Introduction
It's been almost a year since I started using the Apache RR310 as my long term motorcycle. And, we have spent a lot of quality time together since. We went on a 2,000km ride to the south of India; we spent three days at the MMRT race track in Chennai; and, of course, there were the countless commutes battling the Mumbai traffic heat and humidity.
Apart from reporting on the above mentioned jaunts, we had also listed the Hits and Misses for the RR mid-way through the bike's long-term tenure. And, now that it's time to wrap things up, we thought it would be worth revisiting the report to see if the bike has managed to change our mind on those counts.
Good Vibes
We had listed three things under the 'Misses' column in our report - engine noise, no real grab rail to speak of, and vibrations. It's status remains the same in the case of engine noise and the lack of grab rails.
So, the RR is still difficult to move around when parked, and the engine noise is still something that one needs to get used to. And it's not something to look forward to on the RR. The vibrations, though, have reduced drastically on the Apache in the last three months and 3,000km. In fact, these aren't bothersome at all any more. And not once have the vibes left us with buzzing or numb hands lately.
Hit Machine
Meanwhile, the RR310 had quite a handsome looking 'Hits' column. Quality remains a huge positive for the RR. Be it the paint finish, the fit, as well as the operability. Moreover, there's still no rattle, no rust or a loose panel to deal with.
Comfort is a strong suit for the Apache. Whether it be the cushy seat, the plush ride quality, the light controls, or the lack of baked legs or thighs courtesy good engine heat management, the RR feels completely at home even on a painfully slow, peak-hour commute. If anything, a little more power to the front brakes would have made the right wrist happy. As things stand today, it does hurt after a long day's commute.
But in terms of progression and bite, and even feedback for that matter, the brakes do a good job. Other positives for the Apache include a tractable engine, a crisp and analogue throttle response, comprehensive instrumentation, and a design that guarantees eyeballs.
To buy or not to buy
When we started the test, the RR310 was priced at Rs 2.05 lakhs, ex-showroom. Today, after a price hike, it retails at nearly Rs 2.14 lakhs. And that translates into an on-road price of a little over Rs 2.51 lakhs in Mumbai. This still makes it around Rs 40,000 cheaper than the quicker and more committed - but also more uncomfortable, cramped, and hotter running KTM RC390. There's also the Ninja 300 to consider if you want a twin, but it costs over a lakh more.
As we see it, the RR310 is fantastic value. Not only is it affordable in its class, it is great to look at, it is easy enough to ride to be a daily driver, and though it's not blistering quick, it has the handling that not only puts a smile on your face, but also keeps up with the faster lot on a twisty Sunday.
Bike stats
Odometer: 6,900km
Kilometres this month: 1212km
Average FE this month: 29.9kmpl
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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TVS Apache RR310 Action
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