Mahindra Mojo Review, Test Ride

We rode the much-awaited and highly anticipated Mahindra Mojo from Mumbai to Igatpuri, and returned grinning from ear to ear. Read on to find out why...

It’s been almost four years since I heard its name for the first time, and every time it was mentioned I couldn’t help but think of the Austin Powers movie, The Spy Who Shagged Me, where the source of Austin’s sex appeal, known as his Mojo, is stolen. Initially, I believed I would start this piece with the same reference, but realised later that it would dilute the seriousness of this bike. And so, in the end, I chose to use Jim Morrison’s help to say it better:

Mr. Mojo Risin’ 
Got to keep on risin’ 
Risin’ risin’ 
Come on risin’ risin’ 
Whoa! Wang! Bang!

This pretty much sums up the Mahindra Mojo! The bike was showcased for the first time at the 2012 Auto Expo as a concept, but its design drew heavy flak. Mahindra went back home, asked its designers to do something about the way it looked, and came back two years later with the new design at the 2014 Auto Expo. The bike was far better received this time, but not with quite the enthusiasm that Mahindra anticipated. Mahindra again took the feedback, and improved the bike some more one final time.

My first glimpse of the production-ready Mojo was in September, while on my way from Leh to Nubra, when I spotted the bike being tested at Khardung La. The bike looked great with its dual headlamps and the 1-2 exhaust system. The 21-litre tank, the 300cc engine, radiator, grab rails, and the overall big-bike look did make it stand out – and I hoped secretly that Mahindra wouldn’t mess around with its looks anymore.

When Mahindra invited us to ride the Mojo from Mumbai to Igatpuri, I had mixed emotions. When I saw the bike at the briefing session – and I won’t lie here – it looked exceptionally good in its red and silver livery. And, as soon as I sat on the bike, whatever little hesitation I had was gone.

The bike is big, and the first impression you get is that it’s a naked, purposeful tourer with a comfortable seat and nice ergonomics. The riding stance allows you to think of all the possibilities of this machine. The stance is neither too aggressive nor too laidback, which allows you to choose a riding style depending on your mood. You can either duck and go mad with your right wrist, or just throw yourself back and enjoy the landscape as you cruise along the road.

The urban commuter, who also loves to ride to faraway places every now and then – to break away from the monotony of every-day life – is the ideal consumer of the Mahindra Mojo. You can play it rough on normal roads, by pushing the bike, but also cruise easy on the highways trying to reach a serene place somewhere in mountains.

The Mahindra Mojo rewards its riders in many ways – the USD forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear have a travel of 143mm and work like a dream, while the dual headlamp at the front light up your path ahead more than sufficiently. The ride quality is smooth and enjoyable, with no unwanted vibrations. Build quality of the bike is also very good. The braking system from Jjuan, which includes a 320mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear, has been tuned to perform progressively – and doesn’t disappoint. Not to forget the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres, which compliment the braking abilities of this machine, making it stop on a dime. The tyres perform exceptionally well on the tarmac. We wouldn’t necessarily expect a super sticky set of tyres to perform well off road, but they held up quite well. More importantly, though, when off-road, the suspension is simply brilliant. And while I would love to see the Mahindra Mojo equipped with ABS, considering the price of the bike, I think I can excuse it for time being.

The 295cc, liquid-cooled engine provides 26.82bhp of peak power and 30Nm of maximum torque. The peak torque is delivered at 5,500rpm, which means the mid-range performance of the Mahindra Mojo is very usable and fun. In any gear and at any rpm, just twist the throttle and the bike will reward you for sure. The engine runs very smooth and is quite refined. Another highlight of the bike is the exhaust system – not only does it look magnificent, but it also produces a nice deep rattling sound by multiplying the echo and hum of the single-cylinder.

After riding the bike for a little over 250-kilometres, and making full use of its high-speed cruising capabilities, we were very happy with the performance of the Mahindra Mojo. And considering its price tag, we really can’t find anything critical to point out. After all, at Rs.1.58 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) it’s a mouth-watering price for the package!