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[UPDATE, October 13, 2023: Harley-Davidson has since informed us that the X500 was and is intended for release in Asian markets, and is not coming to the US.
The fact that an official manual was published by Harley-Davidson and is available on its website, with verbiage related to US emissions and instructions for VIN decoding, still remains. It’s not clear why it’s there; all we can say for certain is that it exists.]
Authentic piece follows.
When you’ve been following the rollout of the Harley-Davidson X500 because it rolls out around the globe, the considered its entry into the US market might have already got crossed your thoughts. Would it not make its manner over right here, or wouldn’t it? Additionally, if it did come, when ought to we anticipate it?
Now, the final time Harley-Davidson launched a 500cc bike on this market was the Avenue 500, and gross sales weren’t what the MoCo had hoped. That was a number of years in the past, certain—however is the US in 2023 a distinct sufficient place for the X500 to make sense? A few of that will depend on the bike, in fact—however different elements depend upon riders, in addition to the way it’s priced and marketed.
That’s all inappropriate, although—as a result of as of October 11, 2023, we’ve stable proof that Harley has plans to convey the X 500 to the US in some capability. Because the inestimable Dennis Chung at Bike.com famous, a service guide for the 2024 Harley-Davidson X 500 has simply appeared on the official Harley-Davidson Service Info Portal.
2024 Harley-Davidson X500 VIN Decoder Information Screenshot – Captured October 12, 2023
2024 Harley-Davidson X350 VIN Decoder Information Screenshot – Captured October 12, 2023
The existence of a guide written in English wouldn’t be convincing by itself. Nonetheless, when you begin skimming its contents, you’ll discover the same old data that you simply discover in different bike proprietor’s manuals in 2023. That features sections about compliance with US emissions necessities, each of the 49-state and California varieties.
Manuals for each the 2024 X500 and X350 presently sit on the Harley SIP portal, out there for anybody to obtain. We’ll embrace hyperlinks to each in our Sources so you possibly can peruse them for your self when you’re .
Most notably, there are sections in each the X 500 and X 350 manuals to assist homeowners decode their automobile identification numbers (VINs) on each bikes. The tables and data displayed are nearly similar in each manuals, with the only exception being a desk with VIN Mannequin Codes within the X350 guide.
As a reminder, we beforehand realized that Harley deliberate to import the X350 to the US as a coaching mannequin to be used at bike colleges, not as a retail mannequin on the market to the general public.
There’s no official indication as but relating to how Harley would possibly intend to convey the X500 right here. Is it one other coaching mannequin? That’s potential. Will it attempt to market a smaller-displacement bike to youthful, newer riders as soon as once more? We’d by no means say by no means until Harley does, however we’ll add a caveat right here that there hasn’t been something official from Harley on that entrance but.
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