Hero Mavrick 440 Road-Test Review – Flagship Hero with the Zing?
Introducing Hero Motorcorp’s groundbreaking debut: the inaugural 440cc motorcycle, a pioneering addition to their esteemed lineup, marking a significant milestone in the company’s history. Powered by the renowned 440cc engine, previously featured in the esteemed Harley Davidson 440, this motorcycle from Hero Motorcorp promises impressive performance. Boasting current enhancements such as LED lights and a fully digital instrument cluster, we had the opportunity to put it through its paces during an exhilarating ride through the expansive terrain of the Rann of Kutch. Here’s our detailed assessment of this remarkable bike after spending several hours with Hero Mavrick 440.
Design:
Easily spotted from a distance with its striking and confident design, this motorcycle boasts a bold and muscular appearance. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice iconic elements like a muscular fuel tank, metallic body parts, advanced telematics instruments, and broad handlebars. Hero refers to this design as “mass forward,” which essentially means the weight distribution of the motorcycle is shifted towards the front, giving it a dynamic and aggressive appearance. Lighting the way are round LED projector headlights, daytime running lights, and an intelligent automatic headlight for added style and safety.
The motorcycle is equipped with a Class-D projector headlamp featuring LED daytime running lights (DRLs) for enhanced visibility. It also has intelligent auto illumination for convenience and safety. Additionally, it sports LED winkers and a tail lamp for added style and functionality. At the back, you’ll notice a unique H-shaped compact LED tail lamp, which combines style with improved visibility. Alongside this, the full LED winkers provide efficient and long-lasting signaling for enhanced safety.
The motorcycle boasts a robust fuel tank with a capacity of 13.5 liters, adding to its bold appearance. Its muscular aesthetic is further highlighted by the inclusion of metal body parts like the front fender and shrouds.
Suspension & Tyre:
The Mavrick 440 features a sturdy trellis frame and is equipped with telescopic front forks and preloaded 7-step twin shock for a controlled and smooth ride. Its braking system consists of a 320mm front and 240mm rear disc brake with dual-channel ABS for added safety. Rolling on 17-inch wheels, the bike is fitted with 110/70 front and 150/60 rear tyres. The base model comes with spoke wheels, while the mid model comes with alloy wheels and top-spec versions come with diamond cut alloy wheels.
Engine:
The Mavrick 440 packs a punch with its air-cooled 2V single-cylinder 440cc ‘TorqX’ engine featuring electronic fuel injection and an oil cooler. Delivering 27 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 36 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm, this engine is tailor-made for strong low-end torque. More than 90% of the peak torque kicks in from just 2000 rpm, ensuring a smooth and effortless ride for both city cruising and highway travels. It’s built upon the foundation of the Harley-Davidson X440.
Comfort:
The Mavrick 440 is built for comfort, offering a roadster-style ride. It features an upright position, spacious seat, and plenty of legroom for both the rider and passenger. Wide handlebars ensure a firm grip for better control, while the rider seat, designed with thick foam padding, guarantees a comfortable journey, combining performance with timeless style.
The Ride:
We took the bike for a ride of about 100 kilometers in Kutch. Performance-wise, the Mavrick 440 is equipped with a 6-speed transmission and a slip-and-assist clutch. The 17-inch tubeless tires on the motorcycle provide good support, especially when navigating winding roads and taking corners.
One of the standout features of the Hero Maverick is its ability to deliver 90% of its peak torque at less than 2000rpm, showcasing its exceptional capability and performance. It’s an enjoyable motorcycle to ride. In terms of ergonomics, you get an upright riding position with plenty of space for your legs and comfortable grab-rails, ensuring a comfortable journey for both the rider and passenger.
The wide handlebars offer a comfortable grip, improving control, especially when riding at high speeds. This motorcycle has well-balanced dynamics. Despite weighing 191 kilograms, it moves swiftly and easily. On highways, it remains stable even at high speeds. With dual-channel ABS, you feel safe, relaxed, and confident on winding roads and at high speeds. The engine is not as smooth as the Harley Davidson 440, which leads to noticeable vibrations at both lower and higher speeds. Gear shifting is also not as smooth as some other bikes in this segment, although it performs well during sudden downshifts.
Colours & variants:
The Hero Mavrick comes in 5 colors. Arctic White is exclusive to the base variant, Fearless Red and Celestial Blue are offered in the mid variant, and Gloss Black (Enigma Black) and Matte Black (Phantom Black) are available in the top variant.
Price & Warranty
The highly anticipated motorcycle of the year will be offered in three variants: Base, Mid, and Top. You can find them at Hero MotoCorp dealerships nationwide, priced attractively at Rs 199,000 for the Base variant, Rs 214,000 for the Mid variant, and Rs 224,000 for the Top variant, respectively. Even after being tested for over 1.50 lakh kilometers, Hero still offers a warranty of 5 years or 70,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.
Verdict:
The Hero Mavrick 440 is their strongest bike yet, featuring attractive styling. While it shares most of its base with the Harley-Davidson X440, it has slightly lower torque by 2Nm. The bike boasts a good set of features overall, but it lacks USD forks, and some parts could have better quality. However if you need a motorcycle for daily city commuting or weekend leisure rides on highways or long tours, this bike is ideal. It offers good road presence, power, comfort and durability, making it a solid choice for various riding needs.
MAVRICK KIT:
You can now book the Mavrick 440, and deliveries will start in April 2024. Customers who book before March 15 will receive a special ‘Mavrick Kit’ of accessories and merchandise worth Rs 10,000.
Words – Jaykumar Limaye
Photography & Video – Bhushan Joshi
