Oben Rorr EZ First Ride Review: Convenient Commuting

Commuter motorcycles are among the most convenient modes of transport owing to their usability and affordability. Compared to scooters, they offer better ground clearance, better ride quality over broken roads, and better handling, thanks to their larger wheels. However, with ever-increasing traffic, it might become a hassle for many to make constant gear shifts while cruising through town.

This is the reason that many opt to own a scooter instead. There is a compromise on both ends and that brings us to an important question. Is an electric motorcycle the perfect option for urban commuting, as it brings together the convenience of both, scooters and motorcycles? We recently spent some time with the Oben Rorr EZ and here are our impressions. 

Design

The Oben Rorr EZ has this neo-retro look with a round LED headlight at the front, a blend of curvy and sharp panels, and a minimalist tail section. The bike rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and it does have a proportionate design.

The overall build quality is on par with segment expectations and this mid-spec variant we have for the review is available with four colour options. 

Ergonomics

The bike's 810mm seat height is accessible, but the seat is slightly broad, so shorter riders might not be able to flatfoot to the ground. With my 5’7 frame, I was not able to flat foot to the ground but it is an easily manageable motorcycle.

The handlebar is wide and riders are sat with a slight forward lean, similar to how you would sit on a naked streetfighter. The seat feels slightly stiff but doesn't really come in the way of short commutes.

Performance

The Oben Rorr EZ is offered in 3 variants, here’s a brief breakdown.

The variant we are riding for this review is the mid-spec variant which gets a 3.4 kWh LFP Battery and has a claimed 0-40kmph time of 3.3 seconds. The bike has three ride modes including Eco, City, and Havoc. As I got going on the Oben Rorr EZ, I liked the smooth acceleration and good throttle calibration. In the city, these factors translate to potent performance when it comes to making quick overtakes and zipping through traffic.

The Eco mode does feel really slow, only really suitable for getting the most range from the bike. So most riders will primarily end up using City mode, which strikes a good balance between performance and range. Havoc is the fastest mode and is decently quick. It comes into use when riders need to make quick overtakes or for short highway rides. 

The riding modes can be switched on the go, but sometimes riders might need to press the button multiple times to get the mode to actually change. Oben says that they have built in a time delay to avoid accidental switching of the modes, but going by our test vehicle, we would have liked it to work more seamlessly.

This variant we were riding has an IDC estimated range of 140km which translates to around 110km of real-world riding range, which is what’s displayed on the screen. From our time spent with the bike, we can confirm that it does deliver a range accurate to what is displayed on the screen. With a mix of riding in City and Havoc modes, riders can expect to get around 80km of riding range, which should be good for almost three days of daily commuting.

Ride Quality & Handling

The suspension setup delivers a fairly plush ride quality over bad roads. This variant has a kerb weight of 143kg and on the go, it does feel really lightweight which makes maneuvering through city traffic an effortless task. Riders who weigh around 80kg might find the suspension setup perfectly to their liking but lighter riders might find it a tad stiff depending on the terrain.

The bike gets disc brakes at both ends, Bybre calipers, and a Unified Brake Assist (UBS) system The braking feedback is good to get the bike to a halt quickly and even in case of an emergency. The Ceat Zoom Plus tyres offer good performance for the levels of performance that the bike delivers.

Features

The bike features a colour-segmented LCD screen with only the necessary information available at a quick glance. As mentioned earlier, the bike gets three riding modes which can be switched on the go. 

Additionally, it also gets a small section for storage at the front, and under the seat is where riders can store the charger. 

Verdict

Overall, the Oben Rorr EZ proves to be a good alternative to 110cc commuter bikes. It has this unique and quirky design which makes it stand out and catch a lot of attention. For city commuting, it delivers potent performance and can also accommodate a bit of highway cruising when necessary.

Overall, the experience with the bike was easygoing. It is smooth, convenient and you surely do get the best of both worlds. It is priced starting at Rs 89,000 (ex-showroom) and this mid-spec variant we have here is priced at Rs 99,000, making it affordable when you consider the higher prices of EVs in general.