The 2018 TVS Apache RR 310 has finally been launched in India. Available in a single variant for the time being, the sports bike has been introduced at a price of Rs 2.05 lakh (ex-showroom). It has thus become the costliest bike ever sold under the TVS brand in the country.
Powering the TVS Apache RR 310 is a 312 cc, single-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled engine that is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. This powertrain setup produces 34 bhp and 27 Nm of torque. This is the same engine that will also be offered with the BMW G 310R naked streetfighter. TVS claims that the Apache RR 310 has a top speed of 160 km/h and can reach the 60 km/h from standstill in 2.9 seconds.
The Apache RR 310 is essentially a production version of the Akula concept, which was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. It gets a fully-faired body structure and a sports-tourer like profile. Up-front is a large windscreen and twin LED projector headlamps, while the side profile reveals the faired engine area, a split seat setup and a large fuel tank. Also visible here are the 5-spoke black alloy wheels and an upswept exhaust. The rear profile is rather clean looking and manages to gel well with the overall design philosophy of the bike. The bike is available in 2 colours – Racing Red and Sinister Black.
Mechanically, the Apache RR 310 is based on a new light-weight trellis frame chassis. The bike has been fitted with a dedicatedly developed Thermal Management System designed to aid better heat dissipation. It uses a special grille shape to shield the rider’s legs from getting uncomfortable due to the engine heat. Other chassis components include race spec KYB suspension at the front as well as rear, a 300 mm petal disc at the front and a 240 mm disc at the rear.
Features on offer include a vertically oriented all-digital instrument cluster that gets 18 different diagnostics for race track riding. The bike is shod with Michelin Street Sport tyres and is thus the only sub-500 cc vehicle to be offered with this sticky range of tyres. Moreover, it also comes standard with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
The Apache RR 310 will compete against the likes of the KTM RC390, Yamaha R3, Honda CBR250R, Benelli 302R and the overpriced Kawasaki Ninja 300.