Harley-Davidson (hereafter referred to as H-D) is an American motorcycle manufacturer that is known for its large cruiser models with big V-twin engines at their core, and has many fans all over the world. Now, H-D has released a mid-class model with a parallel twin-cylinder engine: the X500 and 350. This time, we test rode the X500, which requires a large motorcycle license.
Photo: Shigeru Tokunaga
Cooperation: Harley-Davidson Japan https://www.harley-davidson.com/jp/ja/index.html
A unique roadster shape that makes it hard to tell it's a Harley-Davidson
Long-time Harley-Davidson fans don't want Harley-Davidson to talk about models that aren't big V-twin. I'm sure there will be strong opposition to that. However, even big V-twin models have evolved with the times and changed shape. There's no blame for the creation of a small-displacement parallel twin-cylinder Harley-Davidson. Of course, the user base may be different, but I don't think it's a bad thing to lower the barrier to entry for Harley-Davidson and make it more accessible to more riders, especially since it's an affordable price.
Looking back at history, when Harley-Davidson was under the umbrella of Italian Aermacchi for a time, it released many small two-stroke models. Also, when the company was founded, it started with a small single-cylinder engine model. Therefore, big V-twin does not necessarily mean Harley-Davidson.
Now that I've changed my perspective, I take a look at the X500. The body, with its compact styling and water-cooled in-line twin-cylinder engine suspended from a steel tube frame, exudes strength. Naturally, the body design is different from existing H-Ds, creating a truly unique style. Moreover, the inverted front forks are Φ50mm thick, and look very sturdy, which is impressive.
→Read the full story (JP Website)
