[bhpmooney]

Originally Posted by Gurudeep BN

I am currently hunting for my first electric scooter. I visited River JP Nagar showroom recently.

Below are some of the observations based on the test ride vehicle for which I would like to get opinions from people who have owned the scooter:

1. Since the seat is slightly inclined and has a height difference with respect to the pillion, I constantly had to adjust myself from slipping down. I am 5'10. Do anyone of you feel or have observed the same?

2. The quality of the plastics on the handle bar and near the screen felt very low quality. Is this true for the vehicle you own (especially if owned for a longer duration)?

3. The front side of the scooter had lot of rattles. Is it just on the test ride vehicle or is it the same in your owned vehicles as well due to flimsy fit?

4. In your ownership so far, any issues encountered during service or otherwise?

Thank you in advance.

#1) I too felt the same during the first test ride (similar height), however after few test rides, and now having picked up the new vehicle, am now settled into the seating.
It is more of settling in a position (given this seat is largest(or larger) than any other scooter, I would argue this seat is larger than aerox as well)

#2) As already posted, the body is ABS plastic, you get the shiny look and it's not carbon fibre. It's the same with the competitors. I am conscious of all the scratches that will appear in few months. But I know it can smoothen off with the right kind of polish and quickly retain the new look if I want.

#3) It could be just the test vehicle you rode. I have not faced this with any of the test vehicles nor in my newly arrived vehicle.

#4) With only few days of ownership, I can only say the suspension is the best in this class. Not exaggerating when I say , It will tackle potholes as good as an adv motorcycle.
Even with rider+pillion (total weight ~180 kgs), you don't have to treat it like a delicate flower. The Ride/Rush modes work well to swerve through traffic.
I also love the 14" wheels with wide tyres - better riding comfort relative to other scooters.

The headlights, could be better. The plastics could be better as well. However for a gen 1 model, built from scratch, relatively speaking, I found the River Indie to be superior.


If you are looking only for a fast and furious sports EV, this may not be the right choice. If you are looking for an all rounder, this could be the one. I recall the first gen Innova advertisements with Amir Khan showcasing it as a family car as well being a premium work car. I chose River due to its multifaceted personality.

[Gurudeep BN]

Some observations over the recent past:

1. Seeing more River Indie scooters on road in Bengaluru these days, all of them of monsoon blue colour
2. Sporty colours make it noticable from a distance . IMO, monsoon blue looks the best and pleasing to the eye
3. Scooter looks better with the visor

I am planning to visit the showroom for the second time, this time with my wife to test ride with the pillion.

I am also waiting for Ather Rizta to arrive at the showrooms and take a test ride. Ather keeps postponing the date!

After eliminating TVS IQUBE and Bajaj Chetak, I now have Indie and Rizta. Based on the Rizta's test ride and Indie's second test ride with the pillion, planning to decide the final one.

PS: My reason for buying an EV scooter is based on the fun of driving factor and that I need a new one to replace my existing 11yr old Suzuki Swish 125. My monthly runs won't cross 100kms, so I am not buying the scooter to cut the running costs

[Raskolnikov.R]

Originally Posted by Gurudeep BN

PS: My reason for buying an EV scooter is based on the fun of driving factor and that I need a new one to replace my existing 11yr old Suzuki Swish 125. My monthly runs won't cross 100kms, so I am not buying the scooter to cut the running costs

Gurudeep, the River Indie is a fun little scooter. I picked up the River four weeks after picking up my beloved Triumph Speed 400.

And my yellow beauty has clocked 2.75 times the mileage of the Triumph, a brilliant vehicle in its own right.

Do you enjoy a good cruise? The River Indie will delight you endlessly.

[tabrez]

Originally Posted by Gurudeep BN

PS: My reason for buying an EV scooter is based on the fun of driving factor

If you mean any of that Gurudeep, and with respect to scooters then I highly recommend you test drive the Ather Apex in it's warp+ mode.
You will simply emerge blown-away

[TheRandomGuy]

Just read all the posts in this review thread and quite happy with what I see from the owners, albeit the less number and small time frame.

I am in the same boat as Gurudeep from above and have to choose between Ather Rizta and River Indie.

Test drove both and few points against both of them in order of importance for me.

Ather Rizta

• Extremely slow screen, with each button press on the joystick taking almost 3-5 seconds to complete. No touchscreen even on the top variant.

• Deliveries for the mid variant starting only in October(Alleged).

• A single ride mode in zip mode as smart eco as as good as non existent, the vehicle just doesn't move in that mode. Useless. An OTA is needed to change its dynamics.

River Indie

• Company is fresh out of the woodworks, future is uncertain. We are not sure of reliability. Battery issues, given OLA's track record with fires.
  They are getting consistent funding so that is promising, and River does seem like a Honest company not chasing Market capture or profits.

• Fit and finish issues as this being a Gen 1 product.

• Rear view mirror failure, I didn't notice this during my TD, but pretty much everyone has mentioned in their reviews.

My honest opinion is I really liked the vehicle, it is exactly what I wanted in an EV. River's age and its future is the only thing holding me back.

Any feedback is welcome.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by TheRandomGuy

My honest opinion is I really liked the vehicle, it is exactly what I wanted in an EV. River's age and its future is the only thing holding me back.

Any feedback is welcome.

You have got your points spot on, considering the Rizta has much lower power and torque, the performance you experience is expected, but the slow screen is a bummer, now as regards OTA update changing its dynamics, there is so much an OTA update can do to improve performance with the restrictions the motor has, but hopefully something can be done.

The Indie has its niggles, but compared to other Gen 1 products, they have done a commendable job, now the future is uncertain, but the product is doing well and getting funding, so there is hope and it looks as if it will succeed. The company is gradually expanding to major cities and this is promising.

Ola, and Ather were also in this situation a few years back, but they received good feedback and/or funding from their investors and were able to thrive, River looks to be in a similar situation and I believe its future is bright.

[Gurudeep BN]

Originally Posted by TheRandomGuy

Just read all the posts in this review thread and quite happy with what I see from the owners, albeit the less number and small time frame.

I recently took a test ride of the Rizta. I have posted my observations on another thread. You can refer to the below link:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...-review-3.html (Ather Rizta Review)

[Gurudeep BN]

Originally Posted by TheRandomGuy

Just read all the posts in this review thread and quite happy with what I see from the owners, albeit the less number and small time frame.

I am in the same boat as Gurudeep from above and have to choose between Ather Rizta and River Indie.

Test drove both and few points against both of them in order of importance for me...

Now that Rizta is out of the race, only Indie is left as an option. Here are my thoughts on Indie at this point of time:
- Overall plastic quality is not encouraging
- My usage is very minimal. I am mainly looking for an EV for the fun factor. I really don't need a big battery. Indie seems a bit expensive considering my requirement.
- I do want to take a second test ride, this time with the pillion. I will decide based on this.

Since I am a newbie here, I cannot PM. Hence, I could not reply to your message. You can leave me your Whatsapp number in your next PM.

[TheRandomGuy]

Originally Posted by TheRandomGuy

Just read all the posts in this review thread and quite happy with what I see from the owners, albeit the less number and small time frame.

Originally Posted by Gurudeep BN

Now that Rizta is out of the race, only Indie is left as an option. Here are my thoughts on Indie at this point of time.

Soo, an update on my Rizta vs Indie situation.
Today my wife and I were on leave so we first went to the River showroom for my wife's TD.

This time around though, we noticed bit more issues in the Indie,

• Putting reverse is such a pain, especially with the very hard buttons.
• We noticed screeching sound from the belt at slightly higher speeds, and this was not confidence inspiring.
• My wife and partly myself were not really set on the looks. Always in the back of my mind felt it looked much like a delivery vehicle or part of a rental fleet due to its single tone pastel colours.(This is offensive to current owners I know, I am sorry but just throwing out my thoughts)
• App under development, fast charging under development, accessories under development. Didn't have much confidence to put down 1.5L on a WIP product.
• Even with all this we sat down to talk pricing, and River guys are NOT at all ready to offer any sort of discounts, add extended warranty or throw in accessories.(He did add the side footrest, but it had really bad weld finishing and overall felt like a makeshift item)

Took the SA's number and went to Ather for wife's TD, just for the sake of it.

Immediately checked the screen responsiveness on the TD and display vehicle and it had no lag whatsoever this time around. Felt relieved that the previous unit was glitching or bugged out, a reboot would have fixed it probably.
Then the TD felt bit more positive this time around. Smooth operation, felt like a finished product and confidence inspiring.

Nail in the coffin for Indie was Ather JP Nagar had just received a mid variant Blue/White in stock with delivery in 1-2 weeks and they offered it if I made full payment. Took another long test drive, tested the features, felt good and have made the payment.

This ends my stint with River Indie, in the corner of my mind I miss not taking the Indie but it was not meant to be.
I am 100% sure River's 2nd Gen vehicle will be a big hit.

Peace!!

[bijims]

Originally Posted by TheRandomGuy

Nail in the coffin for Indie was Ather JP Nagar had just received a mid variant Blue/White in stock with delivery in 1-2 weeks and they offered it if I made full payment. Took another long test drive, tested the features, felt good and have made the payment.

This ends my stint with River Indie, in the corner of my mind I miss not taking the Indie but it was not meant to be.
I am 100% sure River's 2nd Gen vehicle will be a big hit.

Peace!!

Great to see that you finally made up your mind and went with the Rizta, It is a scooter from a proven brand and one that focuses on quality, it may not be the fastest or the most value for money, but it excels in its strengths, including long seat, boot space, features etc. I am assuming you booked the Rizta Z 2.9 kWh variant, hope you have many great miles ahead.

[Rajesh V]

After having lurked around for a long while, wanting to share my thoughts on Indie pushed my to finally make an account and got accepted today.

I was looking to buy an electric scooter for a long while now... Since iQube ST launched. I waited and waited but that thing never came.

Meanwhile, having watched companies like Simple make a lot of noise without having anything to show for, I had really appreciated the way River silently came up with a proper product ready for production and then going on to deliver on their promises, as well as stories of their team being approachable and receptive to ideas and criticism. I loved how functional the Indie was without all the needless connectivity features and subscriptions.

Once again, after having waited for a year, the Rizta launched and I figured I'd end up getting that if the Indie doesn't come soon.

On the 20th of July I had noticed that River opened bookings in Chennai and booked the Indie immediately by paying ₹2500. It showed expected delivery as 19th Aug to 8th Sept. I just checked the balance payable and was shown some ₹1.56L as payable without any details.

I wanted to test drive the Rizta once and compare both before making the final purchase but having researched more about it, I figured it wasn't for me. And I've never been a fan of the whole Pro Pack BS.

We got a call on the 29th of July saying the amount due has been updated and were asked to pay the balance amount to ensure prompt delivery. I was wondering if any negotiations were possible and maybe get a test drive, but ended up just paying the amount of ₹1.455L as I really wanted it ASAP and had no other real option. I got a receipt saying some ₹2600 was still due and no update since then. Eagerly awaiting next steps now.

I couldn't find details of the accessories on their site. I was thinking of
getting the Tinted Visor, Phone Holder, Floor Mat, Seat Cover, Side Step, Grab Handle, and Back Rest. I'm estimating they'd cost about ₹10k. Any suggestions?

[Raskolnikov.R]

Originally Posted by Rajesh V

On the 20th of July I had noticed that River opened bookings in Chennai and booked the Indie immediately by paying ₹2500. It showed expected delivery as 19th Aug to 8th Sept. I just checked the balance payable and was shown some ₹1.56L as payable without any details.

We got a call on the 29th of July saying the amount due has been updated and were asked to pay the balance amount to ensure prompt delivery. I was wondering if any negotiations were possible and maybe get a test drive, but ended up just paying the amount of ₹1.455L as I really wanted it ASAP and had no other real option. I got a receipt saying some ₹2600 was still due and no update since then. Eagerly awaiting next steps now.

I couldn't find details of the accessories on their site. I was thinking of
getting the Tinted Visor, Phone Holder, Floor Mat, Seat Cover, Side Step, Grab Handle, and Back Rest. I'm estimating they'd cost about ₹10k. Any suggestions?

@Rajesh, many congratulations on the River Indie booking. I can reassure you that you'll enjoy the experience of owning a River quite well.

As their third customer, and having used their product extensively, I can vouch for the engineering and design thinking that's gone into the product.

Are there any niggles?

Yes, of course. And they've been sorted out to my complete satisfaction.

Stay tuned to read my milestone update.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Pricing:

River is fairly straightforward about pricing. My breakdown of the cost is on page two or three of this thread.

I'm writing from memory: ex-showroom (138,000) + Insurance + Registration Fees. I don't remember paying for anything else.

As for accessories, I should warn you to be prepared to wait a bit. While River has expanded the accessories list, the supply chain is yet to catch up with the demand. Give them some leeway, and they'll surprise you.

Cheers,

RR

[Rajesh V]

That's good to know Raskolnikov. I'm quite excited to give it a go.

Did you buy their extended warranty and RSA?

Also, technically mine was a pre-booking, so I should be getting free 5-year warranty and pannier mounts, right? Or so I hope.

I have no intention of using panniers, but I feel like the mounts might provide added protection to the body.

As for pricing, they sent me this:

[Raskolnikov.R]

Originally Posted by Rajesh V

Did you buy their extended warranty and RSA?

Also, technically mine was a pre-booking, so I should be getting free 5-year warranty and pannier mounts, right? Or so I hope.

I have no intention of using panniers, but I feel like the mounts might provide added protection to the body.

As for pricing, they sent me this:

Attachment 2638536

Rajesh, from what I understand, the five-year warranty was limited to the first 1,000 customers from Bangalore. That is, those who booked before August 2023.

For those who've bought after the timeframe, you can extend it for a few extra thousand, which I strongly suggest you purchase.

I believe both my River Indies are covered for five years or 50,000 KM. The first one was delivered in October 2023, and the second in February 2024.

I've never seen a single River Indie with the panniers mounted outside of the showroom. Honestly, beyond a point, you'll not even remember they're there. I use the left-hand side pannier mount for leverage when moving the vehicle to the center stand. Beyond that, I have found no real purpose. As for it acting as a protector, I hope not to find it out anytime soon.

Your attachment isn't opening.

Cheers,

RR

[Rajesh V]

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov.R

Rajesh, from what I understand, the five-year warranty was limited to the first 1,000 customers from Bangalore. That is, those who booked before August 2023.

Had a feeling, but I'll still give it a shot at the showroom.

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov.R

For those who've bought after the timeframe, you can extend it for a few extra thousand, which I strongly suggest you purchase.

Yeah, two years of added peace of mind is worth the extra ₹5000 especially since the warranty covers the entire vehicle and not just the battery.

What about the RSA though? Not sure how long that will be valid, but I was personally not inclined at getting it. However a few days back my Activa seized up on a bypass and it got me wondering. Had to wait for an hour and book a Porter to get it back home.

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov.R

Your attachment isn't opening.

Ah, I suppose it's pending approval.