Design Filings Reveal the Harley-Davidson 338R

The Baby HD for China by China

News of the Harley-Davidson Chinese-made motorcycle has come out before. The company partnered with Qianjiang for a new bike. I wasn’t sure if this would continue due to the fact that Harley is going through a dramatic restructuring, but now design filings with China’s National Intellectual Property Administration suggest it will. 

According to Motorcycle.com, the designs were filed on December 10, 2019. Despite this date, they have only just come to light. While the filings look like the same bike as Qianjiang is producing, only Harley-Davidson is listed as the rights holder. 

It’s a flat track-inspired bike that bares only cosmetic changes from the Qianjiang QJ350 that the Chinese company will sell. Harley-Davidson has its baby with this bike and it will be called the 388R. The motorcycle is a bit lower and flatter than the QJ350. The bike overall has a more traditional Harley shape. 

The motorcycle features a single circular headlight. There are a circular single instrument gauge and some flat-ish handlebars at the front of the bike. At the rear, there’s a tail-mounted license plate holder with integrated rear lights. The frame and suspension appear to be the same on the 388R as the QJ350. Brakes are still a question as they’re not detailed in this design filing.

This bike will only go on sale in China. Harley-Davidson told Motorcycle.com it will move forward with this project and sell it only in the Chinese market. however, that’s not to say that something couldn’t change in the future.