Ultraviolette first showcased the very first iteration of the F77 back in 2019. It was fast and had some neat tricks up its sleeve like a removable battery pack. The company, once again, faded into the shadows for a couple of years, tweaking away to give us the final, mass-production version of the motorcycle in early-2023. It was faster, more fun-to-ride but did demand a steep asking price. Over that, the lack of dealership networks was a serious thorn in Ultraviolette’s backside when it came to lighting up the sales charts.
Fast forward to 2024 and I’m now staring down the Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 with a picture-perfect backdrop of Hosur's rolling hillside behind it. This time around, it’s more affordable, faster, has a tad longer features list and gets a higher claimed range, too. Now, I’m a motorcycle enthusiast who has performance at the top of my wishlist but I also have a 70km commute to deal with on a day-to-day basis. So, this seems right up my alley, right? Only one way to find out, let’s dive straight in.
Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 First Ride Review: Design & Ergonomics
You might be telling yourself that it looks the exact same as it did previously and this entire review is just a sham. Well, you are definitely right about the first part. Why fix what’s not broken, was what Ultraviolette told us. It retains the sharp, mass-forward design street fighter stance it had earlier and we’re glad they didn’t mess with it. The design of the motorcycle remains identical but there have been improvements made to the quality of materials and you now get a palette of 9 new colour options (or personalities, as UV likes to call them) to choose from. These include Supersonic Silver, Stellar White, Lighting Blue, Turbo Red, Afterburner Yellow, Stealth Grey, and Cosmic Grey. In my opinion, the ones which stand out the most are the white, yellow and light-gray paint schemes. However, one pet peeve which irked me earlier and still does are the cringe-worthy wheel stripes which the F77 Mach 2’s alloys continue to feature. Superbike manufacturer’s left that trend back in the early 2000’s and so should Ultraviolette. Anyway, when it comes to quality of materials, it doesn’t disappoint - the company has made improvements across the motorcycle but what stands out the most is the allumunium charging port cover, which replaces the flimsy, plastic piece it had earlier.
Also Read: Ultraviolette F77 Road Test Review, How Practical is it For Daily Commutes
When it comes to ergonomics, the F77 Mach 2 still continues to offer the streetfighter-style, committed stance you got with the outgoing model. However, I feel the Mach2 hits a sweet spot between a committed and upright riding posture. You continue to sit up high, with a semi-sport footpeg position and reaching out to a low-set handlebar position. If you intend to use this motorcycle on an everyday basis, this part might give you second thoughts. However, I assure you, you will get used to it in a matter of a day.
Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 First Ride Review: Features
Let’s get to features now because despite the tiny list of improvements that have been made over the previous model, there is a lot to talk about. Before I give away the latest additions to the motorcycle, let me give you a quick revision of the highlights. This includes all-LED lighting, 5-inch colour TFT screen, reverse mode, digital document storage, auto on/off headlights, 4G-based connectivity features and multiple ride modes. The Ultraviolette was already feature-laden, so trying to make improvements on a tighter budget would definitely have been an uphill task for the Mach 2. Speaking of uphill, the F77 now features hill-hold assist which, when turned on, automatically applies the brakes when you let go of the lever and then let’s go automatically when you squeeze it back in.
The new F77 Mach 2’s biggest change, though, has to be the improved brake regeneration feature. It now gets a total of 10 levels of brake regeneration, compared to the three levels you had in the previous versions. However, we’ll talk about this as we get to the performance part of this review. Over that, Ultraviolette has made improvements to the instrument console’s UI to make it easier to understand. As part of this update, you now get a G-metre-like reading which displays real-time and accurate throttle readout on the top and brake-regen at the bottom. If there was one improvement that we could have asked for, it would be the inclusion of cruise control. Given the price of the motorcycle and the committed riding stance, I would have loved to see this feature included for those occasional highway rides.
Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 First Ride Review: Performance & Handling
Now, before I get to how the numbers on paper translate in the real world, let me quickly touch upon the actual figures. The Mach 2 features a 30kW electric motor which results in a power output of 40bhp and 100Nm of torque. This output is standard across the two variants of the F77 Mach 2 and the only difference between the two is the size of the battery and its range. The base variant gets a 7.3kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 211km/charge. The top Recon model which you see on these pages, offers a battery capacity of 10.3kWh and a claimed range of 323km/charge. The performance, on the other hand, is still the explosive little number that we remember but with improvements. The acceleration time is now better with the bike capable of going from 0 to 60km/h in just 2.8 seconds and the 0 to 100km/h feat achieved in just 7.7 seconds. These are marginally better times than the previous version and that’s pretty much the story across the entire bike. Ultraviolette has managed to eke out performance across the board to bring us a motorcycle which has improved as a package.
Also Read: Ultraviolette F77 vs Orxa Mantis Spec Comparison: Which is Better?
The big talking point, however, around the improvements to the F77 Mach 2 is its torque. As soon as you get on the gas, and you happen to be in ballistic mode, it wants to surge forward with ferocity. Just to give you an idea, Ultraviolette also used the F77 to pull a payload of 15,000kg. As soon as you get going, you’ll realise you have a bit more oomph in the low-end and a tad more zing in the mid-range, too. This has made the bike so much more tractable at lower speeds even if you are in the Combat and Stealth ride modes. As a result, the bike manages to dull down its performance in the other two modes well, when required. If you aim to preserve range or just want a relaxed ride to your destination or it’s raining cats-and-dogs, the F77 can do that too. Ultraviolette has managed to strike a good balance in that aspect.
Also Read: KTM 390 Duke First Ride Review: Great Balls of Fire
Now, another big talking poing around the Mach 2 version are 10 brake regeneration levels. You can choose between 0 to 9, and in the highest regeneration mode, the deceleration is just perfect to imitate good engine braking while also recovering charge. How much? Well, Ultraviolette claims upto 30 percent of the total. In fact, the company also claims the F77's regeneration power is more than the power output of any electric 2w in India. The previous version gave you three levels of brake regen and the company claims the highest level in the outgoing model is equal to just level 2 in the Mach 2.
When it comes to handling, it is the same great package we remember. Yes, it does feel heavy when you climb on and in traffic but, at speed, it masks that weight well. In fact, it is quite nimble I'd say. It is comfortable in most riding conditions, too, but does get unsettled over speed bumps and undulated surfaces, given its weight when riding hard. Overall though, it is a sorted package in terms of handling and performance, similar to what we felt when the first iteration came out.
Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 First Ride Review: Verdict
If I had to put it in simple words - yes, the Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 is now a better and faster version of the best electric motorcycle that was available in the country. Given the more affordable price point that it now retails for, we would definitely recommend this motorcycle for those who wanted a fast, good looking and semi-practical performance-oriented motorcycle for everyday use. I say semi-practical because it may be committed in terms of riding posture but the claimed 323km range should provide a sigh of relief if you suffer from range anxiety. Over that, Ultraviolette is also working at opening 17 new dealerships across India within a month or two. So, if you’ve always looked at getting your hands on the F77 but price and dealer networks have stopped you, now is the perfect time to hop on!
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