The test mules of the Mahindra Mojo continue to be spotted as the automaker makes smaller changes to the motorcycle every now and then, even as the launch date is out of sight.
It was in 2010 that Mahindra first showcased the Mojo and had the 300cc offering existed in the perfect world, the Indian automaker would be developing its mid-life cycle version right now with learnings from the initial feedback of customers and the arrival of new competition. In most cases, that’s how products are developed in the fast paced consumer driven markets of today. Sure the company isn’t as established as some of the two-wheeler manufacturers we have, but still, five years for a product is a tad stretched, a tad too far.
But it isn’t just the motorcycle itself that has been troublesome for Mahindra 2-Wheelers. Having taken over Kinetic SYM, the pre-dominant UV maker stepped into the two-wheeler category a little over half a decade ago and has been struggling to gain momentum despite some fresh new launches. While its maiden offering the erstwhile Stallio vanished in the wind, its more recent offerings the Centuro and Gusto haven’t been exactly volume pullers either. Hence, for a company to launch an almost Rs. 1.7 lakh (on-road) worth flagship offering does seem optimistic, especially when its entry-level products are struggling against the competition.
That said, the Mojo might just be Mahindra’s saviour in the two-wheeler market. In these recent spy shots that were sent in by our reader Atharv Khambekar from Pune, Mahindra continues to do test runs with the Mojo 300 that boasts of some good tech in addition to the 295cc single-cylinder engine that is capable of producing 27 BHP of power and 25 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. Suspension duties are performed by USD forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear while the bike gets a LED tail lamp and dual exhausts mounted on either side. The Mojo rides on the very sticky Pirelli tyres on offer that give superlative levels of grip.
Given the extensive test runs of the Mojo across every part of the country, Mahindra is sure to sell quite a few units initially as the world tries to figure out what exactly has the company achieved over a development period of five years. We are sure at some point, the company had seen the Mojo as a Scorpio on two-wheels, given its optimism for the model. Alas! If all goes well and earlier reports are to be believed, Mahindra will finally launch the Mojo 300 in India this year over the next 2-3 months. But will it make a difference? Now that’s a question we want the answer to.
