We just told you about Bajaj’s worries about the increasing encroachment on its territory by the new FZ, Gixxer, and Karizmas, and now even TVS might update its city scalpel, the RTR Apache. The new Apache would come with some increased cubic capacities and though everyone has been expecting a 250cc Apache from TVS, the new motorcycle will, most likely, gain only 20cc over the current RTR 180 engine’s cubic capacity, according to Business Standard.
This would be done primarily to keep the sticker price as competitive as possible and also to keep the fuel-economy-conscious folks happy or TVS probably wants to move inch by inch…. The RTR 180 already produces a healthy 17.03 bhp at 8,500 rpm and 15.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The higher capacity RTR might take it to around 19-20 bhp this time, which may still lesser than Pulsar 200NS’ 23 bhp, but the RTR 200 may end up being lighter…
Of course, if TVS surprises us by plonking in a 25+ bhp 250cc motor in the new bike, it would instantly become the motorcycle that would upset quite a variety of bikes such as the 200NS, Duke 200, Yamaha R15, CBR 150R, and the Karizmas too. Oh yes, while at it, TVS would need to give the Apache a new face, as the current one makes me believe that one of the patents that the company might have filed for, while preparing the current-gen Apache, would be for the word ‘ugly’. Though they have now lost the rights to this word to Hero MotorCorp, they still need to make the bike look better. Just revert to the old design TVS if you have ran out of idea TVS! Else, let the Apaches remain as they are and give us that superb Draken!
The TVS Apache RTR range remains terrific value-for-money with the RTR 160 costing INR 68,590 on-road in Delhi while the RTR 180 will cost you just four thousand rupees more than the 160! Heck, even the RTR 180 ABS costs INR 82,900 on-road in Delhi, making it less expensive than the new Yamaha FZ-16 FI, which retails for INR 85,604 in Delhi! So, an Apache RTR 200 ABS should cost around INR 90,000 thousand rupees, but please TVS, just make it visually appealing too!
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