Ultraviolette X47 Crossover

The X47 Crossover is Ultraviolette’s attempt to woo buyers away from similarly priced ICE alternatives and bring more riders into the electric motorcycle fold. To me, it’s the brand’s quest to prove that even EVs can be fun to ride and practical at the same time. Spoiler alert - Ultraviolette has managed to convince me on that front. The X47 Crossover is worth considering, not just because it’s one of its kind, but also due to the versatility and thrill it offers, while presenting a few usability challenges. After spending close to a week with the bike, here’s what we think about it.

The handsome design of the X47 Crossover is undoubtedly one of its strongest traits. While it doesn’t look particularly big, the proportions, lines, cuts, and creases are so nicely crafted, the motorcycle draws a lot of attention and admiration from the onlookers. It is a good mix of supermoto, ADV, and naked streetfighter stance. The front fascia, in particular, has been nicely executed with the beak-like panel, small windscreen, and the muscular fuel tank-like panel seamlessly flowing. Even the tail section blends gracefully with the design, and reminds me of the Ducati Multistrada to some extent.

The quality levels, while not being top-notch for this price point, are reasonably good. There are no uneven panel gaps or unfinished welds. Even the paint finish feels rich, and the plastic feels sturdy all around.

Hopping on the X47 and placing your feet on the ground is easy, if you are anywhere taller than 5’6’’. Shorter riders, however, might tip-toe, but would still manage. On the bike, you sit almost upright, perched on the spacious and well-designed seat, while holding on the wide and easy-to-reach handlebar. The foot pegs are slightly rear-set, just enough to make the riding position  sporty and involving. Even heftier and taller riders will find the seat space and ergonomics of the X47 welcoming.

The suspension gets both front and rear pre-load adjustments, and it’s a well-tuned setup, especially for Indian roads. Minor undulations like small potholes, manhole covers, road joints, and rumblers are flattened out so cleanly, you might not even feel them at times. Even taller speed bumps or bigger potholes are handled with aplomb, with the bike neither feeling overly soft nor unforgivingly stiff.

I even tried doing a few jumps for the camera, and the X47 took it all in its stride without much complain. The longer 170mm suspension travel and the resulting increment in ground clearance further add to the increased flexibility it offers over undulated terrain as compared to the F77. It’s only when you really push the limits of the suspension that the rear monoshock makes a thud sound, taking away from the sense of its sophistication. We think the rebound damping at the rear could’ve been tuned better. However, it’s not a deal breaker whatsoever.

If you think of electric two-wheelers as dull transportation tools with no joy on offer, the X47 Crossover is capable of forcing you to alter your perception with its performance and acceleration. Its 30kW/40bhp Permanent Magnet AC electric motor propels the bike with such urgency and seamlessness, a wide grin is immediately plastered on your face. The acceleration is quick and relentless till 120kmph, thereby making overtakes effortless, whether you’re in the city or on the highway. And mind you, this is in the mid-level Combat mode. Switch to Ballistic mode, and the surge of acceleration is intensified three-fold. To give you a perspective, if the performance in Combat mode is equivalent to a 250-300cc motorcycle, the Ballistic mode imitates a 500-600cc bike.

Glide mode, meanwhile, is perfect for dense traffic, thanks to its mellow, progressive throttle response. Experienced riders, I think, will likely settle into Combat mode most of the time. The claimed top speed is 145kmph, but the performance starts tapering off beyond 120kmph.

Now, a bike as quick as this needs strong brakes, and the X47 doesn’t disappoint. The front disc has tremendous bite, which instils a lot of confidence to do some tomfoolery, if you’re in the mood. And judging the bite point is easy, courtesy of an abundance of feel from the lever. Similarly, the rear brake exhibits as good a balance between bite and progression in situations where you need to back up the front brake whenever needed.

In terms of handling, the X47 doesn’t feel as agile as its ICE counterparts, mainly due to its weight. The 10.3kWh variant you see here, weighs 207kg—32kg more than the Aprilia Tuono 457. You feel that heft while taking it off the stand or during slow-speed manoeuvres. But once you’re above 20kmph, the bike hides its weight exceptionally well. It feels responsive and sure-footed when slicing through traffic or switching lanes. Around corners, it requires a bit of effort to initiate the turn, but once leaned over, it feels stable, predictable, and composed.

When it comes to technology, the X47 is a gadget on wheels, with a laundry list of features on offer. What truly fascinated me is the radar-based blind spot monitoring system which alerts you of the presence of vehicles in your blind spot through glowing icons on both mirrors. Impressively, it recalibrates itself depending on whether you’re riding in traffic or highway – constantly judging the bike’s speed and distance from other vehicles to give more accurate alerts. The radar is also utilised for giving overtake alerts, lane change assistance, and rear collision warning.

Further, you have ten levels of regenerative braking, including the facility to turn it off, four levels of traction control, and switchable dual-channel ABS. For monitoring and tweaking all these features, there’s a large TFT screen which shows more-than-needed info in a legible and neatly laid-out format. It also offers smartphone connectivity for giving access to navigation and smartphone alerts. The mobile app further unlocks a long list of connected features. Other bits which add to the convenience are adjustable levers, hill hold, park assist, and a USB-C charging port.

While Ultraviolette claims an IDC battery range of 323km, we managed to extract 264km in the real world, after riding the bike in a mix of city traffic and open roads, with flat and gradient surfaces combined. That makes the X47 quite practical, considering you’ll have to charge the battery every 4-5 days if your daily commute distance, like me, is 36-38km.

What we were not impressed with is how heavy the optional boost charger (3kW) is. It weighs around 8-9kg, is bulky, and comes with thick, heavy-duty cables, which make it almost impossible to carry it in a backpack or in a tail bag. However, if you buy it and intend to use it regularly at the same charging spot, there are definitely ways to manage the charging process better, perhaps by stowing the charger away in a safe place and retrieving it only when you need to put the bike on charge. Besides this, one always has the option of fitting the onboard charger, which requires a much smaller and lighter cable, albeit increasing the charging time (20-80per cent in five hours) by more than double as compared to using the boost charger.

Electric two-wheelers still don’t match the practicality and flexibility of their ICE rivals due to limited charging infrastructure. But the Ultraviolette X47 Crossover is a promising reminder that the EV space isn’t dull or restrictive anymore. In terms of delivering an engaging, joyful riding experience, the X47 is on par with many ICE bikes—and even better than some.

The relentless acceleration in Combat and Ballistic modes is instantly addictive. The absorbent suspension and neutral ergonomics take care of comfort, while strong brakes and features like blind spot detection significantly elevate safety. Add reasonably good quality and a head-turning design, and you’ve got a genuinely desirable motorcycle.

Where it could have been more appealing is the pricing. The Recon Plus variant in Red costs Rs. 4.06 lakh, ex-showroom, and the boost charger adds another Rs. 30,000 — making it more expensive than similarly capable ICE motorcycles. All said, the X47 Crossover currently stands as a unique offering in the Indian motorcycle landscape, giving it a degree of exclusivity and bragging rights.

Photography by Kapil Angane