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Oct 4, 2010

8 Mahindra Mojo: Part 2 [Styling]

Mahindra could have styled the Mojo better..

The Mojo has its front suspension a bit more kicked out than what's pleasing to the eye..

There are riders who like to stop on a lonely stretch, just to park the bike and admire at the piece of industrial art

After awarding bouquets to Mahindra for brining a decently powerful engine, with the latest tech and putting some exotic cycle parts on the Mojo, its time for some brickbats!

The only problem that I have with the Mojo is the styling. Actually I don’t fancy the name either, but then I guess a name is not much of an issue for most Indians for whom English is a second language.

Coming back to the styling, the following sentence will summarize it all from my side. At the press launch, I was struggling to find an angle to photograph the Mojo from which I could make it appear glamorous!

What is the problem with Mojo’s styling?

Mahindra Mojo



Some thing definitely seems to be out of place with the Mojo in terms of styling. To make it clear one just needs to look at a concept model from Malaguti called the MR 250, which was displayed at an Auto Show a few years back.

Malaguti MR 250 Concept

Engine’s Engineering, the company which Mahindra owns also did work for the Italian brand, Malaguti and the styling of the Mojo is very obviously just copy-pasted from the Malaguti MR 250 Concept, with a slight tweak.

Apart from putting alloy wheels and twin retro styled headlamps and a slightly different seat, the Mojo has its front suspension a bit more kicked out than the Malaguti MR 250. And that’s where according to me spoils the proportions and the aesthetics of the Mojo.

Mahindra Mojo Rear Three Quarters

In fact one of the angles from which the Mojo looks good is from the rear three quarters, i,e. from where the from suspension is not visible! Or from the front three quarters from where the rake angle of the front suspension is not visible. What a difference, a small change in proportion has made.

Oh.. by the way, I later realized that the Mojo doesn't look as bad with a rider astride on it!

Mahindra Mojo Riding Position

But then there are many riders like me, who like to stop on a lonely stretch, just to park the bike and admire at the piece of industrial art.

Examples of such beautiful creations: MV Augusta Brutale, Ducati Street Fighter, KTM Super Duke, Kawasaki Z750/Z1000. Even our very own Yamaha FZ16 and the Pulsar 180 UG IV/220S are beautiful bikes with perfect proportions.


With such a decent engine and exotic components, Mahindra had a good opportunity to make its mark with a beautiful motorcycle. Mahindra could have left the styling of the Malaguti MR 250 untouched and copied it exactly the same in the Mojo, never mind the twin headlamps.




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This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.







8 Comments:

Sajal said...

You just gave a nightmare to Mahindra by taking names like the Brutale and the Street Fighter. Both of them are one of the MOST gorgeous Naked street bikes money can by (and in my opinion Brutale takes the upper hand over here than Ducati).

Shaiju B said...

I totally agree with you Payeng. I also felt the same thing about the front suspension.

Congratulations for such a good write up. Keep going !!

Payeng said...

@Sajal, those models should be the inspiration for any new motorcycle maker

@Shaiju, thanks

sanket kambli said...

" who like to stop on a lonely stretch, just to park the bike and admire at the piece of industrial art."

ME TOO!!!

i always stare at my bike when it is parked outside a shop, etc..
he he he

yeah mojo name is stupid... but most indians wont know it...
and looks are too "concept bike" ... radical/weird...

CB said...

Great write-up honest and straight forward. The fact still remains for Mahindra to explain to the biker community about the twin lamps and the twin exhaust. If it is for just vanity then I think someone will surely come up with a better alternative soon enough. The good thing is the bike grows on you(atleast me) still don't fancy the lamps and the 1 x 2 exhaust. Only time will tell. What I found strange was the naming of the bike, Anand Mmahindra might be a successful, well respected biggie in the Indian business world but that still does not justify his choice of the name 'Mojo' let alone the flower power. If he has forgotten, this is the 21'st century where the flower power is dated. Hope Mahindra is listening.

P.S.keep up the blog I enjoy reading it.

Anonymous said...

when i 1st saw the bike i thought how can a company bet its start in a segment which none other had explored with such a ridiculous looking bike. i was seriously waiting for a around 300cc bike in india and this is what we get.:X
in my view the fuel tank is the main culprit of its look and thats the reason why it doesnt luk so bad with a rider because it gets hidden away...
also the head light....grow up Mahindra...retro is long gone...
by the way nice work Payeng.

Anonymous said...

also MOJO name is really stupid and most indians who are able to afford this bike will know its meaning and how lame it sounds....even a child can come up with a better name....

Anonymous said...

Thanks Mahindra for making us wait eagerly for another design disaster/ insult to our senses.
You’re the first being the xylo. People bought xylos so that their friends could have something ugly to laugh at.

Your new "MOJO" (Wikipedia>Mojo (pronounced /ˈmoʊdʒoʊ/) is a term commonly encountered in the African-American folk belief called hoodoo. A mojo is a type of magic charm, often of red flannel cloth and tied with a drawstring, containing botanical, zoological, and/or mineral curios, petition papers, and the like.[1] It is typically worn under clothing.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojo_(African_American_culture))

MOJO~austin powers [Mojo is the essence of Austin Powers' sex drive. It was what gives him his legendary sexual prowess and his potency. Physically, it is a fluid inside Austin's testicles that is the source of his potency and his amazing sexual prowess.]

Also MOJO looks like Wall _E (something we would like to leave behind on a planet we never ever wish to come back to).

About your technical development – most motorcycle manufactures the japs, the English, the italians have built 2 cylinder plus engines (parallel twins in line fours horizontally opposed twins and four cylinders) that usually end up in one-1 silencer/muffler but you guys seem to like tings ass backwards –one cylinder with two exhausts (just like ideal jawa a.k.a DEAD company)
Also, what are those gold pipe thingys on the side under the fuel tank is that to drain away your buyers taste OR store “mojo”?

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