H-D ’ S ENTRY-LEVEL CONUNDRUM

In 2000 , Harley- Davidson introduced the Rider ’ s Edge New Riders Course . It was a popular , effective course offered by H- D dealers throughout the country , and the 500cc Buell Blast was used for teaching students . With its 27.5- inch seat height , predictable power , and relatively low weight , the Blast made for an excellent trainer . Additionally , the Blast proved durable and able to withstand the get- offs that riders- in- training often experience .

Back then , I visited several classes and talked with numerous students . One thing I continually heard was how much they loved the motorcycle . This worked out great , as dealers were ready to sell Blasts to students after they completed the course . I recall one instance when a graduate insisted that she be able to purchase the one she trained on . In 2009 , production of the Blast ceased . Dealers could still use their existing stable , but they could no longer offer graduates the opportunity to own one .

In 2014 , after training more than 325,000 new riders , Harley- Davidson renamed the program Riding Academy . More importantly , they replaced the aging Blast with a motorcycle they sold , the Street 500 . Though the Street was about 80 lb heavier than the Blast ( 480 lb wet vs . 399 ), it had a lower seat . The Street 500 and its Street 750 sibling were pre- assembled at Harley ’ s plant in Bawal , India , and then shipped to Kansas City for final assembly .

In 2019 , Harley-Davidson discontinued manufacturing the Street models due to weak sales . Riding Academy dealers

continued to use the Street 500 , but as with the Blast , they no longer had the motorcycle to sell to graduating riders .

In February of this year , Harley announced the Riding Academy would begin using the 353cc parallel-Twin X350RA , a bike produced in China in partnership with Qianjiang Motors . It will not be sold in North America . At 429 lb , it is less of a porker than the Street 500 but still heavier than the Blast . One concern might be its tallish seat – the X350 sold in Asian markets has a 32- inch seat height , although the RA version is 2 inches lower . This is not ideal for new riders with shorter inseams . Has the musical chairs of Riding Academy motorcycles now stopped with the X350RA as the chosen one ?

Further muddying the waters is the single-cylinder X440 recently introduced to global markets as a result of a partnership with India ’ s Hero MotorCorp . More than 25,000 were ordered before they were available . I ’ ve seen several tests of the X440 , and it looks like Hero / Harley did it right .

Will it show up on these shores ? I can think of many reasons why it won ’ t – but not a good one . I think the X440 needs to be sold here if Harley is serious about attracting new , younger ( less well- heeled ) riders . If so , it would be logical to replace the X350RA as the Riding Academy ’ s go- to motorcycle . It wouldn ’ t make much sense to use the X350RA for training if the X440 is sitting on the showroom floor .

Send me your thoughts to fogpirate @ gmail . com .

Buell Blast X350RA

Street 500 X440

6 | OCTOBER 2023 | AMERICANRIDER . COM