Despite the delay from Mahindra, the Mojo is a distinctive looking bike. The round twin headlamps, set inside a large headlamp cluster get Day-time running LED strips above them. The instrument cluster is part-analogue, part-LCD unit which records the top speed achieved by the motorcycle. The 21-litre tank is well-chiselled It has sharp angles, but still does not look too aggressive. It even houses the key insert on the front. The lower part of the tank gets distinctive love them or hate them ‘ribs’ - a part of Mahindra's motorcycle design philosophy. These are actually part of the chassis itself. The seat is roomy enough for the rider, but doesn't give the pillion a lot of living space. The material offers enough grip. The tail-lamp is small, but with bright LED lights. The side view of the bike reveals an abruptly ending tail-section. The 27 bhp, 292cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine makes a maximum torque of 3kgm at 5,500rpm. Mahindra claims that almost all of the torque is delivered from 4,500rpm and stays on until a little over 6,500rpm. Keeping it anywhere in the range, you can happily stay at highway cruising speeds. The engine is quite silent mechanically, and the vibrations are well in check.
When you twist the throttle, the Mahindra Mojo does not go on a rampage; it revs quite hard, but still stays quite civil. To handle bumps and rough patches, the Mojo employs upside down forks at the front, and a gas-charged monoshock at the rear, which soaks up road undulations nicely, while staying composed on corners. Rough patches or even small speed breakers don't seem to upset the Mojo, and it can take these at reasonable speeds too. The most impressive bit on this new motorcycle is the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres Mahindra is offering, known for their excellent road-holding ability. A 110/70 x 17 unit on the front, and a 150/60 x 17 unit on the rear gives ample grip, whether it is a corner that you are taking or a wet surface. The brakes on offer feel progressive, and offer good feedback. However, the rear brake locks up easily. Sadly, ABS is not offered. The riding position on the Mahindra Mojo is quite comfortable. The seat is on the higher side though, and short riders might end up on their toes when stationary. The long wheelbase of the motorcycle lends it good stability on the highway, but makes it a little difficult to muscle around in city traffic. Mahindra has given the Mojo a one-into-two exhaust system, which gives the motorcycle a unique sound, but the twin exhaust actually makes Mojo heavier, a step backwards instead of forward.
A torquey engine, comfort and great tyres sounds like a good recipe for a sports tourer. However, at a suspected price of Rs 2 lakh, the Mahindra Mojo must face stiff competition from the KTM's exceptional Dukes, the 200 and 390, a hoard of entrants lined up for this segment.
