Winglets! A technology that was used, tested and to an extent perfected for MotoGP, the pinnacle of two-wheeled motorsport. Over the years, winglets have become a mainstay on litre-class motorcycles. But now, would you believe me if I told you that you’ll get winglets on a sub-500cc made-in-India motorcycle. You better do, because that’s exactly what the 2024 TVS Apache RR 310 gets. Aside from that, you have a more potent engine, a whole suite of electronic rider aids and a clear clutch cover, all to make the RR 310 the true flagship offering from TVS. What are these updates and how does it impact the riding?
I’m not going to write multiple lines painting a picture of the new design on the 2024 RR 310 because in all honesty the bike has remained pretty much unchanged since launch. What’s new for 2024 are the mahoosive winglets, a clear clutch cover, yes you read that right, and a new bomber grey colour scheme as pictured in this story. The clear clutch cover really adds a bunch of intrigue to the equation and that combined with the winglets mean that the RR 310 is dripping with superbike swagger. I’ve always maintained that the RR looks like a baby Panigale and with the new accoutrements for 2024 the similarity is even more apparent.
Coming to the heart of the matter, attached to the clear clutch cover is the same 312cc, reverse-inclined, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine. But the internals have been tweaked to ensure that there’s more go with all the new show. Changes include enhanced volumetric efficiency, 13 per cent increase in airbox volume, optimised snorkel length, increase in throttle body diameter, 10 per cent lighter forged piston, special coating with improved piston ring design and optimised valve timing to go with all the extra bits and bobs. That’s a lot of technical jargon, I know, but what it means for you and me is more power and torque. 37.4bhp and 29Nm to be specific. That’s close to 4bhp and 2Nm more than before.
While more power is always welcome, I was worried it wouldn’t be all rosy — the RTR 310 added a whole load of vibrations in the process. But, I’m very happy to report that the RR 310 doesn’t suffer the same fate. Refinement levels are great. And in fact, if memory serves correctly, it feels a smidge more refined than the previous bike. The extra power doesn’t transform the performance of the machine but the difference is apparent. The midrange feels like it’s offering more, so does the top end. This makes it more friendlier to ride while helping you shave some time out of your lap times because you can almost always carry a gear higher than you need to and comfortable get away with it. This complements the friendly but precise chassis of the bike very well. We rode exclusively on track and the only vibrations I felt were post 9000rpm and even these weren’t the annoying kind.
The next addition to the RR 310 comes by way of a very comprehensive electronics suite. Similar to that of the RTR 310, the RR also benefits from a quickshifter, which works flawlessly, traction control and a cruise control system. Like the RTR, if you option the Dynamic Pro kit from the BTO package, you get a 6D IMU which enables lean-sensitive intervention for all the aforementioned rider aids. The traction control system should be great for the streets or for beginner riders but on track when you start to give it the beans, it does inhibit the pace ever so slightly. Unlike other traction control systems, when leaned over, it doesn’t intervene only if you’re about to break traction but sort of dulls the power delivery a little making it difficult to shoot out of the corner as fast as you’d like. Apart from that the ABS worked very well without any abrupt interventions. Again, considering we rode on track, we didn't really get a chance to test the lean sensitive cruise control feature. But another value-adding feature which won’t just help on track but also on the streets is the TPMS which can be configured to always display pressure readouts on the 5-inch TFT screen.
On the chassis side of things, things remain pretty much unchanged, and that’s a good thing. The winglets are new and TVS claims that it adds 3kg of downforce at top speed. But in my opinion the true necessity for winglets only comes into play at speeds north of 200-250kmph. And even then you need to be supremely skilled enough to be able to tell the difference and make use of the extra downforce. So on the RR 310, in my opinion, the winglets serve more of a visual function than anything else. The RR 310 has always been a very lovable motorcycle for how easy it is to manoeuvre. It’s precise and predictable and very communicative as well.
Our bikes were shod with the Dynamic kit which included fully adjustable front and rear suspension and a brass coated chain for better longevity. This is not new, but the chassis setup is complemented very well with the bump in performance. The brakes are sharp and responsive and work very well with the super grippy and versatile Michelin Road 5s. Testing a bike in familiar territory will always yield the best results. But we were riding on the new CoASTT high performance track in Coimbatore and had to learn the layout from scratch. This is where the RR’s characteristics really come in handy allowing you to make mistakes and understand the layout and then push like your rear quarters are on fire. The RR adapting well in both situations. The only complaint for spirited riding are the lower placement of the footpegs. Something that’s easily fixed by opting for the BTO ’pegs.
Those are the updates to the RR 310 and with that comes the updated prices. ₹2.75 lakh for the bike without the quickshifter. ₹2.92 lakh for the red RR 310 with the QS and ₹2.97 lakh for the bomber grey colour scheme. Shell out ₹18,000 and ₹16,000 and you get the Dynamic and Dynamic Pro kit respectively. Add another ₹7000 if you really fancy the race livery with a personalised race number. All things loaded on the bomber grey bike, as we tested, you’d be spending ₹3.31 lakh ex-showroom. At this price, the RR 310 is an expensive proposition. But one that is certainly much better than ever before and not at all falling short of some serious bragging rights. But the fact that you can choose what you add is nice and the RR 310 certainly deserves your consideration if you’re looking for a comfortable sport tourer and with a few tweaks, a serious track machine.