The new Apache RTR 180 carries the same hooligan character of the old Apache RTR 160, but makes it more tractable for the street without losing its track focus. Varad More straddles it to find out if it has the go to match its show

Living with it: The Apache RTR 160 was always my favourite. How could they better it more?

Yes, it might have been our favourite because of its strong racing credentials on the track and its enthusiastic engine waiting to be revved hard, but on the street, the jerky power delivery, twitchy handling and vibrations sure made it a difficult bike to ride around stop and go traffic. This is what has been bettered on the new RTR 180, big time. The vibes which were so strongly present on the RTR 160 right from 65km/h have totally disappeared on the new RTR 180 and even at its top whack, the bike feels smooth minus any irritating vibrations on the bars or the pegs. The power delivery is still a bit jerky and pesky in stop and go traffic, but a lot more tractable than the 160.

It is more street-friendly and handy and the motor revs freely upwards of 3,000rpm. The digital instrumentation layout remains same as the RTR 160 but gets a white dial making it more legible than before. But then again, TVS has faltered with its choice of tyres. The TVS rubber seriously hampers the joy of cornering as it fails to provide precise feedback. However, the rear tyre profile has been changed to 110 / 90 x 17" as against the RTR 160 configuration of 100 / 90 x 18". The increased displacement and wider tyre directly affects the bike's fuel efficiency to some extent but considering its performance and weight, the overall fuel consumption figure of 47.04 kmpl is reasonable. With a fuel tank capacity of 16 litres, it gives the bike an impressive tank range of 752km.

Verdict:

Competitive pricing is the key of the new Apache RTR 180. Priced at Rs. 63990/- ex showroom Delhi, the new Apache does offer great value-for-money. Hence, for bikers looking for something that has best of both worlds with class-leading features, the new RTR 180 makes a lot of sense. However, the competition is just equally well matched in terms of value-for-money and performance - two key areas that help in making the final purchase decision, in this segment.