Hero Mavrick 440 Vs Harley-Davidson X440 Comparison Review: Sibling Rivalry!

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY: ARVIND SALHAN

The Hero Mavrick 440 and the Harley-Davidson X440 are same, same, yet different. Yes, both bikes are made in India, by Hero MotoCorp, and both share the same long-stroke single cylinder engine and tubular steel frame. When it was launched, the X440, the most affordable Harley-Davidson, did make an immediate impression, offering an easygoing personality, yet a slightly more engaging riding experience than the 350 cc classic-styled roadsters from Royal Enfield.

Also Read: Harley-Davidson X440 Review - RE-Born Hero!

But then, Hero MotoCorp decided to take a different approach to platform sharing by launching the Hero Mavrick 440, a sort of contemporary roadster built on the X440 platform but targeted at a slightly different and younger customer base than the X440. They are siblings, yes, but each motorcycle offers its own distinct persona and character, at least visually, and to some extent, in the dynamics department. The question we had before pitting them against each other is which one makes a stronger impression to recommend?

Key Specifications:

Also Read: Hero Mavrick 440 Review - Hero's Top Gun Tested!

Design & Features

The Mavrick 440 and the X440 may share similar underpinnings, but at first glance they don’t look anything close to being the twins that they are, sharing the same engine and chassis. Clearly, the most obvious differences are in the aesthetics – the visuals and the stance. When the Harley-Davidson X440 was first launched, in 2023, its design did raise eyebrows and polarised opinion. Some liked its rather “different” design with sharp and angular body panels, while others didn’t. I belonged to the latter camp, when it came to the design of the X440.

Also Read: Harley-Davidson X440 Variants Explained

But when Hero MotoCorp launched the Mavrick 440 in early 2024, my perception started changing. With its rather boring commuter-ish design and overdone front end, the Mavrick couldn’t find appeal, at least to me. Although it’s the more muscular looking motorcycle with quite some visual mass up front, the rather mixed bag, of neo-retro, commuter/roadster design is something which, to my mind, is slightly “confused.” In fact, what the Mavrick 440 did end up doing to me is, make the X440 look more pleasing to the eye. I could appreciate the X440’s typical Harley-Davidson design lines with a nod to older models like the XR 1200 and even the Harley-Davidson Street 750 from some angles, when viewed next to the Mavrick 440.

What also aids the Harley here is that it’s got a more premium looking TFT instrument console which offers much better visibility. And on the top variant, the X440 gets more than 25 connected features, including on-board diagnostics. Comparatively, the Mavrick 440’s rather plain display doesn’t offer the best visibility, apart from the speed reading, and neither does it impress in terms of overall layout, feel and functionality. Other read-outs on the Hero’s digital dash have small fonts which are difficult to read when on the go.

Apart from dual-channel ABS, both bikes boast of connected features on the top variants, including real-time data, on-board diagnostics and geofencing features. Overall, it is the Harley-Davidson X440 which feels slightly better put together, with better paint quality, better instrumentation and a slightly more “premium” feel to it. So, in our book, this round goes to the Harley.

Also Read: Hero Mavrick 440, Harley-Davidson X440 Differences Explained

Ergonomics & Dimensions

Swing a leg over the X440 and it’s anything but a cruiser. Although it looks low slung and somewhat stretched out when standing still, the riding position is more akin to a roadster, although the flat and wide handlebar makes it a comfortable place to be in, for short rides around town and longer ones on the highway as well. All the controls fall into place easily, and the mid-set footpegs offer a neutral, easy-going perch for the rider.

Talking about the “perch,” the X440 has a saddle height of 805 mm, and kerb weight of 190.5 kg; easy enough to push in and out of tight parking spots. And, on the move, this small Harley hides its weight well and would make you believe it’s lighter than what it is. The Harley also has a ground clearance of 170 mm; good enough to tackle the worst of our pothole-infested roads or tall speedbreakers.

True to its roadster-commuter personality, the Mavrick 440 offers a neutral, upright riding position. There is a slight reach to the handlebar, compared to the Harley, but it’s anything but sporty. Compared to the Harley’s 18-inch front wheel mounted on a 43 mm KYB inverted fork, the Hero has a 17-inch front wheel, mounted on a 43 mm telescopic front fork.

On the issue of weight, the Mavrick 440, at least on the alloy wheel variant of our test bike, is more than 3 kg lighter than the Harley-Davidson X440. With 187 kg kerb weight, the Mavrick 440 doesn’t feel significantly lighter, but then despite its somewhat bigger visual mass, the Hero also has a lower 803 mm seat height than the Harley. The Mavrick 440 also has marginally more ground clearance of 175 mm than the X440.

Also Read: Harley-Davidson X440 - All You Need To Know

Engine & Performance

The Mavrick 440 gets the same 440 cc, air/oil-cooled, long-stroke, single-cylinder engine which produces identical 27 bhp at 6,000 rpm as the Harley-Davidson X440, but marginally lower (2 Nm lower) peak torque of 36 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The long-stroke architecture blesses the engine with strong low-end torque, which is quite likeable. There’s a strong pull from the engine which makes it a delight to ride it in the city, and the mid-range performance is decent as well.

Out on the highway, the Mavrick 440 manages to hold triple digit speeds for extended periods of time without protest. But there are vibes which are felt more prominently on the Mavrick 440, compared to the X440. The vibes kick in at higher revs, and the rear-view mirrors start vibrating, rendering them useless on the highway.

There’s considerable buzz which is felt on the footpegs, handlebars and the fuel tank, if you try to push it to higher triple digit speeds and maintain them. In our tests, the Mavrick 440 managed to display a speedo-indicated top speed of 140 kmph, but it’s best enjoyed at 90-100 kmph, where the vibes are contained, and the engine seems to enjoy purring at a relaxed pace.

The X440 offers a similar experience, but the raspy exhaust note and the 2 Nm more torque, makes it feel ever so slightly more urgent, at least in low- and mid-range performance. It's only at the top-end where the X440 feels slightly out of breath compared to the Mavrick 440. Even then, the nature of the long-stroke 440 cc engine is such that it's best enjoyed at cruising speeds of between 80-100 kmph, rather than chasing quick acceleration or maintaining consistently high speed.

Ride & Dynamics

The mid-set footpegs and the wide handlebars make the Mavrick easy to handle. In everyday conditions, it manages to impress with its agility and nimble road manners, when cruising through traffic, or trying to negotiate slower moving vehicles in the city to move to a brisker pace. Out on a twisty road too, the bike manages to tip into corners easily and retains its balance and composure which is impressive.

The suspension manages to soak up all road imperfections and broken patches without a whimper, and it offers a cushy, comfortable ride. Ride quality is one area where the Mavrick 440 truly impresses. It’s no sportbike however, and for what it’s made for, it manages to do quite well.

The H-D X440 with its wide handlebar and mid-set footpegs also offers a relaxed riding position, which is quite comfortable. Even the X440 is not designed for sporty riding and sharp corners, but despite that the chassis offers very good stability and balance. Despite its over 190 kg kerb weight, the X440 feels nimble and agile, and will not leave you wanting for more when it comes to offering stability. Like the Mavrick 440, this is no sporty roadster though, and you will run out of footpeg clearance long before you run out of the X440’s cornering capabilities.

Price, Positioning & Rivals

The idea behind the launch of the Harley-Davidson X440 was to offer a made-in-India roadster in the 400-450 cc segment with the Harley-Davidson badge. As far as first impressions went, the X440 offered a good package, in engine performance, dynamics and price, although the aesthetics were somewhat polarising. Prices for the H-D X440 begin at Rs. 2,39.500 (Ex-showroom) for the base Denim variant with spoked wheels, going up to Rs. 2, 79,500 (Ex-showroom) for the top-spec X440S variant. The base Harley-Davidson X440 Denim is at least Rs. 15,000 more expensive than the top variant of the Hero Mavrick 440.

Also Read: Hero Mavrick 440 Variants Explained

Variant-wise prices:

Variant to variant, the Mavrick 440 is the more affordable motorcycle, with prices beginning at Rs. 1,99,500 (Ex-showroom) for the Base variant with spoked wheels, going up to Rs. 2,24,500 (Ex-showroom) for the Top variant. At those prices, the Hero Mavrick 440 and the Harley-Davidson X440 offer easygoing roadsters with very good dynamics and an engine which is, refined, and with very good low-end grunt.

Prices of main rivals:

Also Read: Hero Mavrick 440 Vs Rivals' - Price Comparison

Both the Mavrick 440 and the X440 have several rivals, ranging from the Triumph Speed 400 (Rs. 2.46 lakh), Triumph Speed T4 (Rs. 1.99 lakh), and even the Royal Enfield Classic 350 (Rs. 1.95 lakh) to some extent. For anyone looking for a more performance-oriented modern roadster in that price bracket and segment, there’s also the Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z, which is priced at Rs. 1.85 lakh (Ex-showroom).

Verdict

Eventually, both the H-D X440 and Mavrick 440 offer similar performance and dynamics which will impress a lot of buyers looking for a motorcycle which has easygoing performance with strong low-end torque, typically associated with long-stroke, single-cylinder engines that we have seen in Royal Enfield 350 cc and 500 cc models in the past. What Hero MotoCorp’s 440 cc platform offers is a wider range of performance, better top speed, and good engine refinement, at least in the lower range of revs.

Also Read: Opinion - Will The Mavrick 440 Make Magic For Hero MotoCorp?

To choose one over the other is a matter of personal preference, budget and brand consideration. To our eyes, it’s the Harley-Davidson X440 which has a slight edge over the Mavrick 440 in this comparison at least. It's also the timing of the launch of these well-rounded 440s from Hero. Just two days after the Harley-Davidson X440's launch came the made-in-India Triumph Speed 400.

And it's the company that both the X440 and Mavrick 440 keep in their price bracket and segments that is the problem. Rivals like the Speed 400, the Pulsar NS400Z, the Triumph Speed T4 and even the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 offer a different ownership and ride experience that is difficult to ignore. Then again, for anyone looking for an easy-going ride experience, both these 440s are well-rounded products that deserve a test ride at least.

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