Up until today, we would have offered that Harley-Davidson’s smallest model was their Street® 500 – a bike boasting 41hp, a 28” seat height, and a wet weight of 489lb.
Now, however, the long-anticipated Harley-Dadvison X350 has debuted for Chinese markets sporting a lightweight 430lbs and a mere 36 ponies – and considering the RA detuned variant will be in our own Harley-Davidson Rider Academy programs, we decided to talk about it.
A view of Harley-Davidson’s 2023 X350, the RA variant of which will be headed for America’s HD Riding Academy. Media sourced from Motorcycle.com.According to coverage from Motorcycle.com, specs for this 353cc beastie don’t come with requisite engine speeds, though we ARE given the torque, which sits at 22.9lb-ft. @ 7,000rpm – all punting out of a decidedly non-HD-esque liquid-cooled, eight-valve Parallel-Twin heart.
The Riding academy version will also purportedly weigh 10 lbs more (and feature a detune of 13 ponies to 23hp), likely due to the protective bar system the Academy will be using for the lessons.
Added to this is the seat height, with the X350 coming in at around 32” and the Riding Academy variant clocking 30” for versatility – all floating on a “41mm inverted fork with adjustable rebound damping, and a single rear shock offering adjustable preload and rebound damping.”
Brakes will be the honor of a very nice dual four-piston caliper set, while rolling duties depend on the bike; China will apparently be getting Pirelli Angel ST rubber, while the RA variant will get an Angel CT pair.
All told, we are looking at a bike with a higher seat, a neutral/upright riding position, three available colors (black/orange/silver), and “a price tag of ¥33,388, which is about US$4,840.”
Here’s the full list of specs for Harley-Davidson’s 2023 X350:
| 2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled, eight-valve Parallel-Twin |
| Displacement | 353cc |
| Bore x Stroke | 70.5 mm x 45.2 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11.9:1 |
| Fuel System | Electronic Air Intake Fuel Injection (ESPFI) |
| Exhaust | 2 in 1 short out |
| Horsepower | 36 hp |
| Torque | 22.9 lb-ft. at 7,000 rpm (claimed) |
| Main Drive | Chain, 82/31 |
| Gear Ratios | 1st – 3.167 2nd – 2.056 3rd – 1.556 4th – 1.333 5th – 1.19 6th – 1 |
| Front Suspension | 41mm inverted rebound adjustable |
| Rear Suspension | Oil-air separation, rebound damping adjustable, preload adjustable shock absorber |
| Front Brake | Twin Fixed Four-Piston Calipers |
| Rear Brake | Single Sliding Piston |
| Front Wheel | Cast aluminum |
| Rear Wheel | Cast aluminum |
| Front Tire | Pirelli Angel ST 120/70-ZR17/58W |
| Rear Tire | 160/60-ZR17/69W |
| Lighting | All LED |
| Instrumentation | Combined Electronic Instrument Stepper Motor Indicates Vehicle Speed, Digital Indicates Speed, Hour, Total Travel, Two-Way (A+B), Km/Mile Indication |
| Ground Clearance | 7.3 inches |
| Rake | 24.8° |
| Trail | 5.5 inches |
| Length | 83.1 inches |
| Wheelbase | 55.5 inches |
| Seat Height | 32.2 inches |
| Fuel Capacity | 3.6 gallons |
| Oil Capacity (With Filter) | 0.8 gallons |
| Maximum Lean Angle | 51° left, 52° right |
| Fuel Economy | 47.5 mpg (claimed) |
| Curb Weight | 430 pounds (claimed) |
What do you think of Harley’s new X350?