TVS Apache RTR 200 tested

An avid biker Dempsy KP reviews the latest TVS Apache #RTR200 (non-abs) version over a 350 kms ride last weekend. Read about his experience and share your thoughts in the comments below.

First impression, it felt like I’m HOME!
Didn’t feel like I’m riding a new bike but felt like I’ve been riding it for a long time already.
Bike sounds beefy and delivers what’s promised. Felt confident to ride at any speeds on all kinda roads.

The RTR 200 has excellent riding posture which doesn’t tire you in city riding or highways and doesn’t ache your back or wrist unlike the other new age bikes today. Almost zero vibrations at low and mid revs but slight vibrations at rpms above 7k which adds to the character of the RTR 200 and also its older siblings. The bike offers linear power delivery yet holds high rpms with ease and absolutely no complaints by the engine at any rpm.
Handling is excellent in city, highways and also bad roads.

The 90/90-17 inch front and 100/70-17 inch rear TVS tires are super grippy. Not sure what magic TVS has done with these new tires, but they stick to the road consistently and the bike is forgiving when slightly missing corner lines.

The headlights on the new RTR2 00 are not great but are manageable for city and slow speed highway riding with 60/55 watt bulbs. I would recommend adding auxiliary lighting for extreme / all-weather touring.

Instrument cluster is very informative and is clearly visible in bright sunlight too. Daytime running LED pilot lights are a main attraction. LED taillights are quite interesting and very visible too. While the overall look of the bike remains similar to its smaller siblings, this one is a bit sharper. The exhaust is different, headlight and tail lamps get a new design while the seating position slightly sporty. The seats are very well designed though and super comfy esp on long rides.

The RTR 200 handles very well both on and off the road and standing on foot pegs isn’t a tough task for the rider. But due to the lower handle bars, the rider is forced to stand only half way with bent knees. I recommend the rider to be cautious while performing bigger jumps or while dodging unexpected hazards like potholes or uneven humps.

The 200cc mill with 21 ps of power returns a decent mileage of 35kmpl even while riding hard. Cruising at 120 kmph feels easy and doesn’t snatch away your confidence or feel lighter than usual. The brakes are excellent too. Sharp and precise. At some point, I was confused if this is an ABS version since the bike grips very well and doesn’t skid even under very hard braking.

Overall, I loved the bike and all its features even though I wasn’t a big fan of the older RTR models due to their lack of stability and high vibrations. With a 1 lakh ex-showroom price tag, this is definitely one bike you can consider.

Dempsy can be reached on dempsy@gmail.com