by Pradeep Shah from https://www.financialexpress.com
Harley-Davidson 338R which will be the American bike maker’s most affordable motorcycle has been snapped very recently. However, the same may or may not be launched in India for a number of reasons. Read to know!
Harley-Davidson’s highly-awaited bike that will be its most affordable offering might soon be a reality. A spy image of the said motorcycle has recently emerged on the web, image courtesy Bennetts. According to the picture, the said model will be called the Harley-Davidson 338R. The upcoming Haley-Davidson 338R will be based on the Benelli platform and is being made by Qianjiang (QJ). If you remember the sketches of the most affordable Harley-Davidson that flooded the internet in 2019, well, if you look closely, you will find many similarities with that design. The said Harley-Davidson 338R will share most of its cycle parts including brakes, frame, suspension and wheels with the 302S.
Coming to the powertrain, the engine on the HD 338R will be sourced from Benelli with a larger bore and stroke. The power output and specs of this motorcycle are currently a mystery, however, we believe that the power should be in the region of 40hp. The said model is meant to go on sale in China and some of the Asian markets but India launch remains uncertain for a number of reasons. With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the American bike maker announced a new strategy called ‘Rewire’ under which job cuts and reducing the number of future products by 30 percent are being implemented.
That said, it is not clear at the moment if the said most affordable Harley-Davidson 338R will be able to see the light of the day or not! Moreover, there have been rumours about Harley-Davidson shutting down its production facility in India and hence, its products will now might arrive through the CBU route. That said, if the 338R comes here via the same route, it might lose its price benefit to a certain extent. If such a situation arises in the future, the company might very well axe the HD 338R launch plans. More details on the upcoming Harley-Davidson 338R expected to reveal soon, so keep watching this space for all the action!
