do not regard these bikes as true H-D machines because mostly these are Chinese derived bikes and are in the hands of QJ Motor and this is more just about a branding deal for potential Chinese or Far Eastern customers?
One would imagine that the baby harleys would sell well in those markets. The bikes would be comparable in price and specs but the H-D branding may be all that is required for potential customers to swing preferences in their direction.
None of the official H-D media sources have mentioned anything about these bikes in any market and it would not even given any credit in the January launch…so what is going on Harley Davidson…what is going on?