[Sportigo]

TVS organising camps like this is a good thing. Thanks for bringing us this kind of content. I wonder if the vibration dampers did anything to suppress the vibration the RTR 310 is so known for. Will those updates come in the future bikes as well. Any hint on that

[doomketu]

Originally Posted by Sportigo

I wonder if the vibration dampers did anything to suppress the vibration the RTR 310 is so known for.

The Vibrations will not disappear. Post update i have driven about 250km and can say that the vibrations stemming from the tank-seat joining area has reduced. In the mid-band the vibrations felt in handlebar has reduced significantly. I wear gloves for all my rides, so i feel negligible amount of vibrations on my hands ( say between 5k to 7k rpm).
The vibration will still be felt on your butt when revving hard but that is still not a free prostrate exam as many would believe it to be.

Will those updates come in the future bikes as well. Any hint on that

Yes, we were the first batch to get it done. TVS will be rolling this out as a part of your service in the near future. I am not sure on the exact timelines.

EDIT : I misunderstood your query. If your query was about Vibration fixes in future TVS products i am not aware. My reply is for the RTR 310 only.

[Sportigo]

Originally Posted by doomketu

Yes, we were the first batch to get it done. TVS will be rolling this out as a part of your service in the near future. I am not sure on the exact timelines.

EDIT : I misunderstood your query. If your query was about Vibration fixes in future TVS products i am not aware. My reply is for the RTR 310 only.

Thank You for the reply. My bad, i meant vibration fixes for RTR 310 only. Thank you for clarifying.

I am planning to buy RTR 310 in the next few months may be. So just trying to get the doubts cleared. I did test ride the rtr 310 and it wasn't as refined as my current 7 years old Fazer 25.

[doomketu]

Pre World Motorcycle Day Breakfast Ride
Alternate title - RTR 310 shows its true potential above 120kph


The WMD event is happening on Sunday 23/6 and the Apache owners group will represent their brand and love for their machines in full force. I would not be able to attend due to other commitments, but a breakfast ride was planned for today which got me interested.

The meetup point was at the Hoskote toll where there was a sea of bikes waiting for their ride groups to join them. Our group was easily identifiable thanks to the brilliant RED RR310's lined up. Of the 15 riders from our group, we had 12 RR310's , 2 RTR 310's ( mine and Mani's, whom i had met at the care craft camp earlier in the month)and a Ronin.



My Poor bike is barely seen as its caught between 2 RR's . ( you can barely catch a glimpse of the headlights after the 3rd bike)

We set off on a short but spirited 9km ride to the Pakshala on the Chitoor highway and reached in no time. ( point to note, RTR twins reached first as the RR gang got caught up in their straight line speeds and happily drove past the place).
Breakfast is a usual affair of socializing and getting to know the other riders. As someone who probably is the most recent member of the AOG 310 group i was a bit hesitant but everyone i met there was super friendly . Mani and i spoke to a gentleman who drove to the meet despite having a minor accident earlier in the day because , as they put it " When its a ride everything disappears". I hope some of that spirit rubs off on me. We also had a gentleman who has a exam, yes written exam, at 1330 , yet he happily joined as as its a stress buster.
Something to appreciate is the skills showcased by the riders. They left me with dust in my eye quite soon and yet there was no rashness in the way they rode.
We did meet a group at RE riders who are known to some of our group riders. The ladies were riding a mix of Classic 350 , Himalayan 411 , a Hunter i think and a Sunburst Interceptor.
The destination was decided to a location whose name escape my tongue, which was 90km away. I excused myself from the full journey and shared that i will accompany them till about 40km and then head back home. Who knew that in the end it will just be me and Mani in our RTR's cruising on the highway enjoying the scenery.


RTR 310 ride and rider characteristics at triple digit speeds -

I am, for a lack of a better word, less skilled ( just say you are a noob Dk) as compared to the other riders in the group for obvious reasons. But that did not stop me from pushing the bike to almost 70% of its capabilities. The jacket i had worn played spoilsport and was creating a drag thereby preventing me from having a steady rider at speeds higher than 120 while the others were having proper riding jackets. As the RR's zoomed away into the horizon, Mani decided to keep pace with me and we rode as a pair. With him leading and me following him at 2 car distance. Mani, if you are reading this, you were an amazing ride lead for me man, as you kept pace and planned moves well in advance.
Now onto the bike :
With the changes made by TVS at the camp , most folks would have pushed the bike but i had not got a chance to see the outcomes.
Today, we were consistently maintaining 100 to 129 ( road permitting) and surprisingly the bike is absolutely well mannered event close to 130 , that a person with less experience like me, felt comfortable holding the line. We did drop down to 80 and maintain the speed limit most of the way and pushed it to 3 digits only if the road was open . Bike sings harmoniously in 6th gear and except the seat vibrations , the other portions of the bike at 8-9k rpm don't vibrate much. Wind buffeting will hit you hard if your gear is compromised, as in my case, but if you are geared up properly, you wont be fatigued and can blitz thru. ( note to future DK, please head to kalyan nagar store and try the riding gear for the love of god)

Return -
Shortly after crossing Kolar and almost halfway to mulbagal, mani and i stopped near a grove of Eucalyptus trees, had a mini photo session, and decided to head back. We rode together till hoskote and then parted ways.
The roads are amazing , barring a small stretch , and the view is very good. If you are like me, you will constantly keep saying wow and riding as you go past the green fields and mountains that look like motichur laddoos piled up.
I am looking forward to the next ride.To those from our forum who are going to the WMD bengaluru event, please do stop by the AOG/TVS fixtures and interact with everyone.

[doomketu]

Solo trip to Markonahalli Dam and TVS Pre monsoon checks

Part 1 : Markonahalli Dam
Appucha has been a good city runner for the past few weeks with no highway rides in sight. With work picking up and personal commitments keeping weekends busy, i missed a few rides with the AOG (Apache owners group) community. Once such ride that i ended up missing was to a location that is 110 km West of Bangalore , near a place called Yadiyur. The place is question is Markonahalli. There is a Dam there which was constructed under the guidance of the one and only Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, the TRUE Indian Engineer.

AOG had gone there in the first week of July. With me being on call , i was unable to join in. Somehow i got off my lazy rear end and planned a trip for the last weekend of july. I asked a few others who had other plans and could not join in , resulting in this solo rider and his trusty steed galloping across the national Highway 75.The day started at 545 with me getting geared up and ready to leave by 645. The weather was slightly overcast with about 40% chance of rain , so i had to pack by Decathlon rain jacket as a spare jacket , as i do not yet own the H2GO rain liners which is compatible with my Rynox Tornado 4 jacket. After a short 2 mins halt at the nearby Hanuman temple i formally started the ride.The ride from the extreme east end of bangalore to the extreme northwest end was covered in 50 mins with smooth traffic flow helping me cover those 35km with ease.
Once i climbed up the flyover near Peenya, the ride truly took a faster pace. The roads were clear for the most part and i reached the turning to NH75 at nelamangala by 8am. So in 1 hour 15 mins i had traveled about 55km. A feat unheard of in namma bengaluru city limits.
With the 2 lane , beautifully maintained roads and free from buildings , towers and other items that clutter the urban landscape, the eyes could see only "hasiru" for kilometers around. The Greenery and the cool weather coupled with empty roads filled up my spirit gauge that had depleted over the past one month. With renewed vigor, i twisted the throttle and Appucha Roared to life. Finally at 6th gear and 6000+ rpm i was in mid triple digit speeds blasting thru the verdant landscape carving out the gentle corners with some apprehension. But as Thumbs up has taught us, "Dar key aagey jeet hai" , i too shed my fear ( well about 40% of it) and learnt to lean a bit. It is scary and i would love to attend formal sessions that can help me learn some more riding related skills. Stopped for a bit for a "bum break". Folks not blessed like kardashian will understand my pain as i too am non gifted. After taking plenty of photos i pushed on to Yadiyur which would be my first and only break for this ride. I reached the place by 855.

At Pakshala Yadiyur, had breakfast and freshened up. The place is well maintained and the staff are quite friendly. Food is alright, coffee is medium strong and restrooms are clean. Fun fact, there are ducks outside. DUCKS!!! Its a great stress buster to just follow these waddling goofs as they peck their way across the lawn and parking lot. I left the restaurant by 920 and made my was South on State Highway 84 to markonahalli. this road too is very well maintained and flanked by fields on both sides. Far off in the distance i could see mountains, which i assume would lead me to Melukote( i was partially right as this road connects to mandya). The ride south was rather short and i immediately came across the sign that pointed me in the correct direction. The road got progressively rough and the scenery got progressively beautiful till the point where i reached the entrace to the dam, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it was locked.

I drove past the area and flanked the dam from its southern tip and soaked in the view. The calm morning breeze, the 22C weather and the sound of the birds in the distance, with no engine sounds anywhere in the nearby vicinity is truly an unnervingly pleasant experience.For us folks , who normalize and internalize the abhorrent honking sounds and the wretched construction noises among others which plague the city , this natural silence is Nirvana in a liquidated form.I took a few pictures and was happy to see the water levels being quite high. The Shimsa river, on which this dam is built, is a tributary of Kaveri and joins it after a 200km North to South solo ride across Karnataka. After a short 45 minute stay i decided to head back to Bangalore as i had to be at Basaveshwara Nagar by 12 for another commitment.The return journey was much easier than the trip to the place as i had tailwind. I was able to touch 70X2 kph easily and sustain if for 1Km on an empty stretch but went down to 60X2 for a more controlled affair. let me spend the next bit describing the bikes character for the ride.

With 34/34psi and rear suspension tuned to my weight( In a Gabriel Iglesias scale of fat i would rate myself as between Healthy & Husky) the bike was as stable as it could be. The TO journey was marred by severe crosswinds and i could barely cross 100 but never once did i feel control leaving me. the bike was planted enough to be stable. The Michelin Road 5's are sticky. In the lightly drizzling weather, it hugged the road like chandramathi the Ghorpad latching onto the walls of Sinhaghad ( look up Tanaji Malusare, you will love the story). The brakes are nippy but i am slowly weaning myself of hard braking and resorting to engine breaking by leveraging the Quick-Shifter. The RETURN journey had all the right conditions to let loose the 36 odd horses underneath the seat and oh boy did the rowdy bunch come out in full force. The Sports Mode SHINES in such cases and the throttle respose in CRISP. If we time the shifts at the right RPM's ( i used to shift early but now wait till 6k) it pulls you back with 2G or more force and zooms ahead. As it has shorter gearing it loses steam after 5th gear but can touch 150+ if we are persistent. RR310 has a bigger advantage despite having 1Hp less. For the last 60KM i set cruise control to 100 and rode it back. Its an unnerving feeling to enable CC on the bike as it feels like a ghost is at work, but if you can get past the initial jarring feeling it makes the highway runs so much stress free.I reached nelamangala by 1055 after a quick 55 minute dash across NH75. From there i was to head East on the road till Rajaji nagar to Global TVS for their pre monsoon camp that was being held.


Part 2 :TVS Pre monsoon checks

A few days back we got a message from Prince ( AOG) that TVS will be conducting a Pre monsoon checks camp for the Ronin and Apache's. Not wanting to miss out on ( yet another) community event and a beneficial one at that, i promised to reach there by 12 after i return back to Bengaluru. For a journey of 25km by a straight road on a weekend , it took me 1 hour 20 mins to reach the location. Even after memorizing where it was 5 mins prior, i happily drove past it , TWICE!!! Vinu from AOG had to run to my rescue and kept calling me and waving at me. I sheepishly pulled into the Very obvious location which had a lot of TVS bikes displayed and also had a GIANT logo which i somehow missed to spot. Uff. Umesh , another AOG rider joined shortly. This guy is hilarious in his own way. I met him at the previous ride and earlier in the month i went to Vidhan Soudha after midnight as i could not sleep. He sees my photo in the group , calls me, and joins me for a photo shoot within 10 mins. Now that is some next level love for your bike.

My bike was taken in to the service area where it was relentlessly bullied by the RR310 who ganged up on the lonely RTR. Appucha got a much needed wash and was then checked thoroughly. The TPMS system decided to start working again and then worked normally for the rest of the ride after deciding to take a nap when i started from the Dam.


Met up with the hilarious lads from AOG and we spent the next 3 hours talking about bikes, bike rides and occasionally R15 riders (The sandal wearing variants not the regular folks). Heard a hilarious story where a garden variety gnome followed 4 High power machines in an R15V3 , risking potential engine blowout, at triple digit speeds all the while wearing Goa themed shirt, cargo shorts and Slippers(?) . After taking a group selfie, we decided to grab some lunch. Unfortunately the service center location does not have any good restaurants, so we settled for a local place nearby. ( Thayir Sadam Gang ARISE!!!!)

Post checks, the bike was handed back to me by 330 and after payment i left by 345. I reached back home at 5 because Hebbal is the new silk-board and wants to make everyone's life as miserably as it can , until the extra lanes in the flyover get ready.)

All in all Today was a fantastic day where i put in 250km from 645 am to 12pm and grinned like a madman each step of the way. I really need to thank Saranya from TVS Customer Outreach. Had she not called me all those months back to invite me to the Care craft camp, i would not have met all these people and not had such experiences. THANK YOU AOG!!!

As i finish typing this at midnight i can still hear the engine sound and the bike zipping thru the highway with panache.

P.S : The keen eyed among you will notice the TBHP T-shirt

[doomketu]

Appucha , My RTR310 a Long Term Review


8 months & 5000Km later is a good time to write a Long term Review.

My primary usage is restricted to city and occasional Highway rides for now owing to work and other commitments. I have not got a chance to fully enjoy the bike like some of my other club members, who have taken it on coastal rides from Bangalore to Kannur to Kanyakumari and back, and are planning Motosoul/IBW Goa in December. I have enjoyed my bike equally none the less.

The bike has seen 2 services and both were a pretty normal affair. the AOG community Whatsapp is monitored closely and grievances are addressed quite effectively. We do get a fair share of dealer related issues, and we get them sorted quite quickly. With the updates to the bike ( which I got done in June as a part of the TVS Care Craft camp) rolling out to all customers as a part of their service (free of cost) their complaints with the bike had reduced as well.




Let me split this review into multiple parts: the Sum of all parts is what I love about this bike and while opinion may vary, I am sure at 3.5 on road Bangalore, no other bike comes close. Duke is for sure a segment higher and with good reason holding its crown.



1. Kitni Deti hai :

Lets get this addressed first. I drive in Sports mode all day (35hp) rather than Urban (25hp) as I don't like the aggressive throttle response in urban, the sport mode provides a smoother throttle response. I get 30 on average tank to tank. You can thank tin factory for this, as without this bottleneck, I have averaged up to 35 in city.



2. Ride comfort :


The bike is a bit on the smaller side for my dimensions but the seats are comfortable. I have ridden 4 hours in stop and go traffic and my non Kardashian posterior was not very sore. Those with the climate controlled seats will face a harsher time as that has a thinner seat to accommodate the heated/cooled seat.



3. Suspension :

Even with Non adjustable suspension, as mine is non BTO, I get a stiff yet comfortable ride. The rear is set to my weight, so its adjusted a few clicks stiffer. I have gone over bad roads and can say that family jewels are protected. Just don't expect the Himmy experience. User judgement requested. But on Flat surfaces and good tarmac, boy oh boy it shines. The bike is always in control. While I cant carve out corners to save my life (too scared), I have seen better riders than me push this bike and get beautiful results.



4. Build Quality & Service:

In the 9 months of ownership, it has been driven 3 days a week each week with a few highway rides thrown in. No a single part has rattled or fallen off. The fit and finish is stellar. I do wish folks would give this bike a chance. While service centres are still the weakest link, the feedback is taken seriously by the company. In bangalore, we were recommended about 6 service centres for the 310 twins scattered across the 4 corners. I am sure other city AOG groups will have similar recommendations. Follow your service schedule and enjoy the ride. Service cost is in the 3.5k ballpark including oil change and labour for paid service. Please see the grid attached below for both my services which ran me a total of 1700 and 231 Rs for 1st and 2nd free service.





5. How it rides :

Engine is rather strict and does not like to be outside is favorite rev range based on gear. So I stick to 2nd gear till 20/25 kph and then up-shift. Any lower and you can hear knocking. If you master maintaining the correct gears to the speed, the bike pulls and deftly hits the speed quite quickly.

Being a rather inexperienced rider overall, I don't like to push it in city and stick to sub 60kph. Out on the highways, I do let engine breath at 8k rpm and touch triple digits quite effortlessly. The bike is quite stable till 4*30 , but as I am a heavier+wider rider, my body created a drag ( is what I assume) and I don't feel the need to push it 20 times 7.3 ( which I did achieve on a closed private road ). The engine heat is quite manageable even in city traffic and fan switches on when temps hit 105 automatically. It brings down the temps quite fast.

Michelin Road 5's are some of the stickiest tires on our roads and I am not worried about losing grip even in rains. I have heard that there is a stock issue and for my next set due after another 9k km, i may have to settle for TVS Euro grip which are also quite good based on feedback.

The stellar highlight of this bike is the cruise control.I had some issues with it initially but got used to it quite quickly. I set the speed to 85 and enabled the CC and cruised 150km back to Bangalore on a lazy Saturday afternoon. the journey was smooth and I did not face any fatigue.

The brakes are Bybre with 300mm at front and 240mm at back. I did have some initial concerns with the softness of the brake and this was adjusted in the first service.These did save my from a stick situation when an innova decided to take a U-turn on a highway road illegally and put us all in danger. Engine breaking by downshift ( god bless the butter smooth Quickshifter) and engaging the brakes correctly dropped my speed to 30kp within seconds and I was able to come to a halt. I did not leave the location for another 10 mins as it got me flashback from 2018, when traveling to Trichy on the wagon-R, a random drunk crossed the road suddenly with a cycle near Namakkal forcing me to swerve and ABS saving my rear.


6. TFT instrument cluster and Accessories:



I did not add and after market parts and got the BTO USB charger and TPMS fitted to the bike. They are handy for daily use. the TFT cluster is quite useful. The information display is crisp and using the Left side buttons on handlebar you can control the TFT functions. It shows only the bare necessities of life and riding. For more function it is recommended to connect the TVS smart connect app but I don't use it as its clunky and drains phone battery. the 5.5in screen shows time and RPM and Speed and gear displayed centrally and changes based on the riding mode. I just put a cheap 300Rs scratch guard on it to prevent any scratches to the screen.
I got a BOBO mobile holder with waterproof cover, and use that daily . Its cumbersome to fit in on but once fit, its stable. I see folks also using some sort of android auto solution, but that is close to 17k. I am using my 7 year old One+ for navigation and it does the job.


Other Purchases :

I invested in riding gear quite seriously. Got the Rynox tornado 4 jacket, Storm Gauntlets (Highway rides), AirGT gloves (for city use) , RE Platoon boots as my daily wear and a LS2 Storm FF800 helmet. Got the TVS S20X intercom quite recently and have been enjoying its isage daily.

I am afraid to look at the total spends, but for clarity sake, its close to 40k








Conclusion :

Pros :

I love the bike for what it offers. Its fast, nimble, somewhat idiot proof and has good safety features at a reasonable price.It makes a GREAT started bike for someone like me who has set his eyes on the 660 trident. Its design is polarizing and I love it, while others may not.

With the updated handlebar weights, padding under tank , bushes under seat and foam change in the body, vibrations are not longer troublesome. remember this is a single cylinder engine, and will still vibrate. Taking our feedback seriously, TVS ALWAYS follows up and has made subtle improvements to the new batches that are getting delivered.

Special shout out to the AOG_Bengaluru community. I was added to the Bengaluru group about 3 months after I got the bike and the proactive members are walking repositories of information on the 310 twins and good service centers, parts and other 310 related stuff. Admins going above and beyond to exacerbate our issues makes it a joy to own this bike.(You are lurking here man, I know)


Cons :

Service centers are slowly improving but we as customers need to follow the manual to a T and tell them not to do anything else extra. Go up the chain if needed. Parts availability is good but still some patience is needed(this is based on anecdotal experiences of others seen in our group).

Will i recommend this bike ? Heck yeah i will. If you approach it objectively, it has its cons but the Pro's do outweigh it significantly. I conclude this review and go back into my Hibernation by sharing this parting shot from a group ride (Photo credits to Desi_masala)