Ultraviolette X47 review: Worth crossing over for?

Ultraviolette X47 design - 8/10

A cleaner design with an exposed battery pack and well-executed proportions

The obvious first change is the design that I think has been executed very well. It’s sharp yet well-balanced, with good proportions and a familiar LED headlamp that makes it immediately recognisable as an Ultraviolette. This design may lack the shock value of the F77s, but it certainly carries more mass appeal.

Under the new bodywork lies the same main frame as the F77 but with a slightly more relaxed steering rake angle, now up to 24.5 degrees. The subframe is a new cast aluminium unit that not only looks great but hides an extremely valuable technology update – more on that in a bit. 

Ultraviolette X47 suspension - 9/10

170mm of travel at both ends, and it swallows bad roads with ease

The big mechanical change comes in the form of longer travel suspension, with wheel travel up to 170mm at both ends. Ground clearance is up to a healthy 200mm, and the company claims a relatively low 820mm seat height. That said, riders shorter than 5’7” will find themselves on their toes. 

Tall riders will appreciate the reasonably spacious seat as well as the more relaxed riding ergos with a nice, tall and wide handlebar. Apart from a seat that feels firm in about half an hour, this riding position is very comfy, and it, along with the new suspension, makes for a remarkably different riding experience from the F77 and its sibling, the F77 SuperStreet.

Just the ergo change alone has resulted in a bike that feels much lighter steering, and this is despite the fact that the X47 weighs the same as the F77. The suspension is also noticeably more plush, and while you can’t push it quite as hard as the F77, it is still good fun in the corners while being significantly more comfortable. 

In the same vein, it’s not really something to consider as a purposeful off-roader. The front end feels quite heavy to lift over obstacles, and the lack of a clutch lever, as well as the aggressive, unrelenting low-speed acceleration, all take some getting used to. 

Ultraviolette X47 performance and battery - 8/10

Uses the same powertrain and battery packs as the F77

As with the F77, there are three riding modes, four levels of TC and 10 levels of regen. Acceleration in Ballistic mode is very exciting till about 80kph, and while the acceleration times are on par with 250cc bikes, the quiet, unrelenting rush is a unique experience that is very enjoyable.

Battery sizes are also the same – either 7.1kWh or 10.3kWh – and the company claims the same IDC range figure of 323km with the bigger battery. The most significant improvement on the X47 comes in how the battery is charged. Hidden within that new subframe is what UV tells us is the world’s most power-dense air-cooled on-board charger and that it can juice up the bike at 1.6kW speeds.

Ultraviolette X47 charger, radar and dashcam - 9/10

Clever technologies that improve the ownership experience

The huge advantage with this is that you no longer have to haul around a heavy charger, and all you need is a small and light charging cable. Moreover, you can double the charging speeds by buying the accessory boost charger, which is also rated at 1.6kW. Mind you, this doesn’t come as standard and cannot be fitted after purchase, so you need to pick a variant equipped with it at the time of purchase.

The other big talking point this year is that the X47 debuts radar-based rider alerts, and this feature is standard across all variants. A rear-facing radar module (by Continental) constantly scans 200 metres of the road behind and can alert you of blindspots, someone overtaking you or even if a collision is imminent. This is done via small indicator lights in the mirror as well as a warning that appears on the TFT.

Unlike in cars (and thankfully so), this system makes no brake/steering inputs and only gives you visual warnings. We didn’t get to try this on the road, but it worked well in the demonstration that UV had set up on the go-kart track.

Another feature on offer will be a front and rear dashcam set up with a dedicated display screen that sits above the bike’s TFT display. Unlike the on-board charger, this feature will not be offered on any of the variants and can only be bought as an optional extra. Prices have not yet been revealed.

Ultraviolette X47 price and verdict - 8/10

Introductory prices place the X47 starting price below the F77

Prices for the X47 start at Rs 2.49 lakh for the base Original 7.1kWh model and go up to Rs 3.99 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Bengaluru) for the top Recon+. This includes a 25,000 discount on every variant for the first 5,000 customers. There are four variants in total, with two for each battery size. Opting for the premium + variants brings in the on-board charger, as well as some more advanced features and rider aids, for an additional Rs 50,000. 

Ultimately, this is the most appealing bike in UV’s line-up because it offers the same levels of performance with far more usability on our roads. The downsides are similar to the existing UV models in that it is heavy, the fit and finish of the bodywork can improve and that the prices of the top models are still quite high. With that in mind, this is still a fairly niche product, but it will appeal to a wider group of early adopters who were previously put off by the F77’s ergos. And that will tide Ultraviolette nicely until its real mass-appeal products debut next year.