MotorStar Viber

Electric scooters often feel the need to look weirdly futuristic or different from the current breed of scooters for no apparent reason. The MotorStar Viber has also been bitten by this bug. This results in the Viber’s front having a set of lights on its handlebars as well as another large centrally mounted setup on its apron. The headlight setup covers the entire handlebar fairing incorporating the indicators and gives the bike a robotic look. But this is not one of the new cooler Transformers but an old toy robot. Apart from this, the bike can be mistaken for any other step-through scooters plying the roads of Manila. The apron surrounding the area near the front wheels bulges out like its swollen. The view from the sides is fairly unremarkable with sleek paneling that gives it a touch of sportiness. The swingarm has also been given covers that match the styling of the rest of the scooter. The taillights get much the same treatment as the front and look quite sleek. The pillion seat also gets a small backrest mounted on the grab handle which seems to be mostly unusable. Instruments are basic and analog. There is storage behind the front apron with its own covering and some more under the seat. The dimensions are compact at 1880 mm (L) x 660 mm (W) x 1150 mm (H). There are two colors on offer – black and red.

Electric scooters despite their largely plastic body and absent engines are often heavy due to the weight of their batteries. The MotorStar Viber weighs in at 65 kg without its batteries and can take on another 125 kg of extra weight including the riders. This gives it easy to handle characteristics which is always favorable for a commuter. The scooter also has a manageable seat height and high handlebars that give it a relaxed riding position. The suspension is handled by a telescopic fork setup in the front and dual shock absorbers in the rear.

The MotorStar Viber is an electric scooter and therefore is powered by an electric motor which gets its energy from a battery. This battery is a bank of six 12V lead-acid type battery with a capacity of 20 Ah. It takes 6-10 hours to completely charge and once charged on a 3A 180-240 AC V supply lasts for 80-100 km depending on how you ride it. The motor itself is a low-speed brushless hub motor that generates 1200 W of power and 15 Nm of torque revving to 500 rpm. This gives it a top speed of around 50 kmph which is not bad for something meant to be an efficient commuter.

Braking is relegated to drum brakes both front and rear.

The MotorStar Viber ticks all the boxes for a budget electric commuter scooter. But coming from a Chinese manufacturer, it does not inspire a lot of confidence. Parts and service availability has improved a lot since its early days but there is still some room for improvement. Additionally, the Viber is built to a budget and it clearly shows. Then there are all the issues related to electric scooters. Range anxiety is of course there due to lack of charging infrastructure in cities. But even so, the Viber might be the perfect fit for some riders who restrict themselves to city driving along with some commuting.