BIKE REVIEW: TVS Ronin 225, built to the T

But how will you react if a bike has a bit of all these essential ingredients of riding? The Ronin, I felt has a mix of several exciting elements. It sets your heart racing the moment you look at it. The TVS Ronin comes in three variants - TVS Ronin SS, TVS Ronin DS, and the top variant, TVS Ronin TD.  The SS variant costs Rs 1.49 lakh, the DS variant costs Rs 156,500 and the TD variant costs Rs 168,750 onward, ex showroom, India.  We got the TD variant with it stylish exterior paint for a short review.

If you take a close look at the bike, you notice it has been built aerodynamically with several parts meant to deflect the wind or cool the engine. The bike also gets underbody protection.

It’s not one of those precariously high bikes with outlandish seats where the pillion sits on Mt Everest and the rider on ground zero. It gets a one piece long seat ideal for two people to travel in comfort. The seat can be removed with the ignition key to access the tool box which is wired under the seat. You can also access the air intake area besides other critical wiring. The TVS Ronin is built on a double cradle split frame.

The TVS Ronin comes with a unique T-face pilot lamp, with all-LED lamps in front and rear. The round headlamp adds to the retro looks of the bike. The bike comes with 3-step adjustable levers that enable custom adjustments for clutch and front brake.

The exhaust and muffler design too has a smart tinge to it. You also get to see a smart chain cover that keeps the chain protected to a great extent. The Ronin has 9 spoke alloy wheels with chunky block tread tyres. You get disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS.

In front it has a 41mm USD suspension while at the rear it has monoshock with 7 step adjustable preload.

It gets a round shaped retro looking digital instrument cluster which I must say is crystal clear to read even while you are riding the bike on a bright sunny day.  Along with the digital cluster with SmartXonnect one can access a whole range of functions whether it is voice assist through this Bluetooth connectivity, turn by turn navigation, incoming call alert / receive ride analyses etc. Besides, the digital cluster provides an array of readings like Distance to Empty, Estimated Time of Arrival, Gear Shift Assist, Side Stand Engine Inhibitor, Service Due Indication, Low Battery Indicator, take a break notification and high engine temperature alert, among others.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

The Ronin is powered by a single cylinder, 4 stroke, 4 valve, SOHC 225.9cc oil cooled petrol engine that produces a peak power 20.4ps@7750rpm and a peak torque of 19.93Nm@3750rpm. The engine is mated to a 5 speed gearbox. The engine gets an oil-cooling system including a radiator.

Once you slot the key and switch on the engine, the sound emanating from the machine is very gentle, yet very masculine. It’s a low noise feather touch start. The thump at idling is really classy, I must say. You get two riding modes, one for rain and one for urban. And to make you ride a lot more smooth, the bike comes with assist and slipper clutch. This feature comes into play when the engine brakes when you downshift.

The Ronin also has a Glide Through Technology which in essence means that when you release the clutch in the 1^st, 2nd or 3rd gear, you can glide through without accelerating.  Quite a cool feature, I felt.

The gear shifts are super fast to say the least. By the time you reach 40kmph or so, you are already in the 5^th gear. Thereafter, you may wish the Ronin came with two extra gears, but you will be surprised how effective the top gear is, especially when you rev up and take the vehicle beyond 70kmph.

The Ronin is a perfect two wheeler for intra city riding. Even at lower speeds, the gears hold, as you do not have to downshift at all. The moment you get a clear space, you can simply twist the throttle to surge ahead. I must say, the Ronin has all the making of a sprinter as well as a long distance runner. While intra city riding comes so naturally to this bike, cruising on highways is simply a twist of the throttle. This motorcycle is an ideal upgrade for the commuter motorcyclist. With the Ronin he is bound to get the style and performance that he all along desired. And since it’s a very easy bike to handle, unlike some of the monsters out there, he can also be assured of a comfortable ride.  It’s kind of built to the T!