Ultraviolette F77 Road Test Review, How Practical is it For Daily Commutes

When you look at the electric two-wheeler market in India, it is dominated by scooters. Most of these scooters are meant for everyday riding comfort and practicality, barring a few exceptions. Standing out amongst the sea of e-scooters is the F77, an electric motorcycle driven by performance. It sits alone at the top of the pile when you talk about raw numbers and has the aesthetics to match. While we have ridden the F77 on a go-kart track, it was unclear whether this is a motorcycle that you can live with. That is exactly what I wanted to find out when I got the news that I would be spending a week with it. Having crossed 300km with the bike, I can safely say that I have some interesting observations.

Ultraviolette F77 Review: Obliterating Range Anxiety

When you talk about EVs, the first concern you have is range. Thankfully, that is not a complaint you will have with the F77. The Recon model that I was testing, comes with a large 10.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a claimed range of 307km. In my testing, I found that using the Glide mode and being patient with your riding will easily yield a range of 250-260km on a single charge.

This is a rather impressive figure and makes the bike very much useable on a daily basis. Turning things up to the Combat or Ballistic mode results in a noticeable drop in the range figure. Despite that, you can expect a range of more than 150km. Using the boost charger meant I could charge the bike completely in about 5 hours. Now, there is also a faster charging option that can take the battery level from 0 to 80% in just 60 minutes.

Ultraviolette F77 Review: Comfort At A Premium

Being a performance motorcycle with an aggressive stance, I knew that this would not be the most comfortable bike out there and that was the case too. However, it is still rather easy to be riding on a daily basis. During my time with the motorcycle, I did use it for my office commutes. This means riding 26km through the city and being stuck in stop-and-go traffic at points. The committed riding position meant that I did feel some stress on my arms after about an hour of toiling through the city. To make matters worse, the seat is rather hard. Even gripping the tank is not easy, further amplifying the strain on your arms.

The suspension of the F77 surprisingly soaks in the smaller bumps on the road. However, going over an expansion joint or a pothole at higher speeds is going to have an impact on your behind. But what I did not like about the suspension was how unsure it felt. The smallest of undulations in the road surface rob you of confidence. Taking high-speed corners is fine as long as you have a perfectly smooth road. Part of the blame can also be levied on the weight distribution. Having a big and heavy battery where the engine usually is, means that a lot of the mass is concentrated close to the front suspension. This can make turning the bike at slower speeds a bit tricky too.

I must make a special mention for the Reverse Mode on the F77 which makes slow-speed manoeuvres extremely easy. The bike weighs a rather considerable 207kg and you do feel that weight when trying to push the bike around. The Reverse Mode is easy to engage and allows for effortlessly getting in and out of tricky parking spots.

Ultraviolette F77 Review: Power To You

There is no doubt that you get performance in the bucket loads with the F77. It is the only electric two-wheeler that I have ridden that can keep going when you accelerate at 70kmph. However, what is more commendable is the way the power and torque is delivered. The response in glide mode is very gentle, even though you can manage to reach 70kmph.

Once you enter the higher modes, the acceleration improves dramatically but it never gets to a point where it is hard to manage. The peak power of 38.8bhp is enough to take the F77 beyond the ton mark and the 95Nm torque enables a claimed 0-60kmph acceleration time of 3.1 seconds. The front brake also does a very good job of bringing this electric beast under control. The response is gradual and the bite is plenty. The rear brake pales in comparison but you do not mind it as the front brake is more than enough to deal with all kinds of situations.

Ultraviolette F77 Review: Centre Of Attention

One more aspect of the F77 ownership is the attention that you get on the road. The futuristic design of the bike is unlike anything else currently on sale and the fact that the bike is not widely available only makes it more mystical. I have lost count of the number of people who enquired about the bike every time I was waiting at a traffic light or even when slowly crawling through the evening rush.

If you want an exclusivity factor and like to be the centre of attention, the F77 is definitely a good machine to have.

Ultraviolette F77 Review: Verdict

I must admit that when I first took the keys to the Ultraviolette F77, I was not expecting it to be a very smooth experience. The range anxiety and the perils of riding a performance motorcycle were looming large. While the experience was not picture-perfect, I did find the bike to be rather easy to live with. My major complaint was with the hard seat and the seating position. Handing over the bike to my colleague who is not as tall, I found that things are much better if you are not that tall. Another way to look at the F77 experience is that you get a middleweight motorcycle that does not need a constant supply of high-octane fuel, does not become uncomfortably warm in traffic and will pinch your pocket less when you take it for servicing. It is great to see the boundaries of electric mobility being pushed with the F77 and it makes me hopeful that petrolheads can also find engagement when riding an electric vehicle.