UM Renegade Commando Classic & Mojave
Bike Tested: UM Renegade Classic & Mojave; Road Test No. 852; Test Location: Kashipur, Uttrakhand
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 2,02,100/- (Classic), Rs. 2,13,050/- (Mojave)
The UM Commando bikes are solely cruisers, an alternative to Royal Enfield
The new kid on the block here is United Motors, this so-called American manufacturer has been making motorcycles since the early 2000s and yet is yet to gain popularity as it isn’t a very well known brand worldwide. Let alone in India, it has a distribution network in 25 countries with just 200 outlets overall. They have been selling motorcycles in India since 2016 and have been getting mixed reactions from our consumer market. Having already launched two iterations of the Renegade, UM has decided to launch two more iterations of this bike called the Classic and Mojave. These two motorcycles come to India by promising premium quality and feature loaded American cruiser appeal. They not only promise style but performance too but do they deliver?
Motor Quest: UM Global is a Colombian distribution company. The bikes are manufactured by a Chinese company called Xcross Motorcycles. These bikes are sold in bulk for approximately Rs. 38,000 to 60,000/-. What we get is simply rebadging with a few cosmetic changes.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/36253575413/[/flickr]
Personally, I’m not a cruiser person but this bike does look stylish
Styling – When it comes to style, these Commandos deliver what you’d expect from an American cruiser, even though this isn’t actually American. I love how UM has added the leather saddlebags as standard adding to that authentic charm. The Commando Mojave gets its name from the largest desert in North America. It has blacked out bits with a blacked out exhaust and ditches any sort of wind protection which the Classic gets in the form of a windshield. The tank is covered in cloth giving it a more bare and rugged look. The Mojave gets a very eye catchy and unique desert coloured matte paint job.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/36253575903/[/flickr]
There is no denying the Classic is a beautiful machine
The Commando Classic is given the complete chrome treatment everywhere. The motorcycle also includes a very purposeful tall non-adjustable windscreen, chrome exhaust and a part leather finished tank with a handy storage pouch. This stallion comes with a two-tone metallic finish in the shades of copper cream and glossy black. The Classic managed to get a lot of attention with its chrome letting out a more premium feel to it especially in the shade of black that we had our bike in. Also I’d like to mention that both these bikes come with good quality leather seat covers with their names embedded into it.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/36253574823/[/flickr]
USB charging port is standard on the Renegade Commandos
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – Both the motorcycles come with a white tank mounted console that houses a speedometer, gear position indicator, fuel meter, odometer and a trip meter. The quality of switchgear is good and they are well positioned. These newbies also get a USB charging port placed next to the console as standard. Personally, I hate the positioning of the speedometer, as it is very inconvenient to look at and the lack of a tachometer takes away that involvement from a rider.
