Mahindra 2-Wheelers is showing-off two concept motorcycles at the Autocar Performance Show, presently underway at the MMRDA Grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. The two bikes, the Mahindra jcMoto and the Mahindra Centuro Scrambler were showcased to judge reactions from the crowd at the event.
Both motorcycles use the 110cc engine the Centuro deploys. Output from the jcMoto gets a boost though, this being built around a drag-racer theme, with changes to the carburettor. The air-filter and exhaust pipe have also been tuned to be more free flowing, so besides the improved performance of the engine, sound acoustics are much louder, and sportier. The chassis on the jcMoto has been shortened, and a custom swingarm is used in place of the stock unit.
Weight reduction has taken center stage during the designing of the new bike, and the most obvious changes are removal of the front mudguard, rear mudguard, side cowls, side stand, kick-starter and chain covers. Weight reduction means everything from the instrument cluster has been removed, and even the battery is housed in a thin metal box under a thin seat pad. The rear cowl and the tank are fiber-glass constructed, and the wheels use spokes, not alloy. The footpegs have been made of lightweight alloy, and are farther rear-set.
The handle bars are clip-ons, and in place of the instrument cluster sits a solo tachometer, a green indicator and a push-start button. Performing suspension duties on the front are inverted telescopic forks, while the ones on the back are units used on the Centuro. As for the brakes, Bybre (Brembo’s Indian arm) disc brakes have been installed on the front, while the rear uses drums.
The Centuro Scrambler retains the same engine and carburettor setup, and even the air-filter and exhaust stays a constant. The chassis too, is likewise the same. However, the swingarm has been custom made to employ a monoshock at rear. The most interesting bit is the Centuro Scrambler exhaust pipe, placed quite high up and now passing next to the seat. Mahindra has however, kept safety of the rider in mind, coating the inside of the pipe with ceramic to keep it from getting overly hot. Heat dissipation material has also been wrapped around the exhaust to make sure less heat travels to a rider’s legs.
The fuel-tank adorns a leather strap running from the centre of the seat to the handlebars, which helps keep the motorcycle’s feel intact. The handlebar has also been tweaked to make this concept Mahindra more stable. At the front and rear of the bike, black alloys with off-road tyres mounted on them have been used, and braking duties are performed by drum brakes.
Mahindra 2-Wheelers has not commented on whether or when these motorcycles are due to reach production reality. With Hero MotoCorp having launched their own cafe racer spin-off of the Splendor Pro, and Mahindra showcasing these new spin-offs, one could not be blamed for thinking this is the start of a new trend.
Arpit Phillips