The Apache RR 310 is an important motorcycle for TVS. Besides being its flagship, it is also a platform for the bikemaker to showcase its engineering prowess. More importantly for us enthusiasts, the motorcycle is a baseplate for TVS to run its one-make race series both in India and abroad. In fact, its Asia One Make Championship motorcycle based on the RR 310 platform recently hit a top speed of 215.9kmph! Can you imagine that sort of speed from a 300cc motorcycle?
The Apache RR 310 also holds the distinction of being one of those rare motorcycles which have been constantly updated throughout their life cycle. In fact, the RR 310 has undergone so many upgrades, it can almost qualify as a new motorcycle. The 2024 update is perhaps one of the most important ones so far – adding more power. It also gets quite a few track-specific updates and what better way to assess them than on India’s newest premier racetrack? We rode the new Apache RR 310 at CoASTT Raceway and came away impressed!
One thing you have to give TVS credit for is its relentless pursuit of engineering excellence and the fact that its motorcycle updates often go beyond just adding a new lick of paint. That’s not to say the new Apache does not get a new paintjob. It does – a cool Bomber Grey shade with red wheels; and a new, optional white and red race replica livery that costs Rs 7,000 extra. The Apache RR 310 has always been a good-looking motorcycle and thankfully the updates to the design do not go beyond the new fairing winglets and a transparent clutch cover. While the latter is a cool but purely aesthetic update, the winglets are functional – they add upto three kilos of downforce at 150kmph.
In terms of features, the 5-inch vertically mounted instrument console has been carried over and now features race telemetry and besides smartphone connectivity, the ability to connect to your smart helmet. It also gets TPMS which displays tyre pressures on the screen as well as warnings for low and high tyre pressures.
The Apache now gets a 6-axis IMU which adds cornering traction control, cornering ABS, cornering cruise control, wheelie and stoppie control as well as slope dependent control which distributes brake force evenly while braking on a decline. Another cool addition is the bi-directional quickshifter. It is operational from 2,300rpm all the way to the redline and is active even while using cruise control. In terms of features, the Apache RR 310 is by far the best-equipped sub-500 motorcycle on sale here.
Power comes from the same 312.2cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder motor that now receives internal upgrades. It gets a 13 percent larger airbox, larger throttle body diameter and a new forged piston which is 10 percent lighter than the previous one. These tweaks result in more power – it now delivers 38PS, that’s an 11 percent increase in performance. The torque output remains the same at 29Nm. TVS claims that the new Apache RR 310 is quicker to get to 60 and 100kmph, posts quicker in-gear acceleration times and has a higher top speed of 164kmph.
Out on the racetrack, these enhancements mean the motorcycle feels a lot quicker and more lively than before. The engine spins up quicker and builds up speeds effortlessly as well. Despite being a fast, flowing racetrack, I did not see the speedo nudge past 150kmph but what I did notice was the higher corner exit speeds which at places showed in excess of 125kmph! While this can be attributed to the excellent electronics safety suite on the motorcycle (more on that later), you now have a usable, wider and stronger mid-range powerband to play with. Interestingly, in most of the fast-flowing corners, I was riding in fourth gear and using third and fifth (even sixth) gear for the rest of the track. So there is an improvement in tractability as well.
The other important aspect that’s improved is refinement. The first-generation Apache RR 310’s were plagued with vibration and buziness which the bikemaker has been constantly working upon in each of its updates. While there still is some buzziness, this motorcycle is vastly more refined than what it was when the RR 310 first came out.
A highlight was the gearbox which feels slick and positive, almost like a Japanese unit. I suffered no misshifts while upshifting or downshifting at any speeds or engine revs. The bi-directional quickshifter works well, even in mid-shifts in corners.
The Apache RR 310 has always been a hoot to ride on track, its race-honed chassis being quite quick and agile. The new cornering traction control and cornering ABS, coupled with the adjustable suspension (available as BTO) now adds a new level of confidence that allows you to exploit the motorcycle’s handling prowess further. It is great when your motorcycle has your back when you mess up your lines or when you want to go faster in the corner and the new Apache RR 310 does exactly that. I felt more confident leaning hard into corners while using the throttle liberally to get a better drive.
Do the fairing winglets work? While it’s difficult to judge the incremental aerodynamic updates on a relatively smaller-capacity motorcycle, all I can say was that on track, the RR 310 felt supremely stable at high speeds and in corners. It did dive into corners quicker than I anticipated with me having to correct my line mid-corner.
While the RR 310 has a fantastic dynamic package, I feel that the tyres and brakes hold it back from getting to the next level. Now the Michelin Road5′ radials are fantastic and should offer more than enough grip on the road, on the track these hold back the motorcycle a bit. They did perform admirably on the racetrack and for most riders, should serve well on track but for the enthusiast trying to hone his skills, a sportier set would help immensely. Maybe offer a sportier set of tyres as a BTO option?
Similarly, the brakes a well tuned for road use. However, on the track, while they provide ample stopping power, I would have liked a stronger initial bite and more feedback. I reckon, giving the enthusiast the option of sportier tyres and premium brake pads could enhance TVS’ Built-To-Order platform even further.
Prices for the new Apache RR 310 start at Rs 2.75 lakh. The Dynamic kit costs Rs 18,000 while the Dynamic Pro kit (which adds the electronic rider aids) retails at Rs 16,000. So a fully-kitted motorcycle will cost around Rs 3.09 lakh ex-showroom. That’s quite a reasonable price to pay for a motorcycle which can be used daily and taken to the racetrack without requiring any modifications. The Apache RR 310 has evolved and how! It is a premium, well-kitted motorcycle that should suit all your riding needs and satisfy your track cravings if you are a track fiend. It’s a motorcycle you simply can’t go wrong with!
