River Indie | Purposefully Practical | First Ride Review

To stand out among the crowd, one does not need to look different but also distinctive, and that’s what River Indie does quite well. The front apron is dominated by a sizeable dual-LED headlamp unit, adding quite a mass to the look. On the sides, there aren’t any cuts and creases to catch your fancy, but you genuinely notice the sheer space in the front floorboard. And what’s a thoughtful addition is the front foot-pegs, wherein you can rest your legs if the floor space is loaded. The scooter we rode came with an accessory package, so the photos you see - get side pannier mounts, which will be sold separately as an accessory. The 43-l underseat storage is quite adequate, and it could easily carry a full-face helmet and more. There’s also a tiny 12-l box at the front that can be operated mechanically with the key. It feels a bit flimsy to use, especially on my test unit- the rubber beading was already out. But apart from that, I found no issue with the build quality and fit-and-finish. 

In terms of features, River Indie gets a 6-inch LCD , which shows all the necessary data like speed, SOC, regen and a lot more. The resolution was satisfactory, and I had no issue reading the numbers in normal daylight. However, how clear and visible the numbers will be in bright sunlight is something to be checked. The scooter also gets a reverse assist feature, which can be easily accessed via a two-step process. All you have to do is press the brake and get the motor started, and then use the Press and Set button near the LCD to function it. You might wonder if the process sounds tedious, but believe me when I say - it’s not. You will get used to it easily, and the two-step process adds a layer of protection so that one can not go into reverse mode accidentally.