Seven years. The F77 is the product of another Bangalore startup that concocts automobiles, aeronautics and consumer goods and one that took seven years to reach its fruition. Ultraviolette tested the F77 electric motorcycle, touted as India’s first electric sports bike in 2019 with a handful of journalists and test riders, but it wasn’t until very recently that it revealed its price list, which to be honest, is a little hard to digest. So let’s break it down.
Ultraviolette F77 Review – Looks out of this world
The F77 gathered more attention on Nandi hills than all of the bikes, and cars I’ve taken up and down the treacherous roads of Bangalore, combined. The electric bike has a massive road presence that looks no less than a petrol sports bike in red colour. It also gets grey and black body paint options. Ultraviolette says that the F77 is manufactured in a way that it is a motorcycle first and then an EV and it shows. At a massive kerb weight of 207 kgs, it is not everyone’s cup of tea and if the price doesn’t sieve a chunk of buyers, its out of this world look, might.
The Ultraviolette F77 is offered in three variants, the F77, the F77 Recon and the F77 Limited Edition.
Ultraviolette F77 Review – Flies like a spaceship too
The F77 sprints 0-60kmph in just 3.1 seconds and if I wasn’t so busy smiling ear to ear, I would’ve timed it. Ultraviolette gave us this impeccable opportunity to test ride the F77 to our heart’s content on the Meco karting track in Bangalore and boy, is it fast. The electric bike gets three ride modes – Glide, Combat and Ballistic. No points for guessing that the Ballistic mode was everyone’s favourite for the sheer madness it holds. Yes, EVs are known for their ‘electric push’ and gush of power right from the get-go, but Ballistic just warps ahead. A clutchless, fast motorcycle mixed with a track that throws one hairpin bend after another tested its prowess. Weighing more than four times my weight, the F77 is light as a feature once it gets on the throttle. It pushes you to be fast and have fun at the same time.
Ultraviolette F77 Review – Charging and features
The F77 Recon gets a 10.3 kWh battery pack that comes with a standard 1.3 kW charger that using a 15A power socket can fully charge the battery in 8-8.5 hours from 0-100%. An optional ‘boost’ charger can be purchased separately for around Rs. 30,000 which will re-charge the F77 in about 3-3.5 hours.
Ultraviolette F77 Review – Verdict
The F77 caters to a niche segment and quite a limited market that will shift or opt for a fast, expensive electric two-wheeler that costs an arm and a leg. The tech is in place and so is the product. Hopefully, it is the first of many and will kickstart the Ultraviolette journey in India.
