TVS Radeon: 5,000km Long Term Report

The most recent efficiency figure I clocked was 69.5kmpl under normal riding conditions. I still can’t stop going gaga about the fuel efficiency of the Radeon because ultimately, monetary savings count for a lot. With a 20km daily commute from home to office and back (plus local grocery runs), one full tank of fuel lasted for almost a month! That’s just around Rs 700 worth fuel! To put things into perspective, the running cost amounts to just Rs 23 per day, meaning I spent only a little over a rupee per kilometre. That’s just about the cost of a bottle of water!

However, a couple of weeks ago, the Radeon’s efficiency started to witness a small drop. My riding style hadn’t changed, so I checked the tyres. Both the front and the rear units were underinflated. Naturally, I assumed a regular top-up would solve things. But in just the next few days, it started losing air again. The highway-side tyre shops out here in Pune seem to be full of opportunists who’d never lose a chance to bamboozle you.

So, I consulted one of the mechanics I trust and realised that the front tyre had a small puncture and the valve at the rear was cracked at its rubber base. It could perhaps be due to the crazy weather conditions in Pune: over 40 degrees for a couple of weeks, followed by a week where the night temperatures were in the 20's. This might have worn out the rubber housing. I got them replaced with aftermarket ones and the tyre’s fine now. It cost me around Rs 180 for the valve plus Rs 80 for the puncture repair.

Also Read: TVS Radeon: 2000km Long Term Report

Tyre punctures are inevitable on our roads, and I realised one needs to check the pressures a lot often than one normally does. Apart from this, the motorcycle is running just as it used to in my earlier report.

Month acquired: October 2018

Km when acquired: 850km

Km till date: 5007km

Cheers:

• Refined and efficient engine
• Grunty exhaust note
• Comfortable seat

Sneers:

• Brakes tend to loosen up after hard use

Fuel Efficiency: 69.5kmpl / 63.9kmpl with the puncture issue.