[doomketu]

Appucha - My 2024 RTR 310.

A story of how I got back to riding bikes after a 7 year hiatus.

As with majority of families, bikes were considered death incarnate in my home. I was urged by parents from the get to to save up for a car, one that has all bells and whistles, rather than buying a 2-wheeler. Oh how the tables turned when they themselves were invested in my hunt for a 2 wheeler 20 years later. (Hi mum n dad from early 2000's).

As with kids of my generation, we learnt to ride 2 wheeler on our neighbor's Kinetic Honda and my uncles TVS 50. My older cousin would pedal the TVS50 and would let me handle the throttle and turning (albeit in a controlled manner). A geared two wheeler was out of the equation for most of my childhood and adult life due to the taboo associated with it and it was reinforced when dad’s colleague lost their son to an accident.

Being a Mumbaikar, the abundance of train, buses and autos helped moved the population in a cheap efficient manner. I would commute 30 km one way to college via all 3 modes of transport, each feeding the next. Friends who came to college in their brand new Karizma were looked at with awe.

I finally learnt how to ride a Bike at the young age of 27 thanks to an old school friend (thanks Viv), whom I call guruji to this day. He patiently let me take his Pulsar 150 out for a spin and saw me fail miserably with the clutch controls. He would then sit on the pillion and guide me step by step through the open and empty roads of Powai, where we worked at the time. After a few days of practice I could at least ride it in those interior roads.

Later I got a chance to ride a colleague’s bullet regularly back from office, as we lived nearby and was smitten by it. Alas that was not meant to last. While overseas for work, I broke my right hand badly and had to get surgery done. Unfortunately it was shoddily done and I had to return to India and get it done again. This shattered all the hopes I had of riding again (along with most of my right arm), as my hand was in a cast for the better part of a year.

I restricted my self to riding scooty and something in the same weight range for short trips as I could feel the stress on the hand. I did try to ride the bullet again but it was a bit cumbersome.

Late last year the bug to ride bit again wherein I wanted a proper 2 wheeler and the 2023 bullet had caught my eye with Himalayan as a potential backup. Long story short, it didnt work out and I went back into hibernation till TVS launched the RTR 310 and some time passed.

While on a hunt to replace the scooty with a Jupiter, I got a chance to test ride one and was floored. No bike felt so approachable yet so raw. My mind was made after 2 more test rides the same week. I took the inputs written on this thread, massive thanks to Neil , and also saw Strell (a youtuber) had uploaded on the same week. It provided me with an extensive list of what to expect and what to watch out for.

The Sales associate was patient but the guy in charge of the test rides was an absolute treasure trove of information (Vaishnav, you are a champ!!!). I got the finances in order and got the base Arsenal Black with Quick-shifter. Did not opt for any packages.

Booking experience: To the point and no extras added.

Pre Delivery inspection: Went to the yard with my SA and inspected the bike. It was a brand new specimen that was in fact manufactured and cleared just 10 days back. No issues with the bike.

Delivery experience: Stellar. I opted for a fuss free 9 am delivery. Bike was ready to go 2 days after PDI. I got the usual kits and a fantastic helmet. Got a key chain, pin and a mug with TVS branding as a gift inside a TVS branded bag.

The above bits are just ramblings of a man, who just wanted to ride his bike and share it to the forum. Coming to the matter at hand, as someone who is not by any means an experienced rider how does this bike fair? Lets break it down point by point before I get side tracked

1. Weight: At 169 kg (add another 10 for wet weight) its very easy to manage. The pillion grab rails are sturdy and quite grippy.

2. Engine and Power Delivery: It is super friendly, just twist it slowly. It has a tendency to race a lot if you give slightly more throttle in Urban or rain modes, making it buck ahead. The 312CC 27 hp (in urban and rain modes. 35.6 in other 3 modes) under you is not wild. Sub 2.5 k feels a bit lethargic but the next point talks about a solution for that. Top end is fine and I can quickly climb from 30kph 3rd gear to 80 kph 6th gear with just a flick of a wrist and 4 seconds. The engine sounds rough, but let me assure you, its smooth. Shift within the rev band and watch the magic happen.

3. GTT: What TVS calls GTT is basically creep mode. Let go of the clutch slightly and much like the AMT vehicles, the bike will creep ahead and then slowly gain speed. I have tested this till 3rd gear 25 kph, after which its better that you start giving input. This is a godsend in Bangalore traffic.

4. Braking: Rear brakes lack bite, they do the job well but yo may want to taper expectations. Front brakes are nippy, user them with caution.

5. Suspension: Tuned to a slightly stiff setup, i am loving the crisp ride quality. It handles the undulations well and I am able to go through the poor excuse of roads with relatively little discomfort. But make no mistake, take it slowly and done charge over potholes like one would in a Xpulse or Himalayan. I don't get adjustable suspensions as I opted for the base package.

6. Quick-shifter: Truly a marvelous addition that makes the bike that much approachable for newer riders. As its bi-directional, with Slip and assist clutch, up shift and downshift when in motion are *chef’s kiss* butter smooth. Please use these preferable over 4.5k RPM as shifting in lower RPM is better done manually.

7. Tyre: Grippy and does its job well. Tubeless, meaning no worries in case of a flat.

8. Handling: Its perfect for the urban jungle. Handles well and has a shorter turning radius. It can zip between traffic and filter thru quite easily. Its truly a bike for urban setting.

9. Economy: I do a bit of spirited driving if the roads permit it but I usually prefer to stick to sub 55kph. The tank to tank showed 28 for the latest refill. This was for the office commutes where I spend 10 -15 minutes praying to the gods of Tin factory and Beniganahalli Lake to give me quick and safe passage. For the refill before that it showed 33 as I had ridden it in the night on open roads quite sedately. Not much to complain here. I am sure it will improve after the first service.

10. Cruise Control: For folks who do highway riding, this is a boon. I used it once and loved it, but setting it can be a bit intimidating. Maybe with practice, will get easier.

11. Seat: For someone who is +6ft , seat is comfortable. The front of the Pillion has a cushion exactly where my lower back rests, thus cradling the lumbar area with a much needed support. Pillion Seat is NOT FRIENDLY. I got it for the sole purpose of solo riding, so for me this is a non issue.

12. Headlights: DRL is a sleek strip at the lower end of the headlight. Dynamic headlight setting is ON by default, in case its dark, lights immediately switch on . The sensors take care of it completely. High beam is super bright and has a good throw.

13. Vibration: Yup its a vibey single. Is it a free prostrate examination? No. Is it like a wall drilling that is happening 5 floors away? Sure. At lower end the foot pegs have a slight buzz. The fuel tank and the handlebar too buzz at speeds up to 80. I have not crossed 80, so I cannot see firsthand how it behaves at higher speeds where the vibrations minimize drastically (apparently).

All of the points mentioned above, especially the GTT, Quick-shifter and the rather linear initial power delivery make it a super friendly bike. I can slowly creep to a start when the signal turns green and within 5 seconds hit 40kph on 3rd and then quick shift my way to escape the rash driving Tempo traveler anna who is honking so that you can make way for his dumb ass, despite the fact that you both will stop at the same signal down the road.

To any other new rider who wants a decent bike loaded to the eyes with features that can make your commute fun, you can consider this bike.

Note: this is the first time I am writing something so verbose as I prefer to lurk around . For more expert opinions Neil.Jericho has already spent time and effort explaining all that this mini monster can do.

Thank you.

[Pythonic]

@doomketu
Great write up and review. I also like your username
I’m also looking to buy this exact configuration, this is the mid variant I believe. Please do add a few more pics if you can. Good luck and happy riding!

[doomketu]

Hey there Pythonic. Thank you thank you. This is indeed the mid variant in terms of overall variants but the base for the Quick-shifter model. I will add more pictures after i complete the first service and can expand my travel radius.
If you are considering this, please do extensive test rides where you travel at least 10km total. You will be able to extract so much information from that.
Good luck and if you do end up with the same model, please do post your thoughts here. Cheers

[PreludeSH]

Congrats doomketu. Enjoy your bike. For a bike that is so good looking they should have had a newer more refined engine. Not sure if they have any plans to upgrade the engine at all for this and its RR version.

[doomketu]

Updates after First service & TVS Care Craft Camp :

First Service :

I am a lazy individual, so i apologize for the delay in posting updates here. I got the first service done at Bharath TVS jayanagar ,Bangalore. It set me back by 1100Rs. This was done on April 10th . During the Service i mentioned the brake bite issue and the clutch stiffness. They adjusted it promptly and told me to take a test ride. The changes have now made the clutch easier to operate. They mentioned the adjustment was done to the cable and now the feedback is properly sent. My next service is due in august.



TVS Care Craft Camp :


I got a call from TVS motors last week , asking if i would be interested in attending a Care camp at their Institute of Quality and Leadership, Anekal. I happily agreed as this would be a new experience. The agenda was to invite the owners of the current flagship and teach them about the bike, explain the effort that went into designing it and having a hands on DIY session for fixes that could be done by the rider.

The journey to the camp :

Their TVS IQL center is also their R&D center that is located in Anekal. Its near the Karnataka Tamil Nadu border , located just 20 km south of electronic city , and about 50km from my location . Only the last 8km is worth mentioning as it is flanked by fields on both sides and looks beautiful. The majority of the section is the usual Bangalore Hosur road that is swamped with traffic anytime of the day. Upon entering their beautiful premise, we were made to submit our phones at the gate due to security reasons. Their R&D facility is in one of the buildings and they test new advancements extensively there at the track located at the far end of the compound. We were guided to the tent where we gave our bikes to their engineers and walked the last 200m to the "Dr Washio" Classroom. I was late by 30 minutes and reached at 1030 owing to a wrong turn and going 10km in another direction. The hall was already buzzing with activity as other riders had had started a discussion with our instructors for the day. Mr Mithilesh was the Product lead for the RTR 310 and the other gentleman , whose name i could not catch, was leading the services. For those who , like me, have forgotten 10th and 11th standard Physics and Chemistry, this was a refresher. How the quick shifter works ( hall effect) and how the Limp home mode works, were explained in detail. We were also given a small overview on what makes the heated/cooled seats tick and what 11th standard chemistry has to say about this. ( heat exchange anyone?)

After a brief round on introduction , we sat through the session where feedback was taken on the positives and negatives of the bike. Each feedback was treated with 100% sincerely. That is when i noticed the last row of people sitting in the classroom were wearing TVS shirts. It then struck me about the true nature of this camp. The programmers from the TVS connect app, the lead designer for headlamp and DRL, the Quality assurance head and GM's of many franchises of TVS were in attendance and were paying close attention to concerns.

The camp was split into 3 sections : Theory , changes to bike and DIY hands on bike.

1. Theory : This session in the classroom covered the bike's features in detail. Many of us lamented the lack of feature knowledge the showroom The feedback was noted. We went through slides of what makes the RTR 310 engine tick and the advancements in tech that made this bike possible.

2. Changes to the bike : We were called to their facility to receive an ECU update and vibration dampers. A stripped down bike was shown and the changes that were to be done were explained in detail. Changes to ECU would mean a more aggressive response and reduction on lag we felt earlier ( which in my case led to bike "coughing at times" on urban mode 50-60kph") and new dampers which aimed to reduce the vibrations in the mid band.

3. DIY session : This session was post lunch , but was by far the most exciting session. Post lunch while most folks tend to tune off for a bit, the 25 of us were listening in rapt attention to our instructor as he showed us part by part , the sections of the engine and covered the Preload adjustments, chain lube cleaning and clutch cable adjustment. We were instructed to measure the angle of quick shifter (21 Degrees) and also to calculate the unladen sag and the laden sag to ensure that the difference is in the ballpark of 42mm or 30% of travel for optimal setup.

Post this session , all of us were corralled back to the classroom where we had a fun trivia session with the 1st and 2nd prize winners getting a TVS smart connect S20X Bluetooth intercom while 3rd and 4th getting t shirts.
The trivia was based on what we had learnt during the day and basics from the owners manual.

As the day came to a close our bikes were lined up ready to go. A video was taken of a slow rollout of all the bikes present and we were itching to test out the changes engine mapping. I rode back the 50km with a wide grin plastered across my face. The response was crisper and the exhaust note at higher revs was pure music to my ears.

I need to ride it more extensively and feel the nature of the changes made in various settings.

If anyone from our forum was there yesterday , or going today, please do chime in with your experience.

[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)

[doomketu]

Closing off 2024 with a 420km round trip

As 2024 was coming to a close a long ride was in order. Since work and domestic responsibilities grew manyfold I had barely ridden the bike since Nov 20th 2024. I wanted to seek the blessings of Shri Yoganrusimha swamy at Melukote and also Thondanur and prepared myself. A pleasant surprise manifested itself in the form of two other AOG club members joining me in the trip. What would have been a solo spiritual trip turned into a fantastic 420km group ride to seek HIS blessings.
We had a fellow RTR owner who had to bring his Hunter 350 as the RTR was getting some work done, while the other got his RR. After a short and fruitful discussion we found that we are all in the same wavelength and this made the trip much easier on the mind. The other two were seasoned riders having done almost all of AOG's flagship rides and doing 700+ km in a day while I, on the other hand am not so experienced. What I lack in experience , I make up in navigation and AOE skills ( area of effect as seen in RTS/RPG games)

On a cold Saturday morning, with temps at 15C, we met up at Murthy Petrol Pump , Kanakapura road. At 0650 we started from our meetup point at Nice road junction on Kanakapura road. We opted to travel via Kanakapura road as the Mysore road expressway is closed to bikes and I don't want to travel over 100km in just service road with speed breakers every 2 km. The overhauled Kanakapura road is fantastic and the natural curves and the back drop of mountains and fields are easy on the eyes. The route travelled was Bengaluru--> Harohalli--> Kanakapura--> Malavalli--> Maddur--> Mandya bypass--> State Highway 84 fom Mandya to Melukote. The distance from my basement to Melukote is 190km. Connected via the Intercom grid, the to journey was fairly uneventful with us stopping once at Malavalli to check our bearings. As we wanted to cruise at 80/90 and ensure everyone's safety ( especially the hunter as engine was getting run in ), the RR led the way with me bringing up the rear. I had the navigation running in my bike and was giving advance heads up on turns and potential curves up ahead , much to the RR's delight. I cannot carve out corners, but I will still try to have as much fun as I can, and seeing the RR take the corner like a champ is indeed a fun way to enjoy your Morning rides.

We decided to eat only after the Darshanam and stopped every 1.5 hours to just rehydrate. At Malavalli, a local tea shop uncle rather curiously asked about the 310 twins and was amazed by the looks of the RR. Hunter being ubiquitous does not draw as much attention. The road from Malavalli to Madduru is extremely scenic and I would love to drive through that stretch again. We stopped at Maddur at 820 am, having covered about 100km with 1 stop in about an hour and 30 mins. I would say that is a great time. After having our coffee and attending to our bikes , we started off and were stuck to the service road. After 20 mins of Service road experience, we turned north into the state highway 84 that leads us to Melukote. I have been a regular on this route for the past 9 years and I am happy to report that the road is still as it is. Goats, chicks cows and hay bales occupy the roads intermittently , with unscientific speed breakers that might as well break your back hampering our smooth flow. But if you are willing to look past this, the road truly shines in bringing a big fat smile to your face as your bikes cruise thru the verdant stretches and enjoy the cool mid morning breeze.

Before I got off on a tangent to explain the significance of Melukote and Thondanoor, let me share the rider experience for the RR and RTR. For a rider of my heft and height, I faced NO fatigue. Correct body posture goes a LONG way in alleviating any pains associated with the travel and the bikes setup is friendly for Indian roads. I have adjusted the rear to my weight and so I see wonderful results. The bike breathed happily the pure morning air, something it is deprived off in the cluttered Bengaluru roads and the fuel economy in sports mode with a light throttle hand was 36KMPL. I would say that is fantastic.
I then got to ride the RR for the last 40km, while the RR rider jumped onto the Hunter. The Hunter rider, happily got back on the RTR and flew past us as he finally was free from any encumbrance associated with Engine run in period. I absolutely LOVE the RR handling. With a good engine oil, a talented technician and copious amounts of pampering, the RR was smooooooth. I, a man who is scared to corner , was naturally leaning in at the behest of the bike and was partially successful. The bike was a pleasure to drive, but the riding posture is still something that I am not comfortable with.


Melukote is famous for 2 temples and is also the birthplace of former Tamil Nadu CM, J Jayalalitha.
The Yoga Nrusimha swamy temple is famous in its own right and is a major devotional place and the Cheluvaraya Swamy temple is famous because of Shri Ramanujacharya, who spread Shri vaishnavam 1000 years ago and is an important figure in Vaishavism aling with the Alvars in Southern India.
Legend has it that when the Muslim empire was attacking Srirangam temple, he along with several others sealed the Moolavar " main diety / idol" of Shri Ranganathar behind a wall and carried the Utsavar " Utsava Moorthy" hidden on him to Melukote. After a decade when he returned to take the utsavar, he found that the local Nizams kid playing with it as a doll. the Nizam did not know the significance and did mention that he cannot upset his daughter and hence cannot return the Utsava moorthy. Ramanujar sat down and called out " yen chelva pillaI , va" meaning oh my child , come. The Nizams daughter , along with the utsava moorthy came to Ramanujar and sat beside him. Since then the Daughter of the Nizam earned a spot next to the deity and hence called " tuluka naazhiyaar " ( muslim nachiyaar) and is worshipped as Cheluvaraya swamy's consort. She too has a sannithi in the temple.


We reached Melukote without any issues and managed to find a good parking in a shed owned by a flower selling Ajji (aunty). With our bikes secured and helmets inside her store, we purchased Flowers and Tulasi from her and started our journey to the top. I am terribly out of shape and the 150 steep steps was rather a harsh wakeup call to me, and this is despite me dropping quite a bit this year. Monkeys and goats roamed around unrestricted and septa and octogenarians were climbing the steps without any issues. Sad to say that the temple is heavily commercialised, and with Gandhiji's blessing, we got a sannithi darshan of Nrusimha Swamy and prayed to our heartfelt content.
Once done, we stepped out to admire the view of the surrounding countryside from the top of the hill and spotted our next destination, the Cheluvaraya Swamy Temple, in the distance.




After parking the bikes and navigating through hundreds of school kids and tourists, we entered the temple via special entry and proceed to the darshan line.




After a calm and peaceful darshan, we finally decided to top up our stomach , as my last meal had been at 8pm last night. We hurried to Subbu's mess nearby, which was recommended to us by several folks. The Puliyogare and Chakkara Pongal with Plain dosai and chutney was FANTASTIC. After eating to our hearts content we noticed the time, it was now quarter past noon. As temples close by 1pm we were not sure if we could get a darshanam in Thondanoor.



The road from Melukote to Thondanoor is equally a pleasure to drive through and we reached there by 1255. Thondanoor has 3 temples , a Rukmini / GopalaKrishna temple, a nambI Narayana temple and the Yoganrusimha temple (Which is where I wanted to go to).



The Sthala Puran for this place dictates that Shri Ramanujar cured the Daughter of the Local King " BittI deva" who was a Jain. The King converted to Hindu Dharma and was then renamed as Vishnuvardhan. If the name rings a bell, its because he is the famous Hoysala king under whose reign Belur and Halabeedu temples were commissioned. Those are a work of art and words cannot justify their beauty and engineering knowledge. Legend has it that Shri Ramanujar also had simultaneous dialogue / debates with over 1000 jain scholars who wnated the king to remain a Jain , and hence Ramanujar is worshipped / depicted with Adisesha , the anant naga in the Nrusimha temple there. Blessings are given in the form of gentle beating on the shoulders by a stick, which is assumed to belong to Shri ramanujacharya , who used the same stick to drive out the BhramarakshashI inhabiting the Kings daughter.The nambI narayana temple was commiserated by Vishnuvardhan himself after his conversion. I am not sure of the RukminI temple but it is also rather ancient and I think is believed to be a sthalam visited by the Alvar's .History aside, looking at the time, a defeated RTR followed by the RR and hunter parked at the footsteps of the temple. A local flower seller AjjI kept pushing us to buy flowers from her, but me being in no mood refused her and just wanted to sit and worship from afar, having travelled 200KM just to see nothing. She however insisted that the temple is open and that I should take the flowers and if its closed, I can not pay her at all. Bashful, I took the flowers from her and climbed the 30 steps that led me to the temple. Lo and Behold, despite beint 1310 , the temple was still open as a part of 20 people had arrived there 10 mins before us and the poojarI swamy was in the middle of archanai. Elated, we put the flowers in the archanai plate and soaked in the story the poojari was sharing about the Sthala Purana. After spending 45 minutes in peace, we decided to start the return journey back. We decided to get a photo clicked next to the Giant Ramanujar Statue on the Kere and stopped for a bit to soak in the view.






Strangely a young boy on a scooty came up to me and asked for a photo of him standing next to the RTR. Considering there is an RR behind me, this request amused us all and I happily obliged. I expressed my disbelief to the RR rider who just laughed and left it as it is. RTR is a great bike and I love its looks but its a bit . . . polarizing. It reminds me of a "Chikka Diavel" ( Small Diavel).

We decided to return via the Thondanoor--> Pandavapura-->Bannur section to join back to OLD Mysore road and connect to Kanakapura road from Malavalli onwards. We wanted to experience the pure joy of riding and not get bored out of our skull on the Sidelines of Mysore expressway service road. The road was an absolute hoot to ride thru and brought out the joy of riding in us. I once again assumed duties as the rear guard and navigator and would let the RR know when juicy curves were approaching. We tackeld the numerous curves and smooth roads splitting the farmlands that dot the landscape and finally joined the Old Mysore road. Had I knows that Tirumakoodalu narasipura was just 18km from this junction, I would have gone further and visited the Nrusimha swamy temple at the Sangamam there, but alas, I was not aware and turned left and continued towards Bangalore. We stopped to hydrate ourselves and refuel the bike. I got 36kmpl and filled about 8.2 liters of fuel. The hunter on the other hand had half a tank left. Talk about 42kmpl coupled with a 13 liter tank. The vehicle is fantastic, and rightfully selling in good numbers. One point to note is that till this time, neither me not the RR rider faced any fatigue and the RTR absorbed all the undulations like a champ and tackled 80-90 in 6th gear at about 4.5-5k rpm. The engine was not stressed at all. The Hunter on the other hand has some challenges for such rides. The rider , coming from an RTR, was not happy with this setup and was looking forward to return back ASAP. Credit where due, the brakes on the hunter are nippy and we got to test it out in the next 1 hour when an errant Wagon R swerved right from the left most lane, with us deploying emergency breaking measures. With choicest words imparted to the wagon R rider, which only I could hear in the intercom, we started back to an uneventful ride back home. We split after a small coffee break , 15km from our morning meetup point and I took nice road to return back home.

This trip has further motivated me to plan my next temple visit to my native place deep in the land of the Chola kings. With this I bid goodbye to 2024, a fantastic year by default for me, but made even more exciting by the midlife crisis purchase I call my beloved RTR310. As I type this, Appucha is sitting patiently on the paddock stand in our covered parking, awaiting the day I will ride next.

6000km in 10 months, many more to come.

[Aditya]

My TVS Apache RTR 310 Review - Post moved to a new thread.

[doomketu]

Thank you Mods for moving this to a new thread. More trips and services detailing the characteristic of the bike to follow in the future.

[YashOjha15]

Can you share the Excel or Spreadsheet for me too also use it?

[doomketu]

Its a simple one really. Formulas are mainly in mileage and Trip meter cells and Manual input needed on fuel filled, odo and cost. Hope this helps

Apache fuel tracker.xlsx

[curiousbolt]

Originally Posted by doomketu

Closing off 2024 with a 420km round trip
…
6000km in 10 months, many more to come.
Attachment 2707149

Awesome thread. Keep ‘em coming. Finally someone who can relate to the unbelievable value this bike offers. I recently shifted to Chennai from Bangalore for work, even here the folks share similar story of how fun the RTR 310 is. It’s like you almost forget how fun and well rounded this bike is until you try other bikes in the group and realise how lucky you got

Well with respect to servicing, I’ve been lucky to find that one go to guy in the service centre and I latch onto him like a leech. I make him feel special and he makes sure my bike is given the special treatment

Had a scare a couple of weeks ago where I parked the bike idle for a month and then when I started the bike the tyre pressure readings went haywire. In panic rushed to the service centre only to realise it corrected itself on the way. The technician then told me that the sensor goes to sleep mode when we park the bike for longer durations and then wakes up when the wheel starts rotating at certain rpm. Clever stuff.

Took up my bike last week for a new year ride to Pondicherry, was such a breeze. People who say cruise control is overrated need to get a bike and put it on cruise control in ECR road while cruising next to the sea. It doesn’t get better than this!!

One more observation I had was with the stalling. I was stalling the bike way more often and the technician after a long trial and error spree had suggested me to change my clutch lever position from 4 to 3 or 2. I couldn’t believe that was what solved my issue. I Haven’t been able to figure out how ! Was it just placebo or there is a technical reasoning behind it?

[Ak24rapid]

Hi there, congratulations on your new ride and it was definitely a great review. I am still minor and I am getting my license in the end of the year and I am very excited to start driving after getting my license. And this motorcycle is definitely in my bucket list to test drive.