Revolt Motorcycles had unveiled their first product RV400 in Indian market last month and now a couple of days ago they also announced the price of the same. They have introduced a new method where the customer has to pay an EMI for 37 months. There is no option to make full payment of the bike at once and one doesn't have to make any sort of down payment either.
Electric vehicles are still to become popular on Indian roads because various reasons like the lack of infrastructure, range of the vehicle and even the price of these products. But even then, it is certain that the electric vehicles are going to be the future of mobility around the world and India is no exception. Revolt gave us a chance to experience their first product the RV400 to us and a bunch of other journalists. So, here is what we think about this electric motorcycle.
Exterior and Design
The Revolt RV looks like any other modern-day bike in the market. Revolt has chosen not to give it a conventional electric bike looks. It looks fairly modern and even resembles to some of the petrol-powered bikes in the market.
It gets a naked street fighter design with LED headlamps, indicators and even LED tail lamps. The only thing that you will miss on this bike is the engine. Apart from that everything else is same as that of a normal petrol-powered bike.
Dimension wise, the RV400 is not a big bike. It is the size of some of the 100-125cc segment bikes. It gets a single piece seat which provides ample cushioning to the rider. At front, RV400 gets upside down forks and at the rear it gets monoshock suspension which is adjustable. The instrument cluster is a fully digital one which displays all the essential information like amount of juice left, speed, riding mode, time, trip meter etc.
Revolt has also done some clever things like a small storage under the tank lid where usually fuel goes in. Under the storage bin is where the battery is placed. As a customer you will get multiple options to recharge your battery like directly plugging into the wall socket, Take out the battery from the bike and charge, Swapping the drained batteries to fully charged ones at swapping stations and Delivering fully charged battery to your location. Revolt has even opted for a belt drive to reduce the noise and energy loss.
Engine
Revolt RV400 draws all its power from a Lithium ion battery which takes about 4 to 4.5 hours to completely recharge. It then powers a 3Kw motor. The battery as mentioned above is placed where we normally find the fuel tank on a normal bike. Revolt claims that the battery itself is waterproof and this makes it suitable for riding under rainy conditions. To be on a safer side they have also managed to place the battery a bit higher if in case any water gets into it. One more feature that RV400 offers is the regenerative braking. Every time the rider applies the brakes, the energy generated is used to recharge the battery in the bike.
In reality, the RV400 does not produce any noise at all. But, if you want your bike to be noticed, then there is a provision for that as well. The Revolt has a speaker under the body panel which produces the sound of a sports bike. This note can be changed using their mobile application which can be used to monitor other things about the bike as well.
Riding
The Revolt RV400 has a seat height of 840mm and even a rider with shorter height can easily place himself on it. The well cushioned seats and the raised handle bar position provide an upright riding position. We spent enough time with the bike around the track and we started to like this bike after a couple of laps. The acceleration in the RV400 is just instantaneous and before you know you have touched the 60 kmph mark. After this point it takes some time to hit the 84 kmph mark which is the top speed by the way.
RV400 comes with three riding modes. These modes regulate the throttle response accordingly. Eco mode is made for city riding with mild throttle response whereas the third mode which is 'Sport' will push the rider from the seat with all its power. The Normal mode is the mix of eco and sport.
Another important part is the brakes. Revolt RV400 gets disc brakes both at the front and the rear and is equipped with CBS for better breaking experience. They did their job pretty well but personally i would have preferred a bit more bite to it. The MRF Zapper tyres did a good job by providing ample grip on the track. The suspension feels plush and is suited to city riding conditions as mentioned above the rear monoshock can be adjusted to rider's liking.
Revolt has introduced RV400 as a city bike and it handles pretty well it can squeeze into tight spaces during the rush hours. Being lightweight came as an advantage in the corners. You can lean in confidently and come out without putting too much effort. Revolt claims that RV400 has a range of 156 km with a fully charged battery but, we think this may fall a bit due to the real-world riding conditions.
Conclusion
So that was our take on the new Revolt RV400. Anyone interested in buying it can simply reach out to the nearest showroom and make an EMI and take home the bike with him. It looks good, performs well and has got features as well. All in all, the Revolt RV400 could turn out to be a game changer and might change how people look at the electric two-wheelers in India.
