Royal Enfield Guerrilla vs Hero Mavrick: The better roadster

The term “roadster” has been in the news quite often recently mostly due to the fact of so many new models adhering to this segment of motorcycles. For the uninitiated, “roadster” is a bike or a car which has a sporty intent but the use case is largely limited to urban confines. Mash it up with some neo-retro styling and voila! You have a perfect recipe of success.

Many motorcycle manufacturers have tried this formula in the past few years. While some of them have managed to taste success, others have fallen flat on their face. But success doesn’t only mean the number of units sold on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. It takes a lot of effort to make a good product, from research and development to manufacturing.

In this article, we look at two middleweight roadsters— Royal Enfield Guerilla and Hero Mavrick. Both bikes have a similar engine displacement to go with similar output but more importantly both machines adopt a neo-retro design but are completely distinct in their appeal. We find out which one is a better motorcycle of the two by diving deep into their looks, specifications, and real-world performance.

Royal Enfield Guerrilla vs Hero Mavrick: The better looks

Yes, design is purely a subjective matter and everybody has got their own opinion. Both bikes adhere to the contemporary neo-retro styling and yet are completely different from each other. The Mavrick looks a bit more rounded and butch while the Guerilla looks leaner and taut. Neither of them has an intimidating appearance yet both have a decent road presence. 

A round headlamp, a muscular fuel tank, a single-piece saddle, and spoke alloy wheels with knobby tyres are some of the common visual elements in both the roadsters but in no sense they look or feel similar. That said, the Enfield is built slightly better than the Hero even though the latter is a stark improvement over its other brethren donning the American badge. 

When it comes to dimensions, both bikes weigh around the same ballpark and have a similar wheelbase. The Mavrick is wider but the Guerrilla is taller. Interestingly, the Guerrilla offers a lower seat height of 780mm as compared to the 803mm saddle offered in the Mavrick on paper, even though the one on the Mavrick feels a bit more accessible than the former in real world.

Royal Enfield Guerrilla vs Hero Mavrick: The better equipped

Both bikes are more than decently equipped but Guerrilla edges past the Mavrick with a more modern setup. In its top-spec Flash trim, the Enfield is packed with features such as a round TFT instrument console that offers in-built navigation from Google, Bluetooth connectivity for call and text alerts, two ride modes: Eco and Sport, all-LED illumination, and a C-type charging port. On the other hand, Mavrick offers a full-digital LCD instrument panel that packs Bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, a USB charging port, and full LED lighting. 

When it comes to hardware, both motorcycles are neck and neck with telescopic front suspension although the Guerilla gets gaitered forks. At the rear, the Guerrilla uses a mono-shock whereas the Mavrick gets dual shock absorbers. Both bikes use front and rear disc brakes setup with dual-channel ABS as standard. Both bikes roll on 17-inch alloy wheels but the tyres on Guerrilla are only slightly thicker than the Mavrick.

Royal Enfield Guerrilla vs Hero Mavrick: The better performer

As mentioned earlier, both bikes have similar engine displacement, however, on account of being liquid-cooled, the 452cc unit in Guerrilla produces higher power and torque outputs. Also, the characteristics of how the two motors deliver power are highly contrasting. The Guerrilla is definitely the more spirited with more top-end performance on offer but the low-end performance is not very pleasant.

The bike starts knocking viciously if the tacho needle drops below 2000 rpm. The low-end performance is actually so dull that you end up stalling the bike in the middle of the road in havey traffic which may lead to slight embarrassment. Between 3000 rpm and 4000 rpm, the Guerilla performs the best with mild buzz creeping into the handlebar and foot pegs as the revs climb. 

As it breaches 5,000 rpm, the performance is exhilarating, however, it cannot be sustained for too long sadly due to enormous vibrations that has plagued the bike by this stage.On the other hand, the Hero Mavrick concentrates most of its power and torque lower down the range which enhances its low-end performance. It also has a more pleasant mid-range performance as compared to the Guerrilla with a wide spread of torque and a taller gearing 

Such performance is more usable in an urban environment on a daily basis while the Guerrilla can be best utilised on an empty stretch of highways or free way. The Mavrick too is riddled with mild buzz on the footpegs and handlebar across the rev range, however, lower down the rev range it is not that big a problem.

The shorter gearing on the Guerrilla will tempt the rider to short shift more often although it is not a serious problem since the 6-speed gearbox with a slip and assist clutch is super smooth. The gearbox on the Mavrick in comparison feels notchy and indecisive with shifts not smooth enough, although the taller gearing would prevent the rider from shifting gears too often.

Royal Enfield Guerrilla vs Hero Mavrick: The better rider and handler

Suspension on both bikes are tuned on the stiffer side, that said, the one in Guerrilla is only marginally softer than the Mavrick resulting in a slightly better and more comfortable ride quality in the former. Both bikes offer more than decent real estate in their respective seats, however, the Guerrilla will feel more comfortable in long, open stretches of tarmac for a longer duration. The Mavrick’s seat is slightly softer which can create some problems in long journeys.

As far as handling goes, the Guerrilla against edges past the Mavrick yet again with a more dynamic setup. Even though the Guerilla is longer than the Mavrick, it is a bit more agile than the latter. That said, both bikes are more than happy to lean over into the corners with more than adequate grip from tyres.

Royal Enfield Guerrilla vs Hero Mavrick: The better bike

It all boils down to the prices of both these models. On account of superior equipment and a more powerful liquid-cooled engine, the Guerrilla is priced at a starting of Rs 2.39 lakh (ex-showroom), a premium of Rs 40,000 over the corresponding base variant of Hero Mavrick. The top-spec Guerrilla is priced at Rs 2.54 lakh (ex-showroom) which is Rs 30,000 dearer than the top-spec Mavrick.

Both bikes offer a similar value-for-money and you won’t go wrong in picking either of them. If you want a bike that runs a little relaxed and has immense grunt in the lower revs, the Mavrick is a better choice whereas for those seeking thrills at the top end with better features the Guerrilla comes out as a better buy.