If the title cat-fished you here, it says a lot about the fiery wormhole the EV industry is in right now. So allow me to put you at rest here. Oben, a Bangalore-based startup claims that their first electric two-wheeler, named ‘Rorr’, will never catch on fire. While this tall claim will take its own sweet time to substantiate, we are in Bangalore to put the rest of the electric motorcycle to test!
Oben Rorr: Origin and design
The Oben Rorr electric motorcycle gets a neo-classic design with a round LED headlamp, an integrated LED DRL ring and a strong cover on top of the battery. There’s an abundance of plastic panels finished in metallic paint or matte finish. The machined parts receive a brushed silver finish. Oben takes a lot of pride in readying a lot of the bike in-house, including the battery and the trellis frame. Although the battery frame is quite broad and a little uncomfortable while riding, the overall design is quite likeable. The plastic panels, paint, switchgear quality and the seat cushioning could do a lot better.
Oben Rorr: Silent Electric Roar
Madhumita Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, Oben Electric says that the name ‘Rorr’ serves as a juxtaposition. Their electric motorcycle is silent and the only ‘roar’, is of its performance, which to be honest, is quite pleasing. The electric motorcycle packs in a massive non-removable 4.4kWh battery pack and gets three drive modes – Eco, City and Havoc. Oben claims 3 seconds from 0 to 40kph, and acceleration is very quick up to about 80kph, after which it begins to trail off a little but still manages to hit and even go a little over its claimed top speed of 100kph.The bike pulls quite hard even in the middle City mode, and it’s got enough performance here to keep pace with traffic. Top speed is capped at a reasonable 70kph, which makes this the ideal mode for most real-world situations.
In the lowest Eco mode, you get a claimed range of 200 kms but in this mode, the top speed drops to 50kph and is perfect for relaxed cruising. Although we didn’t get to utilize the entire charge of the battery in one go, the battery discharged at the claimed rate, despite being in the Havoc mode most of the time. It’s also worth noting that the Oben Rorr gets an LFP or lithium iron phosphate battery, which is a different kind of Li-ion battery that has a number of advantages including better chemical and thermal stability.
Oben Rorr: Ride Modes
Although the performance of the Oben Rorr is very impressive, its delivery could’ve been improved, especially in the Havoc mode when the throttle calibration too so quick that it swings ahead in a neck-jerking urgency. As much fun as it is riding in such an inhibited mode, it is almost impossible to hold a steady speed. Add to it the sharp brakes, (CBS only in the front) and the bike tends to skid a little bit.
Things are a lot better in City and Eco modes, and the throttle behaves more predictably here. But it’s still not quite perfect, and there is sometimes a lag between inputs and results, which becomes especially concerning when the bike continues accelerating for a brief moment after rolling off the throttle.
Oben Rorr: Ride and handling
The Oben Rorr’s chassis is quite well sorted that is held together by a trellis frame suspended on a telescopic fork and monoshock, and it feels quite stable and sure-footed even at its 100kph top speed. Its behaviour around corners is natural and predictable, too, and this is a fairly sweet-handling machine, considering the performance and price points. But suspension set-up could stand to be more balanced. It’s currently on the firm side, which is great for stability and handling, but it isn’t the best at flattening out bumps and potholes at city speeds, and a lot of those imperfections come through to your backside. Considering what most people will be using this bike for, Oben would do well to soften the spring and/or damping rates.
Oben Rorr: Price and Verdict
The Oben Rorr does what it is set out for, to offer an affordable electric alternative to your daily commuter motorcycles. At a price of Rs. 1.02 lakh, ex-showroom, it has potential to sit on the winning side of the electric team.
