Raven’s software-driven e-bike won me over with its adaptability

When the Raven spinoff also recently announced its first electric motorcycle, I was stoked—a Raven in motorcycle form? Yes please! – but he also had some doubts. The design was, shall we say, polarizing, and the whole thing was run by software, which ignores outages, glitches, and various other mishaps. I could already hear the groans from the purists: bikes are considered easyand it was nothing.

A quick look at the spec sheet confirmed my fears: zonal architecture; Series hybrid powertrain; pedal by wire; custom vehicle software; Anti-theft These aren’t the kind of specs you usually see on a motorcycle, let alone an e-bike. I was so blown away equipment He also wandered around. It felt like the company was throwing down the gauntlet to the bike industry, challenging the perception of what makes a bicycle. And it made me wonder: Who exactly is this?

People with some money to burn, apparently. 4,500, the TM-B isn’t exactly cheap. When you consider that the best-selling type of e-bike in the U.S. has fat tires that sell for less than $1,000 assembled, you can begin to envision the challenge that lies ahead.

But all these worries went away as soon as I started paddling. It was probably the most affected I’ve felt riding an e-bike in a long time. Cruising down 10th Avenue in Manhattan on a Tuesday is not for the faint of heart, but the TM-B is also designed to help “10x,” which means it can get you up to speed and often beat the cars you’re riding alongside. And if you’re like me, hitting cars is all about feeling safer while riding.

This was my first time trying a pedal-by-wire system, which replaces the traditional mechanical connection with software. So instead of turning the chainrings instead of the pedals, which turns the rear wheel, torque sensors convert my pedaling into electrical input for the traction motor inside the square-shaped “dream ride” powertrain. A secondary motor in the rear hub adds its own support to propel the bike forward.

I quickly realized that TM-B’s secret weapon is its adaptability. Because the drivetrain is controlled by software, riders can easily switch between riding modes at the press of a button, just as easily as they change top frames. (More on that in a second.) Auto mode is designed for everyday riding, where riders choose a preferred cadence and the bike then automatically adjusts the motor to maintain it. It works, downhill, flat ride – wherever you are, in real time.

Auto mode was a breeze, but I prefer a bit of pushback when riding. Spinning your legs with no real resistance is my least favorite type of e-bike ride. Granted, it wasn’t quite the TMB experience, but it had me quickly switching to manual trail mode, which simulates the experience of shifting through the gears. I was interested in how it would feel, considering the bike has no real gearsets or derailleurs. Will it feel like those electric muscle cars with virtual gear shifting and fake engine noises to simulate the driving experience with a V8 engine?

Fortunately it was more intuitive than that. By flipping the switch on the right handle, I could adjust the pedal resistance depending on how much I desired. And with each click, I can feel the resistance gradually increase, until I settle on one that feels natural without too much effort. At that moment, I felt like TMB had really revealed itself to me.

I wasn’t able to tackle any major hills—the Manhattan is cursed with flatness—but its director of product, Saul Lekin, assured me that unlike traditional e-bikes, the TMB “doesn’t have a mechanical roof,” and thus can climb steep hills while maintaining a precise cadence—without conflict, without a hitch, without a “standoff.” Described easy hikes in the San Francisco Hills.

Lakin also tried to reassure me that motorcycle software was an asset rather than a liability. The closure will not affect basic functionality or mobility. The drivetrain logic runs entirely locally, so the bike never relies on the cloud to ride, he said. Some features—such as anti-theft and firmware download—require cloud services, and firmware updates are periodic like the EV. Even during the outage, Lakin said, the bike remains fully usable and automatically updates when connectivity is restored.

The motorcycle’s 5-inch circular touchscreen in the headset was the largest and most colorful I’ve seen on an e-bike. I’m used to LCD screens on budget bikes like the Lectric and Red Powerbikes—minimalist, functional, and perfect for sharp eyes while riding. In contrast, the TMB’s portal screen was bright and inviting, with information about the battery’s state-of-charge, navigation, and riding mode just a swipe away. But I was happy to see that he kept it very simple, with just enough information to not overwhelm the rider with metrics.

The theme of adaptability continues with the modular top frame, which can be swapped between different seat posts, so the bike can be converted into a cargo hauler, kid carrier, or cruiser without a bench seat. It was a neat trick, but I wondered if TM-B owners would shell out the cash for the extra seats, especially with the bike already costing so much.

I’m bumping up against the price because I think it will be a significant barrier. A lot of people are going to look at the launch edition price of Rs 4,500 and just click on a cheap e-bike. Sure, there’s plenty of room for premium-priced e-bikes in the world, but with a polarizing design, I’m worried that this one is also pushing itself into a niche position. I think the connective tissue with Raven will help – people love those oval lights! – But he’s done for that too.

That said, if you’re looking to spend $4,500 on an e-bike—or even just $3,500 for the base model—you can’t do much better than this bike. This is good.

Photography by Alex Parkin/The Verge