2027 Harley-Davidson Sprint 440 Harkens Back to a Simpler Time

Given the price of, well, everything these days, affordability and accessibility are unsurprisingly hot buzzwords in the motorcycle industry. And brands that’ve embraced them are reaping the benefits. Bikes like Triumph’s 400 range and Royal Enfield’s 350 range—lightweight, inexpensive, modest-capacity single-cylinder—are practically flying off showroom floors. Up until now, that’s described nothing in Harley-Davidson’s stable, at least for US riders. But that changes with the 2027 Harley-Davidson Sprint 440.

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While the Bar and Shield basically bleeds V-twins, the brand hasn’t only made two-cylinder bikes. Its earliest models, often called “Silent Gray Fellows,” had single-cylinder engines. And if the new Sprint 440’s name seems familiar to you, it’s because Harley sold single-powered bikes with that nameplate in the 1960s and 1970s.

While those Sprints were built in Italy, the US-market Sprint 440s will be built in Harley’s York, Pennsylvania factory. Admittedly, this new Sprint technically derives from the single-cylinder Harley that’s already been on sale elsewhere for several years: the X440 developed together with the Indian company Hero MotoCorp. But still, don’t cry heresy, Milwaukee faithful.

It might use a vintage name and manufacturing formula, but the 2027 Sprint 440 is a thoroughly modern Harley-Davidson. Its 440cc two-valve air/oil-cooled single-cylinder engine—fuel-injected, unlike the carbureted original Sprints—makes 27 hp and 28 pound-feet, sent to the rear wheel via a slip-assist clutch and six-speed transmission. That rear wheel is 17 inches in diameter, with the front being 19 inches; both are cast aluminum. And when the Sprint needs to stop, er, sprinting, you’ve got ABS-equipped disc brakes.

If that doesn’t seem like enough scream for this eagle, know that the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 cruiser’s 394cc single-cylinder engine makes 20 hp and 20 pound-feet. Also, according to the spec sheets, the Sprint 440 is slightly lighter: a claimed 412 pounds to the Meteor 350’s 421 pounds. And in another accessibility nod, the Meteor 350’s seat is 30.1 inches high, while Harley claims a 26.4 inches laden seat height for the Sprint. Both bikes have preload-adjustable dual rear shocks, though unlike the Meteor 350’s, the Sprint 440’s forks are inverted.

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Moving on, the 2027 Harley-Davidson Sprint 440 has a color TFT display (something quickly becoming de rigeur). The 3.5-inch circular gauge shows a speedometer, tachometer, odometer, and trip meter as well as the usual warning lights and turn signals. Those turn signals, like the headlight and taillight, are LED. And there’s one of the other modern motorcycling necessities, a USB-C charging port, above the headlight. Additionally, Harley-Davidson will offer numerous accessories for the Sprint 440, including a windshield, engine guard, saddlebags, and (predictably) skull adornments. Also, if the regular seat isn’t the right height, there will be multiple seat options to dial in your proper fit.

OK, accessibility seems fine, but what about that affordability? When Harley-Davidson first announced it was resurrecting the Sprint, it claimed the bike would cost around $6000. As of this writing, U.S. pricing hasn’t been revealed. However, in Canada, the Sprint 440 will cost $8499 CAD, which is about $6100 at current exchange rates. That’s roughly $1000 more than a 2027 Royal Enfield Meteor 350, though it’s around what Triumph charges for its 400 models.

But, crucially, it’s almost $4000 less expensive than Harley’s current entry-level model, the 975cc Nightster. And while everything’s expensive these days, four grand still buys quite a bit of gasoline for riding. We’ll just have to wait until spring 2027 to see if the Sprint 440 hits the ground running.

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After discovering car magazines and Fast and Furious movies in high school, Matthew Skwarczek wanted to create cleaner fuels to keep automobiles around. But after a brief engineering career, the Chicagoland native realized he preferred researching and writing about the cars themselves. That's how he found himself first at MotorBiscuit and then at C/D. Today, when he’s not reading, he’s daydreaming on Bring a Trailer, backpacking, or riding his motorcycle or bicycle.

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