2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 Revealed for China

H-D/QJ Motor connection finally bears fruit

Harley-Davidson has officially revealed the X 350 for the Chinese market, a small displacement flat track-inspired roadster produced with Qianjiang Motor (QJ Motor). As of this writing, the X 350 is only confirmed for China, though a modified variant known as the X350RA will be used in Harley-Davidson Rider Academy programs in the U.S.

QJ and Harley-Davidson have been working on the X 350 since 2019, though the motorcycle traces its lineage a little earlier to the TNT300 from QJ-owned Benelli. The X 350 is powered by a liquid-cooled, eight-valve Parallel-Twin engine, which may be as much heresy to the Harley faithful as its Chinese origins. The engine has a 353cc displacement, achieved via a 70.5 mm bore and 45.2 mm stroke. That’s the same stroke as the TNT300’s engine, but the Benelli has just a 65.0 mm cylinder bore.

Harley-Davidson claims a peak output of 36 horsepower (at an unspecified engine speed) and 22.9 lb-ft. at 7,000 rpm, though as we previously reported, the Riding Academy models bound for the U.S. claim just 23 hp.

Harley-Davidson claims a curb weight of 430 pounds for the X 350, while the X350RA comes in at 440 pounds, but much of that weight is from the addition of tip-over protective bars.

Apart from oddly different use of spaces in the model names, the X 350 and X350RA are mostly identical. Combing through Harley-Davidson’s official parts catalog, we note a few differences to meet local regulations, such as a speedometer with metric or imperial units, reflectors, and mirrors. The ECUs are different, which makes sense with the restricted power output for the RA.

The parts catalog also indicates the suspension components are also different, and we suspect the difference is to give the RA model a shorter seat height. Harley-Davidson China lists the seat at 32.1 inches from the ground, which would be higher than any current model in the lineup except the Pan America. The official X350RA owner’s manual lists the height at just 30.0 inches, which would make it a little easier for beginners.

The X 350 is equipped with a 41mm inverted fork with adjustable rebound damping, and a single rear shock offering adjustable preload and rebound damping.

The tire choices are also different between the two models. Pirelli provides the X 350’s Angel ST tires, with a 120/70-ZR17 tire up front and a 160/60-ZR17 for the rear, while the the X350RA uses Angel CT tires, with a 110/70-ZR17 and 150/60-ZR17 combo.

The steel trellis frame appears similar to the TNT300’s, but the shape of the 3.6-gallon fuel tank, seat and tail give the X 350 lines that draw inspiration from Harley-Davidson’s XR750 flat track racer.

The handlebar sits on a riser, and the positioning of the grips lends itself to an upright riding position. The footpegs are placed below the seat, much farther back than what you would find on any pretty much any other motorcycle bearing the Bar and Shield.

The front wheel is equipped with dual four-piston calipers, which is a small marvel as many of Harley-Davidson’s larger, more powerful models employ just a single front brake. Anti-lock brakes come standard, though there’s no mention of traction control.

The 2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 will be offered in three colors: black, orange or silver, with a price tag of ¥33,388, which is about US$4,840.

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