Mahindra Mojo Long Term Review – Initial Report
Long Term Test No. 84
The Mahindra Mojo is an excellent attempt at making a capable touring Indian motorcycle
As soon as we say the word Mahindra, an image of SUV comes into the mind. After all, that is what the company has been known for making since all these years. However, that is not the only type of vehicles they make. They have been in the two-wheeler business since quite sometime now and their latest offering is the Mojo. We were the first ones to do a review and let our readers know how well does it perform. But, there’s only limited things you can notice when you have the motorcycle for a couple of days. So, we added the Mahindra Mojo to our long term fleet to understand how well does it perform in different riding conditions.
Launched to prove to the world that Mahindra can make a world class product, the Mojo has a lot to prove. And it does that pretty well. Starting with the looks, well, they lead to polarising opinions with some people liking the design and other loathing it. To us, the styling is good and gives it a very beefy look. The use of good quality materials all round give it that premium feel, something which some motorcycles in similar price band lack. The dual headlamps with DRLs ensure people give way to you while the twin silencers make people turn their heads.
Positioned as a sports tourer, the riding position of the Mahindra Mojo is spot on. The seat height is just right for people of most heights and the handlebar falls straight to the hand. The centre set footpegs ensure that you sit completely upright while riding which adds to the comfort level. The seat while comfortable for the rider for short journeys is slightly uncomfortable over longer rides. This can be attributed to the foam used for the seat. A slightly stiffer seat would make it a much better bet for long rides. The pillion seat however leaves a lot to be desired and isn’t comfortable for anyone except the ones with a zero figure.
The Mahindra Mojo turns a lot of heads, surprising for a bike of this price range
The touring ergonomics mean commuting within the city is a breeze and once you get used to the heavy front-end (yes, those fat front forks weigh a bit), filtering through traffic is easy. Take it out on the open road, and you will appreciate the way it glides over slightly uneven roads. However, try to have some fun on the corners and you realise that leaning isn’t something the Mojo excels in. Although it is capable of leaning to crazy angles, the silencer bend pipe cover scrapes before the footpegs do. The Pirelli tyres ensure you have utmost level of grip in all conditions and do not complain in mild off-roading conditions.
The Mahindra Mojo is powered by a 295cc single-cylinder engine which produces 28 BHP of power and 30 Nm of torque. While the power rating is a bit low, the torque more than makes up for it. Riding in the low rev range is effortless however, it is the mid-range where most of the punch lies. Cruising on the open roads is something the Mojo is made for and it does that very well. In 6th gear, the bike is at a speed of 110 km/hr at 6000 RPM which makes overtaking a breeze as the torque is present at the twist of the throttle. The engine heats up a little bit when riding in excessive traffic but the heat is not at all bothersome.
Having spoken about the power, I have to talk about the brakes of the Mahindra Mojo. While they do their job well, I am very disappointed with the lack of feel from the front brake and the extreme bite of the rear brake. With around 4000 kms on the odometer, the brake pads seem to have become hard and the stopping power has further reduced. I have to talk about the exhausts. The first thing I did was removed the dB killers to experience the sound. To describe it in one word – INTOXICATING. The sound is extremely addictive and will make you rev to the redline all the time. It is amazing how a single-cylinder machine sounds so good. But, it comes at a cost. The exhaust system costs close to Rs. 50,000/- which is almost 25% of the bike’s cost. Talk about expensive spares!
How can a long term report be complete without talking about fuel efficiency, isn’t it? Well, it is not something in which the Mahindra Mojo would lead the charts. Having gone through multiple tanks of fuel in varied riding conditions, the fuel efficiency has been in the range of 18 km/l to 27 km/l. Now, 18 km/l may sound ridiculous for a 295cc motorcycle but the figure was due to throttle open riding on the highways with some ghats thrown in and me redlining the bike all the time. The 27 km/l figure isn’t too difficult to achieve either. Ride smoothly on the highways and you will get good fuel efficiency. Overall, the motorcycle has been returning around 24 km/l which may be due to the removal of dB killers (time to put them back on).
In conclusion, I will say that the Mahindra Mojo is an excellent attempt at catering to a niche segment of buyers who prefer buying a refined motorcycle for touring but do not wish to spend big bucks. It satisfies the speed junkie in you by its capability of crossing 150 km/hr and manages to keep you comfortable while doing the same. Yes, like every machine, it has its fair share of faults, most of which could have been avoided with a little effort from Mahindra’s side. Hopefully, they will do the same when the ABS equipped variant comes out later this year. Until then, wait for our next report of this tourer while I leave for the next long ride.
Further Reading –
Mahindra Mojo Long Term Video
Mahindra Mojo First Ride Review
Mahindra Mojo Test Ride Review
Mahindra Mojo Video Review
Mahindra Mojo vs KTM Duke 200
