Compare the Most Premium/Cheapest Bikes in India: Triumph Speed 400 vs Harley-Davidson X440


By Anurag Chaturvedi

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Which bike will win your heart - the Triumph Speed 400 or the Harley-Davidson X440? Explore the features and specs of these two budget-friendly premium bikes in India and see how they stack up against each other.

The Indian motorcycle market is witnessing a revolution, as more and more riders are opting for premium bikes that offer style, performance and quality. Two of the most awaited bikes in this segment are the **Harley-Davidson X440 and the Triumph Speed 400, which have been launched recently by their respective manufacturers.

Both these bikes are aimed at attracting young and urban riders who want a taste of the legendary brands at an affordable price. But which one of these bikes is better? That’s what we are going to find out in this article.

Design and Features:

The Harley-Davidson X440 features a strong neo-retro stance and borrows some of its styling cues from the iconic Harley-Davidson XR1200. It gets a retro-styled round LED headlight and a cool modern looking LED DRL strip with ‘Harley-Davidson’ etched on it.

In fact, all-LED lighting is offered as standard. It also gets a single-pod TFT instrument cluster, a flat handlebar, a side-slung exhaust, machined alloy wheels, and retro-style round indicators. The bike is available in three variants: Mustard Denim, Metallic and Matte, with different colour schemes and wheel options..The Triumph Speed 400, on the other hand, has a more classic and elegant look, inspired by the Triumph Bonneville range. It gets a round halogen headlight with a chrome bezel, a twin-pod analogue-digital instrument cluster, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank with a chrome filler cap, a flat single-piece seat, and a peashooter exhaust. The bike also gets LED indicators and tail light, but the headlight is not LED. The bike is available in three colours: Jet Black, Cranberry Red and Sapphire Blue.

Both bikes have a similar wheelbase of 1418mm for the X440 and 1415mm for the Speed 400, but the X440 has a higher seat height of 805mm compared to the Speed 400’s 780mm. The X440 also has a larger fuel tank capacity of 13.5 litres than the Speed 400’s 12 litres. The X440 weighs 190.5kg while the Speed 400 weighs 185kg.

Engine and Performance

The Harley-Davidson X440 is powered by an all-new 440cc single-cylinder, air-oil cooled, long stroke engine that produces 27bhp at 6000rpm and 38Nm at 4000rpm. It is paired with a 6-speed transmission with a slipper clutch.

The Triumph Speed 400 is powered by an all-new 398.15cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that churns out 40PS at 8000rpm and 37.5Nm at 6500rpm. It is mated to a 6-speed transmission with a slip-and-assist clutch. It comes with a generous 16,000km service interval.

Both bikes have different power outputs, where the Speed 400 has a slight edge over the X440 in terms of torque, power and refinement. The Speed 400 also has a higher compression ratio of 11:1 than the X440’s 9.5:1, which means it can extract more power from the same amount of fuel.

Suspension and Brakes

The Harley-Davidson X440 comes with upside-down front forks and gas-filled twin shocks at the rear, both with 7-step preload adjustment. The bike gets disc brakes on both wheels, with a 320mm rotor at the front and a 240mm rotor at the rear. The bike also gets dual-channel ABS as standard.

The Triumph Speed 400 comes with conventional telescopic forks at the front and twin shocks at the rear, both with preload adjustment. The bike also gets disc brakes on both wheels, with a larger 320mm rotor at the front and a smaller 220mm rotor at the rear. The bike also gets dual-channel ABS as standard.

Both bikes have similar suspension setups, but the X440 has an advantage in terms of fork diameter (43mm vs 41mm) and rear brake size (240mm vs 220mm). The X440 also has more ground clearance (170mm vs 165mm) than the Speed 400.

Price and Verdict

The Harley-Davidson X440 is available at a price ranging from Rs 2.29 lakh to Rs 2.69 lakh (ex-showroom), depending on the variant. The Triumph Speed 400 is priced at Rs 2.33 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base variant, while the price for the top variant is yet to be announced.

Conclusion:

| Feature | Triumph Speed 400 | Harley-Davidson X440 ||---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|| Price (ex-showroom) | Rs. 2.33 lakh1 to Rs. 2.70 lakh2 | Rs. 2.29 lakh3 to Rs. 2.69 lakh4 || Engine | Liquid-cooled, 398cc, single-cylinder1 | Oil and air-cooled, 440cc, single-cylinder5 || Power | 40hp at 8,000rpm1 | 27bhp at 6,000rpm4 || Torque | 37.5Nm at 6,500rpm1 | 38Nm at 4,000rpm4 || Service interval | 16,000km1 | Not available || Wheels | Spoke or cast alloy2 | Machined alloy6 || Instrument cluster | Analogue speedometer with integrated multi-function LCD screen1 | Single-pod TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity and navigation5 |

Both bikes are competitively priced and offer a lot of value for money. The X440 has a more distinctive and aggressive look, while the Speed 400 has a more refined and classic look.

The X440 has a more comfortable and commanding riding position, while the Speed 400 has a more sporty and agile handling. The X440 has a more powerful and louder exhaust note, while the Speed 400 has a more smooth and refined engine.

Ultimately, the choice between the two bikes depends on your personal preference and riding style. If you are looking for a bike that stands out from the crowd and has a strong personality, the X440 might be the one for you.

If you are looking for a bike that is more versatile and easy to ride, the Speed 400 might be the one for you. Either way, you can’t go wrong with either of these bikes, as they both offer a great riding experience and a lot of fun.