Oben Rorr Electric Motorcycle First Ride Review: Is It Ready To Roar?

Oben Electric is the newest electric two-wheeler maker in town and the Bengaluru-based start-up promises its maiden offering - Rorr - to be a 150 cc motorcycle rival but with better specifications. The newest two-wheeler maker is not only looking to compete with conventional sport commuters but also against electric offerings like the Revolt RV400 and the Tork Kratos. The homegrown company then, has quite the work cut out for itself, especially once you consider how big of a segment the 150 cc space really is. So, the big question is, can the Oben Rorr actually roar like the lion or does it whimper like a cub? We headed to Bengaluru to find out.
 

Also Read: Oben Rorr Electric Motorcycle Launched In India 

The Oben Rorr gets the proportions right while the design, though inspired, looks good

Design

The Oben Rorr sports a neo-classic design language but it's reminiscent of a certain neo-sports cafe design. The round LED headlamp with an integrated LED DRL ring, a muscular cover on top of the battery and the tank extensions are all smart elements. The compact and stubby tail section looks great too with the small LED taillight. There are plenty of different surfaces with the plastic panels finished in matte or metallic paint, while the machined parts get the brushed silver finish. Underneath all of that bodywork is a trellis frame completely developed in-house. The muscular streetfighter design is plenty inspired but not that we are complaining. We do like the design and Oben gets the proportions right. The bike looks muscular and agile and the bright colours make it likeable. While the styling is likeable, the quality levels leave a lot to be desired. The plastic panels, paint, switchgear quality and the seat cushioning -- all need a lot more work. The bike could do with more finesse and that's where Oben needs to work on big time.

The digital instrument console is loaded on information but barely readable under the sky
 

Features and Ergonomics

The riding posture is comfortable with an upright stance, wide handlebar and slightly rear-set footpegs. The seat height is low enough and most riders will find it accessible without having to tip-toe. But the protruding side panel makes it slightly awkward as it does not allow the rider to grip the fuel tank properly. The Rorr also gets a digital instrument console and the display is fairly loaded with information. It shows all the essential tell-tale lights, riding modes, speed, range and more, but is barely readable under direct sunlight. The unit will also chime a warning sound at speeds under 5 kmph to indicate the active motor, while a green warning light stays on as well indicating the same. However, the light is not visible under the open sky and the warning sound gets annoying every time you come to a stop, distracting you far too often.

The app-based telematics suite bring a host of additional features on the bike including geofencing, ride analytics and more

The Oben Rorr is a connected vehicle as all modern vehicles tend to be and it tracks your riding behaviour, battery usage, vehicle health, geofencing and more, all of which are accessible through an app. An e-SIM is embedded into the instrument cluster that helps log data. This is particularly interesting as Oben says this data will determine how the users will be charged for extended warranty and even insurance in the future. At present, the Rorr comes with 3 years/60,000 km warranty, which is extendable up to five years at a minimal amount of Rs. 5,000. However, aggressive riding will get you a low riding score and a marginally more expensive warranty.

Straight line stability is impressive on the Oben Rorr and the Havoc mode feels distinctly different with a more aggressive throttle response

Performance

Oben claims the Rorr is India's fastest electric motorcycle with 0-40 kmph coming up in flat 3 seconds and a top speed of 100 kmph. In comparison, the Tork Kratos R has a top speed of 105 kmph but does the 0-40 kmph sprint in 3.5 seconds. So yes it's fast but only off the line. Out in the real world, the Rorr feels plenty fast from behind the bar. Slot the bike into Havoc mode and the throttle becomes more aggressive. It's here that you get to use the full potential of the 13.4 bhp PMS motor and 62 Nm of peak torque. Speeds build up quickly and you see 70 kmph coming up in no time. The top speed of 100 kmph is doable and the bike stays there with ease. But our test bike also had some vibrations on the foot pegs at over 80 kmph and that was a dampener.

The Havoc mode was always bound to be impressive and lived up to the hype that Oben set us up for. But the performance in Eco and City modes turned out to be more consistent. While power delivery is a lot more linear in these modes, there is ample low-end grunt that keeps the bike quick off the line. The top speed is restricted to 50 and 70 kmph respectively in Eco and City, and there's no dullness in performance. We managed to climb Bengaluru's twisty Nandi Hills in the Eco mode with no signs of strain. On flat roads, it's quite a pleasurable ride.

The chassis is well-balanced between ride and handling. The Rorr is quite capable around a corner

Ride & Handling

The 37 mm telescopic forks at the front and a rear monoshock have been tuned to be on the firmer side. But the ride quality is good enough and gobbles up most undulations. The chassis has been well-calibrated to attack corners and the bike performs quite capably around a bend. As a first-time effort by a start-up, the Rorr emerges as a fun offering with impressive high-speed stability. Braking performance is above average and the experience could've been better with ABS on board instead of a Combi-Braking System (CBS) Given the quick acceleration time, the safety feature is necessary on the e-motorcycle.

The charging cable is fixed on the Rorr that connects only to a 15-ampere socket. The charging time is an impressive 2 hours with Oben's proprietary tech on offer

Range

Oben claims a range of 150 km on a single charge in the Eco mode, which goes down to 120 km in City and 100 km in the Havoc mode. These are true range figures whereas the Indian Driving Cycle (IDC) range is about 200 km on a single charge. The Rorr remained consistent with the claims throughout our test ride and we saw a manageable depletion of the battery through a variety of riding scenarios.

But the interesting part is the charging time. Unlike other electric offerings that get either DC-fast or AC-slow charging, the Rorr uses a standard connector to charge its 4.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack in two hours using a 15-ampere socket. At a charging rate of 27 mins/kW, you get up to 80 per cent charge in 2 hours or about 1 km/min. The company's proprietary technology just might be a disruptor providing the safety of an AC charger with the convenience of DC charging. However, the charger is only compatible with a 15-ampere socket and not a 5-ampere one. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the real world, especially given our limited charging infrastructure. Nevertheless, Oben says its customers will have access to over 12,000 charging stations through its dealerships and third-party tie-ups across the country.

Oben uses an LFP battery that promises a longer shelf life and a 30 per cent higher temperature resistance. It also gets an aluminium casing to maximise safety while the unit is water-resistant with an IP67 rating. Add to that, the massive 200 mm ground clearance - almost adventure bike-like - ensures that you not only brave rough roads but also keep the battery away from underbody damage. That said, the PMS motor is IP65 rated and the Rorr has a water wading depth of 230 mm, good enough for deep puddles.

The Oben Rorr gets a value pricing, especially with the state subsidies in the mix

Price

The Oben Rorr is attractively priced at Rs. 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom) before state subsidies kick in. That's competitive pricing and pretty much on par with what the 150-160 cc motorcycles are currently available for. However, adding the state subsidies makes the Rorr look like a more valuable proposition and that should help the start-up put its foot in the door.

The Oben Rorr has teething issues but nothing that can't be rectified. The company has established a strong baseline to build upon

Verdict

Is the Oben Rorr the perfect electric motorcycle you were looking for? The answer is no but it does have the potential to be one. The e-motorcycle is a bold and capable attempt that could be better with a lot of improvements. The paint quality, overall fit and finish, need to be reworked. The instrument cluster felt erratic on our ride and the switchgear could be less cumbersome. But Oben gets the fundamentals right. The motor works in a fantastic fashion, it has a strong pull in all three modes and we could feel ample power right from Eco mode on the twisties. So what Oben needs to work upon are smaller things, all of which can be worked upon.

Oben says all the shortcomings will be taken care of once the bike enters series production in a few weeks. Operations will begin with nine markets in the first phase and deliveries will commence during this festive season. The brand's maiden offering has some serious potential and with some nip and tuck, we expect it to roar at full volume.