The TVS Apache RTR 180, it’s been the most awaited bike on Indian soil after the Ninja, it also happens to be the most powerful and the most expensive production bike in TVS catalogue. The men at the company have managed to give it all that a bike in its class would need, power, looks, handling and the extra touch. We take a really close look at this flagship model and ask ourselves what it’s really made of.
A little history: The Apache, it’s been around for a couple of years now, and from being the refreshing 150cc bike with lots of power it has, over the years, evolved into something worth appreciating.
To really know what a bike is all about, one needs to look into it’s history. You may know the famed TVS – Suzuki Fiero which was the result of the partnership between TVS and Suzuki, well this bike, or precisely, the engine of the Fiero is what the Apache 150, 160 and even the new 180 is based on. Just like the engines of the Honda Unicorn or the Hero Honda bikes, it’s a Japanese design, another less known or an often overlooked fact is that TVS has been involved in racing since 1984 and over the years, it has won over 90% of the 270 plus events it had participated in.
In short, TVS has been quite simply the most successful racing team in the country. Like almost every other manufacturer involved in racing, the company has implemented whatever it has learned in its 25+ years of racing into it’s bikes and specifically, the Apache’s. Since 1995, almost all bikes in the TVS racing garage featured the TVS Fiero / Apache engine, in various set ups and tuning stages, some as highly tuned 150cc’s and some as water-cooled, four stroke, four valve, 250cc’s and as a result, TVS often used “Pure Race breed / Race Derived” is true to its word, one that has been written about in the ‘racing’ sections of most Indian auto magazines.
The whole essence of this engine is that is built to a standard, which is well beyond what any user, whether an average rider even an engine abuser, would put it through in its entire life cycle. Hence it supports performance tuning, to a much higher extent than any other bike in the country up to 250cc, it can produce as much power as one would like. Also as an added advantage, it could handle it all reliably. Now that the history part has been taken care of, let’s take an even closer look at the Apache RTR 180.
Looks and Features: White as a color has long been ignored by most manufacturers, of course, it’s been applied to the police bikes in recent times but no one really thought that it would be considered as a great color choice for a production bike. This bike features a pearl white paint job with silver/Grey decals all around. The tiny flakes on the painted surfaces that glitter in the sunlight stand testimony to the quality of the paintwork.
For the looks, we gotta hand it over to TVS for the new striking color and sticker combination, it manages to stand apart from the crowd and is really eye catching. The stickers also change color based on how you look at it, going from grey to silver.
There are also several spots on the bike where you would notice the attention to detail that has actually gone into the design of this machine, take for example the keys, the fob has the same design as the gearbox, the under body protector, which seems to have taken days on the drawing board to create, the proudly designed RTR 180 logo on the rear sides and on the handlebar center plate, the silencer shield with IDI engraved on it, all of them show that the job of design was taken a bit seriously.
There are several additions have been implemented by TVS to make it stand apart from its little 160cc brother, such as golden powder coated shocks, white wheel stripes, white faced tachometer and a different rear fender design. The bikes feature list is quite long yet we have included the ones worthwhile: Rear Disc Brakes, Removable rear fenders, 0-60 timer and a top speed recorder, Matt black split adjustable handlebars, rear set foot pegs, illuminated key ring and forged aluminum levers.
One feature worth appreciating on the RTR is the time display on the speedometer, its especially helpful during night time riding since all you have to do is look at the speedo to know the time, rather than glance at the watch under a streetlight while taking the eyes of the road, this was also featured on the Karizma and can be of great aid very often. The split handlebars have an advantage as in case of a handle getting bent or damaged, all one has to do is replace the damaged piece rather than the whole set.
The removable rear fenders are a functional thought but it requires you to have a tool kit and a few screws to attach / remove it. The service indicator also saves the rider the need for calculating the Km’s remaining for the next service. Other features such as 0-60 timer and the top speed counter help the user to understand his machine a little better, for example, the 0-60 lets rider understand when to shift gears to have the best launch, the time is displayed for each run and by comparing the results, he could understand how to achieve the fastest take off or acceleration with this feature.
It can be helpful for someone who might undertake in drag racing. The quality of all the components, from the welds to the gear lever to the well designed speedometer are better than ever before, the front fairing, tank scoops, or any other part I could think of, showed absolutely no audible signs of rattle or vibrations at up to 10,000 RPM; Hats off to TVS.
Engine and Performance: This part really needs no more introduction. The RTR 180 features an over-square 177cc which produces 17.3 PS at 8500 RPM along with a torque figure of 15.5 NM @ 6500 RPM. These specs were never before seen on four stroke, twin valve, 180cc bike, the total kerb weight, despite all the improvements, was painstakingly kept the same as the RTR 160 at 137kg. The R180 is often compared to the Pulsar 220 because; in terms of real world performance, it is way ahead of the Pulsar 180 in more ways than one. Just to give you an idea, here are a few of the comparo figures, between the new Pulsar 180 and the RTR 180:
Pulsar 180
0 – 60 kmph : 5.08 secs
0 – 100 kmph : 15.8 secs
Roll on : 30 – 70 kmph in 5th gear : 14.6 sec
Kerb Weight : 147 kg
RTR 180
0 – 60 kmph : 4.45
0 – 100 kmph : 13.1 secs
Kerb Weight: 137 kg
Roll On : 30 – 70 kmph in 5th gear : 10.1 sec
Well, that was what it’s like on Paper, here’s what it’s like in the real world. Fire it up and you hear the louder yet familiar RTR 160 engine note.
Release the clutch lever and you instantly notice the machines eagerness to move forward, you really need no throttle at idle speeds and the bike chugs forward, give it a little gas and it accelerates smoothly, no jerks here as I thought, the gearbox has been improved a lot and feels quite different to the older RTR 160’s. Slot it into 5th gear and the bike feels settled and silent at cruising speeds of around 60 – 70 kmph. I was honestly looking forward to finding a nice clear stretch of road where I could have the throttle wide open as the bike seemed to yawn at me.
So I turned over to the national highway and since it was just 2:00 in the afternoon, I was in for a treat. The roads were near empty. I Pulled over to the side, lowered the helmet visor, tuned on the headlight, took a breath, and slotted the gear into 1st. Ready, set, go! In the blink of an eye, the tacho needle just shot up and the engine roared into life, within a second or so, It hit the red-line and the speedo showed 40km/h, the front wheel was off the ground at this point, the next thing I know I was shifting into third when the needle showed 60 in second gear, Went forward and touched 85 kmph in third gear and from this point on the wind noise become prominent.
A moment later, the speedo showed 103 in fourth and a while later, 130kmph in fifth gear. After all that action, I slowed down to a steady 60kmph with my heart beating all over the place, it suddenly became something different, all silent and serene. At 60kmph, the only thing I could hear was the wind in my helmet, it was simply calm. Point to note is that the bike easily revs beyond the redline due to the lack of the rev limiter and after about 125 kmph, the needle would be hovering beyond red line. As long as you stay crouched down, it would still continue to climb, though not recommended on public roads. The exhaust sounds it’s very best after 6k Rpm, this can truly make you smile and at that RPM’s it turns into a loud and almost raw ‘grrr’.
Also, as soon as I shifted to 5th gear, I could hear that the exhaust note had a lot more bass to it, in short, the exhaust is tuned, just for the rider and it complements the strong engine that lurks beneath. The bike can easily set your pulse racing with all of its rawness and attitude, I just couldn’t keep myself from twisting the throttle every time I looked at the empty road ahead. As performance has always been the forte of the Apache, this bike never ceased to impress through all that I put it through, It performed equally well in the city and slow moving paces.
You could easily win most of the traffic light drags that you may put this bike through. Its nimble nature makes it a treat in traffic situations. It never feels awkward and can often mistake you for being a bigger cc bike. I’ve felt to be as fast as or even better than the Hero Honda Karizma the during the acceleration test. For a comparison, the RTR has a power to weight ratio of 126PS/ton, the Karizma R has a ratio of 113.3 PS/Ton, the Karizma ZMR has a ratio of 110.06 PS/Ton and I am confident in the fact that the Apache 180 can comfortably win a drag or even a race around a track with the famed Karizma’s which are a good 40cc’s bigger.
Ride and Handling: The Apache’s had established themselves as great handling bikes ever since the launch of the 150, it seems that TVS follows a motto of ‘Power is useless without control’. The RTR 180’s longer wheelbase gives it even more confidence than the 160 at high speeds or even with a pillion on board. Its cornering abilities are remarkable, one thing you would like is that around the twisties, on smooth road, the only part that would touch the ground when you lean the bike to the limit is the tiny knob on the footrest, as soon as it touches the ground, it vibrates with the road, this does not shake or affect the bikes stability as the footrest is designed to bend inward in case of high angle leans.
This is sort of like a warning that asks you to back off a tiny bit, and boy does it lean, you could have your knees scraping the tarmac within a few kilometers of riding the bike, the angles this thing is capable of achieving is amazing, at such limits, the fact that the bike has been tested to perform well under these conditions provides you with a sense of safety, the suspension damps any of the irregularities you may encounter mid corner.
The weight around the whole bike is also well balanced and its nimble character allows you to level the bike up in the blink of an eye just in case you were to spot any potholes or problems in the road ahead while in a lean. This adds to the confidence, it gets you to appreciate the bike, it generates a sense of safety and generates confidence. It would remind you about TVS’s ‘race bred’ claim, which you would slowly start to believe in the more time you spend with the bike. As for the ride quality, it’s almost entirely dependent on the rear damper preload you set it at.
There are 5 settings from soft to hard, if you were to set it at soft, the ride becomes really comfortable, almost as good as the Yamaha Fazer, put it to hard and it stiffens up like a rock, do note that there is a tradeoff in changing the above settings, a soft setting would make the ride very comfortable but it would reduce the ‘feel’ of the road, the soft setting makes the bike feel like its floating on the road for some reason but, with the nicely shaped seats, it can increase comfort over long or bumpy journeys by a wide margin.
The hard setting is the stiffest, it’s more suited for use only on really smooth roads or track purposes, it is really rewarding for the seasoned rider as this setting gives the best feel, control and confidence. The bike stays stiff under almost any type of cornering but the problem is that the ride would turn into a punishment if it is used on bad roads, you could run over a spider and tell how many legs it had, you would have to stand up on the foot pegs when you see a pothole coming your way. It becomes that hard. Overall, it’s the setting that defines the ride quality, TVS provides a tool in the toolbox to adjust these but you could just turn it with your hands by twisting the upper part of the springs.
For RTR 180 owners, the deepest groove in the rear shock absorber is the softest and the highest groove is the hardest. Factory sets it right in the middle, not too hard, not too soft. The amazing part is how versatile the bike actually becomes with this feature, one minute your back is crying at you for the rough ride, the next; you are gliding across the same road with barely even a nudge, this does not change the behavior of the front suspension which seems to be neither to hard or too soft.
The tyres and brakes combination works well but that’s the only part that needs a little improvement, the TVS tyres, work really well on normal tarred roads, but it doesn’t feel reassuring when the road is covered in mud or any other slippery surface. The disc brakes needs to be used carefully under these conditions and must be let go of as soon as the front wheel feels like it has locked. I think this is the reason why TVS has been experimenting with ABS for the RTR line of bikes.
On the roads, it’s all fine, even during the high speed sessions, the bike felt really stable and the tires never gave a reason to complain. Its only when the roads are slippery that one has to be careful, it’s not that the bike just slips and falls, it doesn’t give the feedback on such surfaces, hence the rider should be careful when taking it off road. It’s always a good idea to find a muddy patch of road to test the braking limits at various speeds for any bike. This would prepare you for any emergencies that you may face. Apart from that the braking on the bike was really something to mention, the combination of the two disc brakes was really powerful plus the seating position never made the arms stressed during hard braking, in effect, at 80 Kmph, full brakes (60% front and 40% rear), it feels like stopping while zooming in with a camera, looking at its viewfinder.
There’s no fuzz, it doesn’t dive much, no screeching noise, you could feel your abdomen being pushed to the tank but nothing else, it’s just that a few seconds later, you are standing still at 0kmph on the road. I was honestly worried of being hit from the back by a car or a lorry and had made it a point to look carefully at the rear view mirror before I even thought of braking hard, the brakes were that good, and this also demonstrated what the tyres were capable of.
Though the rear disc does its job beautifully, a drum brake version as an option like in the RTR 160 could have been a good idea, though the disc brakes are powerful, it seldom works as well in the rain, so if you are the one who likes to ride in the rain, the rear disc could under perform when wet. But this can be viewed as a safety measure as it’s never safe to brake hard on any bike when it’s wet.
Overall the brakes and tyres do their jobs really well, there are few situations where the tyre shows signs of weakness but otherwise, they are both well and good. In my research, I had learned from the RTR 160 owners that the tyres seem to have a high tread life, it lasts up to 40,000 Km’s under normal use. This could be due to the use of a harder compound of rubber which lasts much longer but doesn’t grip as good as the soft ones, the tyres definitely felt better than the ones used in the RTR 160, in fact the rear tyre was actually wider and shorter than the 160’s.
Negatives: No review would be complete without a few bits of constructive criticism and here comes. The RTR is not exactly a one-size-fits-all bike, people beyond certain heights have often complained of it being small for them, I’m 5 feet, 10 inches with a weight of 75kg, for me though the bike fits like a glove, This bike is for a people within a certain height. Those who find it perfect would really turn away at the sight of any other bike, it’s always a good idea to test ride it before a final decision on purchase is taken.
The tyre performance is better than before, but on muddy surfaces, it needs a little improvement, TVS seems to have found a solution in the form of the ABS system, but until its implemented,a better brand of rubbers ( tyres ) would be the best solution. Vibrations, this isn’t such a big issue as some people suggest it to be, I used a pair of leather riding gloves and couldn’t feel this phenomenon myself, I personally found no reason to complain even after having ridden for quite a long time, the 180 has heavier bar end weights and several damping solutions in place compared to the 160 and this could be doing the trick. Basically, it’s all a matter of preference, if you are looking for engine refinement,
Unicorn is all yours, but if you want a raw power, and engine reliability, the RTR is the answer. Front faring, for the speeds this thing is capable of achieving, it really needs a full front fairing, if I were to buy this bike, I would have contemplated cross fitting the Fazer fairing into this one on the very first day. I’m sure that the next Apache (220 / 250 it at all launched) will have a fairing that will be as easy as plug and play for the RTR 180, until then, it would be a good idea to hold on tight. The branding, the Ad’s of the RTR 180 is one of the best I’ve seen for a bike, but TVS needs to work on their brand (the ‘TVS’ brand, not ‘Apache’ which is well taken care of)and its perception, people need to get an idea about what the company really is today, rather than what was 10 years back.
The Verdict: This bike demonstrates that TVS has taken the Apache brand really seriously, a close look at the bike shows that they have paid attention to even the tiniest detail from the ride comfort to the handling to the engine. They seemed to have worked even harder to create the 180 and considerable amount of time seems to have been spent on this machine, evident by the power figures and the weight which TVS kept the same as the 160.
It’s really a commendable effort, this machine has enough power to give the bigger cc bikes the chills and a run for their money. Their amazing ad campaign where they depict the bike as a racers dream is truly appealing. I honestly have never liked an Indian bike as much as this. Its Genuinely Cool. The strong points of this bike are the engine, handling and lightweight.
So there you have it, the RTR 180, to the last detail. In a nutshell, in stock form, you could race this bike all day long every day of its life without it even breaking a sweat. With its Japanese history, it’s just a simple fact that this bike is one of the most reliable machines in the country. But that’s a fact people rarely know. But it’s the lucky owners who, with each progressing day, discovers the fighter inside this truly amazing bike.
– Arun Thampi
{ 107 comments… read them below or add one }
This is what i was waiting for……….a full blown review of the meanest bike in the country. 1 year since it’s launch and no good review on this website…..shame, i must say.This review does a complete justice to what the beast the RTR 180 is. The pulsar guys don’t understand…they think that pulsar is better than RTR…Wait for RTR 220/250 you pulsar maniacs, Lets see for how long you hold that fastest indian tag…
RTR RULES……
Best indian bike ever….
Amazing review. It can really make one buy the bike straight off…. No second thoughts there…. Great work there Arun.
RTR’s really rule the roads when it comes to performance in the segment….
Longest article ever published here!! Good Arun! Keep it up!
amazing n adrenaline injected review….i always has a fantasy 2wards da RTR series n also luv da PULSAR series.. dey r da only true indian effort in da country…TVS n BAJAJ is realy da future face of indian motorcycling i mean dey hv done mr hard wrk n also has fulfilled every indian bikers thirst…n hs given us true desi performance machines…unlike our stupid desh ki dhadkan hero honda actually dat title must realy go 2 BAJAJ n TVS…b4 finishing a frndly advice 2 Mr. himanshu…RTRs rule…ok bt dat doesnt mean a pulsar can’t beat it….RTR 250 single is coming bt on da other side derz a p250 also coming…n dat 2 a parallel twin liquid cooled one…n pulsar is nt dat bad after all da pulsar is still unbeatable wen it come 2 sales n VFM..n datz da grand finale…try 2 b a real biking enthusiast n appreciate all genuine efforts of all true indian companies…letz 2gether b proud abt our nation’s efforts…jai hind…no hard feelings man…
Congratulations on this fantastic review!! You surely have spent a long time in understanding the personality of the potent machine. Hope TVS with their new bike take the performance to the next level.
seriously true but the vib’s are a bit irritating!!! overall the best bike in the price segment…
Hi arun that was an fantastic and detailed review ,even i wonder why do people compare pulsor bikes with other prestigious companies like suzuki, honda,hero honda and tvs these are the companies that gives you the best bikes with true performance and great engines but wereas bajaj offers you the worst engines and parts none of their bikes lasts for more than 25000 kms but when it comes to 180cc comparision apache 180 rtr is the best to buy
@ HIMANSHU !
100 % AGREED !!!!!!!!!
Amazing review!
Apache simply rocks.
very good review and a awesome bike but no vibes at all ! i seriously doubt that ! i rode a friends RTR180 and it was vibrating like anything over 50kmph .
Arun – bajaj offers you the worst engines and parts none of their bikes lasts for more than 25000 kms
just keep quit , it’s the only way by which you can contribute here !
Yes…i agree that bajaj has value for money and practibility ……but they fail in the long run….i’ve seen 4 year old pulsars whining on the roads as they are being crushed and i’ve seen the original apache 150′s in tip top condition without much extra care….only regular care and service….
I agree that pulsar 220 is d fastest bike in india but personally when i blasted my friends brand new pulsar 220 dts-i to 100 kmph and when we stopped at a red light the engine was giving off a extremely foul burning smell as if it has been subjected to 2000 degree celsius……even my 6 yrs. old lml graptor doesnt behaves like that……..it is a dead giveaway of bajaj quality…..
They just fit bigger engines in same chasis……no research and development……..
Apache RTR 180 is a result of years of research and development ……ie. why it took so time.
It just blasts off pulsar 180 and even pulsar 200 in terms of performance……….If a 220 cc apache is launched …..it will be light years ahead of ‘the fastest indian’……….
MARK MY WORDS………
Oh yeah!! Bajaj gives worst engines that last not more than 25000 kms. That’s the reason why Pulsar has 50% share in 150cc and above segment for 9 years.
Awesome review, simply the best I have read this year. And the first pic is drool maal.
Himanshu
you say that apache is the result of years of research and do you think that the pulsar was launched just after drawing the design on paper .
Do you know why you see the whining pulsars , thats because they are not properly maintained( the point that you mentioned ). i have had careless friends who ran their pulsars for straight 2000kms without any service , how do you think the bike will react . if you maintain any bike properly it will give no trouble .
I agree that pulsars have their share of niggles but if you go through the various public forums on net you will realize that RTR180 is more cursed than P180 . If you want to buy a problem free bike buy either suzuki or a Yam , and in between RTR 180 is a bigger engine on RTR160′s chasis .
RTR 180 is a great bike but it’s not godly as your post suggests .
Mr.aditya gupta can you give me one reason why bajaj products are good,of course i agree that they are good value for money but in terms of long life performance and quality were does bajaj stand with other companies.
Adiya gupta ji,
the rtr 180′s chasis has been lengthened and stiffened to comply wth the extra power of the 180 cc engine . dont believe me me, then checkout the review of rtr 180 on http://www.overdrive.in
the alloy wheels are specially made fr d byk to reduce
…weight and to increase d powr to weight ratio(whch bajaj engineers probably hadnt even heard of, see what they do…. a 180 cc bike weighing freakin 147 kg)
n u tll me the last proper upgrade pulsar got after getting led tail lights . bajaj jst kept…
…on adding more cubes and plastic .
see, evry1 cn use a bigger engine fr more power, thts nthin novel…
the trick is to produce more power frm a smaller engine…which is wat tvs did wth rtr series, yamaha did wth r15 and finally bajaj did wth 135 ls
pulsar 135 ls is d nly novel and good bike from d bajaj stable.
n whn u tlk about maintanance, my friend suraj has two pulsars , 180cc (2008 model) , 220 cc (2009 model) and he cleans d bike for 2 hours evryday n get thm servicd regularly . n it ws his…
220 which i blasted tll 100 kmph n it ws stinking lyk burnt thermocole………
bajaj sells due to typical indian mentality, (bhedhchaal) and trust . tvs apache has a marvellous engine , thnx to suzuki and as thampi said in d review , tvs has a histry….
of racing, it has used all its experience hn making the rtr 180.
it contains as mch research as bajaj wud hav dne in a lyftym .
bajaj pulsar rules d market as its fr masses and apache fr d classes .
in my area, doodhwala, cyckewala all own pulsars
evn it
evn if pulsar hav been d bst byk of d wrld (fat chance), i wudnt buy it as its d maruti 800 of bikes, evry one has 1 .
n who ws d genious who claimed above tht dre is a twin cyl. , liq coold 250 cc pulsar in on its way……..buddy, u need a doctor…….
as sch a bike will screw d ninja 250′s market, n thts d lst thng bajaj wud wnt.
baja maybe a fool tecnically bt he’s smart wen it cmes to market matters.
I have heard quality issues with pulsars almost as much as i have heard vibration issues about apaches. But i have never heard hero honda owners face these problems. My conclusion is that todays pulsars and apaches need a lot of care and attention for them to run smooth and long. But hero hondas can go through years of rough use and abuse and still start every morning without much complain. It is neither the fastest nor the most stylish but it is definitely the most reliable and comfortable bike money can buy.
Regarding VFM , why isn’t RTR180 value for money when the price difference between P180 and RTR180 is roughly Rs1000 . Both P180 and RTR180 are good VFM and great bikes .
well i have a friend who bought P150 in 2005 , still running fine BECUASE it’s properly maintained .
Another friend of mine has RTR180 bought in july last year , over 6ooo kms done , running fine BECAUSE it’s properly maintained .
Yet another friend of mine has a karizma ZMA ( i dont know which year ) and his bike is a storehouse of niggles because maybe it was not properly maintained .
and i have a P220 bought in Jan 2010 , over 2500 kms done and not a single niggle , no sound , no vibes , no nothing , everything perfect because i take good care of my bike .
Deepak, evryone knws its a great review . pls cmmnt bout the bikes featurd in d review. i say so as we value ur cmmnts .
all i cn say is that the only bikes wrth buying in india are – honda stunner, bajaj pulsar 135ls, tvs flame, yamaha gladiator……..
Hero honda hunk, honda unicorn , suzuki gs150r, yamaha fz1j, yamaha r15, apache rtr 160/180, hh karizma(nly fr tourers), yamaha fazer and all d royal enfields . n d king of all kawasaki ninja 250 .
n in 100cc sgmnt, nly d nw cbtwistr n tvs star sport….
Make sense to me…….
well, these are my opinions n i totally stand by them and most of my friends do too. no hard feelings for anyone……
Well, no bike is perfect, ive seen a lotta pulsars wth lotta problems but i’ve nvr seen an apache with problems . so, i trust apaches more than pulsars .
it is that simple as that .
if u want a bike wth low maintanence, go fr yamaha,hh,honda …….
and if u wnt performance go for apache series, r15 and ninja 250(depending on ur budget) n pulsar(220 nly, tht too on ur risk) ……….
Regarding more power from smaller engine – the power difference between P180 and RTR180 is a meagre 0.28 Ps which is not that big as you are making it . The real power difference is between R15 and other 150-160cc bikes . And regarding more power from smaller engine , Bajaj already knows how to do it , it has shown by producing 13.5 Ps from a puny 135cc engine .
Both RTR160 and RTR180 have Double Cradle chasis and the ALTERATIONS in it doesn’t make it a brand new chasis , it was done to fit a bigger engine in it .
Yes P180 weighs about 10kgs more than RTR180 but when you look at the goodies offered it seems justified . Fatter tyres , fatter forks ( both have practical purposes ), bigger dimensions increase both the weight and the manly looks of a bike .
And about being common it’s the P150 that is common , not P180 . the dodhwalas etc have P150 not P180 and if your doodhwala has a P180 then man you live in a posch area !
“it contains as mch research as bajaj wud hav dne in a lyftym” – ANY PROOF IS WELCOME .
The thing is not about cleaning and regularly servicing , yes they are very important , but the thing that matters more is how he drives his bike also ,Your friend Suraj must have bought the P220 from the first lot . The first lot of P220 had a lot of complaints which were rectified in the subsequent lot ( I have a bike from the 2nd lot and it is working like a charm ) .
” evn if pulsar hav been d bst byk of d wrld (fat chance), i wudnt buy it as its d maruti 800 of bikes ” – Your choice , no problem .
( AND PLEASE DONT USE MUTLI POSTS , IT IS IRRITATING )
terrific review…
one of the best reviews that i have come across…..
I am a proud owner of RTR 180 White and this review told me many secrets of my bike ..thanks….
Hi guys seems there is a lot of discussion going on as it clearly seems between Pulsar 180 & Apache RTR 180. I recently purchased a new RTR 180 on 30th march. It took me almost two months to decide what to go for. I was bit confused between Karizma, Pulsar 180 & RTR 180. At last I made my mind & got RTR 180. It has been only 400 kms but I sure & I truly say it from the core of my heart that the bike is mind blowing. At the end of the day the story is that RTR rocks. I am 6ft 95 kgs but I dont think the bike gives any pain during long ride bcoz I had a ride of 200 kms & the roads of Kashmir are very bad & hilly. It depends on the rider’s posture how he manages his body on the bike.
Guys in 150cc segment the only bike that has got more value for money than other 150cc bikes is suzuki gs 150r which offers you great comfortto both rider and pillion, amazing mileage(55-58),the only bike to have two modes(eco13.3bhp and power14bhp)gear system(6 speed)best commuter,superb stability at high speeds and the fastest to reach 100 after r15 over all a great product to buy
We are talking about performance here guys, every tiny lill thing matters. u think that bigger forks and wider tyres do anything good to pulsar . and pls dnt talk bout p180′s manly looks yaar, pulsar is one o d mst outdated byk on d looks front….
pulsars desperatly need a update in d luks department. if u talk bout p220′s performance, i undrstand. but y tlk bout p180 as rtr 180 can beat it ny tym man. ( im srry bout multiple posts bt i use my mobile to access net so it has a word limit)
the cycl mechanic near my apartmnts hs a silvr p180(d nw one wth clip-ons)
. i jst meant to say tht pulsars has lost their charm .
n if u believe tht bajaj has dne sme serious research on PULSARS(on d nw ones)…..ANY PROOF IS WELLCOME MY FRIEND………
n pls dnt say tht p180 is nt common…thts one thing evn u pulsar fans cnt deny…..d whole pulsar series is evrywhere…..nly d p220 fi is uncommn as it was costly n is nw discontinued….n no hrd feelings guys….we r jst having a healthy discussion….
i told u ppl to read d rtr 180′s review on http://www.overdrive.in
it is d mst professional review of d bike i hv ever read . thn u wl gt to knw d engineering prowness of d rtr 180 and fr comparison b/w p180 n rtr 180, pls read thier comparo on d sme wbsyt ….
…thn u will get a solid proof….
i believe n agree wth thm cmpltly as dey are professionals guys…
dey knw 1000 times bttr thn us .
Great review for a great bike…
Again you are getting both me and yourself wrong , when did i say that P180 is better than RTR180 in performance , RTR180 is the best 180 cc bike . Infact i said , both are fantastic bikes while you think that P180 is crap .
And looks , they can be subjective . But you have to admit P180 looks more manly than RTR180 . And dont just pass off the bigger forks and wider tyres as simple add ons , they actually improve the handling and stability alot .
About being common , you are wrong , it’s the P150 that is common , pick up some reliable Pulsar sales figure , you will realize that . And before , you were telling me every Doodhwala , cyclewala had a Pulsar and now you write only about a single cyclewala . I admit pulsar as a brand is way too common but majority of the pulsars you see on road are P150 . Some of the owner of P150 do some visual improvements and make their bikes look like P180 .( one of my friend even got the P180 sticker pasted on his P150 ! )
There was not any major reaserch done on 2009 P180 and P150 ( just some engine tweaking to produce more power .) , the major work was done on P220 to bring it from fuel injection to carburetor .
“it contains as mch research as bajaj wud hav dne in a lyftym” — still clueless !
Great Review.p180 or RTR 180 both are good bikes. its all about personal review which one is better. you can not say that if pulsar market share is 50% then it is a great or good bike. almost 80% people purchase bike with out having proper technical knowledge only they know or hear from others about bikes like herohonda splendor. all says herohonda bikes are maintenance free more mileage. but there are somany bike in the same segment which offers more value for money in terms any comparision to herohonda. its all about proper knowledge about bike. its your decision which bike you will purchase.
and when it comes to performance then p180 is always behind RTR 180. as apache engines are short stroke so it vibrate at 5 to 6k RPM. RTR head valve tappet and springs needs some refinement as very noise comes from here i have apache rtr 160 i have tried all things to head section but if i go for smooth sound then loose pickup so i adjust my mind to that now its nota problem for me with great pickup and power who cares little amount of vibration.
i decided RTR 160 ( at that time 180 is not in the market) because i need power and pickup , reliability and with in budget.
RTR 160 has few problems like lack of power and torque in midrange 65 to 80 km/h
0-60 4.8 sec
0-100 17 sec
top speed 118 km/h
that the difference.
so while developing RTR 180 they work on midrange toruqe and power not on the top speed. thats why rtr 180
0-60 4.6 sec
0-100 13 sec
top speed 125km/h
fastest 0-100 in india even pulsar 220 , karizma ,r15 can not beat 0-100 drag race.
RTR 180 bore and stroke is different from RTR 160
not only over bore to 180. they reduce the bore width to minimise vibration.
also totally new gear ratio for better torque and power in all gears.
regarding top speed in india we donot have trafic free express highway where we can race. so in my area in NH5 i can easily beat any pulsar 220, r15, karzima with rtr 180 if it is a straight road then only they can beat me.
SO RTR rocks
if you need smooth engine then go for honda.
60kg weight person can easily beat P200 with RTR 160
so its upon you which bike you will purchse go for testride.
in my opnion never go for herohonda bikes as they borrow engines from honda and over priced bikes
better go for honda which is the original maker of engine.
suzuki bikes are refined engines but lacks power
bajaj bikes lacks service and reliability low quality spares.
yamaha bikes are refined engine ,style and power but some bikes are over priced.
tvs bikes are more reliable, low maintenance.
“cycl mechanic near my apartmnts hs a silvr p180(d nw one wth clip-ons)
. i jst meant to say tht pulsars has lost their charm”
@Himanshu..
This simply means.. they still are selling well and the fact that a mechanic got it tells you that it’s cheaper to maintain and good on mileage. People like them will not go for newly launched bikes.. they always buy time tested ones.
Bajaj R&D or Bajaj vehicles doesn’t need your certification.. they are selling well without that!!! Just wait for another year.. entire Pulsar line up would have been upgraded to 4-valve engines.. then we see how competition is gonna cope with that.. while pulsar owners are in Pulsar mania.. I guess others got Pulsar phobia.. they always want to prove that their bikes are better..LOL..
Whenever some one is going to buy a bike.. it gets affected with lot of things.. but budget plays a main role.. I’m sure if you haven’t had that extra 5k to spend.. you could have ended up writing this review on P180.. or some other bike!!
No matter how you feel about Pulsar vis a vis Apache.. Pulsar is still the best selling performance bike brand in India.. and it’s going to be that way for a long time to come. Because the battle with Pulsar is not on the tarmac.. but it’s in the minds of prospective buyers. This is the reason why RTR160.. or as they say most sorted out 150.. Unicorn are not able to topple Pulsar on the sales charts.
Finally.. I wanna say something that’s true with most pulsar owners including me… “I didn’t get pulsar coz, I wanted a bike.. I wanted a Pulsar, that’s why I got a bike”
Hello people ,I need to say a something here.As said by Arun “I honestly have never liked an Indian bike as much as this” ,i have a few comments:
Firstly TVS RTR 180 is not a indigenous bike i.e it is not entirely an Indian make…the technology part or to say the engine is taken care by the Japenese(Suzuki guys)people.So you cannot say its an Indian bike with full belief and confidence,right?
In that case the only bike which sells like hell and is fully made by India(without any kawasaki stuff or japanese tech.) is Pulsar…if I m not wrong.I know it was with Kawasaki before but now they are putting their own guts on the line and trying to build stuff out of their own.Its initial stage people…..give pulsar and Bajaj some time man ….they will bounce back with something which you can boast of as truly Indian.
Pulsar have been performing well despite of all these problems but dont forget they have improved so much over time.The first pulsars had so many problems ….then they came with DTSi and all the technologies…improving the reliability factor by an appreciable margin.
Dudes give Bajaj and pulsar some more time to improve on the technicalities and engine …..they have shown promise..but it definitely takes time to learn and apply and that to on your own.
We all have our likes and dislike and there is no specific reason for you to like a thing or dislike it…but what we have in control is appreciate the efforts which is being put in by someone to churn out something which is self made.Apart from that all others like yamaha,Honda,HH all are legends and it takes lot of pains and time to become a legend…so wait for a while…we will have a legend which you can surely boast of.
Thanks
Vidhu
hoo…i think i’ve sparked a discussion…..both byks da RTR range n PULSAR series r gud…n also hv their own fair shre of problems also all u guys r simply taking side of ur favorite company’s prdt…n simply goin mayhem ovr it cmon guys….all indian prdts r gud….n iam stressing on BAJAJ n TVS because deyz r only da true blue genuinely indian effort iam able 2 c of course i am not tellin anything abt styling n designing…u know mostof dem do take support frm international firms…bt hr i am telling abt developing a concept genuinely all 2gthr in overall…only tvs n bajaj is duin it….(iam nt gonna take da japanese companies or da collaborated sh*t lyk hero honda) so guyz indian shud start 2 appreciate deez TRUE INDIAN EFFORT OF TRUE INDIAN COMPANIES…even though dey hav comparatively crude prdts…deez 2 companies r still in developing stages…n nt lyk developed japs…i personally dnt lyk herohonda nt dat deyr prdts r bad bt deyr efforts r nt genuine….n dey say dat “desh ki dhadkan” shit also…actually dey r ones who hv been fooling us…dey only know 2 rebadge a honda…
i mean if u think … u’ll gt ma point…juzz think…HH doesnt hav a single own developed engine with dem deyer famous splendor n othr batallion n engine r actually bored versions of honda CUB’s engine….deyer first cbz engines r tweaked honda engine so is da engines of ambition n ambition 135….nw da karizma…. shez gt her engine frm da famous CRF 230′s ENGINE…nw u all know deyr nw 150cc range’s engine source n 2 finish out things dey gt da same honda engine of old activa n dio in deyer pleasure range of scooters…dey r only able 2 modify a lil dey prdts cycle part ….nuthin else…nw u decide….
Without any Doubts the RTR will always be ahead of Pulsars in terms of Performance and Everything the Sole reason is Every TVS Product will always be after the Launch of its Bajaj Competitor. Remember when Pulsars were released with Silver Alloy wheels back in 2005 Nov, The Apache 150 came in with Black alloys and was better than the Pulsars in Performance Figures in Feb 2006. Later when Pulsars were launched with Digi Speedo in Dec 2006, Apache RTR was born in July 2007. Same ways it goes on with Flame, Star etc The only thing TVS mastered was Scoooooty. I am 1000% sure TVS will never launch its 200+cc bike without seeing a Upgrade launch of 220cc Pulsar. So I would say its wise to buy a TVS over the Bajaj coz end of the day we need a Product thats always better than the Existing One.
Hey Munu Dont be so Creative, a Stock R15 can do 0-100 anytime within 10 Secs if the RPM is kept over 9K for 1st Three Gear Shifs. Its the same with P220 as well, See the Ads of RTR 180 TVS themselves compare the RTR 180 with FZ Series and Not R15 or P220. In My case I have the Remapped ECU in my R15 and feel sorry for RTR’s who read the about the RTR 180 as the fastest accelerating bike in Blogs and trying to compete. If you dont believe me my friend just respond, I will upload a Youtube Video with my R15 doing 0-100 in less than 8 Secs and My friend’s p220 in 9 secs. So that You can Try the same with your RTR 180. Anyways no Offense, I think We all are Bike Enthusiasts and not Bike Patriots.
i nvr said that pulsars dont sell……..they rock d sales charts only coz dey are cheap……
i jst said that the views are entirely mine…n yeah, bajaj jst tweaked d engines nly n no serious work…….
evry1 knws bout bajaj’s quality… n thts wat im.
talking bout…..i nvr said tht dey are low on mileage…
n pls show me d proof fr d claim tht bajaj hav seriously wrkd on pulsar uprgades of 2009,
they do it evry year….add a lill bit plastic, a lill bit 0.smthng bhp n yeah we got a new pulsar…
mr. aditya gupta,
is rtr 180 is low on handling n stability due to narrower tyres n thinner forks ?
its jst marketing gimmicks, p180 doesnt really doesnt needs thm…its sme batch pastd upon it , mre fr less..
but mre weight n plastic…
i hve seen uncountable pulsars wth sagged tail lights….. it luks so fnny, as if a dog is meekingly bowing his head with his ears folded dwnwards…
pulsars sell jst due 2 marketing gimmiks, d indian mentalitiy to copy others n insanely low prices……
mommy… rahul got a pulsar…i also want a pulsar…..uuaaan…
thts a typical pulsar buyer….
wats pulsar’s got ?
rear grab tails which u cnt grab, 2 mm thick tank scoops(plastic) which cnt direct the air flw twards d engine…hahahahahaha
n d nw 180 is d biggest looser of all d pulsars.
thick forks(nt requird), insanely thick tyres, obese(OMG!! 147 KG), white tachomtr(liftd frm rtr 180), poor performance n sagging tail lights n as common as dogs on d street…i wud die rather thm buy it…
i may again clarify tht dese are my views n i cmpltly stand by dm n dnt give a damn if u or ny1 agree wth me or nt….
im gonna buy my nw n first byk in 3 mnths n it wl be a white rtr 180 n nobdy n nythng cn alter my decision.
captain obvious just stated something which i was going to say….it does nt mattrs who did it first… d thing tht mattrs is tht who did it bttr.. bajaj started evrythng wth pulsar n tvs wl finish evrythng wth apache rtr..
Reply to Captain Obvious
like you remapped your ecu. in RTR it is also possible to do mods for safety of buyer company does not sell that to customer only for race tracks.in RTR 180 u can use mods to increase its BHP to 20.3 bhp so if the same rtr engine use 4 valve liquid coooled and forge piston then you can see which one is faster.
so it results bike price will be high like r15 over 1 lakh
so which one is master piece looking at every aspect you can
judge.
@Arun
It feels very heartening to read a review like this about the bike that I own. I too have written a review but its just a fraction of yours. It expresses your expertise on bikes which I lack. Thanks for the wonderful review. I would like to just ask you one thing. Its about the discomfort for tall riders. I am 6 feet (183cm) but experience no issues with the comfort that Apache offers. Am I the only exception or are there more lucky tall riders just like me out there? Just curious.
himanshu
u know nothing about bikes .
@Vikram Mahadev,
I have found that issue to be confusing, as far as I honestly know, it was the Apache 150 which was small for tall riders, since you yourself, as an owner, have commented on the comfort, it seems to be a misunderstanding, My cousin is 6 ft. 3″ and he actually loved the bike…
There are so many comments out there which spread myths and half truths about this amazing bike, in reality those are just hate messages… The bike is really good for most tall people and the curved seats make sure that you dont slide back during hard acceleration. As I wrote in the last line of my review, its the lucky owners who would understand what this machine is really made of…
Cheers…
Excellent Review Arun. I am amazed. 60+ comments. Good job.
WOW. Stupendous Review.Just amazing.
After reading your review , I love my APACHE Fi even more.
Very Good.***** Rating.
BUT FRIENDS CHILL.WE ALL LOVE OUR BIKES,AND THAT’S WHAT BINDS US TOGETHER.SPREAD LOVE THROUGH BIKING.
SAM
@aditya gupta
yeah …..ok, if you want to end it like this……..if YOU know everything about bikes n i dont….
Then i am better off like this only…….
You be happy with your sub standard pulsar…Its till your level only……..
As they say, only a jeweler can identify a real diamond………..
Have fun with your pulsar dude, but be careful while twisting the throttle, least the bike falls apart……lol…
@Vikram Mahadev,
I have found that issue to be confusing, as far as I honestly know, it was the Apache 150 which was small for tall riders, since you yourself, as an owner, have commented on the comfort, it seems to be a misunderstanding, My cousin is 6 ft. 3″ and he actually loved the bike…
There are so many comments out there which spread myths and half truths about this amazing bike, in reality those are just hate messages… The bike is really good for most tall people and the curved seats make sure that you dont slide back during hard acceleration. As I wrote in the last line of my review, its the lucky owners who would understand what this machine is really made of…
Cheers…
Absolutely right mr. Thampi,
if somebody can not identify this beast’s real power, he is a fool n d loss is entirely his…….
They should be with their more manly looking n value for money bike…….they are not suited to a beast like our rtr here
i dont think that mr. aditya has have somrthing commendable to say now…….its ok, can understand.
“cycl mechanic near my apartmnts hs a silvr p180(d nw one wth clip-ons)
. i jst meant to say tht pulsars has lost their charm”
@Himanshu..
This simply means.. they still are selling well and the fact that a mechanic got it tells you that it’s cheaper to maintain and good on mileage. People like them will not go for newly launched bikes.. they always buy time tested ones.
Bajaj R&D or Bajaj vehicles doesn’t need your certification.. they are selling well without that!!! Just wait for another year.. entire Pulsar line up would have been upgraded to 4-valve engines.. then we see how competition is gonna cope with that.. while pulsar owners are in Pulsar mania.. I guess others got Pulsar phobia.. they always want to prove that their bikes are better..LOL..
Whenever some one is going to buy a bike.. it gets affected with lot of things.. but budget plays a main role.. I’m sure if you haven’t had that extra 5k to spend.. you could have ended up writing this review on P180.. or some other bike!!
No matter how you feel about Pulsar vis a vis Apache.. Pulsar is still the best selling performance bike brand in India.. and it’s going to be that way for a long time to come. Because the battle with Pulsar is not on the tarmac.. but it’s in the minds of prospective buyers. This is the reason why RTR160.. or as they say most sorted out 150.. Unicorn are not able to topple Pulsar on the sales charts.
Finally.. I wanna say something that’s true with most pulsar owners including me… “I didn’t get pulsar coz, I wanted a bike.. I wanted a Pulsar, that’s why I got a bike”
yeah right pulsarboy, the war is in d minds of prospective buyers…….n yeah u wanted a pulsar nly ….nt a bike…..
as i do not think pulsar deserves to be called a bike…..bajaj is making a fool of all the ppl out dere n they are rather happy to be fooled….thn ok…let thm be…..happpy ridiing every1………
“The world thinks that I chose the machine, but the truth is, the machine chose me” – quote from the Apache 180 Ad
himanshu
you know that you are only good at saying rubbish , can you point out one informative detail you have written in this debate , all you say is , pulsar cheap , apache best , apache result R&D , pulsar local , etc etc etc . About the bike falling apart , i took my P220 to 120kmph in 4th gear at 10k rpm and it was rock solid , gave me immense confidence , not like your RTR which starts vibrating like a tractor over 5k rpm .
And dont talk about my standard buddy , you know nothing about me and keep it that way .
Dont talk about Bajaj R&D either , you know nothing . Did you know that inside P220′s engine , the oil is sprayed on various components via oil jets , now that’s detail . And again i am saying go through various public forum and you will find that RTR series has a long list of problems like jerking , rear wheel wobbling ,idiotic TVS tyres , improper throttle response , sudden explosive acceleration , electricals , etc etc etc .
As they say, only a jeweler can identify a real diamond……….. – You almost made me laugh here , LOL .
yeah right pulsarboy, the war is in d minds of prospective buyers…….n yeah u wanted a pulsar nly ….nt a bike…..
as i do not think pulsar deserves to be called a bike…..bajaj is making a fool of all the ppl out dere n they are rather happy to be fooled….thn ok…let thm be…..happpy ridiing every1……… – Again shows what i told earlier , you know nothing . Phew !
Reply Aditya Gupta
As you say apache vibrate over 5k rpm its not that only vibrate in 65 to 75 km/h range again this range vary from bike to bike when bike becomes older it gradually disappear. over 80km/h bike again completely stable upto max speed.
regarding pulsar bikes quality is very cheap after 20000km you will know yourself what i want to say about quality.
wait for higher cc bike from tvs like 220 or more then regarding performance you have to change your own words.
few people have proper knowledge about bikes else other only purchase either it is new in market and great media or market effect of bike like fastest highest selling bike.
bike market is very competitive with many bikes in same range but in 220 cc only 2 bikes are there p220 and karizma wait for others to come. then we can which one is better.
regarding tvs rtr series it is best in its segment as compare to pulsar.
in same cc range pulsar always behind rtr when rtr 220cc comes then we can only compare it with p220. so enjoy the fastest tag for more months. like male tag for p150.
RTR 180 is best in its segment those who do not have this bike or you want to purchase bike in future and if you are looking for performance bike with in 200cc then go for RTR 180 or test drive a bike a new one or old one. it is best in milega ealso return 50km/h means better mileage from 160 rtr.
so do not hear what people says test your self with every bike then decide your self.
one thing that the truth for all
every bike has some pros and cons. no bike or no one is perfect.
thats why every bike has upgrade in technology after few months or years of release.
like pulsar 150 to pulsr ug4
apache 150 rtr 160… etc
still you can understand then fight which one is better.
but i personally feel RTR is better than Pulsar taking all things performance, price, reliablity and technology.
MUNU
i agree with most of your points .
The vibes in RTR dont gradually dissapear , they diminish maybe( not heard till now except some very few and scattered cases ) , but not dissapear definitely .
regarding pulsar bikes quality is very cheap after 20000km you will know yourself what i want to say about quality.
regarding this just answer my one question – If Bajaj bikes have poor quality the bajaj people should know this , and if they know that their bikes starts falling apart after 20000kms then why they give 30000kms warranty on it .? I again say , the bike is as good as the person riding it . Take care of her and she will run smoothly .
Also one point very suitably put up by someone here – why does TVS does everything after Bajaj , P150 RTR160 , P180 RTR180 , P220 now you talk about RTR220 . Quite naturally , the thing that is launched after would be better as it already knows the competition .!
Hey Munu, I think you are so affectionate towards your bike, I appreciate that. But For Heaven Sake, Please post truth in Forums and Blogs and not your affection. You have replyed me earlier that ****so if the same rtr engine use 4 valve liquid coooled and forge piston then you can see which one is faster.****** So you mean copy all technology from Yamaha and why not the Yamaha Logo too. You have also mentioned the Vibes disapper after 80 Kmph in RTR 180. I have taken a RTR 180 to 110 kmph. I visually noticed the Handlebar and Crash Guard Vibrating and feel the Foot pegs & Tank Vibrating. The Vibes are there anywhere above 50-60Kmph , Since the Bike is not so very aero Dynamic it gives a Kind of Unstable Feeling over 100kmph as heavy Wind Strikes YOU COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT THE VIBES AT THAT POINT. EVERY RTR OWNER PERSONALLY KNOWS IT, If you are going to deny that, then you are restricting yourself to reality. And for your info dont compare RTR’s with Yamaha, My R15 is 18 months old and 20K Kms done, Still I am Able to touch 140 Without much strain. Your RTR’s will lose its Health over 10K kms. I do accept the Fact that from Pricing Point of view R15 is ridiculous and RTR wins Hands Down.Also its just a Review on BIKES nothing Personal.
…. i wud lyk to be presentd ny proof……
look at wt u r saying……im proper throttle response frm d mst responsve bike in d country….
hahaha, u mke me laugh smtyms…rtr stands fr racing throttle response…..,n as d name goes, d bike has……
d mst fantastic n responsive throttle of all d bikes…n pls dnt gt personal as it wl nt be gud if we bth gt personal at d sme tym….n pls tll us bout urslf if we dnt knw….as if u r d r&d head of yamaha motors…..we r hre 2 discuss bikes nt ourselves.
The bike’s wheelbase has been increased to 1326mm, 26mm more than the RTR 160’s. TVS engineers experimented with varying lengths, from 1280mm to 1350mm at 10mm intervals, to determine the optimum combination for straight line and mid corner stability while retaining the signature flickability. The chassis is the same but has been strengthened to handle the extra power. The engineers have managed to position the centre of gravity right under the rider to sharpen handling and steering control. The rotating mass has been reduced overall, right from the engine components to the running gear, which means that the wheels have been lightened as well. The bike gets lighter tubeless tyres with a 110-section, 17-inch rear (though it is not a radial tyre like on the Yamaha FZ16). The tyres feel grippier than before and were zeroed in on after testing five different compounds and patterns. The whole wheel assembly is lighter by about 450gm compared to the RTR 160’s.
The engine however forms the core of this exercise. While it would have been easier to just increase the bore of the RTR 160 engine while keeping the stroke constant, the 177.4cc capacity in this case has been achieved by increasing the bore by 0.5mm to 62.5mm, while the stroke has increased by about 5mm to 57.8mm. The bore-stroke ratio has dropped from 1.17 on the 160 to 1.08. Though a bigger bore would have made the engine more peaky and lose bottom end grunt, TVS engineers have adopted the classic solution of lengthening the stroke for better low and mid-range yet keeping it oversquare for the revvy feel. Fuelling is now via a bigger Mikuni BS29 carb (you read that right – there’s no fuel injection!) and the advanced IDI ignition system produces twice the ignition energy compared to a conventional system with every spark. Power output is 17.3PS at 8500rpm and the torque peak is 15.5Nm at 6500rpm. With nearly the same weight as the RTR 160, the 180 boasts a class leading power-to-weight ratio of 125PS/ton.
The gearing hasn’t been altered and taller ratios towards the higher gears have been retained so that when the race kit (due imminently) is fitted the bike will get better top end power. I was also surprised that the engine doesn’t have a rev limiter and can rev right till 12,000rpm.
Knowing all this surely was going to make a difference in my second riding session. Rather than rev it unnecessarily, I was shifting at just about 10,000rpm, braking later and entering the loop considerably faster. For perspective I knew I had to ride the bike back to back with the 160. Three laps proved to be sufficient. Though clones character-wise, the 180 feels stronger in all aspects, just as ‘strong’ beer has a more telling and immediate effect. The 160 ran out of steam much earlier on the straight while the 180 accelerated effervescently up till the corner. It also felt more stable around corners. Both bikes felt equally flickable.
The new bike’s engine felt grunty all the way and throttle response was instant. There’s loads of churning power available from as low as 2000rpm for good initial thrust and the surge continues right till the top.
TVS started off with a highly optimistic 0-60kmph target time of under 4.2 seconds and claims to have achieved it in 4.15 seconds. 100kmph is claimed to come up in 13.95 seconds, both tests carried out with a rider weighing 75kg. We will verify these claims in our tests next month but the RTR does feel promising enough to be able to beat its rival – the recently updated Bajaj Pulsar 180 easily.
http://www.overdrive.in/story-test_drives-bikes/devil_may_care-22962-2.html
Courtesy – overdrive.in
For the one who was shouting proof proof…………
here it is…………
Pulsar can never match tvs’s quality and technology………
Any more argues………i’m ever ready my friends……
Hey, Deepak….
I would really appreciate if you will jump in between and find a conclusion….or even….just share with us your opinions…..
This is your site dude, pls participate in this debate…..its getting hotter……………
Himanshu, you want me to type my thoughts? Well, I just have one thing to say: Why don’t you get cool?
Hey Munu, I think you are so affectionate towards your bike, I appreciate that. But For Heaven Sake, Please post truth in Forums and Blogs and not your affection. You have replyed me earlier that ****so if the same rtr engine use 4 valve liquid coooled and forge piston then you can see which one is faster.****** So you mean copy all technology from Yamaha and why not the Yamaha Logo too. You have also mentioned the Vibes disapper after 80 Kmph in RTR 180. I have taken a RTR 180 to 110 kmph. I visually noticed the Handlebar and Crash Guard Vibrating and feel the Foot pegs & Tank Vibrating. The Vibes are there anywhere above 50-60Kmph , Since the Bike is not so very aero Dynamic it gives a Kind of Unstable Feeling over 100kmph as heavy Wind Strikes YOU COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT THE VIBES AT THAT POINT. EVERY RTR OWNER PERSONALLY KNOWS IT, If you are going to deny that, then you are restricting yourself to reality. And for your info dont compare RTR’s with Yamaha, My R15 is 18 months old and 20K Kms done, Still I am Able to touch 140 Without much strain. Your RTR’s will lose its Health over 10K kms. I do accept the Fact that from Pricing Point of view R15 is ridiculous and RTR wins Hands Down.Also its just a Review on BIKES nothing Personal.
There’s no need to compare d rtr with r15, d r15 is too much ahead from rtr…..both in terms of technology and price but not on performance…………see have a look…..
http://www.bikeindia.in/reviews/shootout/WHO-DARES-WINS/
The engines on all these bikes are as different as chalk and cheese. The smallest of the four here is the R15 but size doesn’t always matter. It might sport a tiny 149.8cc mill but this one gets liquid cooling, four valves and a host of other technologies that make sure it performs like a much bigger engine. The maximum power output of 17PS might not be tyre shredding but when you have a bike that weighs just 136kg with a nicely worked six-speed gearbox, outright performance does turn out to be nice. A 0-60km/h timing of 4.95seconds and a 0-100km/h timing of 13.85seconds is praiseworthy for a 150cc bike. The beauty of the engine, however, comes alive once you get past the 6000rpm mark. It must be noted that the R15’s engine is imported into India and the level of engineering that has gone into the motor is tremendous. It begs to be revved hard – keep the rpm needle near the red zone and the R15 is hard to catch. The six-speed gearbox also helps when it comes to extracting a good top end. Given the road, the bike achieves a true whack of 130.2km/h. The only downside I see here is the lack of low end punch. This is reflected in the roll-on timings too with the bike being the slowest in the 30-70km/h run in the third and fourth cogs.
The next biggest engine comes fitted on the RTR. The 177.4cc mill is derived from the younger RTR 160 and traces its roots back to the days of the old Apache 150. In this form, it develops 17.3PS of power along with 15.5Nm of torque – almost identical to what the R15 manages. However true to the saying ‘there is no replacement for displacement’, the RTR performs very well managing to fly past the 60km/h mark in under 4.7seconds and taking just 13.2seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint. This bike also boasts a strong midrange that is reflected in its best in class roll-on timings. The only grouse I have with this TVS is the level of vibrations that creep in via the handlebars and the footpegs when you give it the stick. The five-speed gearbox could also do with a better (smoother) gearshift.
The Pulsar 220 has always been the performance king of small capacity bikes in India. With the new carb variant, its power went up to a claimed 21.04PS with 19.12Nm of torque. It does weigh more than the previous two bikes discussed above, but nevertheless, performs impressively when the right wrist is wringed. With a 0-100km/h timing of 13.1seconds, this bike remains the quickest accelerating motorcycle in India. It also registers a good top whack of a genuine 132.5km/h or 140+ on its digital speedometer. The punchy low and midrange reflect in the roll-on figures which are second only to the RTR. This is due to its maximum torque coming at 7000rpm – the highest here. Vibrations and harshness are well controlled on this bike, being significantly noticeable only when you cross the 6500-7000rpm mark.
The ZMR has the same 223cc motor like the original Karizma. It now gets Honda’s well known PGM-Fi unit and along with other minor changes, the maximum power jumps slightly to 17.84PS at a low 7000rpm. The torque, however, remains the same at 18.35Nm. This engine has always been appreciated for its fuss-free nature as well as punchy midrange and this version only betters it. The throttle response is very good without being jerky and the motor feels eager to build up speeds. The speedometer is the most accurate here with no error whatsoever. So while your friends on the other three bikes might end up flaunting videos of themselves doing 130km/h or more on the speedometer, the ZMR will top out at a true 127km/h with a similar display on the console too. The bike’s acceleration has improved but only marginally. This was expected as the kerb weight has been pushed to a porky 159kg. Hero Honda isn’t boasting about any figures in their promotions either. For the record, we managed a 4.7second 0-60km/h dash and a 13.8second 0-100km/h sprint. But this bike has never been about out and out performance. The Karizma has earned a reputation for being a tourer’s delight and this one takes this appreciation to a new level. The bike will happily do Delhi to Mumbai or Chennai to Vizag high speed runs with ease. One thing I noticed was the bike’s increased vibrations at high revs – we reckon this is probably due to improper tightening of engine mountings.
All bikes here fare decently in fuel efficiency runs and there isn’t much of a difference. Yes, the R15 is made for a purpose and hence you do lose out a bit on the efficiency front. The ZMR with added benefits of the FI and a softly tuned engine turns out to be most efficient here.
Courtesy – BikeIndia
“THERE’S NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISPLACEMENT”…..
HIMANSHU
Dude just dont read some online reviews of bike and start posting here , ask people who own these bikes , ask them how is their bike responding after say 10k kms . their is a site – XBHP.com . go through the ownership experience thread of RTR180( it’s very long , take your time ) , you will come to know that you were wasting my time til now .
In between , which bike do you own ?
What i say is completely based on professional reviews and personal observations………..
And mr. aditya gupta…..pls show us what proof you have of tyre wobbling, jerking etc… sech stupid problems….These problems have been never mentioned before in any public forum…..you are just now making up things to proove your bike the best…….
And do not ever dare to compare rtr 180 with the new P180…..
There’s absolutely no competition……..
RTR180 is light years ahead of P180 in terms of everything…..practibility, performance, style, VFM(yes, its worth evry extra buck you spend on it),
http://www.indiabike.com/infobank/indiabike_articles/pulsar_rtr_mar10/index.htm
another proof for the supremacy of RTR 180 over P180…..
Himanshu, there is no doubt that the TVS Apache is an amazing machine, we really do appreciate your love for the brand… as they have said, flames begets more flames….
Ohk, ohk i agre i might have become too much aggressive…………But I want you to express your thoughts on d matter in discussion not me………………..
And to Mr.Aditya ji, see the pulsar ownership threads too…..
their are more problems there………
HEy!! aditya and himanshu……stop arguing on the mattr…every bike is special by its own way and each n evry 1 knos here that no bike is a complete bike….!!!evry byk has some or d othr drawbaks..!!
but if we think +ve , we all kno dat all the bike companies are trying their best 2 bring out best and better bikes dan d earlier ones…!!! so, stop n wait n c d bike industry 2 flourish!!
CHEERS!!
my RTR 160 already covered 14000km
my average speed is 80km/h and top speed on my speedo is 119km/hr at 8600 rpm in 5th gear. till date i only changed the front chain spocket. when i revive hard lots of sound comes from engine head section ( head valve spring). but after that throttle response is more quicker and it takes less time to reach top end. i ride my biker over 110 km/h several times in highways and it is so stable and stop easily.
Those who feel vibration and instability over 100km/hr there bike needs some tweaking or it has some problem. only riding a bike with high speed is not called a true biker.
you have to know all technical as well as mechanical things about your bike and its limitation.
else engine seize, trouble and wait for mechanic to come to rescue.
tvs tire are not good but if you are break specialist then you may face less trouble so first learn to use brake at any condition then revive hard else face accident. when i go for service to tvs so many rtr 160 and 180 new bikes are there all are for accident repair.
thats why tvs working on ABS and it already show in Auto Expo 2010 now tvs can go for more top speed with ABS equipped bike.
if in APache 160 tvs used same gear box of Apache 150. gearbox plays important role top speed.
RTR 160 can go upto 118 km/hr and RTR 160 FI 120km/hr but apache 180 125km/hr why so less increase in top end.
Tvs feels it not safe to go for top end with safety major. else many face accident so with safety major like ABS you can brake a bike to stop at any time even if you do not how t use disk brakes.
like Pulsar Provides Much more powerful disk brake for small (less width) tires so that why many new pulsar bikes face accident due to this imbalance fitting.
here in our market those who purchase pulsar after few accident they sell it and called it is a death bike.
in my life i faced so many incident where people suddenly appears in road and i ma at high speed and as a quick response i press both brakes hard so result dancing of bike in road like a drunken man or crash. so master you self with brakes.
i say all this why RTR 180 top speed is limited only to 125km/hr and race kit is not available in local market only for race.
so wait for new bikes from TVS with more top end with safety majors.
lastly rtr is always better if you need performance.
test drive a rtr the you feel it. no need to prove it.
Himanshu
i dont get you dude , have you got through the entire forums of RTR180 and P180 so quickly . i have been following them from last year and my advise would be to go through them throughly , it will increase your knowledge and you will stop calling RTR the Saviour of indian motorcycles . All you do is copy and paste info from some other sites .
YOU COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT THE VIBES AT THAT POINT. EVERY RTR OWNER PERSONALLY KNOWS IT – just again shows your stupidity , first someone says that RTR vibes dissapear , then you say that they are not noticable . RTR has vibrations issues , it is a bitter truth , admit or don’t , it’s your choice and dont argue on this point anymore .
another proof for the supremacy of RTR 180 over P180….
in which post of mine i say that P180 is ahead of RTR180 in performance . You are derailing the whole debate . Both P180 and RTR180 are great bikes . the proof that i wanted was about what you said that TVS has done more R&D than Bajaj would have done in their lifetime .
And dude , pulsar is a result of heacy R&D spanning close to a decade , TVS might be good R&D but they are not ahead than bajaj . Bajaj R&D , in partnership with KTM ( bajaj has a high stake in KTM )link – http://www.zigwheels.com/News/Bajaj%20Auto's%20wild%20125cc%20KTM%20concepts!/KTM_20091208-1-2
RTR180 is light years ahead of P180 in terms of everything…..practibility, performance, style, VFM(yes, its worth evry extra buck you spend on it),- Okay , now i am exhausted , no point arguing with you anymore , as you say . jahapana tussi great ho !
And the link that you have posted reveal you knowledge , you yourself said that the wider forks and fatter tyres are simply add ons , read the shootout thoroughly and you will realise their importance ( it is written in this shootout only ). Also vibrations issues in RTR are also specified there .
sorry the link’s breaking .
write this on google and open the first page ( site is zigwheels ) – Bajaj Auto’s wild 125cc KTM concepts!
i have never refused on the vibration issues of RTR you dumb ass…………
Read my comments again………..
Such a jerk you are……….
We never discussed the vibes issue and it’s their every1 knows that………..
Talking about acceptnig things, have you accepted the poor quality of bajaj bikes which is mentioned in bikeadvice’s ‘buying a bike guide’ too……………
You never talked with me about the vibes issue…………
I’ve never evr refused on the bikes issue you arse……….
Dont get personal i already told you………………
I can take it on high levels of ugliness but i won’t coz that’s the difference between ASSES n me…..
Ohk Ohk………there’s no point arguing with you too….
You also have been negligent and ignorany about the quality issues of pulsars………
Acceptance is a big thing………..
You be happy with your pulsar n i will be happy with………..
ahh, u askd naa which bike i have….
just for d record i learned riding a bike on my dad’s old lml graptor(150cc)n 2 years ago i got a new RTR 160 for me which i’m gonna sell back to TVS n get a RTR 180 in next 3 months…………
The pulsar maniacs and the APACHE TRIBE are different leagues………
ohk, happy………….
There’s no point in arguing with you……………..
And it’s 3 month old news on the zigwheels magazine…….
That’s KTM not BAJAJ………..
It’s not a technological achievement by BAJAJ,
haahaahaahaahaahaahaahaa
The guy gets me 3 months old news of a KTM concept Bajaj got hands on just coz it owns a stake in KTM………
That’s not some prowness by bajaj……….
Rajiv Bajaj is good at economics only……………
ANd u think Bajaj done research by useless adding plastic fairings and extra cubes on the pulsars
haahaahaahaahaahaa
I’ve 2 words for u….GET SANE…….
Have fun guys……….
Happy Biking…….
Bye mr. aditya gupta ji….HAVE FUN……..
No point arguing with you…..
We are class apart…….
Himanshu
yes we are class apart indeed .
“”The bikes’ styling is the only important detail which one could attribute to Europe, this being the handiwork of long time KTM design consultant Kiska Design. The rest of the bike, including the frame, engine and gearbox plus suspension and overall detailing is all pure-Indian genius from the same team which gave us the Pulsar range of sporty performance motorcycles( from link).”"
You missed the whole point of my link buddy . You said that pulsar has got no R&D . I wanted to tell you that the guys who have been designing pulsar engines designed the awesome KTM bikes which are being showcased at auto shows worldwide .Just shows you are not good at anything , even reading something informative carefully .
YOU COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT THE VIBES AT THAT POINT.
You said these , i told you that vibes are present in RTR and are noticable , no need to get angry over it .
Let me summarize it for you , raise hands if you got any objections :-
RTR is better in performance and handling than P180 ( but not light years ahead as you put it ) , but P180 makes up for it with more refined engine( yes boy , it is ),better gearbox( much better)and suspension ( RTR’s suspension is more towards stiffer side to give it better handling ) . Both are great bikes for people with different mindsets .
DON’T CALL ME A DUMB ASS AGAIN OR IT WILL GET REAL MESSY HERE .
EDITOR NOTE: To both of you, lets keep the comments clean and healthy here. Happy Biking!
Who says RTR suspension stiffer or harder then they knows nothing about bike. Even as far my expereince bajaj bikes have more hard rear suspension. and even when you sit on it creates sounds like overloaded. regarding vibes tell me any bike which has zero vibration. every bike has some vibration.
pulsar gearbox is more harder one take more pressure to shift.
apache gearbox is so smooth.
and those facing gear shift problem RTR then please first know some basic knowledge about bikes then tell some thing.
when you purchase a new bike at that time gear is butter smooth and after running it feel hard why their is some change that why.
adjust clutch as well as chain free play then you will feel same smoothness in shift.
always provide oil or grease to chain weekly as chain joint gets jammed. i use oil in my chain weekly but last week i removed my chain for clean and i cleaned it with petrol and soak in engine oil for 1 hour still the chain joints are tight not rotating freely so it also affects gear change.
only one thing you can say tire is not good ( grip ).
but other than that every thing is ok.
RTR 180 is better than P180 and this is the truth whether you accept or not. RTR 160 FI can beat P180 forget RTR 180.
i think in your are no one have RTR 180 that why you tell like this.once you lost in race with RTR then you feel it.
everyone feel big untill they defeated by other one.
and do not misguide new bike owner or who wants to purchase bike. as i always said test drive RTR then you feel it.
Munu
“”pulsar gearbox is more harder one take more pressure to shift.
apache gearbox is so smooth.”"
Yaar if you think RTR gearbox is smooth then maybe you know nothing about gearboxes at all , RTR’s gearbox is notchy . My friend has an RTR180 and i have a P220 , he himself admits that my pulsar’s gearbox is damn good as compared to his RTR’s .
And regarding vibes , vibes at higher RPM’s are acceptable but not at lower RPM’s . That is the problem with RTR , even at low RPMs vibs can be felt near footpegs and even at the handlebars . And regarding a bike that does not vibrate , R15 is your machine .
RTR 180 is better than P180 and this is the truth whether you accept or not. – In performance , unquestionably .
Even as far my expereince bajaj bikes have more hard rear suspension – i don’t second that . Maybe in that bike the suspension setting was on stiffer side .
And regarding suspension in RTR , yes it is stiff . I felt it so I am saying it but it improves handling quite a bit .
once you lost in race with RTR then you feel it. – Stop talking like schoolkids .
And no way i am misguiding the new owners , in every post of mine i has said that RTR is a damn good machine . But it has it’s share of problems like every other bike out there .
when you purchase a new bike at that time gear is butter smooth – Who told you this mate . actually it’s the exact reverse . When the bike is new , gearshifts are harder , they become smoother with time .
RTR 160 FI can beat P180 – Not so sure on that , are you ?
I never abused you…..
you started it buddy……………..
I’ve already warned you several times about going personal…….
Pulsar 180
0 – 60 kmph : 5.08 secs
0 – 100 kmph : 15.8 secs
Roll on : 30 – 70 kmph in 5th gear : 14.6 sec
Kerb Weight : 147 kg
RTR 180
0 – 60 kmph : 4.45
0 – 100 kmph : 13.1 secs
Kerb Weight: 137 kg
Roll On : 30 – 70 kmph in 5th gear : 10.1 sec
If u think that’s not enough difference b/w bikes with same capacity ……..
I cant comment on that as i am busy laughing….
Let’s leave it guys, u are a n impossible guy too argue with…. n if u still wanna argue with me…..add me on facebook…..coolstud92@gmail.com..
We will talk there n if you want(which i think you really want), we will fight a war of words there…….
Let’s not spray dirt around in a public forum….
My apologies to Mr. Deepak Raj….
N why the hell are you ignoring the quality issue…..huhn…..
What will u say dude, there’s nothing to say …….
Aditya Gupta
what is the top speed of P180 do you know true top speed.
Forget P180 Lets talk P200 also. In RTR 160 not fi i can beat P180.
There are some problem with bike but that are not major.
in terms of performance pulsar is no comparision to Apache in its CC range.
Regarding Top Speed Apache can go 118km/h true top speed and this is correct. FI is 120km/hr but FI Pickup and power is balanced at any speed. RTR 160 lacks speed 65-75km range. but as for race with pulsar revive hard through all gear upto 9000 rpm then pulsar is no match to RTR and if start from same line then pulsar is way behind RTR if you stil not satisfied race with friend who have guds and ability to ride the bike upto bikes max limits. not simple rider. then you say RTR 160 FI or Refresh can Beat P180 or P200 or not.
As far my knowledge P200 top speed is 118km/hr.
no need to justify my point i know what i am saying.
only P220, R15, Karzima, RTR 180 can beat RTR 160.
Regarding gearbox please make a survey and ask bike owner whether gear is smooth when bike is new one or old one.
i have three bikes bullet, RTR 160 , Flame i know about it.
then you say when it is older it is good only engine becomes smooth when engine becomes set. but in case of gear box no need to be old for setting there is no piston or valve inside gear box which needs to be set or need carbon deposit for better run only gear pinion with out any wear and tear. as it becomes old and wear and tear appears to it teeth then it runs better.
so if i take your suggestion then it also applies to the chain
when bike becomes old bike chain and spocket becomes smoother so why sound come from chain and spocket. and gives jerks to bike when you shift gear.
you can not achieve same top speed as a new bike can do in 10000km run in period.
else in every race track company use old bikes which engine and other parts set.
do more rnd then tell.
MUNU
But regarding gearboxes , it is a worldwide accepted fact that when a gearbox is new , it is hard . Just again shows you know nill . Don’t know about your bikes , but that’s the case with every other bike out there .
Also RTR’s gearbox is damn nothchy as compared to Pulsar ‘s . Ride both the 2009 Pulsar and RTR , you will feel the huge difference .
There are some problem with bike but that are not major – VIBES ??
And reagrding better rider , a better rider can defeat a R15 using a RTR160 , but the other rider has to be an idiot . So compare bikes with equally capable riders .
And reagrding survey , no need for that . My father is a hardcore biker and he still has a bullet and RX100 , so i know alot about bikes through him .
You can’t say about who will win the race by putting up top speeds , post 0-100 timings . Also why are we deviating the debate from RTR180 vs P180 to RTR160 vs P200 .? Let’s stick to the topic .
Himanshu
Can you tell me the source of these figures , because in the shootout that was published here on bikeadvice between the two bikes , the figures in it are nowhere close to your’s . So either you are wrong or Bikeadvice is ( I seriously doubt that ) . Read the shootout , it is the best comparison between the two bikes on internet .
The pulsar 180 touches the three digit mark in 14.18 sec and 0-60 comes in 4.83 secs ( Both according to autocar’s road test )
According to bikeadvice -
On p180
the bike manages to return one of the fastest performance times both from 0 – 60 and 0 – 100. The 0 to 60 dash comes in sub 4.5 seconds along with the 14 seconds it takes to touch 100 from standstill, which goes along with the 123 Kmph true top speed.
On RTR180
The bike is a sheer performer and we must admit that TVS has beaten the Pulsar 180 in performance (although just), finally! The bike is an out and out scorcher. Does a zero to sixty sprint in less than 4.5 seconds with the zero to hundred dash coming in less than 14 seconds. Along with it, the bike goes all the way to a true 124 Kmph and revs all the way to 12000 rpm (with the absence of rev-limiter).
So not huuuuuuge difference . is it ?
“”so if i take your suggestion then it also applies to the chain
when bike becomes old bike chain and spocket becomes smoother so why sound come from chain and spocket. and gives jerks to bike when you shift gear.”" – Didn’t understand this part .
Dude the gears need to set , it is absolute nonsense that a new gearbox is smoother and becomes harder after some time . .
I never abused you…..
you started it buddy……………..
Who called me a dumbass first .?
Let’s leave it guys, u are a n impossible guy too argue with…. n if u still wanna argue with me…..add me on facebook…..coolstud92@gmail.com..
We will talk there n if you want(which i think you really want), we will fight a war of words – Dude , forget about it , adding you on facebook ?? . I am perfectly okay without it .
I cant comment on that as i am busy laughing….
Yes it is a great exercise , especially if you are Brain Dead .
N why the hell are you ignoring the quality issue – Because You are saying that RTR180 is the perfect bike with no niggle what so ever , and that is wrong . Both the bikes have their share of problems .
EDITOR NOTE: I think u guys must take a chill pill! Chill guys, opinions differ from one to one but what unites is the passion for biking. Let’s take that spirit from now on and stop flaming at each other. Happy Biking!
Ohh some fireworks here! Arun, lovely review. I love this bikeadvice team.
Your father must have teached you a lot about bikes(haaan, dikh raha hai)
But he certainly forgot to teach you some manners……
Or he tried but all in vain………..!!!?!?!?!?!?
HMM
EDITOR NOTE: Enough is Enough! Both of you please don’t leave a scar behind here! @ Himanshu, your comments will be invisible from now on.
Hey Guys I have a Doubt in you above Quarrel I am able to find that the RTR180 revs upto 12K rpm. In my R15 if I hit 10.5K Rpm in Sixth gear It exactly displays 150Kmph.(See every video in Youtube where R15 hitting over 140kmph the Rpm would be bet 10-10.5K) I hope RTR is also 17+PS, So In its Top gear@ 12K rpm it should hit somewhere bet 160Kmph to 165kmph. But the Top Speed mentioned over here is 125 Kmph. Can Some Expert Comment on this????
Hey Guys One Question, My R15 hits 150Kmph exactly @ 10.5K Rpm in the Sixth Gear (Look For Videos in Youtube where R15 hits over 140kmph the RPM will be between 10-10.5K) and You guys have mentioned that the RTR revs without any limiter upto 12K Rpm. My doubt is RTR is also 17+PS so in Top Gear@ 12K rpm it must hit somewhere between 160-165Kmph. But the Top speed mentioned over here is 125Kmph. Can some Expert Comment on this?
@Harish
So many things affects bikes top speed.
we can not say the top speed or torque of the bike looking at its horse power(hp) or cc and RPM.
For example bullet is 346cc 18 bhp max rpm 5500 – 6000
top speed is 100km/h. as it is a long stroke and small bore bike so its rpm is in the range of 5000-6000 max and it produces high torque 32nm. and its gear box ratio is very different and 4th gear ratio 1:1 it also affects the top speed.
so it mainly depends upon engine construction and gear box.
bore and stroke ratio. crank size and quality. then main part is gear ratio. because gear is secondary transmission which powers wheels. The amount of power engine produces is not 100% deliver to the wheel through gearbox always there is transmission loss.
you can see that on technical sheet of every bike
it is mentioned there
1. Primary reduction
2. Secondary reduction.
so if a bike has less transmission loss and gear ratio well adjusted to provide all power receive from engine then its top speed will be high not means from others but from same engine.
In R15 there are lot of things
it is liquid cooled so engine operates at controlled temperature not over heated.
it uses forge piston and light weight high quality aluminum alloy metal. its gear ratio is adjusted to provide max power at high RPM. and transmission loss is minimum.
in RTR 180 it is designed for midrange torque and power. not for top speed. and its gearbox ratio is adjusted to this.
it provides better torque and power in 0-120 km/h range not for top speed when you ride both RTR 160 and RTR 180 then you feel the difference between two bikes.
RTR 180 delivers better power in mid-level 50-90km/h range.
RTR 180 is not designed for top speed. Still it top speed is 125km/hr.
i think Tvs major concern is safety of bike rider thats why Tvs trying to use ABS in bikes for safety of rider. With ABS any novice user ( means particularly for disk brake handling ) can apply sudden brake and bike will not skid like conventional one.
Now Tvs can go for speed with ABS and other safety major so that at high speed bike is stable and with in the control of rider. else disaster may happen with out any safety major.
P220 top speed increase from P220 Fi by tweaking gear ratio and using bigger carburetor from same engine.
its all about technology Yamaha , honda , Suzuki have lots of experience and more advanced in technology than india bike makers. they have better rnd team and lots of experience.
lots of things are there so do not look at CC and RPM lots of other things are there also.
i think you can understand now.
i like apache and the experiment which u hav done with rtr180 is well explain… thanks for providing the perfect data of rtr180
…. thank buddy:):):)
i would say… this is the finest model of india… wow a l;ovly display in web site… TVS has done a great job… its fasionable,luxurious,wonderful looks and again a lovly milage… i extend my warm thanks for lovly gift of bike for the people of india…….
Truly the best performance bike….madly in love with it…
Superb power n braking…cant stop praising abt my RTR 180. RTR Rocks!
Hi arun and other rtr owners,
i lik tis bike and gonna buy bike within a month. But the vibrations r a concern. Does that really irritating the ride? Some saying it is present in 50-70 range only and some sayin it can b felt in all speeds above 50 but bcos of wind, it is unnoticeable. Which one is true? Pls share ur thoughts regardin vibes. Clear my queries soon guys. So that i can book it soon pls…
1st thing – I jus wanna appreciate and congratulate Arun thampi for giving such a nice review..
Bcoz u all kno tat these much comments, and fight occurs btwn pulsar maniacs and racing DNA’s only bcoz of his wonderful review..
Now i jus wanna ask u one thing guys, tel me frankly which bike u alike..
Every bike is having its own capability and individuality..
Wt d 1st bike is having, may not b der in d 2nd bike.. Its not the fault of the manufacturers, Its their own effort.. Whatever u want jus choose it and ride it . .
Every one knows clearly abt every brand bikes, then y r u fightin..
As every one knows – right now no one can beat the Yamaha’s brand name.. Wt a wonderful power and torque their providing with just a 150cc bike.. Wt a well equipped and designed gear box, and no problems even after 100k Kilometers.. wt a design.. But still right now they are not interested in giving R15 with 220cc . . ? Am asking u guys y ??
Bcoz they are satisfied nd they kno wt to give and wen to give..
Am not a fan of yamaha, am jus tellin d truth.. Its every Riders dream to buy bike like R15, but they cant so dey r jus blaming d brand..
At d same time i jus wanna explain u abt Apache..
Nice looking, wonderful position for the rider, good pick up in 0-60, nice suzuki engine, adjustable shock absorbers..
Same for pulsar also..
Definitely male..
Gud look, automatic canceled indicators, Good designed DC power supply’s(directly connected 2 batteries), broad tyres gives better support and stability..
Likewise every one is havin its own individuality..
Guys am asking u one thing – u all are saying that Apache is Vibrating, Pulsar is having poor gear box.. R & D department in both the manufacturers they are all professional engineers, they know all about the poor gear box, and vibrating things and all.. and they might come to know from the customers..
But right now y they are not finding solution for that..
Arey their might b some problem yaar…
Any one can say that dis is the probs, der is problem. .
But 1st u design a bike, r else modify a bike, then only u come to kno how tough it is. . . !!!
Just c wt do u want, upto ur money and wt the thing really u need just pick d bike and ride….
Its gud to have friendly talk on reviews and making comments, but dont make it harsh.. its a public domain yaar. .
nice post arun.
@Captain Obvious: dude rtr vibrates btween 4.2k to 4.7k rpm thats true but above that u cant see any vibs upto top notch. u can only hear the engine roar even loudly. I hav a 7month old rtr done 11k kms. still I feel it like the way I felt when I first took it outa the showroom. I think u know the diff btw rtr& r15. r15 designed for highways & rtr for street. both are best in their class.evan still if u doubt the performance of rtr refer this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5qk1oop2kM
tvs is d worst goddamn company!! Apache has gr8ly let me down!
waaayyyy 2 goo !! amazzziiinnn articlleeee !!!