[OffPoynt]

Hello everyone! I'm OffPoynt, and this is my first post here.
TeamBHP played a big part in my choosing this bike (thanks Hagaru and vijai!). And not many reviews of the 2022 bike, so I thought why not.

Background:

Car lover since as far as I can remember. I used to get my fix in my high school hostel days with an Evo magazine subscription (no mobiles allowed there). And watch TopGear whenever I went for outings.

Many years later, I am now in a bachelor's course for Visual Media (after having quit engineering). I used to be in a hostel for my engineering, but now though, the college is close to my home, which meant taking my dad's nine-year-old Access 125 to college. This would create some scheduling conflicts with my dad (we did have a Figo, but he didn't like taking it for small runs like groceries, etc). This is where the thought of buying a vehicle entered my mind.

I only experienced 3 bikes until now, and all thanks to my elder brother. He first borrowed a friend's Unicorn. Then, brother-in-laws' Pulsar 150. And he ended up buying an FZ, the first generation with the 164cc 14 hp engine. Which he ended up selling when he went abroad to fund his education. During all this, I was too small and young to even ride scooters, let alone bikes.
So, no bike in the family to ride, so no bike experience and no passion to ride. I did ride a bike for my license tests, but that was just because adding on a geared motorcycle license to a DL later is very complicated, so why not get them all in one go? I did have respect for superbikes still.

At this point (beginning of 2022), I seriously considered the TVS Ntorq and even pitched the idea to the family but it wasn't taken much seriously. I also didn't mind too much; the Access was doing well enough.
Fast forward to March-April when my parents tell me that my sister's friend has an old Apache that he doesn't ride and would lend it to me for my college duration, a BS3 Yellow RTR 160. Having not much interest in bikes, I postponed getting it for so long. The day before somebody else was about to borrow the bike, I went and got it even then, my reason to get it was that it would be faster than the Access (and not totally because my buddy bought a Pulsar N250 which I could totally keep up with).

Not even a month later. Just two weeks into riding the 160, it all sank in. Everything made sense. I immediately understood biking. I had found Pandora.

The last service before returning the bike. Sorry for the bad angle



By June - July, I started to feel bad for the 160. It was once a college student's bike, now in my hands. I am a safe rider, but I do like to live my life in the upper half of the tacho (this engine). I felt bad, and not to mention, some of the problems on the bike (vibrations, rust in a few places, a cracked front cowl) which came with the bike, made me feel even more guilty about riding it and felt the need to return it. But not before I got one for myself...

Enter the "I want a new bike" phase

I was in love with the RTR 160's racy feel. Something about it really tickled my inner child when the bike was ridden hard. Naturally, that nominated the RTR 200 for me.

Options I considered:
1. Yamaha MT-15/R15
Out of budget. My goal was under 2L. However, due to having had a Yamaha in our family before, I really did think about the R15.

2. FZ250
This one actually costs very similar to the bike I ended up buying. It makes similar power, but more torque and is a very easy city bike. However, I rejected this because of the dated features, and it didn't tug at my heartstrings quite enough.

3. Hero Xpulse 200 4V
I'm not really into adventure bikes. I can see the appeal, though. My Neanderthal brain also went "200cc with 17bhp hmm not great" too. I am also a bit short for this. Good bike, just not my vibe.

4. RE
Out of my budget, and too heavy for me. I am also not a cruiser kind of guy.

5. Honda CB series
Hondas don't really draw me, except for the CB300R (which was out of my budget).

6. KTMs
Already out of my budget. Also, it does seem like everyone has one. I know the RTR is popular, but I have seen more KTMs than the 4v RTRs,
by many multiple times.

7. Pulsar F250/N250 twins
This one was a very hard bike to reject for me. As I've said, my buddy bought an N250, and it was 187000 on-road, which is practically the same as what I paid for my RTR (186000 on-road, Mysuru).
The bike is fantastic. It sounds absolutely incredible and is really performant.
Since I didn't want to buy the N250 (totally not because a buddy has one) the F250 was also a choice for me.
In the end, I decided that the Pulsar was a very good bike, but it was more a sporty bike, with all the hooliganism that the Pulsar name represents. Which I don't have a problem with, I just wanted a track feel and not a sporty feel out of my new bike.

8. Pulsar NS/RS
Rejected for similar reasons as KTMs and the N/F250s. But, I do want to have a multi-bike garage one day and the RS is around the top of the list.

9. Suzuki Gixxer/V-Strom
Out of my budget, again. I liked the 250 naked Gixxer.

Aaaand out of all these options, I went with the Apache stable and chose an RTR 200 4V, 2022, dual-channel ABS with riding modes. My color of choice during the booking was white (quite a rare color here). I went with a small TVS dealer because my family actually had used their services during the 90s. There was a bigger showroom closer to my house but the salesperson just couldn't be bothered to explain about the bike. No drive/energy whatsoever, which turned me off.

My first choice was actually the matte blue one. However, the showroom person told me it isn't made anymore (which may/may not be true, I didn't check) and went with white. This all happened before my year-end exams. I would ideally get the bike when the holidays started (win-win).
A few days, I went to the dealer and asked him for an ETA. He said that due to low demand for the white, manufacturing is less and that it will take time. Welp.
Went again after a week to check the progress. Same thing, except this time he mentions that two black RTR 200s in the variant I chose have just been delivered to a showroom by the factory and I could have one in a week.
Call me fickle-minded, but this was my first bike and first vehicle. I was honestly giddy for the whole one or two months before and after I got the bike. I told the dealer yes, I will take the black one.
Two days later, the bike made its way to the dealer.





The bike stayed there as there were some things to be done (registration etc). I personally couldn't wait for the day I got my bike.

And then the day came.



Delivery:
It actually started drizzling during the delivery. Not to be stopped, I donned a raincoat and rode home in the rain. Delivery went well. The free TVS Xpod helmet would arrive a week later. I used my Vega until then. Everything went smoothly. No problems or issues on the bike. Number plate to arrive about 2 to 3 weeks later.

At home. What a feeling!



Since my holidays had started, it gave me ample time to know my bike better.

Pros:
1. Very refined. This bike is the complete opposite of the old RTR 160 and 180s. It is now one of the segment benchmarks. Absolute zero-to-hero story, in this one.

2. Ergonomics. I am on the short side, which makes this bike suit me well. The upright seating, although a departure from the race-style posture of the old RTRs, is very welcome and some touring on this bike is no problem.

3. Exhaust note. Countless YouTube videos watched still didn't prepare me for how good this bike sounds. It sounds like a big bike and sounds incredible. It doesn't have the outright bassyness of the N250 but it still is one of the best sounding single cylinder bikes. Gotta love the turning of heads as people hear this coming.

4. Chassis, suspension, and handling. TVS has a factory race team and it shows in this bike. Fast corners and swooping curves really show how nimble and fleet-footed this bike is, despite using a traditional double-cradle chassis instead of the more modern perimeter/trellis frames. The suspension units are from Showa, which is a Japanese big-name brand that is found mostly on superbikes. Adjustable forks are a very good feature. The handling is really confidence-inspiring.

5. The looks. This bike looks really, really good. From the seat, it does really give you a "big bike" feeling. Don't be fooled by the tank size, it isn't actually that large of a capacity. More about this in Cons.

6. Adjustable brake and clutch levers. The adjustability I found not to have too much of an impact at first, but I ended up discovering that adjusting them changed how the levers feel. Brakes feel better set at level 3. Also, it is useful for the occasional time a trusted friend takes the bike for a spin.

7. Gearbox. It is very quick and allows for absolutely beautiful downshifting, especially if you know rev-matching.

8. Power. All the RTR 200's power is packed mostly into the mid-range, giving it one of the fastest 0-60 times in the segment. It doesn't make sense on normal roads or highways but on tight roads with turns, it does.

9. The console. Very useful and informative console, although I would have liked a bigger and more elaborate tachometer. Phone connection is a big plus (to see the name of the caller is a huge advantage while on the move, as I can pick calls with an intercom). Ride statistics are accurate.

10. GTT. Glide Through Technology, allows one to leave the clutch and throttle, and at low speeds, the FI system injects a bit of fuel to keep the bike moving at a set speed (7 in 1st, 14 in 2nd, 22 in 3rd, 29 in 4th and 34 in 5th). It is not advisable however to use GTT for the 4th and 5th gears.

11. ABS and riding modes. The ABS works well, and with the Rain mode, it makes it impossible to lock up the wheel in any scenario. Very useful.

12. As compared to the 2021 version (rode a friend's bike), the 2022 version gets a better side stand (his observation). The 2022 version also gets a switch to turn the headlamp on/off while the DRL remains on, and dims itself when the headlamp is on.

Cons
1. Brakes. The no-name brand brakes have a very spongy feel and are very uncommunicative. Also, the stopping power is not enough (most, if not all rivals have better stopping power). The rotors are also small (personal opinion). Setting the lever to step 3 makes it feel better. I will start using LiquiMoly's brake fluid after the warranty on the bike is over.

2. Power. For the money, the RTR 200 is now rivaled by the NS200 and the N/F250 twins, both of which make more power. Not really a big point, but I've felt the need for more power for cruising at higher speeds on expressways. This bike loses most of its steam above 110.

3. Gearing. 5 gears is fine but above 110 the bike struggles to gain speed. The meat of the power starts at 5k RPM, I feel. 5k to 8k is the sweet spot. Could've been wider. Also, 6th gear.

4. Lack of aftermarket parts. I had such a hard time searching for some parts to improve my daily experience on the bike (like tank/thigh pads). Many websites have parts for KTMs, Bajajs, Yamaha, and the like but no Apache.

5. Slight struggle after cold starts. Sometimes, the engine cuts off in 10s after a cold start. It always starts correctly, however. The idling can sometimes dip below 1k RPM for a split second when idling after a cold start.

6. TVS' oils. Their brake and engine oils are not good. Despite what I said about the gearbox is good, it does occasionally throw up a missed shift.
I suspect the oil. I will be changing this too after the warranty on the bike ends. Apparently, the brake fluid is DOT 3 from the factory, like what?

7. Riding modes. The bike produces 20.5 bhp on Sport mode and 17.1 on the others. Apart from the modes also changing the ABS intervention (which DO make a difference), this power difference doesn't make sense and is nearly imperceptible. It may be because the bike is new and I need time to tell, but that is the problem. It feels more like a gimmick at times. Personally, I leave it on Sport all the time. Might as well call it ABS modes

8. Halogen turn signals. Not a bother for some. To me, it feels outdated. Full LED headlamp but halogen signals?

9. Toolkit only contains a screwdriver and a 12/14mm (IIRC) spanner. Not much you can do with these (when it comes to adjusting clutch/throttle plays, installing radiator guards, etc).

10. TVS Connect app is sometimes finicky. Didn't expect much out of this, so not disappointed. Navigation can sometimes get stuck. Not fully reliable. Haven't used it much as the app can't take locations shared for example on Whatsapp. I only use it if I need to track performance and distance statistics.

11. Tyres are not confidence inspiring, especially when cold. Warmed up is when they have life. Switching these after they wear out. No Pirelli option too

12. TVS releasing a lot of OEM accessories for the Ronin has made me a bit salty. Where are OEM accessories for the RTR? For example, Ronin gets thigh pads and adjustable levers in two colors among other things. The Ronin also got USD forks and a USB port. I might be able to retrofit all these, but still.

13. Ergonomics are not good for tall riders. My tall friends do not like the ergos one bit.

14. Tank capacity is just 12L, despite how big the tank looks. Yes, given an ideal mileage of 40, it should do 480 km which is sufficient. The old RTRs however, came with a 16L tank and near-50kmpl mileage (a theoretical 800km!). The upshot to this is that the tank you see isn't a tank, it's a fiberglass panel covering the tank that can be replaced for cheaper than if something were to directly damage the tank.

Some might feel like I've bashed the bike a lot, but I want to make sure I put out everything.

The first service was done and dusted within a month's time of taking delivery of the bike. After that, I waited till the bike hit 1000kms to ride to Bangalore. From Bangalore, I went for a ride to Krishnagiri with 3 friends.

Me on my bike.



I was riding with a friend who rode a Duke 390. Can't expect this to keep up, but I tried my best. It was smooth throughout. I had no problems throughout.

Mods done (can't really call what I've done as 'modifications' but here I go):

1. Screen scratch protector



The screen getting scratched was a worry for me, who knows if I can get the glass replaced? So I bought this. Anyone wanting to do the same, be warned that the protectors are flat while the console screen has a slight curve to it. It applied fine, but the next day after college, I notice half the protector has unstuck itself from the screen. Took the protector off, cleaned the sticky side with a cleaning sticker from a phone tempered glass kit, and this time I used a hairdryer on the hot setting to get the protector to curve and attach properly. No problems so far except 2 edges where it won't sit properly (minuscule, not there in the picture).

2. Thigh / Tank pads from Autologue Design

This is the thigh pad.



And this is the tank pad.



These were just about the only pads I found designed for this bike. It's made of rubber and provides a really good grip, enhancing handling and everyday usage. They come in a pack of 6. Two for the tank and 4 for both sides. I wished the rubber would be a completely jet black color to match the bike, instead of the dark gray it is, but beggars can't be choosers.

3. Radiator guard
After seeing a few fins bent, I was pretty scared. The bike did not come with a radiator guard from the factory, and asking the salesperson came to nothing. So, I ordered one from Amazon. Again, this was the only good one I found. No variety. I attempted installing it at home and gave up. Got it done at the place I bought the bike.
The radiator guard.



After installing.



Planned:
1. Air filter
2. Windshield/Visor
3. Painting the panel above the tail lamp and the one between the seats red and adding two black stripes (to continue and match the tank's design to the rear) along with the radiator guard painted red (this one was suggested by the salesperson after getting it fitted). Also want black levers all around (clutch, brake, gear, rear brake).
4. Brakes, either just the pads and fluid or the entire system. I don't know if this will be complicated due to the presence of dual-channel ABS.
5. LED Indicators from either a Ronin or RR310 (as told about by a fellow member).

Service

Pretty inexpensive, overall. The first service cost me around 650, with additional money for a wash and polish. Exceeded my expectations with respect to cost, I went to the center expecting a bill of 1k to 2k. I do not know if the center I chose can deal with major problems but since I don't have any, no issues at the moment. The second service is nearing soon at 2.5k to 3k km. The oil filter was not changed (due to it being in pretty good condition, as per the sales/service person).

Overall

I love this bike. It may not have the outright power of its rivals, but it handles so well and so sweetly.
Actually, this bike was a bit of an impulse purchase. I have not test-ridden any bike, not even this one, before buying. Why? I do not know. All that I know is that I am satisfied and happy. More mentally stable, too. Riding has that effect.
Compared to the old 2V RTRs, I feel that the 4V RTR (I don't know about the 160, which has slightly different ergonomics) has lost some of that unique RTR track feel. It is now an upright bike, and the tank shape along with the way it feels to grip, makes the ergonomics feel different from the 2V bikes. This isn't a knock, per se. It places the RTR firmly into the modern naked/street bike. The sound too leans towards the sporty side but this is a really good-sounding bike and is a proper corner rocket. Not knowing how to corner (and not being the type to corner at high speeds), I am not the person to tell you how the 2 generations of RTR differ in this aspect. Nevertheless, I like this evolution.

Pictures

The three types of Apache, hmm



My RTR with my friend's N250.



Eye candy, this bike.



A Mustang of my own

[amvj]

The RTR 200 is a great bike and I booked one, but then I cancelled it due to the dealer's attitude. I am a sucker for black colour vehicles, but the Matt blue looks great as well.

[OffPoynt]

Originally Posted by amvj

The RTR 200 is a great bike and I booked one, but then I cancelled it due to the dealer's attitude. I am a sucker for black colour vehicles, but the Matt blue looks great as well.

Attachment 2362262

Attachment 2362263

Ah, that sucks. TVS' dealers' attitude is a common problem, and I've heard many, many people face it. I've faced it, too. I expected a lot better from them. It drives away customers from what is a great bike.

Matte blue, looks very good, just the white stripes on the tank don't make too much sense to me (I'd have replaced those with red stripes to match the pinstripe on the side of the bike).
I kid you not, one day I had the matte blue RTR 200 appear in my dream once. So, I asked for this color first and was told it was stopped but I am satisfied with my choice of black. I bought it telling myself that I could change the color one day (most of the changeable colored bits are fiberglass, anyway) but I don't know if I want to jump through the RTO hoops to do that... (anyone who knows the process of changing the color of the bike and the RTO processes, do let me know if it is worth doing)
Anyway, don't let the dealers put you off. Find another dealer, or if you have a relative who knows one, go with it. Or, do what some people have done and buy the bike from them, then use the services of another dealership.

[sumitj71]

I have red on the net that, It can attain a top speed of 127 km/h in Sport mode, while in the urban mode, The acceleration isn’t that sharp as compared to the Sport mode and leans more towards being linear. This allows the rider to be more comfortable while dealing with the urban elements. Sedated throttle response translates to a comfortable ride. This is also assisted by slightly lower power and torque. In the Urban and the Rain mode, the Apache RTR 200 makes 17.32 PS @ 7800 rpm and 16.51 Nm @ 5750 rpm. In the Urban and Rain mode, the Apache RTR 200 4V can attain a top speed of 105 km/h which is around 22 km/h slower than the Sport mode.

I am wondering if your very protective oil cooler guard can let the oil cooler function?

I don't think anything can reach the oil cooler set so high and behind the front forks, the dents may be caused due to improper handling during assembly at TVS plant.

I have fitted oil cooler to my Apache RTR 180 on crash guard and used for more than 40000km without any issues.



It used to cook it's oil whenever stuck in traffic or climbing a ghat. The stock engine has provision for oil cooler connections. So i purchased oil cooler of pulsar 160n from 99rpm and installed it myself. The cooler solved the problem only 50%, but still it was better.

[OffPoynt]

Originally Posted by sumitj71

I have red on the net that, It can attain a top speed of 127 km/h in Sport mode, while in the urban mode, The acceleration isn’t that sharp as compared to the Sport mode and leans more towards being linear. This allows the rider to be more comfortable while dealing with the urban elements. Sedated throttle response translates to a comfortable ride. This is also assisted by slightly lower power and torque. In the Urban and the Rain mode, the Apache RTR 200 makes 17.32 PS @ 7800 rpm and 16.51 Nm @ 5750 rpm. In the Urban and Rain mode, the Apache RTR 200 4V can attain a top speed of 105 km/h which is around 22 km/h slower than the Sport mode.

I am wondering if your very protective oil cooler guard can let the oil cooler function?

I don't think anything can reach the oil cooler set so high and behind the front forks, the dents may be caused due to improper handling during assembly at TVS plant.

I have fitted oil cooler to my Apache RTR 180 on crash guard and used for more than 40000km without any issues.

Attachment 2362741

It used to cook it's oil whenever stuck in traffic or climbing a ghat. The stock engine has provision for oil cooler connections. So i purchased oil cooler of pulsar 160n from 99rpm and installed it myself. The cooler solved the problem only 50%, but still it was better.

Ah, the riding modes. I did understand what the power differences and the torque curves changing meant before getting the bike, it just didn't translate into a big enough tangible difference for me. The bike does feel meatier at the bottom end, but it took me around 2 months of riding 99% on Sport mode to tell that. 3 bhp and 1Nm of difference IMO is too little to feel. There is a new RPM limit with the Rain and Urban modes, which is 9K RPM as opposed to 11.5k RPM on Sport. I have tried hitting the limiter on Urban because I was curious and it felt like something was restricting the engine from revving beyond. Now I should try riding on Urban and see how it feels.

And as for the oil cooler guard, I have felt the engine running slightly warmer after running it for some time. But as the engine is already a cool runner, this didn't make too much of a problem for me, it's more or less the same.
The dents in the fins came from random small stones. I was pretty shocked, in my mind I started planning to replace the oil cooler when I saw them first. That's when I decided to spend on the guard and have some peace of mind.
From the factory, the oil cooler fins were in proper condition.
But the fact that the 2V engine has oil cooler provisions is interesting. Should open up opportunities for installing oil coolers or upgrading the stock ones (on 4V ones). Quick question: how much extra oil did you add to the engine after installing the radiator?


Small update on my bike:
I've got the "Service Due" alert pop up on my screen now, time for the second service (touched 2500KM). I will give it to service after a few days (Dasara time now, service centers gonna be closed).
New things: The bike has a slight judder when full throttle is given at specific RPMs (around 3k to 4k, although this just might be because of low RPM, and then at around 7k RPM for both 3rd and 4th gear). No judders elsewhere. I don't know if the service will rectify this. There is also a slight sound when the bike is rolling (can be heard if the engine is off), probably a sound not from the engine. To be honest, I am pretty confused now trying to figure out what these issues could be
Also, the bike has what I think is called a "snatchy throttle", i.e a very sharp deceleration on letting go of the throttle and a very sharp acceleration when getting back on it. How can this be resolved (without affecting the overall performance of the bike)?

[sumitj71]

Apache rtr 180 also used to vibrate a lot in between 4000 to 6000 rpm, it was much smoother above that range or below that range. I think it is the natural frequency of the bike hence when engine reached that RPM it amplifies the vibrations.

Actually, i don't really know how much oil went in to oil cooler, because at the time of installation it required around 150-200ml extra oil but how much of it was wasted i don't know because when i installed it and filled the oil, i found it leaking, so again i have to remove it and reinstall it. Some oil got wasted in the process. At the time of oil replacement, the oil cooler couldn't be emptied. So normal 1 litre used to be filled at the time of replacement. I know that because the houses i installed were transparent.

About the sound it makes while moving- my bike used to make sound because of slightly bent front disc. The service centre guys never accepted there was noise or problem with brake disc. In 10000km one side brake pad got totally consumed till the metal (i almost never use front brake, don't even use brakes in fact), still the guys didn't accept it was a problem. They just said it happens sometimes to new bike. Then i myself obtained entry papers and scrubbed the area of the disc causing this issue. Then the issue got solved after some trial and error episodes.

But then the sound used to crop up in rainy days due to mud accumulation on discs, so i have to clean to discs every weekend with moist cloth. Sometimes even have to remove the pads and clean them. The disc brakes are pain to maintain. Further they also cause constant drag due to always being in contact with the disc. And at the time of chain tightening it is tedious job to align the wheel with the disc catcher otherwise the drag increases too much, it also causes increased fuel consumption, heating of brake assembly, even seazing of the wheel, (yes it happened to me because of misalignment of the wheel with respect to disc catcher.).

Despite the issues regarding overheating and disc brakes, the bike was very great to ride. It is also very efficient.

[Hagaru]

Hello OffPoynt! Welcome to Team-BHP!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review. I own the 2021 version of the very same bike, and my decision process followed many of the same considerations you had. Thank you for sharing!

I thoroughly agree with all the pros you mentioned.
As for Point 12, it is really great that they have improved the side stand. The side stand on mine is very short, even falling once when placed on a slope. I've been looking for effective ways to improve the side stand without welding an extension.

With the cons now, thank you for shedding light on the lack of Aftermarket parts and brakes.
The brakes are abysmally bad. TVS really should do something about it. After a reply on this site, I've been planning to bleed the DOT 3 out and put in DOT 4, but I doubt that would have any significant effect. I considered installing better brake pads but again, a knowledgeable friend said it may not make a major difference, and it's only worth changing once these are worn.

Personally, I use sport only when necessary (Highway tours and empty roads) and yes, the difference, especially in ABS, is noticeable.

As for the Halogen turn indicators, I met a service advisor who installed LED lights from the RR310 on his personal RTR 200, and they look fabulous. But, a single set of 4 would cost 3200, and installing anything else outside will void the wiring warranty. I would personally recommend the Duke or the Dominor ones if you're looking to change.

Funnily enough, many of my trips, including my first, was with a friend on the Duke 390 too. Although I struggled on highways, the RTR really shines on curvy roads and ghats. It's an absolute joy to ride.

Seeing through the planned mods list, unfortunately, the brakes would be hard to replace. The windshield needs to be welded on too, no direct attachment. And personally, I've not come across a compatible air filter. The black levers are doable, and honestly would make a very good-looking bike.

Kudos to you and your bike! Looking forward to reading more about it :-)

[OffPoynt]

Originally Posted by sumitj71

Apache rtr 180 also used to vibrate a lot in between 4000 to 6000 rpm, it was much smoother above that range or below that range. I think it is the natural frequency of the bike hence when engine reached that RPM it amplifies the vibrations.

I've heard many people say that a good branded oil (such as LiquiMoly or Motul) fully synthetic will reduce a lot of the vibrations on the 2V RTRs.

Originally Posted by sumitj71

About the sound it makes while moving- my bike used to make sound because of slightly bent front disc. The service centre guys never accepted there was noise or problem with brake disc. In 10000km one side brake pad got totally consumed till the metal (i almost never use front brake, don't even use brakes in fact), still the guys didn't accept it was a problem. They just said it happens sometimes to new bike. Then i myself obtained entry papers and scrubbed the area of the disc causing this issue. Then the issue got solved after some trial and error episodes.

But then the sound used to crop up in rainy days due to mud accumulation on discs, so i have to clean to discs every weekend with moist cloth. Sometimes even have to remove the pads and clean them. The disc brakes are pain to maintain. Further they also cause constant drag due to always being in contact with the disc. And at the time of chain tightening it is tedious job to align the wheel with the disc catcher otherwise the drag increases too much, it also causes increased fuel consumption, heating of brake assembly, even seazing of the wheel, (yes it happened to me because of misalignment of the wheel with respect to disc catcher.).

Despite the issues regarding overheating and disc brakes, the bike was very great to ride. It is also very efficient.

Hadn't thought of the brakes making the sound. Will check it out sometime. Kinda hard to look at the brake pads, though, on my bike.

Originally Posted by Hagaru

Hello OffPoynt! Welcome to Team-BHP!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review. I own the 2021 version of the very same bike, and my decision process followed many of the same considerations you had. Thank you for sharing!

You're welcome, Hagaru! Now that I've joined TeamBHP, I can thank you for your detailed review!

Originally Posted by Hagaru

I thoroughly agree with all the pros you mentioned.
As for Point 12, it is really great that they have improved the side stand. The side stand on mine is very short, even falling once when placed on a slope. I've been looking for effective ways to improve the side stand without welding an extension.

You can get the 2022 RTR 200's side stand fixed to your bike, would be much easier than trying to modify the stock one or find an aftermarket alternative.

Originally Posted by Hagaru

As for the Halogen turn indicators, I met a service advisor who installed LED lights from the RR310 on his personal RTR 200, and they look fabulous. But, a single set of 4 would cost 3200, and installing anything else outside will void the wiring warranty. I would personally recommend the Duke or the Dominor ones if you're looking to change.

The warranty is the problem when going with another brand's turn indicators. IIRC this bike has a five-year warranty. I don't know if I am going to be in India when the warranty expires that said, if you have pictures of that RTR 200 with the 310's indicators, do share. I might actually go for that if I liked it enough.

Originally Posted by Hagaru

Funnily enough, many of my trips, including my first, was with a friend on the Duke 390 too. Although I struggled on highways, the RTR really shines on curvy roads and ghats. It's an absolute joy to ride.

Agreed. It had been like a month or so for me when I did the ride alongside a Duke 390 and I felt like I was ready to ride a bigger bike (more like wanted a bigger bike with more power). Still satisfied with this bike though, a bigger bike would be harder to handle in our traffic(already fed up of road users riding/driving close to my vehicle. Are they testing proximity sensors or what?)

Originally Posted by Hagaru

Seeing through the planned mods list, unfortunately, the brakes would be hard to replace. The windshield needs to be welded on too, no direct attachment. And personally, I've not come across a compatible air filter. The black levers are doable, and honestly would make a very good-looking bike.

Hmm, note taken. The windshield however, there is one from Lluvia that uses the number plate holders to mount, and comes with another bracket to mount the number plate over the visor. They also have a number plate relocator which moves it to below the headlamp (personally I didn't like the relocator, it mounts at the wheel, where the suspension is bolted on, and has two arms that go around the front mudguard to hold the plate below the headlamp).

Originally Posted by Hagaru

Kudos to you and your bike! Looking forward to reading more about it :-)

Kudos to you and your bike too! Looking forward to reading more about yours as well

[sumitj71]

Originally Posted by OffPoynt

I've heard many people say that a good branded oil (such as LiquiMoly or Motul) fully synthetic will reduce a lot of the vibrations on the 2V RTRs.

I have used mitul 300v, shell ultra, Castrol power 1, Mobil 1 nothing works more than a 5 minute traffic jam, which is common at the road near my home. It is not possible to change oil after every traffic jam. After every such heating episode, the engine used to get rough. So i used to add 10-20ml stp engine oil additive after the bike cooled down. It restored most of the oils lubricating & damping properties. Mechanics tell to add the additive at the time of oil change that too full quantity at once, but all gets cooked when engine gets overheated. Adding the additive when the need arises has been a good solution for me.

But if you want to choose any additive then do check if it is compatible with catalytic converter. STP engine oil treatment has zddp which damaged catalytic converter. I think ceramic it teflon additives will work.

[prajwal_]

Greetings fellow motorheads,

This is my first post on teambhp though i have been reading other posts for more than an year now... I'll talk about my purchase decision as well as how my bike has fared in these six months.

Coming back to the topic, I was a proud owner of Honda Hornet CB160R which i purchased right after graduation. Drove it for 3 years, took it everywhere on my road trips... Chennai-Coimbatore, Chennai-Bengaluru. And one fine day in June 2022, my dad called me and said your brother has an idea, he's planning to buy a used motorcycle to take to his college (Only once a week on Saturday i.e. very low usage). Why don't you give yours to him and we buy a new one for you since you use it a lot. I jumped on it and had lots of ideas, but were quickly shot down by my dad. He said that I can't control how fast you go but what i can still control is the size and type of engine you get for your new bike. He had a strict cap on no bikes above 25hp and 250cc. And post discussion this was the final criteria of my bike search.

- > 160cc and < 250cc
- Must have dual channel ABS after a close call once on my hornet
- Must be lightweight (No RE style bikes which are heavier by design)

These were my shortlist.

• TVS Apache RTR200 4V
  Bajaj Pulsar NS200
  Suzuki Gixxer 250 /VStorm 250
  Yamaha FZ25
  Honda Hornet 2.0

Though an amazing machine i ignored R15 simply because the riding position won't suit my long rides. Also ignored all KTM/Husq bikes since i needed a proper two seat so that my friends/brother/girlfriend can join me for city travel.

A quick short pros and cons for each

Honda Hornet 2.0

+ Looks really beautiful
+ I had first hand experience on how smooth and refined Honda engines were
- After riding it around, i didn't feel it was a significant upgrade to my current Hornet, the 20cc bigger engine though felt more powerful still felt familar and nothing awe inspiring. So kept it as backup option

Suzuki twins

+ Engine felt really peppy
= Not a fan of Gixxer looks but VStorm looked really nice
- VStorm still got Gixxer tyres, an all terrain tyre like on the impulse would have made it amazing option
- Felt a bit shorter for my height (I am 6'0) and i had to crouch my legs a bit more than usual.(Gixxer)

Yamaha FZ25

- Despite all good points, it's looks didn't make me feel like, "Take me home" (Subjective Personal Opinion)

Bajaj Pulsar NS200

+ Rev loving engine, felt amazing
- Age old cluster and zero electronic add ons
- For some reason, the showroom model had a White bike with White coloured chassis and White wheels. It looked like a politician version of bikes (I cringed a bit honestly)

TVS Apache RTR200 4V

= Looks were average, VStorm had the best looks so far
+ Rev loving engine
+ Bunch of tech/ mech features, TBT Navigation, Emergency Crash Calls, Ride logging, Adjustable Suspension, Adjustable Levers - Being an engineer... I loved it when a sub 2 lakh bike had these features

So i decided and went ahead with RTR200 4V because other than the average looks, there were no major negatives according to me. Me and my dad booked it at SBM TVS in Chennai. They said due to part shortage, color availability is severely hampered. Since i wanted it for my Birthday i.e. July, i told them either Black or Blue is good with me provided it's the first bike you get in the showroom. Though they didn't promote delivery in 2 weeks, they still tried their best. Repeated production delays meant we didn't get the bike for my birthday and on July 20, i got a call saying that a Black colored bike is being allotted to your name and will be shipped from factory by EOD. Received the bike by July 26 post all registration formalities.

Moving to the short term review:

Post delivery, i felt that the front suspension was softer but rear was really hard. Since they are adjustable, i asked if they can help me with adjusting rear suspension. But they were clueless at SBM. Typical TVS issue since no other TVS bike except RTR 4V twins and RR310 packs these features and these were low volume items for them. So i chose to get it done in Bengaluru instead.

I stay in Chennai but work in Bengaluru, Hybrid work meant i spent few months on either cities. For the break in period, TVS recommends keeping the rpm below 5k. But i was shocked to learn that at that rpm itself i could do 80. So decided to use the bike itself for travelling to Bangalore as 80 is a decent cruise speed. The highway ride was smooth but still the suspension issue was there. I took the bike directly to the service centre as it was time for my first service after 500 kms. The people at Trijal TVS Marathahalli however were familiar with the option and informed me that they'll set it up for me. After the service the bike felt amazing. The suspension was perfectly configured for me now and small bumps didn't even creep through the body. It was a notch better than Hornet's suspension.

Few features i noticed after purchasing and living with it for six months.

+ The bike's steering is so amazingly tuned that even at really high speeds, there was little vibration. Getting a bit technical now, however i noticed that the bike had really high frequency vibration on the steering at higher speed which was captured by my mirrors due to vibrating like a phone but the steering is absolutely stable i.e. You might see a blurred view on the mirror but even if you leave your hands, the steering will not move even a single degree. This is contrary to Hornet. In Hornet, after 75-80, there were significant low frequency vibrations which meant that if you take your hands of the steering, the entire column including tyres will start vibrating.

+ The gearing ratios have been really given significant thought. e.g. For Bumper to Bumper traffic, i could move in 1st gear itself (Urban Mode) as it takes till 25kmph approx (As per gear shift indicators), For light traffic in cities, i could out on 3rd gear and it goes from 35-55 kmph. 2nd and 4th gear have shockingly smaller range of speed. Also on highways didn't feel the need for the sixth gear as am a sedate driver and reaching speed limits is a breeze for 5th gear in Sport Mode

+ Fuel Economy, during one of my frequent Chennai - Bengaluru trips, i noticed that if you keep it in Urban mode and maintain an average of 80, it'll give you 47 kmpl! That was unexpected for me. The city mileage is however around 35kmpl given horrible traffic conditions in Bengaluru i think it's decent.

+ Put the bike on Sport mode and at your 5th gear, every single person on road will turn around to see where's this amazing sound coming from. Puts up a big smile listening to that amazing exhaust sound.

+ In Rain mode, only brakes (ABS) are tuned differently. This is significantly evident. Every bike should come with a rain mode. The braking is much more confident in wet conditions and feels safer to ride.

- Fuel level indicators are really confusing. The bars don't follow any specific pattern. So it's really difficult to determine how much more range you have.

- A weird observation, not sure if it's only me. If you try to change gear before the gear change indicator tells you, gears feel heavy especially the lower ones but if the indicator is on, it's as smooth as clicking a touch button. E.g. let's say 1st to 2nd change light comes up at 25 kmph. If you try to do it at say 23, it's so difficult. This might be caused due to the Slip Assist Feature for the clutch. I am assuming that the ECU is not expecting a gear change and hence the slip assist is not engaged. If anybody else have some inputs, please let me know.

- TVS Remora stock tyres are not especially grippy on mud roads. MRF Zappers on Hornet are really good for muddy roads. I will consider changing them maybe after their lifetime.

+ The rear seat though at a higher position, was much more wider and comfortable for a pillion. My friend actually has a really weird explanation for this. Since Indians are more healthier in terms of size than the Japanese... The japenese bikes designed in Japan ignore this fact. Hence almost all the Japenese bikes have poor comfort in the rear in comparison to Indian designed bikes. Though it's statistically true, am not buying that explanation 😂😂

So in a nutshell the RTR200 4V gave me a even bigger smile after living with it for six months now, more than i was expecting. For 1.8 lakhs on road, this bike makes the perfect sense as a daily commute bike on urban mode for the weekdays. And come the weekends switch to sport mode and it becomes a different beast. Few snaps of my new found love below...

[Gautam_707]

Originally Posted by prajwal_

So in a nutshell the RTR200 4V gave me a even bigger smile after living with it for six months now, more than i was expecting. For 1.8 lakhs on road, this bike makes the perfect sense as a daily commute bike on urban mode for the weekdays. And come the weekends switch to sport mode and it becomes a different beast. Few snaps of my new found love below.

Happy to see you're enjoying your new steed. The Apache is a fine machine, and I wish you many happy miles and many wide smiles on it. But I must point out something that I noticed, specifically for the Yamaha FZ25, you just wrote the cons, and zero pros, I really do hope you did find some pros to the bike, as I own one and I absolutely love it. But yes, like you said, look are completely subjective.


Mod Note : Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

Thanks!

[prajwal_]

Originally Posted by Gautam_707

Happy to see you're enjoying your new steed. The Apache is a fine machine, and i wish you many happy miles and many wide smiles on it. But i must point out something that i noticed, specifically for the Yamaha Fz25, you just wrote the cons, and zero pros, i really do hope you did find some pros to the bike, as i own one and i absolutely love it. But yes, like you said, look are completely subjective.

Hey Gautam, Yes I am totally enjoying the new beast. About the FZ25, To be honest it's a Jack of all trades. It covers every aspect but not the best in something specific. That's why I didn't mention any major (mechanical/electrical) pros or cons against it. Hope you are having a great time with it.

[xodus99]

Great to hear man. I have a 2019 BS4 Race Edition 2.0 model and in the last 3 years, my display has gone dead twice. First time it got replaced under warranty, now I'm having to pay for it - and it is around 4.5k or 5k.

The bike was great for the first year, but after that I noticed performance dips, lots of vibrations, false neutrals and other issues. Despite that, I always have fun riding it. But I'm not as happy as I was when I bought the bike.

I had a Suzuki Gixxer 155 before this and I loved that bike. It was hassle-free and top notch performer. I'm looking to sell the Apache and get a Gixxer 250 or the VStrom.

Not sure how the Fi editions are. I've heard TVS has worked on the 200 engine and made it smooth. My carb version is really rough and too bad I'm not happy with the overall package although this has the potential to be a great bike if only there was some endurance and reliability built in it.

[Kottayamkaran]

This is my 2018 Apache RTR 200 4V. I love this machine to the bits. Due to Covid-19 and WFH scenario it has covered only 20k kilometers in the past 4 years. I managed to put 12k into the odometer in the one year before the Covid-19 situation. TVS service and spare availability sucks to the core. That is the only dislike that i have against this machine.

[prajwal_]

Originally Posted by xodus99

Not sure how the Fi editions are. I've heard TVS has worked on the 200 engine and made it smooth. My carb version is really rough and too bad I'm not happy with the overall package although this has the potential to be a great bike if only there was some endurance and reliability built in it.

Mine is a Carb version and it's pretty smooth. To be honest i find this more refined than the one on Hornet. Probably TVS has improved it over the time. Reliability is something i am yet to experience.