After viewing endless number of TV Ads and its making, hearing people rant about its ‘racing DNA’ and improvements, I decided to test ride the new TVS Apache RTR 180. I have ridden Apache RTR 160, I was impressed by its performance which boosted my expectations for this new 177.4 cc bike.
The new Apache RTR 180 develops an impressive 17 bhp @ 8500 rpm, though the absence of fuel injection was a bit of a disappointment.
I got a titanium grey bike for the ride and I was set to fly. Here are my observations of the bike -
To start with, the engine of the bike felt much refined, the first twist of throttle really impressed me. I could feel the presence of that 180 cc engine down there. As soon as I released the clutch the bike was ready to take off. Wheelie lovers will never get off this motorcycle.
The pickup is really impressive, the bike’s acceleration and the response to throttling at lower revs were also good and even at higher revs the engine was very smooth without any irritating vibrations, it zipped through traffic with ease and the handling of the bike was better than the 160.
The load handling of the bike was also good, I had a pillion with me while I took the test ride and I didn’t feel the extra load weighing down on the bike’s performance.
The brakes did their job very well. This bike has the same petal disc brakes as that of the RTR 160 FI. TVS Apache is the only bike in the market as of now which has these rotar petal discs and TVS claims that “Razor-sharp braking is guaranteed” with these. This special shape of the disc brakes not only provide solid braking but also helps the heat to dissipate from the disc pads faster.
I was very much comfortable in applying the brakes even at good speeds without much fear of skidding. No complaints here.
The gear shifts were decent, no jerks or unpleasant grinding, but I think it could have been a little smoother. Apart from this the seating position of the bike is very comfortable; it’s the same as that of the RTR 160.
But since this bike has a higher capacity engine capable of generating 17 bhp it is expected to be much faster than the RTR 160 and therefore I would have wanted the seating position to be much more sportier and the foot pegs could have been positioned a little more backwards to add to its over-all fast bike looks (Like the ones in Yamaha R15).
In the end the overall experience of the bike was good and if you are looking for a bike which has style, power, performance then you can definitely buy the RTR 180. Add-ons to this bike are removable rear fender and the digital console which has the maximum speed registration and acceleration time feature.
Im planning to buy a RTR 160 FI or RTR 180 before Jan.2010. It would be great if you answer me the below questions.
Is the RTR 180 vibrating at lower speeds (60-80kmph). Bcause thats wat i found searching the web about the bike. And is the vibrations a bit of a bother?.
Also can you tell what mileage are u getting from ur RTR 180?
Which will u suggest in buying? RTR 160 Fi or RTR 180 ???
Email me at dinesh.spn@gmail.com
Thanks in advance
Im planning to buy a RTR 160 FI or RTR 180 before Jan.2010. It would be great if you answer me the below questions.
Is the RTR 180 vibrating at lower speeds (60-80kmph). Bcause thats wat i found searching the web about the bike. And is the vibrations a bit of a bother?.
Also can you tell what mileage are u getting from ur RTR 180?
Which will u suggest in buying? RTR 160 Fi or RTR 180 ???
Thanks in advance
@Bhuvan- Buddy if money is not a problem for you then i would suggest you to go for R15. Reason being, this bike has all the latest technology one could have in an Indian bike along with the killer looks. I would also recommend you the new Karizma ZMR because its new in the market and the reliability of Karizma is attached to it. The ZMR was not there when i wrote this article. But let me tell you that ZMR is heavier than R15 and Apache RTR and is a bit bulkier as well from the rest.
The best way for you to choose which bike suits your personality is to have a test ride for that bike.
Have a thorough test ride of these bikes and set some criteria for yourself on which you should rank these bikes. Finally, think upon the pros and cons you felt after the test ride and choose the best you feel. Each bike has some advantages and disadvantages associated with them, its up to you which feature you are looking for in a bike.
Decide between R15 and ZMR, RTR180 would be my last choice out of the three. One more thing, If you can wait then just hold on for the auto expo happening in January 2010. This event will let us know the upcoming bikes next year, so may be you have something better waiting for you. what say mate?
Hi,
I am confused that for which bike should I go for, TVS apche 180 or Yamaha R15, money is not problem but looking for prfrmance in overall terms.
My hight if 5.5, waight is 58
Should I considoer that also while selecting a bike
hey all the readers out there . I brought my yellow apache rtr 180 on this dhanteras .The bike is superb , stylish , great performance. I feel proud to have apache as my first bike.If you want a bike that has style, power , performance , stability then go and buy it ,good return is guranteed.
The pickup is excellent .it seems as if bike wants to defeat everyone in its path. for any queries related to bike contact me at nirupam1sharma@gmail.com
price:(On road)65,510/-
hi friend i want to buy rtr 160fi on this diwali..i like its looks……but i confused bcz i also like cbz extreem…could u help me which one is better? n whats the onroad price of rtr 160fi n 180fi in mumbai? hope u’ll give my ans very soon
thanx
im vaibhav gawas from mumbai
my email id is evaibh@gmail.com
[...] Re: Yamaha FZ-S or RTR..? I think the RTR is a smaller bike compared to the FZ, and the FZ is a more stylish one. I googled and found this review of the new RTR which might be helpful to you – Naz narrates – TVS Apache RTR 180 | Indian Autos blog [...]
Which is better? RTR 180 or Yamaha R15? By your review it seems RTR 180 is better.