[Shivank]

Originally Posted by jkdas

It will be the ABS one if I am getting Apache. It costs 87K OTR @ Trivandrum. Couldnt get a test ride so going back today ( test ride only on non-ABS version).

I don't understand what's with not giving the ABS for test-rides. A while back, I asked the dealer here for the test-ride of the ABS model. He and his staff simply refused it. May be, that was because they knew I have an 180 already. Still, they cannot refuse a customer based on this!

After a lot of arguments he finally allowed me to go on for a short ride. And guess what, the ABS had been turned OFF!!!

I was simply flabbergasted at all this, asked the sales-man to turn the ABS ON. He refused again saying,"Aaaaap skiiiiid maaroge (you will try to lock the wheels and skid)".

"Of course, I will. Why the heck otherwise I will be paying over 10k premium for this one?". He didn't utter a word after this and turned the ABS ON.

After I came back from the test-ride (it was a great ride and experience), he revealed giving test-rides to prospective customers with ABS turned-off only?

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by Shivank

"Of course, I will. Why the heck otherwise I will be paying over 10k premium for this one?". He didn't utter a word after this and turned the ABS ON.

After I came back from the test-ride (it was a great ride and experience), he revealed giving test-rides to prospective customers with ABS turned-off only?

Could you explain the experience?

And wondering if I would need to change the so called crappy tyres of TVS?

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by jkdas

And wondering if I would need to change the so called crappy tyres of TVS?

You will find a sea of difference if you just change the rear tires. I have used mine on stock tires for 5500 kms. They are good on dry, decent in the wet in a straight line, fish tail slightly in the wet when turning or changing directions, downright scary on very slight gravel!! Bangalore does not have stock of Michelin Pilot Sporty tires. Waiting for stocks to arrive so that I can change them ASAP. Fronts are ok and if you do change the front, the ride quality may improve a wee bit ironing out the road imperfection better than stock tires.

[Shivank]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Could you explain the experience?

I am just sold on to this ABS thingy from the day I rode this bike. I tested the bike in the monsoons and as a result it was all muddy and slushy everywhere on the roads. And this is where the system comes so good. I mean, I was deliberately braking hard on wet surfaces, but the bike never fish-tailed! I know a normal RTR just crashes seeing the slightest of hint of water or mud, but the ABS didn't.

You know you can sense the lock-release-lock process via the brake lever almost every time, feels so good.

I loved the feedback and confidence the system gives to the rider while braking. A normal RTR or any other bike will simply skid no matter how good a rider you are. Read my experience with normal RTR and its rubber below.

Originally Posted by jkdas

And wondering if I would need to change the so called crappy tyres of TVS?

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

You will find a sea of difference if you just change the rear tires. I have used mine on stock tires for 5500 kms. They are good on dry, decent in the wet in a straight line, fish tail slightly in the wet when turning or changing directions, downright scary on very slight gravel!! Bangalore does not have stock of Michelin Pilot Sporty tires. Waiting for stocks to arrive so that I can change them ASAP. Fronts are ok and if you do change the front, the ride quality may improve a wee bit ironing out the road imperfection better than stock tires.

Yes, for the first 6-8k kilometers you can trust these crappy tires. On the dry it's very good actually. On the wet it's debatable though.

I will never for a moment believe in this shrichakra crap, actually! They just give out the ghost completely on the wet surface-be it on straights or under braking or cornering. I crashed on the straights doing a figure of roughly around 80-90kph. Just a a small patch of water was good enough to throw me and the bike apart. It was a nasty crash!

I swapped the tvs crap immediately with IRC rubber. IRC are just so much better and are more grippy (even on the wet)!!

In the rains tvs tires are a real menace. If you tap the brake on the wet for just even once, the whole bike fish-tails madly. It's a crash-crash situation!

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

You will find a sea of difference if you just change the rear tires. I have used mine on stock tires for 5500 kms. They are good on dry, decent in the wet in a straight line, fish tail slightly in the wet when turning or changing directions, downright scary on very slight gravel!! Bangalore does not have stock of Michelin Pilot Sporty tires. Waiting for stocks to arrive so that I can change them ASAP. Fronts are ok and if you do change the front, the ride quality may improve a wee bit ironing out the road imperfection better than stock tires.

Thanks. 110/80 right? How much would they cost?

Shivank: thanks dude.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Thanks. 110/80 right? How much would they cost?

Yup, its 110/80, 17 inch at the rear. The pilot sporty, before going out of stock nearly 3 months ago, was around 2800 here in Bangalore. Must be similar or slightly less in Kerala.

@Shivank, i have used my RTR on the highway during heavy rains. I was able to comfortably do 75kmph and the bike was inching towards the 80's but i held back knowing the killer tires at the rear. At 75kmph, the bike felt sure footed and well planted in heavy rains and fully wet conditions. But i cannot say the same for a patch of water!! It just wants to throw you off the bike when trying to change direction and you hit a water patch. Gravel, the less said the better!!

[jack7]

I was contemplating the RTR 180 ABS too, but going by some thread here and xBHP, I’m actually planning to wait out for a couple of months to see some of the 2012 bikes before I finalize on the RTR. I hear we have the new pulsar series coming out by March.

[sai_ace]

Originally Posted by jack7

I was contemplating the RTR 180 ABS too, but going by some thread here and xBHP, I’m actually planning to wait out for a couple of months to see some of the 2012 bikes before I finalize on the RTR. I hear we have the new pulsar series coming out by March.

New pulsar series as well as refreshed Apache series coming up.

[bluenicotine]

Originally Posted by jack7

I was contemplating the RTR 180 ABS too, but going by some thread here and xBHP, I’m actually planning to wait out for a couple of months to see some of the 2012 bikes before I finalize on the RTR. I hear we have the new pulsar series coming out by March.

RTR 180 ABS is good choice. I had test driven it once and it did not let me down. Waiting is good option for there are the KTM series also coming in. They have 125cc and 200cc to choose from.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by sai_ace

New pulsar series as well as refreshed Apache series coming up.

Originally Posted by jack7

I was contemplating the RTR 180 ABS too, but going by some thread here and xBHP, I’m actually planning to wait out for a couple of months to see some of the 2012 bikes before I finalize on the RTR. I hear we have the new pulsar series coming out by March.

Originally Posted by bluenicotine

RTR 180 ABS is good choice. I had test driven it once and it did not let me down. Waiting is good option for there are the KTM series also coming in. They have 125cc and 200cc to choose from.

• New RTR 160 is out, some new graphics.
• No new 180 RTR
• RTR 250 FXm an off-roading machine ; but donno when
• KTM 125 by end 2012

[jack7]

Originally Posted by jkdas

• New RTR 160 is out, some new graphics.
• No new 180 RTR
• RTR 250 FXm an off-roading machine ; but donno when
• KTM 125 by end 2012

Oh, so the new RTR 160 might be the new TVS velocity they were saying they would release. Sad though to hear no new 180.

So let me get this clear, is the KTM 200 out on the 26th of Jan (based on this post) and the KTM 125 by the end of this year. Right?

[Sheel]

Its so hard to learn braking & so easy to unlearn it. I am waiting for ABS to be made standard all across.

[Patriot_Vishwas]

Originally Posted by jack7

and the KTM 125 by the end of this year. Right?

The Duke 125 will not be released in India,IIRC.
It may eat into the Pulsar twins' sub one lakh rupee market share(If released).
The Duke 200 is confirmed.
Their homepage says so.

[drt_rdr]

Does anyone know if there's a difference between the rear suspension of RTR160(2V) and the RTR180? I saw there's a few hundred rupees price difference between the both. Wondering if there's a difference in performance or if it's just for the nicer colour.

I'm intending to replace the shocks on one of my bikes with this and am not getting reliable information on which one to go for.