Mahindra Mojo: 5 likes and 5 dislikes

Likes: 1, Engine refinement:

Powering the Mahindra Mojo is a 295cc, liquid-cooled motor that belts out 28PS of peak power and 30Nm of peak torque. The engine is brilliantly refined as we found on our ride from Bangalore to Coorg and back. There’s hardly any vibration at cruising speeds as the bike just wafted on the highway at speeds between 100kmph to 120kmph. The motor only feels a bit strained as it approaches its redline but, even then, the vibes are very minor and can be only felt through the tank. The refined motor makes the Mahindra Mojo a great bike while touring as the bike doesn’t feel overworked. Power delivery is also relaxed and this will be a factor appreciated by mature riders as despite being a fast motorcycle, it doesn’t scare the rider.

Dislikes: 1, Looks:

Personally we are not a huge fan of the way the Mahindra Mojo looks. And if asked to define the Mojo in one word, it would be quirky. We do admit that the overall styling is a huge improvement from the concept motorcycle that was showcased five years back. But despite the refinement in design, it does have its rough edges. And the biggest problem is the unproportionate design details; the headlamp cowl is too large and sticks out while the tail section is puny and the radiator shrouds look like an afterthought. The gold elements on the motorcycle aren’t uniform in their shade as it varies from the forks, frame and swing arm. Design is a personal opinion and although the Mojo is visually arresting due to its mass, it isn’t going to win any beauty contest.

Likes: 2, Riding dynamics:

The Mahindra Mojo employs a centre-set foot peg and flat handle bar which result in an upright riding posture. The seating position isn’t crouched and sporty but relaxed and comfortable which is essential for long distance riding. The handle bar is also slightly bent towards the rider which makes the riding posture even more comfortable and we didn’t find any reason to complaint about the seating ergonomics post the 650km media ride. Another aspect that enhances the comfort of the Mahindra Mojo is the large and aptly cushioned suits. Also, the saddle is contoured at the end which gives a snug fit and also doesn’t let the rider’s butt slide back under heavy acceleration.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Dislikes: 2, Wind blast and small pillion seat:

The Mahindra Mojo is a motorcycle made for touring which means most of the time a Mojo owner will be riding the motorcycle on the open highways. As one climbs speed above 100kmph, the windblast effect can be felt and it becomes more pronounced once above the 120kmph mark. Although we personally don’t promote high speed riding on public roads, a windscreen on the Mahindra Mojo would have been more than welcome at least as an optional extra. The pillion seat is also petite in comparison to the rider seat and isn’t much pillion friendly. Despite it being a touring motorcycle there isn’t enough provisions provided to tie bungee cords on the Mojo.  There’s little real estate for your luggage and you will have to invest in a saddle bag if you’re thinking of anything more than an overnight trip on the Mojo.

Likes: 3, Ride Quality:

Suspension duties on the Mahindra Mojo are handled by telescopic front forks and a monoshock unit at the back. Ride quality of the Mahindra Mojo is just stupendous. It handled the potholes and speed brakers of Bangalore with aplomb. To further test its suspension dynamics, we rode the motorcycle on broken roads and trail roads and the Mojo just swallowed all the undulations effortlessly and impressed us immensely. Given the fact that roads in our country are in an appalling sate, the brilliant ride quality of the Mahindra Mojo comes as a respite and a factor that will be highlighted when one goes touring.

Dislikes: 3, Handling:

Handling isn’t the Mahindra Mojo’s forte as it felt out of its comfort zone while taking the tight corners. This can be credited to the raked out front forks and long 1,465mm wheelbase. The above two factors endow the Mojo with great high speed stability but when it comes to attacking the corners, the motorcycle feels a bit wanting. Being a heavy motorcycle, the Mojo doesn’t flow into corner and one has to muscle the bike from one corner to another by effective use of weight transfer. Mid corner bumps also gives the motorcycle cold feet as we found on a few occasions but again the Pirelli tyres compensated for it with their leech-like grip.

Likes: 4, Features:

The Mahindra Mojo gets a part-digital instrument cluster that has a plethora of information on display. It gets acceleration timer, max speed recorder, trip meter, odometer, fuel gauge, max rpm indicator, shift light etc. The switch gear also gets amber backlit which looks good. The LED DRL lamps above the headlight also are a neat addition. The Mahindra Mojo also gets a limp home mode that restricts the motor to 5,000rpm if it detects any sort of malfunction. The Mahindra Mojo also gets the fantastic Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres that provided awesome grip and play a vital role in improving the handling dynamics of the motorcycle. It is good to see that Mahindra Two Wheelers have understood the importance of good quality tyres. We hope other manufacturers also start giving more value to tyres in the performance bike segment and this should boost the local OEM tyre manufacturers in upping the ante.

Dislikes: 4, No ABS:

Anchorage is provided by disc brakes at both the ends on the Mahindra Mojo. The bite provided from the disc brake is fantastic as it sheds speeds with enthusiasm. But there isn’t much feedback through the levers and they also lack progression, something which can catch the rider unaware on few occasions. The rear brake has so much bite that locking up the rear wheel is a piece of cake and it fishtails under hard braking. This is where ABS would have come as a boon but Mahindra has given it the boot to keep cost under check. But Mahindra officials did mention that a two-channel ABS system would be made available in the near future.

Likes, 5, 21 litre fuel tank capacity:

The Mahindra Mojo houses a massive 21 litre capacity fuel tank. Talking about range, the Mahindra Mojo is expected to return around 30kmpl. Thus translates into a real world range of around 600km on a tankful of fuel which is remarkable.  Mahindra also claims that while testing the Mojo in Leh, they rode from Manali to Leh and back without a refuel! While having a large fuel tank capacity might not seem noteworthy, in real world conditions, when you are out on the highway and enjoying the ride an unwanted fuel stop is among the most irritating bits of a motorcycle ride.

Dislikes: 5, Pricing & Dealer network:

Pricing is a key for the success of the Mahindra Mojo and it has been launched at Rs 1.58 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. The above pricing is introductory and will be valid only till the festive season post which there will be a hike in the price tag. We were expecting Mahindra Two Wheelers to take a hit in terms of value at least for the initial 100 motorcycles and price the motorcycle under Rs 1.5 lakh, as psychologically the Rs 1.5 lakh figure is kind of a deterrent for the price conscious Indian consumers. Another factor that goes against the Mahindra Mojo is the dealer network spread and currently the motorcycle is only available in 10 cities across the country. Mahindra will have to invest in expanding its dealer network given the fact that its competitors are well established.