Viven has submitted this review in our Ownership Review Contest No 13, ensuring himself an assured prize. The contest also offers a chance to win Riding Jacket, Helmet and more.. You can submit your review to us as well. Here are all the details.
Hi, I am Viven from Punjab and I am a commerce student. This review is special for me as it is my 1st review about my 1st bike. Since my childhood one of my wishes was to own and ride a bike but I was not sure which one should I go for.
But now after doing my 12th class my wish has been fulfilled by my lovely Parents. Now I own the TVS Apache RTR 160. The entire review is based on my own experience with my Apache.
Bike Choice-
This was the toughest period for me. Which one should I buy? Which bike would suite for me, for my needs, etc… Since there are plenty of bikes available in the market. These questions were asked by me to almost everyone I meet (friends, family members etc.). It was obvious from my past experience that I was totally uneducated about bikes and has never ridden any powerful cylinders before. I went through many bikes like FZ-S, Hunk, Pulsar, Suzuki etc. but every bike was lacking one or another thing which led me to dislike that bikes. And suddenly I saw the advertisement of TVS Apache.
First impression was TVS??? Who buys bike from this company but after I saw bike my eyes were stuck to it. And one word came from my mouth was AWESOME. And I decided that my new bike would be TVS Apache RTR160.
Why Apache??
Every one asked me why are you leaving Bajaj and Yamaha (Market Leaders) and buying bike of TVS Company? But I didn’t listen to anyone and followed my own heart. My requirements were clear. “I needed a bike which has good performance, low maintenance, good mileage and most important superb look”. In short I needed a best budget bike between Rs.65000-75000. So I ended up with TVS apache rtr160 which was having all the requirements which I needed.
After riding Apache I felt that this is the perfect machine, I am looking for. What a look, comfort while driving and I felt it better than all the bikes I was considering to buy. The muscular appearance of bike really attracted me. I am 5feet 7 inches tall so apache suited me a lot. After lot of R&D on TVS apache rtr160 for about 3 months I booked TVS Apache RTR160 Grey color on 18/01/2013. But my bad luck was the time I booked my bike I it was raining a lot and I decided not to take new bike in rain as it would reduce all Teflon coating, polish etc. done on my bike. So I have to wait for 3 days before getting delivery and finally it arrived on 21/01/2013.
The Design
The Apache is the racing bike designed to unleash the racing DNA. The TVS APACHE RTR 160- is redesigned to race. Racing stripes running over pure bled colors make this full-bodied track prodigy look more athletic and Aerodynamic. Its linear and minimalistic design defines the hard angles, sculpted lines and muscular build of the beast. Thus coupling racing ergonomics with simplicity in design.
New Beast look of the Apache was the most beautiful and scary look from all other bikes. New muscled tank was added to combat wind resistance and aggressively angled tank cowl reduces engine heat by a spectacular 10°C
Roto Petal Disk Breaks-: Apache RTR 160 Was equipped with roto petal disc brakes of 270mm which gave brute force brake power and enhanced heat dissipation.
Muscled Engine Cowl-: Apache also has muscled engine cowl of aerodynamic razored design and give perpetual motion styling.
RTR Engine-: RTR was equipped with 159.7cc of engine which gave 15.2 PS of power. Engine was of Short stroke and was having low end torque but I was best in class in terms of power to weight ratio.
Beast Inspired Headlamps-: This was the most dominating feature in my purchase. It has LED light guide combined with new pilot lamps to form a pair of intense animalistic eyes and moreover It was activated on ignition whether day or night.
Break-In Period
Break in period is like; Childhood stage where bike needs proper care and guidance. I kept my bike under 50Km/Hr. for 1st 600Km and then 55Km/Hr. for 2nd 1000km. Rpm was also kept till 4000. In very rare cases it went above that. I followed Smooth throttling and avoided unnecessary braking. While shifting gears I always raise the engine a bit and then shift gear.
For 1st 100 Km I felt that I made a wrong choice. Lot of noises from engine, rotating chain, vibrations. But gear shifting was smooth for me. No false neutral. Mileage was poor around 35-40Kmpl. I was feeling bit low and felt that there was no hope.
After facing such situation I approached company officials and few Apache owners and they told me one line “Patience is the key”. Wait until 1000km and then see a change. Without much hope I continued to first service .
What A change
To my surprise, the changes were visible to me before 1000km mark only. My Apache was getting better and better with each service. Each day passed and its performance was improving . Vibrations reduced, Noise from Engine reduced. And most dominating change was in its mileage. I felt very happy and now I was feeling proud about my choice about my bike.
Performance
TVS Apache RTR is equipped with 159.7cc of engine which gave 15.2 PS of power. Engine is of Short stroke and is having low end torque but It is best in class in terms of power to weight ratio. The engine is quite loud but buttery smooth. Bike has got low end torque which makes this bike a lot quicker and excellent pickup due to shorter gear ratio.
RTR means Racing Throttle Response. Once you have started riding the bike you will feel that you have been pulled up by a strong force along with the bike. On open roads just rip the throttle and keep it going till you hit the redline of top gear.
Ride & Handling
The Fatter rear tire has made the bike more stable at high speeds and corners as compared to older models of RTR160. The suspensions (Front-Telescopic Rear-Gas Filled) are somewhat on a softer side. So it isn’t a cornering expert like R15 but still satisfying. But these soft suspensions are having a plus point that they are more efficient in tacking Indian roads.
Ground clearance has been reduced but still it is good enough to tackle speed breakers and potholes.
This Bike Is a boon in traffic. The brakes (Disk in front and drum in rears) are good enough.
Comfort
When comfort comes bike really does well. The low seat, rear set foot pegs and low seat provide rider with aggressive riding position that looks good and suits the bike. But on downside long runs may require a rest as it develops a slight backache. It takes some time in getting used to it but after some time it settles in.
Right after I crossed 1200Km Mark I ripped the throttle open right up to 90kmh. the experience was majestic but I was not satisfied so looked for another chance to attain top speed and was successful in attaining 110kmh it could have gone higher but I had to slow down because of traffic.
Mileage
Here comes the million dollar question; Kitna Deti Hai? (What is the mileage of this bike)? For my riding style it gives me a decent mileage of 45-50kmpl in mixed riding conditions i.e. mixture of huge traffic and less traffic(open roads). I usually keep speed around 50-60kmph. Rare are the chances of attaining 70+ Speed. So mileage figure is pretty good for a bike of this capacity and more preferably for me.
Looks
Well this is purely my personal opinion, It is The Beast On road. Looks macho, Sounds aggressive, Equipped with best stock silencer, aggressive styling, DRL pilot lamps give it a distinct feel on roads. People on the streets when look up the bike sigh in amazement.
The new sticker job also looks cool. Carbon panels on the bike also look good.
The Digital Console
There is much to talk about when it comes to blue digital console on Apache. What it shows up is,
- Tachometer
- Light Indicators( High Beam, Low Beam, Turn Indicators, Pass light)
- Two trip meter A & B
- Fuel Gauge
- Neutral Gear Indicator
- Top speed mode
- 0-60 km/hr. mode
- Clock (Both in Am/Pm Mode & 24 Hours mode)
- Big Display
- Count On ignition (1-5)
- Error lights (Low fuel, Low Battery, Service due)
Pros
- Excellent in all departments.
- Good low end torque and initial pickups.
- It has one of the best stock silencers in its class.
- Very stable at high speeds.
- Weight is well balanced
- Excellent throttle response due to short gearing ratio.
- Comfortable for pillion rider
- Smooth gear box and no false neutral.
Cons
Nothing is perfect and it implies here also. Drawbacks which I saw are-
- Riding posture- we have to compromise with something to get something. Comfort is sacrificed for good riding posture, backache bug the riders on long journeys but with passage of time the pain goes and one enjoys the ride.
- Vibrations- Vibrations are weirdly between 5800-6800 rpm. It may be due to engine refinement issues.
Conclusion
The above said facts are purely based on my personal experience with Apache. Even after the drawbacks it still is my first love. It makes me feel awesome when I ride it. It makes my day. Rewards me the best riding experience.
In a nut shell if you are looking for a good all-rounder then this bike is for you.
This review might be long but I tried to express my feelings in words. Hope I didn’t bore you guys. Ride Hard. Ride Safe. Ride Happy.
Thanks,
Viven
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