You read it first on MotorBeam. TVS has a reputation of making quality motorcycles. For creating quality automobiles you have to test endlessly in gruelling city traffic to check the composure of the motor and km/l numbers on the highway. Every manufacturer does so nowadays and it has become a thing of publicity as well. Endless spy shots come on online forums day after day signifying the launch is near and pretty much confirmed.
However, TVS which does testing usually has come up with a different idea this time. TVS has appointed 6-7 customers in the Mumbai group of their plan to test the motorcycle for them rather than spending money and sending company employees to do so. The TVS Apache RTR 180 is in question. Owners are being given a new oil to test and a new double layered air filter instead of the usual single layer to test. The oil is not the True4 brand but is brand new which the customer describes as “very close to Motul”, a brand highly regarded by the enthusiasts of India for sub-500cc motorcycles. Motul for example, is used officially by KTM for their super aggressive Duke 200 and 390 variants.
Three free oil and air filter changes are being offered to these select customers no matter whatever the warranty or kms might be. The testing is being done with the help of randomly chosen customers and one of them is our avid reader who chooses to remain anonymous. Our reader quotes that the gear changes are seamless, the engine runs even more smoother but the vibrations remain pretty much the same. The new double layered air filter gives it the same intake and exhaust howl as well.
What we think is that TVS is getting these two things tested from customers while other things are being done in house. The results are scrutinised every time by team TVS when these vehicles come back to the workshop and other small details might have been happening as well. This could be TVS running behind and getting the BSIV emission applied on their RTR series of motorcycles.
TVS could be increasing the reliability of the engines even more by using high quality engine oil. We did bring you a scoop a month back saying that the new Apache with engine updates will be rolling out by the festive season. Well, this could be the start of things. Mostly BSIV emissions are being targeted and the learnings from the EcoThrust series of engines is being applied which mostly won’t increase power or torque. TVS could surprise us with more power and capacity in the form of an update with the current design of the Apache itself.
