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The TVS Apache (/əˈpætʃi/) is a brand of
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
made by TVS Motors
TVS Motor Company (commonly known as TVS) is an Indian multinational motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is the third largest motorcycle company in India with a revenue of over in 2018–19. The company has ...
since 2006. As of 2020, more than 4 million Apaches are on the road. Currently the company sells five variants of the TVS Apache. The differences between each variant being the engine displacement
Engine displacement is the measure of the cylinder volume swept by all of the pistons of a piston engine, excluding the combustion chambers. It is commonly used as an expression of an engine's size, and by extension as a loose indicator of the ...
, the options on offer and performance characteristics. The abbreviation 'RTR' in the names of the motorcycles refer to 'Racing Throttle Response'.
History
TVS which partnered withSuzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
for 19 years had brought out several two-stroke
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...
motorcycles in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. When the emission norms in the country changed, a need for more fuel efficient and less polluting four-stroke
A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...
motorcycles suddenly came into being. However Suzuki at the time was globally known to produce two-stroke motorcycles and did not have strong R&D in the four-stroke department. All this led to the late introduction of the TVS-Suzuki Fiero in 2000 which was specifically developed for the Indian market.
At the time there was also an upcoming market for the low displacement performance motorcycles in India which can be related to the success of the Hero Honda CBZ. The Suzuki Fiero being a relatively powerful motorcycle in the segment, was well received. After the separation of TVS and Suzuki in 2001, TVS continued the production of the Fiero and its iterations under the name TVS Fiero, TVS Fiero FX
In 2005, to enter the 150 cm3 engine displacement category of performance motorcycles which was then dominated by the Bajaj Pulsar
The Bajaj Pulsar is a range of motorcycles manufactured by Bajaj Auto in India. It was developed by the product engineering division of Bajaj Auto in association with Tokyo R&D, the first of the TVS Apache series of Motorcycles. It was a product of TVS' own R&D which included many changes on their existing Fiero 147 cm3 Engine and as a result had an increased power output of 13.5
* Discontinued
bhp
BHP Group Limited (formerly known as BHP Billiton) is an Australian multinational mining, metals, natural gas petroleum public company that is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company was founded ...
from 12 bhp and better efficiency. There were also major improvements in design, suspension
Suspension or suspended may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Suspension (topology), in mathematics
* Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics
* Suspension of a ring, in mathematics
* Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspend ...
, brake
A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction.
Background ...
s, frame
A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent.
Frame and FRAME may also refer to:
Physical objects
In building construction
*Framing (con ...
and styling. The company claimed that the Apache had the highest power to weight ratio in its class and was the quickest for that reason.
The successors and current variants of the TVS Apache have engines based on the same platform but have significant design improvements such as an oversquare engine, 4- valves, balance shaft; technical advancements such as oil cooling
Oil cooling is the use of engine oil as a coolant, typically to remove surplus heat from an internal combustion engine. The hot engine transfers heat to the oil which then usually passes through a heat-exchanger, typically a type of radiator kno ...
, ram-air assist cooling (not to be confused with ram-air intake
A ram-air intake is any intake design which uses the dynamic air pressure created by vehicle motion, or ram pressure, to increase the static air pressure inside of the intake manifold on an internal combustion engine, thus allowing a greater massf ...
), fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All comp ...
and performance improvements. However the TVS Apache RR 310
The TVS Apache RR 310 ( RR : Race Replica ) is a sport bike made by the TVS Motor Company in collaboration with BMW Motorrad that was launched in India on December 6, 2017 . It uses a single-cylinder, four-stroke, SI, liquid-cooled, DOHC rever ...
is an exception and is based on the BMW G310R
The BMW G 310 R is an entry-level standard motorcycle developed jointly by BMW and TVS Motor Company of India. It is BMW's first, modern, low-end, sub-500 cc, beginner motorcycle sold under the BMW Motorrad brand. It debuted in November 201 ...
.
In February 2019, an ABS equipped variant of the Apache RTR 160 4V was announced and on February 28, the ABS equipped version of the older Apache RTR 160 was launched.
In January 2020, a revision of the TVS Apache RR 310 was launched in India powered by a BSVI-compliant Engine.
Models
* Discontinued
Design and styling
The Apache was the first bike in India with a petaldisc brake
A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hol ...
, which offers better heat dispersion thereby allowing fewer brake fades. The same bike introduced ABS in a 2 wheeler for the first time in India.
Comfort and handling
According to a 2007 review, since the bike was optimized for handling, the ride quality was on the stiff side. Previous versions of Apache had awheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
of which resulted in better turning in at the expense of stability. TVS increased the wheelbase by to improve the stability. The Apache 180 introduced ABS to the lineup in 2011.
In 2020, BS6 compliant engines were released in all their line up which saw significant improvements in 200 and 310 models in terms of riding, handling, integrated tech
Awards
TVS Apache RTR 180 won Performance Bike Of The Year (2009) from ''Business Standard
''Business Standard'' is an Indian English-language daily edition newspaper published by Business Standard Private Limited, also available in Hindi. Founded in 1975, the newspaper covers the Indian economy, infrastructure, international busine ...
'' Motoring Awards. The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V has been awarded the NDTV Motorcycle of the Year up to 250cc for 2017.
References
External links
{{Two wheelers in IndiaApache
The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...
Motorcycles introduced in 2006
Motorcycles of India