INTRODUCTION:
TVS bikes was the first ever company to launch the fully indegenious victor in the Indian market for the very first time and through the years TVS has become a very popular two-wheeler company even in the Nepali context. TVS has a wide range of street naked and racing bikes that showcases variation in the company's products. In addition to its racing bike edition, TVS has released an upgraded version of its very famous Apache RTR 160 4V variant bike. This bike is tagged as “the unstoppable”. This newly upgraded bike has gotten a facelift in the form of unique and amazing features from its older predecessor.
BODY OVERVIEW:
RTR Apache model is the most good looking bike that TVS has ever manufactured with its sharp, sporty lines all over the bike's body and a streetfighter look. The overall body has always been well built to be stylish looking, thus TVS never neglected this feature about the RTR. The front section can be seen to have a few major changes such as the all-new unique LED DRL headlamp with claw position lamps. This lighting fixture is futuristic looking and aggressively styled so that it leaves an impression on the track & road. Its long range light penetration and luminosity is even better, giving it an overall premium appeal. Integrating the claw position, now this bike comes with aggressively styled aerodynamics claw mirrors. To blend the aggressiveness all together, Handlebars are placed in a racing position and even the tank cowl is built to look muscular, also engineered for an uncompromised handling experience.
TVS has adjusted an instrument console with first-in-segment features. The newly upgraded instrument cluster is now backlit in white instead of orange light. It is a mix of speedometer and tachometer that displays all the necessary information as well as saves information for future reference. It also has a gear shift indicator with various ride modes that is indicated onto the digital console screen. Only the special edition of the RTR 160 4V ko special edition gets the TVS SmartXonnect system that connects the bike to the riders smartphone through bluetooth connectivity. The SmartXconnect system gives the information on turn-by-turn navigation, race telemetry, calls/SMS alerts, crash alert, lean angle mode and low fuel warning and even more, which makes the bike very technology forward.
The bike has a dual tone racing seat, which gives a magnet like grip along with immense comfort to ride in any constraint. The engine cowl or the protective cover also has a razor shape design to continue to protect the bike from bad roads. This double barrel exhaust also contributes to its sharp looks. Similar to the bike's other lighting fixture, the tail and indicator lights are LED and placed at an aggressive looking position.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE:
This bike has a 159.7cc, SI, 4 stroke, oil cooled, SOHC, RT-FI engine with a BS6 emission standard. The RTFI (Race Tuned Fuel Injection) engine enhances power delivery and fuel economy along with engine durability and also controls the emission. This new version; TVS Apache RTR 160 4V is known for the riding modes it has. These three distinct riding modes have different ways the engine operates for each mode, which is new to the nepali market.
Sports Mode: When the bike is on sports mode, it generates maximum power alongside, at the first throttle twist the engine gives out sharp acceleration and launches high-speed and high-thrust. In this mode the engine generates 17.55 PS @ 9250 rpm of power and 14.73 Nm @ 7250 rpm of torque. The engine showcases its peak performance in this mode which is ideal for racing. Its maximum speed is 114kmph. The ABS braking system is also optimized so the rider can have full control over the bike.
Urban and Rain Mode: Urban mode is made for quick acceleration and deceleration on normal highways and roads. It is the best mode to maneuver around the city and the ABS is made even sharper for quicker response. Whereas, the Rain mode is equipped to make the bike go through harsh conditions, keeping the racing performance intact. The ABS performs at its peak in this mode. Both modes generate 15.64 PS @ 8600 rpm of power and 14.14 Nm @ 7250 rpm of torque. Their max speed is 103kmph. With a simple button press, the RTR 160 4V can change from a racing beast to an all rounder and can adapt to any race and ride conditions. As the bikes engine and ABS system adapts to the different modes conveniently, it is hence tagged as “the unstoppable”. Its top speed is 140kmph doing justice to its racing tags. The bike has a 5 gear transmission system justifying its amazing speed on the road. Its 12 liter fuel capacity gives out an average 30.3kmpl mileage. The GTT (Glide Through Technology) makes the bike able to smoothly move without the need to hold on to the clutch. RTR 160 4V is the best for racing and speeding, but with the addition GTT it is also good for low speed city rides and traffic jams.
SPECIFICATIONS
This bike rolls on 17-inch alloy tubeless wheels that measure 90-section front or 110-section rear tyre for the drum variant and 130-section rear radial tyre for the disc variant. Except for the base variant, other versions get the rear radial tyre with stronger sidewall which improves the cornering confidence of the rider. The remora fish-like grip gives superior grip while riding on and off the track. This version has an upgraded ground clearance that measures at 180mm and a kerb weight of 146kgs, making it a mediocre heavy bike.
The chassis is a TVS patent double cradle synchro stiff. Engineered using Multi-body dynamics, this chassis has made the bike 25% more stable, improved the vehicle layout and improved the riding dynamics as well. The suspension system continues to use a telescopic front fork and rear monoshock. Considering safety, RTR 160 4V has improved its braking system drastically. The bike has a 270mm front petal disc and 130mm rear drum brake/ 200mm rear petal disc with single-channel ABS handling the braking duties. Bike is equipped with a roto petal disc brake with supermoto ABS, which gives an aggressive stopping power. To make the rides even smoother, a 3 step adjustable brake and clutch levers with CAM adjusters are present to keep the rider comfortable.
CONCLUSION:
TVS Apache RTR 160 4V is undeniably an unstoppable beast. All the features and specifications required for a good racing bike are present in this bike. If TVS could have incorporated a gear position indicator, six gear transmission system and improved brakes, this version of the RTR 160 4V would be the best racing bike available in the market. It is priced at Rs. 3,79,900 and available in red, black and blue color variants. The special edition version is available in matte black with hints of red. For the allotted price, the amount of features a rider gets is justifiable. With first-in-segment features to technologically well-equipped attributes, this bike is a good choice for people looking for a daily cruiser and an unstoppable racer.