Expert Reviews on TVS Bikes

While the Apache was touted to follow the bloodline of its racing pedigree and the innovation that TVS was famous for, the FZ was acclaimed as the ‘Lord of the Streets’, offering refinement, quality and handling from the Japanese two-wheeler giant.

Within the city limits, the Apache RTR 160 4V proved to be fun and comfortable to ride. It was then time to hit the winding highways to see if this TVS also proved to be a great long distance companion too.

I know what you are thinking… didn’t these guys just review the same bike? Well, yes and no. We did review the TVS Apache RR310 Cup race bike. But, it was the 2018 edition. And we did so during the course of attending the California Superbike School India, not in a race situation. So, to correct that, we went back to the MMRT. Only this time, we rode the newer version of the bike, and that too as part of the race weekend. 

Two years after its launch, TVS has provided the first big update to its flagship motorcycle, which supposedly inches it closer to the race-spec version. So, to test out the difference that these new additions have made, we rode the updated Apache RR 310 at TVS' home race track; the MMRT in Chennai.

Three years ago, at the very first iteration of the BikeWale Track Day, we tested the Apache RTR 200 4V. And since then, the bike has evolved quite a bit mechanically. However, what we have for the 2019 BikeWale Track Day is its Race-spec version. Or as I like to call it, the athletic version of the Apache RTR 200 4V.

We have had the TVS Radeon in our long-term fleet for quite a while now; 3200kms to be specific. Majority of these miles came from riding where the Radeon feels the most at home; the infamous traffic of Mumbai.  And since a highway report was due and my lungs craved for fresher air, I decided to go on a 400km round intercity ride. 

The Apache RR Cup will remain etched in my memory forever. No, it’s not the quickest, most awesome motorcycle I have ever ridden. But, it is the bike that I rode to pass my final set of challenges in order to become a motorcycle riding coach. Here’s how it unfolded…

After using the TVS Ntorq mostly in the city confines, it was time to take it out on the open highway to see if it still manages to impress us. 

The Apache has undergone its first service, since it has seen quite a bit of use thanks to the stories it has had to participate in. 

The TVS Radeon joined our long-term fleet and I was eager to commute to work on the motorcycle and also take it out to run errands. Here’s my impression of the Radeon after riding a few hundred kilometres in and around the city.