Oben Rorr Review: Big Cat's Flawed Meow

Published: Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 8:57 [IST]

The Indian electric two-wheeler revolution is truly sparking into life with the public slowly but surely getting into the saddles of these EVs. And it comes as no surprise that we've seen a host of new manufacturers pop up into the electric two-wheeler scene.

Bengaluru's Oben EV is one of these kids on the two-wheeler and while it officially started to deliver its Rorr electric motorcycle a few months back, we were invited to ride the production-spec bike just last week.

So join us as we share our thoughts from the saddle of Oben Rorr and find out what the electric bike can do after a day on the streets of Bengaluru.

Oben Rorr Review: Design & Features - The No-Frills EV

At first glance, you do wonder if Oben EV's designers are big fans of the Honda CB300R. With its circular light, mass-forward design, angular 'fuel' tank, silver shroud that sits in front of it, and raised tail, you could be forgiven if someone wondered if the Honda had shrunken in size and lost its engine.

The circular LED headlight looks rather nice and that faux fuel tank section hides the fixed 15A charging cable that can top up the battery from empty to 80 per cent in just two hours. The stepped seat is inclined towards the tank thanks to the raised tail which also sports split grab handles and the sleek taillights and rear indicators.

Unlike other electric vehicles, the Oben Rorr does not get a touchscreen or even a TFT display. Instead, the Rorr sports a negative LCD unit with auto-brightness that gives riders all the data they'll need and supports an e-sim and Bluetooth-enabled app connectivity. The Rorr also sports an anti-theft system.

The minimal look of the Oben Rorr means that it looks more like a conventional motorcycle than anything else. And that is good considering just how frugal with everything else. Sure the lighting setup is a full LED game, but the rest looks like it has been made to cost, except for the switchgear which is from the TVS Apache parts bin and the footpegs which seems quite nicely built.

There are some fit-and-finish issues that we need to point out. The paint which looks quite nice, especially in the brighter schemes, from afar, had issues in a few places where it looked splotchy at best.

The negative LCD's auto-brightness setup seemed to have a mind of its own at times changing brightness levels when not needed and there were some flickering issues as well during our time with it.

Oben Rorr Review: Specs & Dimensions - Big Battery, Big Range Claims

The Oben Rorr is powered by a 4.4kW LFP battery pack that delivers an IDC range of 187km. Real-world range depends on which of the three modes on offer you select, which also limits the top speed.

The three modes on offer are Eco, City and Havoc. In Eco mode, Oben claims that the Rorr delivers a real-world range of 150km while the top speed is limited to 50km/h. City mode ups the top speed to 70km/h but brings the claimed real-world range down to 120km. Havoc raises the top speed to 110km/h but guts the range to just 100km.

The Oben Rorr's big battery powers a mid-mounted electric motor that delivers a peak output of 10.72bhp and 330Nm of wheel torque. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a belt-drive system.

The Oben Rorr sports a 1,423mm long wheelbase and offers 200mm of ground clearance. The seat sits 810mm above the ground and the Rorr weighs in at just 130 kilogrammes.

The Oben Rorr sports 37 telescopic front forks and a monoshock at the rear and the electric bike rides on 17-inch alloy wheels with 110/70-17 (front) and 130/70-17 (rear) tyres from Ceat. Braking duties are carried out by discs on both ends that are aided by a Combi-Braking System (CBS).

Oben Rorr Review: Riding Impressions - Quick But Needs Work

On the move, the Oben Rorr is quick especially if you're in the maddest Havoc mode. Both Eco and City modes are very consistent with the way they deliver power and while Havoc is the maddest you can reach the claimed triple-digit speed, though the motorcycle seems to slow down once you go past 90km/h.

The ride quality isn't that great, with the rear feeling especially stiff and transmitting all the harsh bumps and ruts to your rear end. While the bike feels agile when you make quick direction changes, it doesn't give you the confidence to be a leaning loon at the limit.

Oben would be better off softening up the suspension setup to help the Rorr deal with the bumps and ruts better. The Rorr is a city bike and the stiff suspension setup doesn't help in those situations.

The brakes are another problem that don't allow you to exploit the full performance of the Oben Rorr. The front brakes for the most part don't afford enough bite while the rear is too bitey. The rear also locks up if you apply a little too much pressure when pulling the lever and leaves you sliding and flailing about like a novice ice skater.

We didn't get enough time with the Oben Rorr to check its charging times and range though we found Oben EV's claims on the latter to be quite close to the actual range, especially with most of our riding done in Havoc mode. However, we need a bit more time with the bike to give a proper verdict on charging times and range.

Oben Rorr Review: Verdict & Final Thoughts - Big Cat's Flawed Meow

The Oben Rorr, at the end of the day, is a mixed bag of both highlights and things that need to be improved. While the speed is there and the range (at least from what we saw with our limited time in the saddle) and the bike makes quick direction quite willingly, the harsh ride and the maddening brakes are not what we would want inflicted on anyone.

Add in the finish issues and we do wonder if Oben has missed a trick here. This is no roar from a big cat but more of a grumbling meow from one that has the potential to be a lot better.