New TVS Apache RTR 200 review

TVS has away been known to make performance bikes of a different breed. A breed that rises from the racetrack, due to their heavy involvement in all forms of bike racing. The Apache was one such bike that evolved from the company’s track expertise. Loved for its handling and agility, the Apache RTR was launched in 2012 and after that TVS seemed to have gone into a kind of sabbatical in the performance bike segment. During this time, TVS engineers have been working away behind closed doors developing the next stage of evolution of the RTR series, the Apache RTR 200.

All-new?

The new design is a perfect evolution of the series and I love the way they have kept the original RTR’s DNA in the design instead of opting for a completely new direction. Most of it is functional as well. Take the tank for example. The extensions serve to be more than an aesthetic statement. They have ducts that converge on the cylinder head and cool the spark plug and the extensions are shaped in such a way that they direct air towards the new oil cooler.

What else?

The riding position is spot on (the human interface, as TVS engineers put it) and everything has been designed around this. The bike has undergone wind-tunnel testing to reduce aerodynamic drag spots as much as possible. A good sign of engineering is when the final production version is as close to the concept. TVS engineers and designers have gone back and forth quite a bit and the result is quite good. The short tail piece is another major highlight of the design. The minimalist headlamp sans a wind deflector reminded me of the BMW G310R shown at EICMA.

Fun to ride?

The steering is sharp at low speeds and should contribute to agility in the city streets. Once on the straight, wind her up and there is good grunt from the carburetted version. The engine pulls cleanly all the way to 10,000 rpm without the engine feeling stressed. This variant seems to have a more aggressive low end. Jump on to the fuel-injected version and the delivery gets more linear. There is a smooth flow of torque throughout the rev band with a slightly better top end. Both bikes are strong performers with the journos having divided views over the duo. Some liked the aggressive low end while others preferred the better top end.

Powerful?

The carburetted Apache makes 20.2bhp of power and 18.1Nm of torque while the fuel injected Apache dishes out 20.7bhp/18.1Nm. Once past the one- kilometre long straight, at the end you are nudging 118kmph on the carburetted one while on the fuel injected version, you see 125kmph flash on the dash. No need to brake. Roll off the throttle and flick the bike into the right hander, and back on the gas again. Leaned in, the bike absorbs all the bumps without unsettling allowing you to delve deeper into the corner and lean in as much as your cojones will let you.

Out of the corner, simply flick the bike into the next left hander. You can choose any line mid-corner and that tells you how precise the bike is.  The TVS Remorra’s get the job done though the Pirelli’s give it that extra edge. At the end of the back straight, you have to brake hard to execute a U-turn. The straight has mile markers that serve as an indicator of how late and how hard you can brake. The front petal disc brakes and rear discs provide excellent retardation and confidence to brake late and without any theatrics. TVS is working on an ABS system that should be out in a couple of months. 0-60kmph comes in just 3.9 seconds and you hit the 100kmph mark in 12 seconds.

Value?

Priced at Rs 88,990 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the carburetted version and Rs 1.07 lakh for the fuel injected version with Pirelli tyres, the Apache is sure to appeal to the enthusiast.

 evo India rating

9/10