Harley-Davidson is taking its new made-in-India 440 series very seriously, it seems. After launching the X440 model in India only weeks ago, now we see that country’s moto-press talking about a new Nightster 440 model.
Like the X440, the new Nightster 440 will be built by Hero, the massive India-based OEM that is partnered with Harley-Davidson on motorcycle production. Note the details in the trademark protection filed above—Hero filed this paperwork, not Harley-Davidson (search for the trademark yourself here).
Of course, we have our own Nightster in Canada, a revised version of the Sportster S. The Nightster is kind of a modern-day muscle bike, but with a smaller-bore version of the Revolution Max engine, the same V-twin that’s in the Pan America adventure bike. Styling is contemporary, the bike is loaded with safety electronics, and the price is much higher than the old EVO Sportsters as a result. MSRP starts at $16,499 in Canada for 2023. See our review of the bike here.
Expect buyers in India to get a similar model, based off an existing bike but with trendy new bodywork. The Nightster 440 won’t have the same power as the North American version, not even close. The Hero-built 440 single-cylinder is air/oil-cooled, not liquid-cooled. The Harley-Davidson website for India says the 440 makes 27 hp at 6,000 rpm, and 28 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm.
That is more than enough power for India’s riders, though, who are mostly used to small-bore machines, well under the 400 cc mark.
Here in Canada? You don’t have to wonder, for now, as Harley-Davidson reportedly will not bring the made-in-India 440 series to North America, same as it won’t import the made-in-China X350 (except for riding school use). Currently, under CEO Jochen Zeitz, Harley-Davidson’s plan is to sell fewer big-bore bikes to western buyers, but to charge more for them and make more money. At this point, the affordable 440 single does not factor into that plan here.
