The Harley-Davidson Raptor Is A Dazzling Cafe Racer Like No Other

• The TNT Motorcycles Raptor blends Harley-Davidson heritage with cafe racer aesthetics.
• From ergonomics to suspension, there are a whole lot of upgrades here.
• Unfortunately, the Raptor is a show bike not for sale, but it inspires enthusiasts to customize their own X 440.

Think of Harley-Davidsons and café racers; two images will form in your noggin. One is all about chest-thumping metal and booming V-twins, whereas the other is about agility and lightness. Basically, two completely distinct cultures. But what happens when you combine the two? Simple, you get to witness something extraordinary. Case in context is the Raptor from TNT Motorcycles. A sleek café racer based on the popular Harley-Davidson X 440.

The changes are so vast, the Raptor may not even stand out as the X 440 at first glance. And that’s the finest compliment for a custom shop. It’s innovative, the attention to detail is terrific, and there’s a scintillating colorway to top it all off. Developed as a collaboration between TNT Motorcycles and Harley-Davidson, we vividly remember craning our necks to get a glimpse of it when we visited the India Bike Week last year.

Harley-Davidson X 440 Custom by Bombay Custom Works

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Who knew the X 440 could look so pretty?

Beauty Is In The Eye Of Anyone Who Sees This

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TNT Motorcycles is no stranger to building innovative custom bikes that make you wonder, “How did they pull THAT off?” The Raptor is one of them. You’ll see that, while the bike retains the X 440 silhouette, it’s anything but that. Right from the front wheel to the rear end, everything looks new or at least customized.

Many things are new here. Start from the front and the first thing that catches your eye is the gorgeous balloon tire wrapped around the new ten-spoke aluminum wheel. The USD fork is stock, but now holds a sleek CNC-machined brace that is bolted to a naked carbon fiber fender. Further up are aggressively placed clip-ons and a small, effective headlight cover finishing the look. Move further back and the tank gets a new orange ‘X’, while the panel under the tank lets you know who’s behind the design.

Things get more interesting as you move back. The CNC-machined subframe is completely new, sitting under a carbon fiber cowl and a tan leather seat. This is supported by a Showa monoshock. , But the attention to detail doesn’t end there. Take off the seat, and it reveals a gorgeous design with orange accents and a Harley-Davidson bar-and-shield logo.

Finishing off the design are the rear set footpegs, a balloon tire at the back, and a stainless steel exhaust system. TNT Motorcycles claims that these changes to the subframe and the ergonomics give this bike a more agile handling characteristic. As a result of this, the bike may feel like a completely different beast when you swing a leg over it. All in all, the Raptor is an exercise in design, blending the iconic Harley heritage with the spirit of street naked underpinnings and café racer aesthetics.

Design Highlights

• Timsun balloon tires give the bike an old-school feel
• Carbon fiber touches on the fender and rear cowl look stunning
• CNC-machined components add a touch of modernity to the design
• Vintage tobacco leather seat beautifully contrasts the racing green color of the bike
• Subframe design under the rear cowl is iconic, to say the least
• Beefy forks and the monoshock give the bike a sporty, aggressive stance

An X 440 With Road Manners Of A Sporty Naked

HD X 440 (Stock) Power Output: 27 Horsepower @ 6,000 RPM

As for the powerplant, there’s a performance air filter (likely a BMC or K&N unit) and a hand-crafted stainless steel exhaust. These add-ons make the bike more powerful, although we wouldn’t expect more than a couple of ponies. None of this would hurt its exceptional usability, however, as the X 440 is a sweet, torquey sub-500cc bike not a rampant, edgy naked. So the performance upgrades would only add to that charm on the road.

Other underpinnings on the motorcycle, including the sprockets, braking system, front suspension, and main chassis remain the same. It’s probably for the better because the bike is already effortless to ride. The gearbox is smooth, the brakes are decent, and the stock chassis is confidence-inspiring. It’s a playful, gentle little motorcycle on its own.

Harley-Davidson X 440 Specifications

Engine Type

Single-cylinder, air/oil cooled

Displacement

440cc

Compression Ratio

9.5:1

Torque Output

28 LB-FT @ 4,000 RPM

Seat Height

31.69 in

Curb Weight

419.98 lbs (in running order)

(Specs sourced from Harley-Davidson)

Unfortunately, The Raptor Isn’t On Sale

Harley-Davidson X 440 Starting MSRP: INR 2,39,500 ($2,868 when converted)

TNT Motorcycle has done an impeccable job at customizing the Harley-Davidson X 440, and we would love to get our hands on the bike even for a short spin around the block. You may be lucky with that if you come across it in the wild, but don’t expect to purchase the bike just yet. It’s a one-off custom-made in collaboration with the manufacturer, mostly for display purposes.

Don’t let that dissuade you, though. Custom motorcycles like the Raptor are not products that inspire one to write a check. Instead, such motorcycles inspire one to take matters in own hands. Custom Harleys have a charm, and as long as you have something in the imaginary world, you can bring it to the tangible world. Yes, you’ll have to pour time and money into drawings and CAD designs even before you start. But some might argue that’s the beauty of doing things your way. A small price to pay for a one-off custom motorcycle.

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In the same breath, it also shows how versatile the X 440 is as a blank canvas. We’ve already seen variations of it, including a flat tracker, café racer, bobber, and more at the India Bike Week 2023. So you can transform it into anything you can imagine. The only sad part is that this isn’t on sale anywhere out of India. And the chances of its American arrival are super bleak. Your only option to get ahold of an X 440 is either relocating to India or getting one imported here. Both things will cost much more than the bike’s upfront cost.