TVS Apache

The TVS Apache is a brand of commuter bikes made by TVS Motors in India. There are 5 Apache models on offer with price starting from Rs. 95,000 (ex-showroom). The cheapest model under the series is TVS Apache RTR 160 with 159.7cc engine generating 15.3 bhp of power, whereas the most expensive model is TVS Apache RR310 with 312.2cc engine generating 33 bhp of power.

TVS motors needed a premium brand to keep the clientele of the Fiero interested – and thus the Apache was launched in 2006. Originally a 150cc motorcycle, the E-surge 150 was updated to the ‘RTR’ 150. That acronym stands for ‘Racing Throttle Response’; a nod to TVS Motors’ involvement in motorsport, which is quite a few decades old.

Keeping up with the times precipitated the 160cc engine, and the Apache RTR 160 is still sold in updated form today, to compete in the premium commuter segment. Two successive generations of the RTR 160 are available today; the RTR 160 and the RTR 160 4V. The latter has been launched as of March 2018, and sports a number of changes over the older 160 like a 4-valve head and the option of fuel injection. A Showa-tuned rear shock and chassis that has had input from their racing RTR 160 make up the Apache RTR 160 4V. The RTR 180 was the flagship motorcycle at the time of its launch, and competed against with the likes of the Bajaj Pulsar 180 – but it also boasted the best handling at the price. The RTR 180 also offered ABS, one of the first motorcycles in the segment to do so.

The Apache 200 builds on its heritage to offer even more performance than the 180. The engine is a fuel-injected, four-valve unit that doesn’t chase big horsepower figures, choosing to be rideable instead. As such, it can perform the dual role of commuter, and double up as a fun weekend bike for your favourite twisty stretch of road.

The Apache RR 310 is an all-new design that has been developed in conjunction with BMW Motorrad. It sports features like a reverse-sloped engine, liquid cooling, upside down forks, a trellis frame and a full fairing, all firsts for the Apache range. It also has twin LED projector headlamps, which are a first for the segment. Despite all of TVS’s racing know- how being put into it, the company claims it will also make for a comfortable tourer, thanks to the seating ergonomics and engine characteristics. The Apache range remains TVS’s premium brand, and aims to keep pushing the boundaries of performance while never losing sight of everyday usability.