Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 Recon – First Ride Review

The Looks

We said it the first time and we will say it again. The Ultraviolette F77 is a distinct-looking motorcycle. It turns heads wherever you take it and for the right reasons. The visual appeal that it has is something you do not see daily and when you do, it catches you by surprise. Moreover, with the new paint schemes, the F77 Mach 2 Recon’s cuts and creases appear even more profound. The paint scheme you see here is called Stellar White and is one of our favorites among the lot.

The bike’s stance is quite sporty, it looks youthful and modern in every bit. The Mach 2 essentially wears the same clothes as the older model but in different colours. And we don’t see anything wrong with that. A small but essential change that we have seen on the Mach 2 is the charger flap. It is sturdier, of better quality, and thicker than before.

The Package

Powering the Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 is a 30kW motor and 10.3kWh battery. It offers a 155kmph top speed and 323km of maximum range. The said figures are quite high compared to most of the electric two-wheelers currently on sale in India.

But that’s not it. The F77 Mach 2 is quite impressive even when it comes to the features. The long list comprises three ride modes, 10 levels of regenerative braking, three levels of traction control, dynamic stability control, hill hold, smartphone connectivity, navigation, LED illumination, display modes, brightness adjustment, ABS modes, theft alert, fast charging, and even tyre pressure monitoring system. However, a lot of these features come at an extra cost.

We feel the addition of hill hold, traction control and more regenerative braking levels has made it even more convenient to ride the F77. We spent most of our time with the traction control set at one, which is the lowest. It cuts down the power predictably in a fraction of a second when the rear wheel spins too quickly on a slippery surface. But the said setting is recommended when you are riding spiritedly on track. The second level of traction control is what we felt would be ideal for city riding and overall too. But in case of extremely wet or slushy roads, you can always switch the traction control to three which is the most intrusive setting and chops the power immediately.

Further, the hill hold comes in handy when you are standing on a slope. All you have to do is hold the brake lever for a few seconds and once released, the bike is held steady. The regenerative braking levels too work fine but we feel it is better when kept at the highest level if riding on the highway or long distance. But for city riding, you will be better off with anywhere around level five. If you expect the F77 Mach 2 Recon to stop as quickly as a petrol motorcycle does using engine braking, then that is an over-expectation.

The Ride

The F77 Mach 2 Recon more or less handles just like the previous F77. It feels solid and nimble on the go. The direction changes aren’t the most intuitive since you feel the bike’s heft and front-heavy nature also come into the picture. Moreover, you will need to rely on counter steering if riding around town or when taking the bike to the twisties. But once it's time to crawl in city traffic, the F77 Mach 2 Recon’s heft makes its presence felt even more. If you were to push the bike around in a tight spot, then that would require some muscle or the ‘rotate-on-the-stand’ technique. Things get especially tricky when you have to take a U-turn, because of the weight displacement.

Speaking of the acceleration now, it feels similar when compared to the predecessor. While there may be a difference in the output figures on paper, the real-world experience hasn’t changed drastically, and that’s acceptable. Just like before, the Ballistic mode is where you can have the most fun.

But, one area where Ultraviolette could work on improving the F77 Mach 2 is the braking. While it has the feel and the feedback, the setup needs more bite. This isn’t a dealbreaker and can be fixed by probably bleeding the front brake better or using a different set of brake pads. As for the suspension setup, it is comfortable, and firm without being stiff and absorbs broken patches in an unexpectedly good manner. But there is a catch, and that’s the ergonomics. The riding posture is committed so there is an odd amount of pressure on your wrist and elbows. If you get the bike with tank grips, then it's comparatively easier to grab the tank with your thighs and loosen up the arms. But these grips are an optional accessory and not a standard fitment.

Verdict

In the few hours that we spent riding the Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 Recon, it is evident that the brand has improved on quite a few fronts. The build quality is better than before and is now second to none. There is almost nothing to complain about as of now. Then, the design remains a head turner with pretty much everything being carried over from before and adding new paint schemes. We also like the fact that the newly added features make the F77 Mach 2 even more usable and probably easy to live with, thereby amping up the value-for-money quotient. The motor performance was likable earlier and still is. The F77 is a notably quick-accelerating electric motorcycle and very engaging. Its ride modes let you make the most of the performance from the motor and battery while the suspension is set up well enough for you to commute on the F77 in the city.

The only area where we feel Ultraviolette could improve is the braking department and offer a better bite to the front portion. It takes a little too much effort and still doesn’t stop the bike as you would ideally expect it to. Moreover, the riding posture is committed and can get taxing, especially with all the weight at the front. So, a comfortable rider triangle doesn’t go hand-in-hand with the F77.

But in the grand scheme of things, the F77 Mach 2 Recon with all the software and hardware benefits over the older model, seems like a sweet deal.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi