River Indie Electric Scooter: First Ride Review

The Visuals

The River Indie’s design strikes as quite unconventional compared to some of the premium e-scooters we’ve seen so far. The overall theme is funky and quirky and it appears to be on the utilitarian side. But that’s not a bad thing. Now, if you look at the front, the twin LED headlights are sizeable and occupy most of the front end. It makes the Indie look a little robotic and should appeal to the geeks, in a good way. We even like the fact that River has gone heavy on the useability aspect.

Speaking of the utility bit, the Indie already has a practical-sized floorboard. But if you want to make yourself more comfortable or store additional luggage near your feet, then there are foldable footpegs too. These fit flush with the overall design. Then, the Indie comes with fixed mounts for its panniers, but they are only available for the pre-booked scooters that will be sold in Bengaluru. The handle-like crash guards are another smart integration that doesn’t disrupt the design or stick out of the element. These are made to protect the body panels from damage.

The Indie shines bright in its storage department. It has a total capacity of 55 litres, out of which 43 litres is located under the seat and 12 litres is reserved for the glovebox. The boot easily stores a full-face helmet and still has abundant space to add more luggage.

The Package

River has equipped the Indie with a 4kWh battery offering 120km of maximum range in Eco mode and a 4.5kW motor with a top speed of 90kmph in the Rush mode. This is a mid-mounted motor with belt drive so you'd likely hear a buzzing sound of the belt while riding. The setup is mounted to a double-cradle frame and it gets telescopic front forks and dual rear springs. Then, there is a 240mm front and 200mm rear disc with a combined braking system (CBS).

As for the performance, the Indie comes off as a very approachable scooter from the get-go if ridden in Eco or Ride mode(s). Its acceleration is linear and predictable and the throttle response, too, feels familiar. If you are to ride the Indie in the city, then Eco mode would be a sensible choice as there's adequate drive for small overtakes. However, if you have the urge to go a little faster, then Ride mode is what would serve you better. We also found the Ride mode suitable for easy commuting on the highway with a cruising speed of about 60kmph.

Then, there's the Rush mode, the fastest and quickest of the trio. It gets about 90kmph of top speed and 70km of claimed true range. But because of the limited time, we couldn't drain the battery in one go. Through all modes, the surge in power flattens after a bit, but nothing alarming. On the bright side, the Indie easily climbs inclines smoothly even in the Eco mode.

Even the overall quality of the Indie e-scooter is decent. Most of the parts are fixed well and come cohesive with the entire structure. The footpegs, crash guards, and pannier mounts are very sturdy and function well. The panel gaps are even for most places, too.

However, the grass isn’t green throughout. There are a few areas where River could improve. The first one is the charging port cover. It opens from the inside and has a rubber piece connecting the cap. It's a little flimsy and feels loose. Then, the switch cubes also need more consistency. Some of them have an audible click and tactile feel while others could leave you second-guessing.

The Ride

With its low stance, large wheels, and upright rider triangle, you get a good command of the River Indie's handling. At first, we found it to be a little lazy in taking turns or switching lanes but once you get a hang of the weight, the Indie becomes fun to the ride. That said, taking U-turns on it needs a little more calculation than you'd expect.

The front spring feels reasonably pliant but the rear is a little on the stiffer side. In case you come across a broken patch, we advise you to take it easy to glide over the undulations. Now, this could vary if the rider is slightly on the heavier side or if you are riding with a pillion. The added weight would help compress the springs more and thus make the overall ride more supple. The Indie’s large 14-inch wheels make it convenient to ride over bad patches. We came across some unexpected stones on the roads and the Indie rode over them without losing its balance. This comes at the cost of handling input since the large wheels need more effort to steer around.

Then, the brakes offer a good and reliable bite but the lever progression and feel could be improved. We also felt the levers were a little far from the handlebar, so maybe River could offer a better setup. Ergonomically, it is impressively comfortable since there’s more than enough space on the seat and the floorboard for the rider to move around if needed. Then the secondary footpegs are an absolute cherry on the top.

River has kept the features list quite minimal on the Indie. It just gets LED lights all over, fully digital console, three ride modes (Eco, Ride, and Rush), USB charging, underseat lighting, side stand cut-off, and CBS. River says a lot of buyers usually prefer using their phone for navigation rather than the scooter’s console, so it has skipped on the said feature too. It is only when compared to the competition, that you'll feel the Indie could get better features.

Conclusion

The River Indie has come off as a fairly good product. From its unique design and balanced proportions to the ample storage and likeable handling, the Indie’s package is quite commendable. It’s high on practicality and feels well-built, too, for the most part. Even the linear acceleration and the performance felt friendly for the first-time user, which could make it convenient to switch from a petrol scooter to an EV.

However, it offers fewer features when compared to some of the other EVs in today’s market, and needs slightly better finishing as well. Lastly, River has held the Rs. 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom) price only for the pre-booked scooters and says it’s subject to change in the coming months. Whether it’ll be hiked or reduced, is yet to be known. But if you are one of those who’ve booked the Indie at the introductory price, then it makes for a rational purchase for now.

Photography by Kapil Angane