The Mahindra Mojo was always a quirky, but likeable motorcycle. However, its high price point led Mahindra to work towards introducing a new, more affordable version of the Mojo – the UT300. It sits below the standard version that has now been named the XT300. In case you were wondering, Mahindra says UT stands for Universal Tourer while XT stands for Xtreme Tourer.

Similar styling
The overall styling of the UT300 remains very familiar. However, there are a few big changes that can’t be missed, like the single exhaust and single-tone colour scheme which comes in place of the dual-sided exhaust and dual-tone colour schemes seen on the more expensive XT300. The UT300 also gets a simpler front mudguard with exposed bolts that are otherwise hidden on the XT300’s fender. Lastly, the motorcycle also misses out on the LED daytime-running strips that sit above the headlight on the standard bike.

Tweaked dimensions
Interestingly, there are small differences in the UT300’s dimensions as well. Its wheelbase is down by 5mm (to 1,460mm), ground clearance also has gone down 8.5mm (to 165mm), the seat height is up from 814.5mm to 818mm, and the overall length has also gone up by 15mm (to 2,115mm). The UT300 has shed 2.5kg and that’s not surprising, given the single exhaust, but the dry weight figure still stands at a hefty 163.5kg.

Detuned powertrain
Powering the UT300 is the same 294.7cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. This time around, though, it uses a carburettor instead of a fuel injector, resulting in a rather substantial dip in power figures. The Mojo UT300 makes 23.1hp and 25.2Nm of torque, down from the fuel-injected XT300's 27hp and 30Nm; power-to-weight ratio thus dips from 163hp/tonne to 141hp/tonne. However, the UT300 uses the same six-speed gearbox seen on the more-expensive Mojo variant.

Reduced equipment
One of the easiest ways to reduce the price of a motorcycle is to lower the number of features it offers. A big mechanical change seen on the UT300 is its new conventional front fork instead of premium USD unit seen on the standard (now XT300) Mojo. The conventional fork does have an identical 143.5mm of travel but whether it will offer the same level of ride comfort offered by the USD unit remains to be seen. Mahindra has also switched from Pirelli Diablo Rosso II to MRF tyres on the UT300; what’s surprising is the fact that, at 140/70 R17, they are also one size smaller to the XT300’s 150/60 R17. The 320mm front and 240mm rear disc brake set-up has been left unchanged. The UT300 also loses out on one horn and gets a single unit, compared to the dual unit on the XT300.

Affordability
Mahindra has officially launched the Mojo UT300 for Rs 1.49 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It will be sold alongside the XT300 and is available with an additional introductory benefit of Rs 10,000 till the end of March. Priced at Rs 1.49 lakh, the UT300 costs Rs 21,000 less than the standard Mojo (XT300) that’s priced at Rs 1.70 lakh.

Do you think the UT300 makes sense considering the amount of equipment it misses out on? Let us know in the comments below.