It was 02nd November 2007 when I got engaged to Munira (now my wife), I used to stay with my roommates in Pune, and it’s a well known fact that if you are in Pune you got to have a bike, especially when you are engaged. Back at that time I used to ride a Bajaj Boxer CT (I had borrowed it from my roommate as he recently bought a new Pulsar 150). I really loved that bike (I still do) for its mileage and the very little maintenance requirements.
It had been almost six month after my engagement when I decided to buy my own bike. We started looking around for the latest bike on the roads, although I was already a fan of Apace 150 (Esurge), but my fiancé loved the Pulsar 150. I had tested the Apache 160 RTR long back when it had just launched, I loved that bike, the ride was really something different from the other bikes available at that time.
And being an Automobile Engineer I could make out the amazing the handling capabilities and the power the bike had to offer, and with the large petal shaped front disc brake it could easily stand out from the crowd. But I couldn’t buy it at that time.
April, 2008 when I started looking for a bike, a few things in my mind were clear; I am not buying a Pulsar (too many of them on the roads) or a Yamaha (can’t still rely on its engine). The picks that I had were the Honda Unicorn or the Apache. The new Honda Unicorn looked pretty much the same as its ancestors only this one had a disc brake and the waiting period was too long.
So it was obvious and I booked the Apache 160 RTR, believe me when I booked the bike it was done only on phone, since I wanted to buy it from my home town Karjat I called up my Dad and asked him to book the bike, TVS Apache RTR 160, Matt Grey color. That’s it. No test drive, no EMI calculation no worries about the performance or services.
Later in about a week’s time the bike was delivered at my home town all the money transaction was done, and that’s it, I was a proud owner of Apache 160 RTR. My first bike that I bought of my own earnings.
The first time I rode the bike it was just the feeling I had when I had first started riding bikes, I could feel butterflies in my stomach.
The apache RTR 160, with 15.2 bhp, 270-mm petal shaped front disc brake, with a small engine with an all black treatment along with the alloy wheels and exhaust just looks awesome (reminds me of Street Hawk). The stripe runs from the front mudguard to the tank and all the way back to the tail piece is striking. A small engine guard is nestled at the bottom of the engine. The side panels have a matt black plastic finish.
The bike also has a digital speedometer with an orange back light (Frankly I prefer it over the blue light in the new Apache RTR 180). The dash looks very sporty with a standard tachometer, clock, trip meter, fuel gauge and odometer, especially at night when the lights are turned ON. All the gauges illuminate in a very fancy yet sporty fashion. A split grab rail, clip on adjustable handlebars, aluminum finished brake levers and the toe operated gear shifter and the and the TVS racing logo right below the dash add up to the racing experience. The wheelbase has been stretched to 1300 mm from the earlier 1260 mm. Even the fuel cap is of aircraft-style. This bike surely is a head turner.
Apache RTR 160 has rear set foot pegs. The low handle bars translate into a very comfortable riding position. It is a great bike to zip through the busy city traffic without any discomfort. The handling of the bike gives an amazing feeling with all the improved features. I can say one thing the Apache 160 RTR satisfies all the requirements of good riding and is an ideal match of power, performance and mileage.
After three years of riding the Apache RTR 160 I can say one thing for sure. I love my Bike.
- Yusuf
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice one Yusuf,
you just said what you want and how you still love your bike.
even being a automobile engineer i still appreciate this as no biased stuffs or tech data such as 0 to 60 in blah blah blah seconds and all.
just said whats in your mind about the bike you always mind….
so i would call this as your experience with your beloved bike, not a review….. but i like the way you said
Thanks Madhu…
Yamaha Engine not reliable?????!!!!!!! OMG… Grow up boy…
@Sandy Boy
I think he meant Yamaha service not reliable!
@Yusuf
Watch the words there, mate… There are several Yam fans here!
The pictures are breath taking
Good. Last photo was nice. Great terrain for biking. Hi hi hi
I love biking a lot. Although my ride is p150 2010 model but I ride the rtr160 and it feels very good. But the byke looks very small with my hight ratio (6ft 3 inch). But I really love the engine, believe me it would turn any byker’s head.
By the way nicely done review
MR.YUSUF
is yamaha engine not reliable , please know clearly before making any such statements , yamaha engines are proven reliable world wide . pl tell if apache engine is reliable than FZ engine no chance …….
Crazy Apache fan boys..!!
I dont know from where TVS gets Its Racing DNA STRAND from !!!
May be from their vast experience of manufacturing TVS XL and Scooty !!
HE He
hey, u better watch out b4 commenting on tvs…
being an automobile engineer…u said world class Yamaha engines not reliable…how funny….grow up boy
You are from pune and bike RTO passing is MH-6 that means, Kolahapur.
Can you please tell me the price difference between Pune and Kolahapur?
MH-06 means Raigad. thats were is my home town. I dont think there is not much of price difference.
OMG…..yamaha engines r not reliable…..grow up kiddo…..even a schoolboy knows tat yamaha & honda r the most reliable engines…..btw very poor review….no cons of the bike….grow up boy….
It’s not a review…he expressed his love for his bike and experiences and I enjoyed it very much but could not swallow the statement saying yamaha engines ain’t reliable… THAT’S I’LL CALL SUPERSTITION!
Good review,
I too own a RTR 160
But one small correction in the last statement. “After three years of riding the Apache RTR 160 I can say one thing for sure. I love my Bike.”
It must me “After three years of Vibrating in the Apache RTR 160…….
Yes, that’s true. After three years, it should be wreckage.
Ya, I think that would have been more appropriate….
how did you say yamaha engine is unreliable ??!!?? you told you are an engineer!!!! You are so funny. think twice before making such statement against any brand engine. Every company launches their product after a long research and development.
And your article seems to me preview rather than review.
Everyone has their own opinions. The latest of the Yamaha bikes that are all available in the market today were launched after the mid of the year 2008. I bought my bike before that. I don’t know if any of these were available at that time.
The kind of the survey I did was based on my experience and knowledge of automobiles.
u must be out of yr mind…Yamaha engines not reliable and then yamaha service not reliable..???????
rtr is a good bike but dnt make afool out of yrself comparing it with yamaha
sir i know that APACHE is good in everything from looks to mileage….
but please tell me that part of apache are available or not
sure, they are available and at all costly.
Hi, owned both Apache 160 and 180. Amazing bikes, great ride and handling and sharp braking. Its not meant for touring thou, but I still have more than 40,000 kms on these bikes and I still ride them as fresh as new. For those who complain abt vibrating plz chk with ur mechanic or u must be unlucky. As for Yamaha engines, I think it would be wrong to say that they are not reliable, I just dont see why Yamaha has to pull off 17 bhp off a 150cc mill! I agree with Yusuf on “… satisfies all the requirements of good riding and is an ideal match of power, performance and mileage”
Yusuf..the experience with ur bike is clearly explained by u..no biased things..so congrats for sharing this good piece of cake with all of us..
I really really liked ur off-road pics,plz let me know where u had gone..for doing such off-roading..waiting for ur reply.
Regards,
Pritam.
Mumbai.
Bad review dude. You didn’t mention any drawbacks of the bike. C’mon, it can’t be perfect!!! You also didn’t mention the mileage, maintenance cost, etc.
All bikes are different. I have a RTR 180 and R15..both has its pros and cons. First of all Yamaha is yamaha…and they have their own brand image as well as good quality engines as well as good quality products. If someone is trying to compare a brand like Yamaha with local brands..then he is not competent to understand between the product manufactured in India and in Japan…any way no offence to anyone but the bottom line is Apache is an Indian product and we shall be proud as Indian to support it regardless how the product is and that is the key to show our products is not equally as the japanese but still we are the best according to the Indian road condition and price wise. I think honestly instead we shall support Yusuf for sharing his experience and offcourse we shall only comments about our own experience and not comment on other products which I totally agree. Lastly we are all bike lovers and as a Indian I will always first support an Indian product not because I am an Indian but our products are getting better also….regards to all Arif
Dear Viewers,
Everybody attention please !!!!!!!
I have a big family and everybody has different bikes like-Unicorn, CBZ, Hunk, Pulsar, Apache Discover, Yam FZ, Yam Fazer, Dazzler. So that means I am riding all sorts of 150cc++ bikes ever made in India regularly. But one thing that when I ride Unicorn I feel comport, not the taste of racing; when I ride CBZ n Hunk, I feel discomfort; when I ride Pulsar, I feel racing; when I ride YAM FZ n Fazer, I am satisfied and when I ride Apache I FEEL FLYING IN SKY. As overall condition-performance-maintenance-braking-engine-fuel etc etc Apache comes first. In Yam it has awesome acceleration but great problem comes in spinal cord of human and rear braking system is very poor also fuel efficiency is much less. The person sitting at back may die if biker done a sudden n at g8 speed bcoz of high monocoque suspension. I know Yam has best engine rather then other but from my real life experience I would not support Yam FZ n Fazer but salute to Yam R15, it’s a g8 bike. But if someone looking for a durable-comfort-fuel efficient-less maintenance etc etc feathers I WOULD RECOMMEND APACHE. Fuel efficiency+engine+ gear+acceleration depends upon how u keep ur engine well maintained. Choosing correct engine oil is the important and major fact. Using of clutch, shifting gear and brake should be in PROPER engine RPM, please bikers DON’T CHANGE GEAR UPON THE SOUND U GET FROM UR BIKE. If u can maintain these fact then ur bike will stay with u 4ever. I got 65 KMPL (+ – 5 Km) in Apache. It’s not a joke or a fishy thing !!!!!
As I am an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer when I ride Apache I feel this is not a bike, it is an Aircraft. Vibrating or shocking or shaking whatever is said, I would like to inform those guys that please recheck and re-set all engine mounting+tyre assemblies+suspension+gear lever+gear padel at appropriate TORQUE. The problem you guys are telling, will VANISH I CHALLENGE.
Thnx dude………………………………..
Hai guys… I also crazy about apache rtr 160.but, my friends dislike this bike.plz give me the gud sugesstion…..
tvs apache is one of d best selling bikes in inda @ present.it really gives us good racing experience……..
guys,if u have any pbm regarding apache 160 vibrations…..let me remind u dat d bike is only for those who love 2experience high speeds n 60kmph is like min speed for d 160.u go @70,80…………..n then see what happens.there is no such pbm of vibration @ all
Yamaha bikes sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The worst bike ever-R15……………
Low average,high maintenance,and THE WORST SERVICING are its pros.
Apache RTR 160 thousand times better than any Yahama bike.
hey can any1 help me????i bought a new apache rtr 160 hyperedge with reardisc a week ago and i am getting mileage of only around “30″ and i have done only 300kms.plzzzzzz….any 1 tell me whether this is a problem or the mileage will increase after the 1st servicing??????????any one reply must…….
@manish…you’l b gtng 45+ mileage aftr 2nd servicng…i too bought an apache rtr 160 hyperedge..n da salesman said that it’l give 30 to 35 till 2nd servicing..nd ya plz maintain speeds below 50kmph till 1000kms..dats vry imprtnt
complete adrenaline rush byk…if u want engine smoothnes n refinement den go 4 dazzler…nd if u want adrenaline rush den go 4 apache…my suggestion would be go for rear disc too…
it roars lyk a lion….
getting only 33kmpl in city with fz, stupid bike. why didnt i go 4 da legend zma r istead. yamaha is making indians fools with its good looking craps with same engines in all