- Harley-Davidson’s Interceptor 650 rival displayed
- Comes with a 500cc, parallel-twin engine
- Will not be launched in India
Harley-Davidson joined hands with Chinese manufacturing giant QJ Motor a few years ago to come up with affordable offerings for the global market. The result of this venture is the X500 which was recently showcased at the Auto Shanghai 2023.
For those not in the know, the Harley-Davidson X500 uses the same platform as the Benelli Leoncino 500. Hence, the X500 sits on the same tubular frame and is powered by a 500cc, liquid-cooled engine. Just like the Leoncino, the Harley-Davidson X500’s output is rated at 47bhp and 46Nm and the motor is mated to a six-speed gearbox.
The hardware comprises USD forks up front and a monoshock at the rear while braking is done by a dual disc setup for the front and a rear disc with ABS. Then comes the list of features, which isn’t very different from the Benelli either. It gets a full-LED headlamp, semi-digital instrument cluster that displays basic information like trip meter, odometer, fuel gauge and gear position.
Now the Harley-Davidson X500 will not make its way to India because the American manufacturer has tied up with Hero Motocorp to come up with an all-new motorcycle from the ground up. We can expect that product to debut by the end of this year.
