TVS Apache RR 310 Road Test Review

DESIGN AND STYLING OF APACHE RR 310

One look at the Apache RR 310 and you would have a hard time believing that it is not a sports bike made in Italy. TVS has outdone themselves with this one. There is almost no angle from which this bike does not impress. The red paintjob accented by white stripes in the middle and black bordering down below keep the design interesting. Even the way that the large fuel tank tapers toward the inside as it reaches the seat looks impressive and is practical. The circular Bi-LED projector headlamps look like eyes that glow white. However, it is the fang shaped futuristic looking tail lamp that takes the crown for me.

 The tail-lamp lends the bike a very aggressive look when viewed at night. You are bound to turn heads when you take this beauty out on the streets. A large windscreen at the front shields you from a lot of windblast and it is very easy to tuck in and go fast. Despite the aggressive sportsbike design, the bike is actually quite ergonomic and provides a comfortable riding position. The split seats provide good amount of cushioning and there is enough space even for broad riders. The pillion seat perched up high, however, is not the most ideal place and there are no grab handles to be found either. This is mostly a one person vehicle.

The vertical digital meter console might not look too great but it does pack in a lot of functions and displays things like speed, rpm, fuel level, current gear, distance covered, engine temperature, trip meter, range, and top speed. You can also record your top speed and 0-60kmph timing. The hazard light switch can also be found on the left of the meter console and not on the handle bar. There is a gear shift indicator and a side stand indicator along with other helpful indicators.

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE OF APACHE RR 310

The 312cc liquid cooled, single cylinder engine packs in 34hp and 27.3Nm of torque. When translated on road these result in a fun filled performance and due to the power and torque coming high up in the rpm band, you don’t easily run out of juice at higher rpms. The 6-speed gearbox performs admirably. Acceleration is linear and likeable but sometimes I did feel that the bike could have had a wilder character as it lacks just a bit of punch when you pull the accelerator.

Stability at triple digit speeds is unquestionable and getting to such speeds does not take long. The only sore spot would be the small amount of vibrations around 5000-6000rpm. The best fuel efficiency figure that I could manage with this bike was 33kmpl. With normal riding you can expect something between 27-30kmpl and with a fuel tank capacity of 11L you can expect a range of about 300kms. TVS has put in some work on the heat dissipation and it shows. Despite riding the bike for extended periods of time, my legs were shielded from engine heat. The heat from the engine travels through the faring and escapes via two slits on the lower side of the faring.

For most of the time the bike was with me it was raining in Delhi. But I did not mind the rains too much as they allowed me to explore the capabilities of the brakes and tyres. The 17-inches Michelin tyers lend a remarkable grip, especially the wide rear tyre. With the help of ABS, both the front and rear disc brakes give you plenty of stopping power without locking up the wheels. It was a great feeling to apply brakes on wet roads and not feel as if you will fall. Staying true to its racing nature TVS has fitted on KYB tuned monoshock at the rear and upside-down forks at the front. The result is a rather stiff setup that lends great agility to the bike when combined with the race spec trellis frame. Throwing this bike around is fun and you have a sense of confidence in every maneuver. The downside is that the ride is a little rough when you encounter bad roads and steep speed breakers. Still the bike soaks a lot of the smaller undulations.

VERDICT

Spending time with the Apache RR 310 convinced me that this is the best work of TVS as of now and it does show. I enjoyed the sheer amount of eyeballs drawn toward me (the bike actually) whenever I took it out for a spin. The linear acceleration is not as wild as I would have liked but makes it easy to use in everyday riding. Despite having the looks of a sophisticated superbike, the RR 310 offers a lot of practicality and welcomes riders with a big grin. It is definitely worthy of the price tag and seeing as how the BMW G 310 bikes are priced, for many it would be a sensible move to opt for the RR 310 and save good bucks. Besides, petrol too isn’t cheap these days!