Hero MotoCorp receives over 25,000 bookings for India-made Harley-Davidson

BENGALURU: Indian bike maker Hero MotoCorp today said it received over 25,000 bookings for the world's cheapest Harley Davidson motorcycle, sending shares up over 3%.

The company said 65% of the bookings for the X440 were for the motorcycle's top-end variant, priced at 269,000 rupees (around RM15,000).

Hero, the world's largest motorcycle maker by sales, said in a statement it will begin production of the X440 in September and begin deliveries from October.

Earlier this month, Hero raised prices of the bike by 10,500 rupees (RM581) across models, days after Harley Davidson's CEO said pre-orders of the new model exceeded the company's expectations.

Harley partnered with Hero to develop and sell a range of its own branded bikes in India, starting with the X440, after exiting the country and shuttering most of its local dealer network in 2020.