Without question, Harley-Davidson is one of the most readily recognized brand names in the world. It's right up there with Mickey Mouse, and it doesn't even have a friendly-faced cartoon mascot. Still, when Harley first partnered with Indian motorcycle juggernaut Hero MotoCorp back in 2020, no one knew exactly how it would turn out, even if they had high hopes.
You can't tell the future, after all; no one can.
But if anyone was worried, the launch of the Harley-Davidson X440 in 2023 quickly put any and all fears to rest. The bike was well received in India and elsewhere, it went on to be a massive sales success in the months to come. As part of the deal, Hero also went on to put out its own-brand variant, the Mavrick 440, earlier in 2024.
Hot on the heels of that success, thoughts naturally turned to contemplating when and what new X440 variants that Hero and Harley might have up their sleeve in the not-too-distant future. That is, after all, the name of the game in 2024; it's not a bike, it's a platform. A few accessories and ergonomics tweaks later, maybe give or take some slick bodywork, and you've got a whole new flavor for potential new bike buyers to dream about.
