TVS RONIN FIRST-RIDE REVIEW

TVS surprised everyone by launching their first modern-retro motorcycle, Ronin. We went to Goa to get a taste of what it has to offer.

- KARAN SINGH BANSATTA 

TVS Motor Company is generally not a brand that springs up surprises, except when it comes to Auto Expo. Zeppelin, Akula, Draken and so on; we have seen a fair few scintillating prototypes from TVS. Yet, when it comes to the products for the market, one more or less knows what TVS is up to. This time though, they had a mighty big surprise for us and they named that surprise quite phenomenally too- TVS Ronin.

When we got the invite for the media ride, we were surprised to see the location TVS went with. In Goa, the monsoon is in full swing this time of the year, and it really was in full swing, more on that later. So when we landed in Goa, we were full of anticipation and TVS did not disappoint as they rolled the Ronin on the stage- the brand's first modern-retro motorcycle.

Right from first glance, we knew that it was both modern and retro. A good thing here is that the 200250cc does not have anything quite like the Ronin. Ronin means a wandering Samurai with no master. It is meant for wandering and there is no master in the segment and so, the name works out just right. We got to spend a decent amount of time with the motorcycle and here are our first impressions.

In terms of looks, TVS has got nearly everything right. Classic lines, brown single-piece seat, and substantial fenders. The underpinnings are quite modern though. The TVS Ronin is loaded with tech. The round headlamp is a homage to the motorcycles of the old but the lighting is all-LED. The T-shaped pilot lamp looks absolutely brilliant.

The tank breaks the retro lines a bit but it tapers well as it comes down to the seat. The golden finish on the chunky USD forks looks nice but the standout bit for us was the offset speedometer. It looks like a million bucks and it might be a personal opinion, but it is one we will stand by. Now, round mirrors or bar-ends would suit the Ronin more but functionally, the rear-view mirrors are just fine.