Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2

The Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 builds on the existing tech and design of the Gen 1 version. It's still fresh to the eye having spent over a year in the market in terms of sales. The Mach 2 update brings styling revisions including a subtly revised fairing with new body graphics and a new rear fender. UV also incorporated feedback from existing owners. The charger cover, a flimsy unit on the Gen1 version is now replaced with a more robust aluminium cover.

The F77 remains a head-turner and with more colours available this time, it gets an even more prominent visual flare. The new colours include Lighting Blue, Asteroid Grey, Turbo Red, Afterburner Yellow, Stealth Grey, Cosmic Black, Plasma Red, Supersonic Silver, and Stellar White. There’s no denying that the Mach 2 will grab attention, especially in the yellow and the very ‘Stormtrooper-like’ white shades. However, the major upgrades have come to the tech department on the electric sports bike.

(Also read: Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 launched, is ₹80,000 more affordable than before)

Ultraviolette has introduced regenerative braking up to 10 levels with the new F77 Mach 2. It’s only available on the Recon variant while the standard version continues to get three-level regen. Level 0 is the least intrusive, going up to Level 9 being the most. Close the throttle and the regen kicks in seamlessly and the calibration is just right. At no point do you the regen is taking over your riding experience. The calibration is so good that there’s no joke when you close the throttle and the regen kicks in.

Ultraviolette says the regen works with massive energy and the peak power output is more than any electric two-wheeler in India. With massive energy levels at play, the company has introduced Dynamic Stability Control that brings better traction to the bike and is the first of its kind in the world. The range has also improved thanks to the new regen levels, up from 307 km on the Gen1 model to 323 km on the F77 Mach 2 Recon. The F77 Mach Standard is also more efficient promising a range of 211 km, slightly more than 206 km (all figures are IDC) on the older model.

The regen kicks in once the battery drops under 90 per cent and will slow the bike down to 5 kmph to ensure it maintains balance. It also substitutes for brakes offering better control and while it may not replace brakes entirely, the system does well to reduce the load on the braking setup. Levels 3, 6, and 9, show major differences in how the regen works.

Ultraviolette says that Level 9 regen can help recover as high as 30-35 per cent of energy. Now, that’s a claim we'd like to test once we have the bike for longer. That said, the non-obtrusive nature of the regen modes makes it one of the most impressive new features on the F77 Mach 2. The bike is also equipped with the Anti-Collision Warning System, which is similar to the Emergency Stop Signal seen on certain cars. It will flash its lights when the regen kicks in, warning other road users.

While the regen and DSC remain the big talking points, the Mach 2 also gets enhanced safety with switchable dual-channel ABS, a first on any electric bike in India. You can turn the rear ABS off while keeping the front active to allow the rear to slide out. There's also three-level traction control - Sport, Street and Rain - along with Hill Hold, and more. UV has also added the Tow and Movement alert that will warn owners if their F77 is being tampered with. There’s also an auto cut-off function, which will automatically turn the bike off in the event of a crash. Most of the new features though are bundled as part of the ‘Performance Pack’, which will remain standard for the first 1,000 customers.

(Also read: Ultraviolette to widen network with 17 new outlets, to enter 5 markets in Europe)

Ultraviolette has revamped the digital instrument console with the F77 Mach 2. It's still the same cluster but you get a new user interface that looks much nicer and also improves on overall readability. The Radar theme unit is the default option while the Parallax brings a more 80’s video game vibe and is more eccentric.

Underneath the new look is Violette AI, the company’s in-house developed operating system that can compute over 3,000 data points per second to provide details about your riding style, range, and overall telematics. The system will be able to riders suggestions like the optimal mode to ride in, which regen level to use, and more based on your riding style.

The F77 Mach 2 continues to be an entertaining motorcycle like the Gen1 version. Power has gone up by 1.1 bhp while torque is up by 5 Nm from the same PMS electric motor with an output of 39.6 bhp and 100 Nm. The top speed now stands at 155 kmph. Torque kicks in from zero rpm and there’s a strong surge throughout. Overall performance remains identical to the Gen1 model with three riding modes - Glide, Combat and Ballistic. UV told us performance has been tweaked in all three modes and the latter felt more responsive than what I remember the last time.

Performance is identical on the standard F77 Mach 2 with the bike being 20 kg lighter powered by a smaller 7.1 kWh battery pack. I do believe that the standard version would be more manageable, not to mention more affordable as well. That said, it does come with a deficit of range and regen modes, both of which are specific to the Recon trim.

When it comes to handling, this is a corner carver and agile. The Melagiri Hills, right outside of Hosur, Tamil Nadu, are home to the F77. Think of it as UV’s backyard and the region had plenty of small, sharp, winding roads for us to try out. The F77 made its presence felt and its silent operation meant we managed to avoid disturbing the natural habitat of the beautiful region.

While the bike is fun around the corners, it’s not exactly nimble. The F77 Mach 2 weighs a significant 197 kg (kerb) and the front-heavy nature is hard to ignore and probably its biggest drawback too. Pushing it around parking takes effort and so does doing a three-point turn. Changing lanes at high speeds requires preparation and it takes some physical effort to manoeuvre the bike at low speeds. You get the Park Assist feature with the reverse function and that’s a necessary addition for a bike this size. Ride quality remains impressive and there's a good balance between handling and comfort. The seat has ample room to move around although the cushioning on our test unit was harder than what we remember.

Ultraviolette still remembers its Gen1 customers too. Its early adopters are being rewarded and most of the features from the Mach 2 will make it to the Gen1 models via over-the-air (OTA) updates. As for the new fairing, UV will provide the same at 50 per cent of the cost to those who wish to upgrade the styling. That’s impressive and certainly the best way to hold on to customers who showed faith the first time.

The F77 Mach 2 is now priced from ₹2.99 lakh for the standard and ₹3.99 lakh for the Recon variants. All prices are ex-showroom. That’s about ₹80,000 and ₹50,000 cheaper than the Gen1’s retail price. The bike also gets an 8 lakh km battery warranty, a first globally. The new prices should’ve been what the F77 retailed at right from the start, making it more competitively positioned against conventional 400-500 cc performance motorcycles. It’s not lost on me that high-performance electrification comes at a price but the accessibility would’ve helped encourage adoption.

Nevertheless, the introductory prices stay for the first 100 customers and I think the F77 Mach 2 is worth your while, even if it feels ahead of time. You will have to take a leap of faith to get the F77 Mach 2 home to enjoy this made-in-India electric performance bike for what it truly is. With UV expanding its presence rapidly this year not just in India but globally as well, we do hope to see more of these on the road. The UV F77 Mach 2 isn’t just a strong testament to what a fun electric motorcycle is but also what India is capable of. That’s what the F77 Mach 2 truly represents.