A filing with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates the rumoured small displacement motorcycle from Harley-Davidson (H-D) is coming closer to production. The bike is a collaboration between H-D and Chinese motorcycle manufacturer QianJiang, which also makes bikes for other brands, notably Benelli and its own brand QJ, represented in Malaysia by MForce Bike Holdings.
As reported by motorcycle.com, vehicle identification number (VIN) documents submitted to the NHTSA by QianJiang show a sample VIN code with the prefix “1HD”. Since QianJiang’s official VIN code begins with the letters “LBB”, this anomaly raises some questions.
The prefix 1HD is assigned to H-D, and its usage in a QianJiang document seems to indicate the project, first announced with a possible market release date of 2020, seems to be proceeding. Added to this is the following number identifier “4”, which is the VIN code for a middle weight motorcycle with a displacement of between 351 to 900 cc displacement, and signs are H-D is adding a small displacement motorcycle to its range.
H-D has tried entering the small bike market before, with the Street series of cruisers in 500 and 750 cc displacements. The last official statement from H-D about its partnership with QianJiang was in a statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission saying, “to date, the Company has not yet launched a premium low displacement motorcycle through this collaboration due to regulatory requirements, among other factors.”
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Small motorbike for smaller asian physique and women and novice. Good strategy.
Americans and Europeans makers know they cannot rely on low sales high value market model anymore. They need mass market models to generate income and sustain their business. So this low cost and 300+ cc model is a step in right direction
Whether is is a good move leaves to be seen. Historically HD never was that successful in bucking the trend. Even Thier middle weight bikes were scorned by HD purists. It’s not going to feel like a “real” HD, especially one with Chinese roots.
More seasoned bikers will see though it. If it sticks to HD tradition, the small bike will have air cooling…who wants a HD bike with 25-30hp?
HD is banking on lifestyle, heritage and the brand, but if anyone is keeping track, all the lifestyle bikes now are cafe Racers and scramblers. If the Japanese can’t get small displacement cruisers to stick, HD won’t find a good time either.
This is most likely the replacement to the street 500. When the 500 got phased out it left the riding academy fleet without a bike ! With this offering H-D will be able to refleet the schools throughout the US. They will first go into the academy then find their way to the used market within 24 months usually at a favorable price point ! Weight and height will be a factor, but if it does anything like the 500 it will be a hit as an entry level offering on the CPO market!
until B2 revised to reflect the changing times where sub 500cc motorcycles are seen as small bikes, sales of 300cc which straddles between 250 and over 500cc bikes won’t see any significant market share here.