Hero Mavrick Long Term: Introduction

Gallery Introduction The Plan The Specs Product Details:

Introduction

Is the Mavrick the best motorcycle Hero MotoCorp has made lately? I would say yes. For starters, it has a palatable design. It has good specs. Plus, it is well-priced. Even on the road, it is comfortable, handles well, and that 440cc engine is smooth and tractable. So, it is an easy motorcycle to like, ride, and live with. At least, that’s the impression we carry after our short, curated ride.

But, as we have learned from the past — and not just in Hero’s case — initial impressions don’t always reveal the complete picture. Sometimes, one has to ride a lot longer and harder to see the chinks in a motorcycle’s armour. Because occasionally, even the motorcycles that initially feel great don’t necessarily age well, particularly if they aren't handled with kid gloves. So, to see if the Mavrick can continue to live up to its tag of being the best Hero even as it rakes in the kilometres month after month, we have decided to run one as our long-termer. And we won’t go easy on it.

The Plan

We will run the motorcycle as a long-termer for six months. In this time, we will tell how it is to ride in the city, what are its pros and cons when commuting on it daily, and what fuel economy it returns when not ridden gingerly.

We will do the same when we take it for a long ride on the highway. With 440cc, we don’t expect it to be just a city slicker; it better be able to munch some miles as well. We are also bound to find some shortcomings in the motorcycle; nothing is perfect, after all. And when we do, we will try and find easy hacks to improve upon these shortcomings.

And finally, after a few thousand kilometres, we will tell you if it is worth spending nearly Rs. 3 lakh to buy the Mavrick. We understand six months is a long time, but then, good things — or in this case, clarity — come to those who wait.

The Specs

As for the details of the motorcycle, we have the Top trim. Powered by an air/oil-cooled, single-cylinder, 440cc engine, it makes a healthy 27bhp and near class-leading torque at 36Nm. The motorcycle isn’t excessively heavy either at under 190kg. It runs regular telescopic forks upfront and old-fashioned preload-adjustable twin shock units at the rear for suspension, with both the front and rear having a decent 130mm of travel.

The Mavrick’s engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox. It runs 17-inch alloys with tubeless tyres at the front and rear, and disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS. Other features of the motorcycle include a digital display with some basic info like range, instantaneous fuel consumption, and two trips. One can, however, connect one’s smartphone with the bike, which then allows the rider to access turn-by-turn navigation via the screen.

Hero Mavrick 440 Left Rear Three Quarter

Overall, the specs and features of the Maverick won’t wow you. But for the price, and what it delivers mechanically on the road — at least as our first impressions go — it is an attractive proposition. It is especially tempting for those looking to upgrade from the likes of the Yamaha FZ-X or the FZ-S, or even the older 150cc Bajaj Pulsars and Honda Unicorns.