TVS Apache RR 310 Review: Beauty & Beast

The first time we laid eyes on the TVS Akula concept was at the Auto Expo 2016. The rich lines and aggressive design philosophy simply blew us away. Nearly two years later we found ourselves staring at a strikingly similar production ready motorcycle at the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) in Chennai. Not only has TVS managed to retain many of the design cues from the Akula concept but they have also ensured the Apache RR 310 is one of the most beautiful looking motorcycles this segment has ever seen in India. But is it only beauty? We check that out for you.

Design and Styling of the TVS Apache RR 310

At first glimpse the silhouette of the TVS Apache RR 310 is simply striking. In fact, TVS has managed to retain most of the design cues from the Akula concept with the Apache RR 310 getting a shark inspired design. The front sports Bi-LED projector headlamps look mean from almost every angle you behold it. The fairing gets rich lines that really stand out in the bike’s Racing Red colour scheme. The stance of the Apache RR 310 is quite sharp and aggressive. It is forward weight biased and gets a high raked tail. TVS has extensively tested the Apache RR 310 in a wind tunnel to finally render a shape which gets a best in class coefficient of drag.   

The fairing of the motorcycle also gets gill vents which we found to effectively blow away the hot air emanating from the engine. The rear sports a set of LED lamps that you will not forget easily. Every bit of construction on the Apache RR 310 boasts of a premium appeal and that is something you realise once you hop on to this motorcycle and ride it. The build quality, fit, finish and quality of materials all are exemplary and ensure the Apache RR 310 sits at the top of the table in its class. The rider seat height has been set at 810mm; the foot pegs and handle bar are all in sync to render a very comfortable riding posture and great ergonomics.   

Engine and Performance of the TVS Apache RR 310

Powering the Apache RR 310 is a liquid-cooled single cylinder motor which is the same work horse doing duty on the BMW G 310 R. The engine has been fine tuned to produce around 33.5hp peaking at 9700rpm. The mid-range is meaty and the power delivery is linear. If you are looking for a punchy performance, it will be found in the lower gears right up to the third. The fourth, fifth and sixth render a more linear pull and opening up the throttle on a long straight sure feels delightful. The motor puts out an adequate torque of 27.3Nm peaking at 7700rpm. TVS has claimed it takes about 2.93 seconds to go from 0-60kmph and I can personally vouch for that. The RR 310 is not only deceivingly quick and can catch you off guard.

That being said, the suspension has been tuned phenomenally well and is more forgiving. The RR 310 has been built on a trellis frame and gets an aluminium swingarm. TVS has installed KYB forks up front. The suspension coupled with the trellis frame and sticky Michelin tyres enables the rider with an exemplary amount of control on the track. The adequately rigid frame enables you to flick your line pretty easily and once you do commit to a direction, the RR 310 is able to stick with it incredibly well. Braking on the bike has been facilitated with a 300mm petal disc up front and a 240mm petal disc in the rear. The front brakes are on point and accurate while the rear feels more progressive. A little more bite from the rear brakes would have made things more enjoyable.     

Verdict

TVS is offering a very well rounded package on the Apache RR 310. We were quite impressed with this motorcycle in our brief stint with it on the MMRT. A few niggles we had with bike were small vibrations felt in the mid range and perhaps the lack of a slipper clutch while downshifting at tall revs, but this is purely nit picking and can easily be overlooked. All together each portion of the Apache RR 310 comes to form a very well engineered motorcycle and probably the most practical offering we have come across in this segment. It truly is not just a beauty to behold but also a beast to ride.