The Mahindra Mojo and the Royal Enfield Himalayan took multiple years to develop. Both of them are really important offerings for their respective manufacturers and promise to be proper tourers. Both of these motorcycles stand out of the crowd due to their characteristics and design language. These similarities gave way to a rivalry of sorts and being priced so close to each other, we just had to pit these motorcycles against each other. The Mahindra Mojo costs Rs 1.83 lakh and the Royal Enfield (RE) Himalayan is priced at Rs 1.73 lakh (all prices on-road, Delhi) but there's more to this story than just the prices.
The similarities continue even when you talk about their specifications on paper, so we will not get into the nitty-grittys of those details. What you need to keep in mind though is that the Mojo is powered by a 295 cc engine that produces 27 horsepower whereas the Himalayan, despite having a larger 411 cc engine, produces only 24.5 horsepower. But having a long-stroke engine design, the torque output of the Himalayan is higher at 32 Nm as compared to Mojo's 30 Nm.
What really differentiates the two motorcycles is the riding experience that comes along with them.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan is a tall bike and the rider sits upright. The large 21-inch front wheel and the high handlebar means that the bike will turn with just a nudge and you can achieve massive lean angles. Interestingly, everything around the handlebar is mounted on the frame itself, be it the headlamps or the instrument cluster, which means that the handlebar feels light and the bike has a very impressive turning radius, making it a very nimble and agile motorcycle.
The chassis on the Himalayan cannot be praised enough as it is absolutely wonderful and Royal Enfield's all-new LS410 engine gets rid of all unwanted vibrations that you usually get with other RE motorcycles. Unfortunately, the brilliant chassis is let down by the same engine, which could have used with a few more horsepower. Yes, it does have ample torque at lower RPMs but the engine seems laid back and feels like it only wants to keep cruising. You would be left wanting for more when the need for quick overtakes or sprints over 80 km/h arises.
The Mojo, on the other hand, has a sportier stance and riding posture and an equally keen engine. It isn't very rev-happy, but will not disappoint when you push it hard and crack open the throttle. The Mojo feels much more alive and being fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres, it will stick to the road no matter how hard you ride it. The Mojo feels a lot more modern and up-to-date with features like the roll-over sensor, which will cut off the fuel supply if it detects a sudden change in the bike’s angle to drastic levels and rear wheel lift in case of a crash. There's also a limp home mode which limits the engine speed to a maximum of 5000 RPM, in case any sort of malfunction happens on the bike.
Being oil-cooled, heat dissipation is dealt with extremely well and the engine will make you fall in love with it. The twin exhausts make it one of the best sounding motorcycles in its segment. Keep in mind, though, that the Mojo is not as agile and nimble as the Himalayan and requires a lot more rider input while taking sharp turns. It feels heavier, probably due to the massive headlight, and the chassis does not allow extreme off-roading like the Himalayan does.
So Despite being similar in many ways, both these bikes are quite different. Both these motorcycles are great value for money and both the manufacturers have done what no other could in a very long time.
If you want to know which is the better offering at the end of the day, then it comes down to what kind of riding you plan to do with your motorcycle. If it is long distance cruising on highways and a racy feedback which you crave then it has to be the Mojo. But when the road ends, it is the Himalayan that will keep going on, unperturbed by what kind of terrain is thrown at it.
The trophy then is taken home by the Himalayan by a very close margin as the better all-around motorcycle, but we will take the keys to the Mojo for riding back home.
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