Different strokes

Hero Motorcorp is on an aggressive roll out of premium and sporty products in recent times. It started in 2018 with the 200 Xtreme twins and the Xpulse 200 that came in before that. Hero Motocorp has great sub brands as the Xtreme, Hunk and Karizma to play around with and they have indeed positioned these appropriately as the need may be. With all this happening, the company entered into a partnership with Harley-Davidson and the Mavrick 440 is a result of this platform sharing. A new approach towards the roadster 350-450cc segment, the Mavrick is here to change the game for Hero and the manufacturer’s all new offering in the 400cc plus space will pit it against the 400cc Bajaj and Bajaj branded motorcycles in India and some parts of the world too!

The Mavrick 440 is a really well-designed roadster to our eyes. The classic stubby proportions and yet muscular enough parts on the motorcycle make it look the best neo-roadster India based manufacturer has ever created. The design has hints of old school with its round headlight, but it has modern tech such as LED DRL and LED lights too. The round indicators are a neat touch as well. Overall, a bit simple, but in the right colours, it will surely grab a lot of attention. The Mavrick according to us needs better colour options than what it has right now. A bit more retro options please! Most of this puts it into contention with the Royal Enfield Classic 350 which it is set to grab market share from.

The instrumentation is also a great approach with its small, modern outlook that displays all needed parameters in a semi-digital cluster. The switches on the cluster and handlebar are all new too, with acceptable levels of fit and finish, though they could be better.

Powering the new Mavrick is a 440cc engine with an oil-cooler that makes 26.6 bhp of power and 36 Nm of torque. The motor spins fast enough, and makes good low and mid-range power. You can hit 120 km/h in no time and can easily cruise between 100 and 110 km/h on the highway. The motor intake and exhaust note are the best there is in the market right now; the right bass and rumble give it an aural note which H-D fans will simply love. Yes, vibrations can creep in at higher rev levels, but that is only when you are pushing the motor hard.

A lot of people would compare the Mavrick 440 engine with a Jawa and the Honda CB350 RS but this feels more muscular. The handling like any other modern Hero product impresses with ideal balance of comfort, stability, sportiness and agility, despite the high weight. Braking is above reproach and the tyres held their own too in all conditions. Though many variants are available, we feel the mid-variant ticks all the right boxes for most customers and it wins our vote as one of the best neo-roadster motorcycles coming out of an Indian manufacturer.

Prices start at INR 1.99 lakhs, ex-showroom.

-- Story by Mohit Soni