The 300-400cc motorcycle segment has seen ample movement in the last few years. Many bikemakers have expanded their portfolio while big bike makers have come forward for a piece of the cake. And when you look at the cruiser section in this segment, we feel two names are quite prominent, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and the Harley-Davidson X440. So, the two bikes have been compared on paper and here is what they have to offer.
Design
The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a purebred cruiser with its low stance, raked-out front end and laid-back rider triangle. It gets a round headlight, a wide fuel tank, a scooped seat, forward set footpegs and the handlebar inclined towards the rider. Overall, the Meteor 350 makes for a nice and comfortable ride.
Meanwhile, the Harley-Davidson X440 appears like a power cruiser. It too gets a decently long front end but nothing like the Meteor 350. You sit ‘on’ the X440 and feel slightly cooped up with its commanding riding posture. It gets a round LED headlight and comparatively sharper bodywork than the Meteor. However, both bikes look attractive and sizeable in the real world.
Features
Royal Enfield, like its other 350cc bikes, offers the Meteor 350 too with basic instrumentation. It gets a semi-digital instrument console. The LCD inset is at the centre for the fuel level and other readouts. You can also get the Tripper Navigation pod, which comes at an added cost and offers smartphone connectivity for navigation. It also gets ABS in terms of the safety net.
Harley-Davidson offers a fully digital instrument console on the X440’s top-spec trim. It comes standard with smartphone connectivity and the necessary readouts. That said, the X440 gets an extra point with its LED illumination over the Meteor’s halogen setup. Moreover, during our 2,500km ride from Mumbai to Rann of Kutch, the X440’s headlight impressed us.
Engine
Powering the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a 349cc single-cylinder J-series motor that makes 20.2bhp and 27Nm. It gets a five-speed gearbox. From our experience of touring on it, the Meteor can hold a speed of around 100kmph when out on the highway for long distances. But anything above that is a stretch for the bike’s motor. On the other hand, the Harley-Davidson X440 gets a 440cc, single-cylinder engine and it makes 27bhp and 38Nm. The X440 gets a six-speed gearbox which makes it easier to ride at higher speeds. For reference, this bike sits at speeds around 120kmph for long hours without any hesitation.
Thanks to its larger engine and extra gear, the X440 is better when riding for long distances.
Hardware
Royal Enfield has used conventional telescopic front forks and dual rear springs for the Meteor 350. It has a single front and rear disc with dual-channel ABS. This setup is mounted on a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel wrapped in 100/90 front and 140/70 rear tyres. With the said configuration, the Meteor 350 offers good stability on the highway but needs slightly more effort in changing directions.
Harley-Davidson has equipped the X440 with USD front forks and dual rear shocks. It too gets a front and rear disc brake setup with diamond-cut alloy wheels for the top-spec model. The X440’s wheel and tyre size are similar to the Meteor but since it has a relatively tighter rake, the X440 is slightly more engaging to ride.
Price
The asking price for the top-spec Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is set at Rs. 2,05,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Meanwhile, the Harley-Davidson X440 retails at Rs. 2,39,499 (ex-showroom, Delhi). It seems a close decision between the two bikes since the X440 offers a better package but comes at a higher cost than the Meteor 350.
