Like most electric two-wheelers, Ultraviolette too is based out of Bangalore and one that makes bold claims. Unfortunately, Covid 19 struck the world and hampered most of their plans, but it also gave Ultraviolette a chance to return to the drawing board. They didn’t reinvent the wheel, but what they did do was make a couple tweaks to the overall design and add some spit and polish. So did they manage to live up to those bold claims? To find out, I flew to Bangalore, where Ultraviolette would let us have a crack at their machine around the streets of Nandi Hills, a rather famous spot for motorcyclists to ride to and a well-paved go-kart track inside the city.
The Ultraviolette F77 is available in three trims, you’ve got the standard, the Recon and the Limited. Unfortunately, you can no longer get your hands on the Limited since Ultraviolette produces a limited number. The one I rode is the Recon, and it is currently the top-of-the-line offering in their product list and packs some impressive specs. However, it comes at a relatively high asking price of Rs. 5 lakhs.
Verdict
The Ultraviolette F77 is undoubtedly a well-finished premium product and has a good amount of love put into making it. Sure, it’s got a high asking price, but it justifies that higher asking price with high-quality parts, a fabulous design and the low cost of owning an EV. However, when you design a performance motorcycle, you’re bound to attract enthusiasts; they aren’t the most reasonable. They like a vehicle that performs well and can also go the distance; in that regard, the F77 falls short. With a real-world range closer to 200 kms as opposed to the 315 kms suggested by the manufacturer, the F77 leaves you wanting a bit more.
Factor in the alleged Rs. 50,000 worth of saving over its competition, and it begs the question, is that amount worth the hassle of running out of juice? Well, to me, it really isn’t, and I’d much rather have the convenience of having a petrol-powered vehicle with similar performance for less cost than get lesser performance and pay more in the pursuit to save money eventually.
Take the price out of the equation, and the F77 is a rather well-made machine and surely deserves a test ride and some consideration if you’re looking for an environmentally friendly motorcycle. If you’re looking for your first bike and intend to do a fair bit of touring, I’d suggest looking elsewhere for now since the infrastructure to support EVs is still coming around.
However, suppose this is a second or a third motorcycle explicitly bought for the city or a quick run to your nearest twisty road. In that case, I’d say this is a fantastic motorcycle that’s let down by its slightly higher asking price. It’s got the built quality and agility and also packs excellent desirability. If you’re in the market for a new motorcycle with a budget of 5 lakhs, you should definitely check out the F77.
Well, for starters, this motorcycle takes inspiration from aviation for its design, and in this shade aptly called Shadow, it looks rather mean and stealthy. With its streamlined design and angular panels, the F77 doesn’t fail to catch your eye. There are two more colours on offer, a beautiful shade of diamond blue called Airstrike and a deep red shade called Lazer.
The F77 has the potential to dawn many colours, which is a testament to its unique design. So that’s its inspiration from aviation; aerodynamics have played a significant role in design. Two fins are integrated on either side that help channel air into the battery and double up as crash protectors in case of a fall.
The motorcycles were initially designed with a removable battery, but that’s been ditched for a larger capacity and a cleaner overall design. The finish has been done with no exposed bolts or wires, and others are neatly integrated or tethered to the motorcycle. What adds more to its design are the covered forks that further accentuate its aerodynamic influence. Typically when I test EVs, I expect a few niggles and problems because they’re usually first ventures for most startups. As far as build quality and finish are concerned, I’m pretty amazed by what a fantastic job the team at Ultraviolette has done with the overall finish.
Specifications
Battery Capacity: 10.3 kWh
Output: 29 kW (38.8 bhp)
Torque: 96 Nm
Front Suspension: 41 mm, USD forks, preload adjustable
Rear Suspension: Monoshock, preload adjustable
Front Brake: 320 mm, fixed 4 piston
Rear Brake: 230 mm, single piston
Front Tyre: 110/70/R17
Rear Tyre: 150/60/R20
Weight: 207 kg
Price – Rs. 4.55 Lakh (Ex-Showroom Bangalore)
Performance
The Standard F77 is powered by a 7.1 kWh battery that produces a lower 27 kW (36.2 bhp) output and 85 Nm of torque. The F77 Recon is powered by a 10.3 kWh battery that promises a peak output of 29kW (38.9 bhp) and 96 Nm of torque. A top speed of 147 km/hr and a 0-100 time of 8.0 seconds make it seem like an underperformer compared to an ICE motorcycle with similar performance.
For example, the Kawasaki Ninja 300, powered by a 296 cc parallel twin motor, produces about 38.8 bhp and a much lower 26.1 Nm of torque. Factor in the fact that it produces all of its peak power and torque above 10,000 rpm; meanwhile, the F77 hits peak power from the moment the tyres get rolling.
The weight, however, is on the Kawasaki’s side, weighing about 28 kg lighter than the F77. The Kawasaki manages to do a sub-7-second run to 100 km/hr while also showcasing a much higher top speed. All of this at a much lower price too, so what advantage does the F77 actually have? Well, it’s the double-digit speeds where the Ultraviolette shines. The F77 doesn’t stand a chance in range or top speed on an open highway. However, that’s a whole different story around your favourite twisty road.
Around the tight corners of Nandi Hills, the F77 danced and moved around them effortlessly. Put the F77 in its fastest mode, aptly named Ballistic and watch it go ballistic as it darts in and out of corners like a bullet. I mean an actual bullet that exits corners with the same ferocity as a bullet leaving a gun. It’s the tight corners where the F77 really shines, and around Nandi Hills, this motorcycle could easily outdo a KTM Duke 390, which is high praise if you ask me.
There are three riding modes on offer, with Ballistic being the highest, Combat being the one in the middle and Glide being the lowest setting for power. Glide mode feels quite adequate and is best used only in the traffic and inside the city. It’s more on the sluggish side and primarily focuses on fuel efficiency.
Combat brings a good balance between the two ends of the spectrum and is enjoyable both in the city and on the open road. In terms of braking, the F77 again does a fantastic job and stops on a dime. Thanks to its stiff suspension setup, brake dive is well-contained, making it reliable and effective while riding spiritedly.
Ride & Handling
The motorcycles we were riding were on their factory setting for the Suspension, and out of the box, these felt a tad too stiff the moment you’d encounter a bumpy or uneven patch of tarmac which is quite common in our cities. However, when the roads are good, the Ultraviolette shines and showcases great agility despite its nearly 200 kg weight. The F77 falls into corners with a lot of ease and holds the line effortlessly; it does a fantastic job masking its weight and encourages you to follow whatever line you’ve picked with confidence.
The downside of such stiff Suspension is that the bumps quickly upset the motorcycle. Even when cornering around Nandi Hills, one has to execute caution in case one were to ride over one of the reflectors. The Suspension can be tuned for preload, but I’m not sure it would make a difference.
All in all, it pits the F77 as a very happy canyon carver but not one that’s made for bumpy surfaces. I’d say the Suspension hasn’t been tuned for commuting inside broken city roads but instead built for attacking corners and speed. Making this the perfect blend for roads such as the one here at Nandi Hills. The MRF tyres do a great job and never feel out of grip.
Ergonomics
The ergonomics of the F77 were a tad on the aggressive side. The riding position is quite committed, and comfort isn’t the priority yet. Despite that, it provides a certain degree of comfort with plush enough seats. However, the stiffer Suspension only exaggerates discomfort and motivates you to avoid uneven surfaces. The mirrors are aesthetically well-designed but don’t feel as usable and could definitely improve. It’s pretty easy to flatfoot this motorcycle too, and someone of my height had no issues whatsoever, and I’d imagine anyone around and above 5’5” shouldn’t have any issues, either.
Comfort and Convenience
Ultraviolette has taken time to integrate some cool features that make living with this motorcycle much more effortless. For example, it gets a forward and reverse gear that allows you to move the motorcycle around as fast as 2 km/hr, making it much more manageable for manoeuvring it around parking spots. The Ultraviolette has a TFT display that can connect to your phone via an app and even display maps for ease of use. This is a feature I hoped more motorcycles that use TFT’s had and would make life a lot easier as opposed to relying solely on directions via voice. These two comfort and convenience features stood out to me, and I thought they’d be worth mentioning.
Battery & Charging
Ultraviolette uses an all-aluminium IP67-rated battery pack with an additional 5-level safety protocol built into it. Both variants support fast charging, and Ultraviolette claims they can do about 35 kms per hour of charge. They’ll also offer an optional Boost Charger that doubles the charge and gives you up to 75 kms of range per charge. Ultraviolette offers a standard warranty of 3 years or 30,000 kms for both variants. However, you can get an optional extended warranty of 5 years or 50,000 kms if you think you will exceed that timeline with our ownership. Ultraviolette claims that after a 3-year ownership period, you’ll save up to Rs 50,000 over its internal combustion competitors. Now as debatable as that number may be, this is something worth discussing and will factor into the verdict.
