TVS Apache RTR200 – evo fleet

Ah, the joys of prepping for an early morning ride. You get the bike washed and tanked up the night before. Oil levels and tyre pressures checked, you wait for day to break. It has been a couple of months since I headed for a weekend ride and there is a reason for that.

The seasonal rains have seen me shift to cars (you can call me a pseudo-biker but commuting in pouring rain on a daily basis is not my cup of tea). Now, cars are more comfortable but being stuck in traffic made me yearn to get back on the saddle. Since the rains have taken a break, and the weekend promises to be sunny, a Sunday morning ride is all I need to be happy again. Jehan had the Apache on the pretext of honing his skills for the weekend race and made a long face while returning the bike.

Standing at the top of the road leading to Lavasa outside of Pune, I now know why. Apaches have always been known for their dynamics and the RTR 200 takes the game forward. You don’t always need a powerful bike to extract the most amount of fun. Like you will probably have more fun in a Cayman than a 911, up a mountain pass. Similarly, the RTR might not be the fastest 200 out there but show it a set of squiggly lines and I bet you it will come out grinning at the other end. It reminds me of the Gixxer but with more power. The Apache seems to be designed with corner carving in mind. The clip-ons and rear set footpegs set you up for max attack while the low seats allow you to move around the bike and get your positioning right. Yes, the Apache has reignited the love for weekend rides. See you at Lavasa.

Date acquired: April 2016 Duration of test: 5 months Total mileage: 2,344km Mileage this month: 623km Overall kmpl: 42kmpl Costs this month: Nil