Mandalika MONSTER

A mind-bending rendezvous with the most extreme TVS Apache RR 310 at Mandalika.

- WORDS SHIVANK BHATT PHOTOGRAPHY TVS

Finding yourself on a world-class racetrack isn't exactly a once-in-a-lifetime experience in my line of work.

But getting to ride a race-prepped motorcycle on a MotoGP circuit? Now that's a different story altogether. In fact, if I'm being honest, that's something that had never happened in my ten-year-long career as an auto journalist - until now.

A few weeks ago, I was in Indonesia for what can only be described as a surreal experience. It was one of those rare moments that remind you exactly why you fell in love with this profession in the first place. Because that day, I got to swing a leg over the most extreme version of TVS' flagship – the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) One-Make Apache RR 310.

A DECADE-LONG CONNECTION

Before diving into the details of my on-track adventures, I have to confess - I've always had a soft spot for the Apache brand. And not without reason. The original Apache 150, launched in 2005, was the motorcycle on which I first learned to ride. Then, in 2009, I bought my very first motorcycle – an Apache RTR 180. Over the next five years, I clocked more than 70,000 kilometres on it, and to this day, many of my most cherished motorcycling memories are linked to that machine.

Fast-forward to 2018, and another Apache joined my garage — the Apache RR 310. It was an equally rewarding experience, both to ride and to own. So, when the opportunity came to ride the ARRC-spec RR 310 on a MotoGP circuit — the stunning Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia — it was more than just a press ride. To top it all off, the ride coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Apache brand. What better way to celebrate an old pal’s milestone birthday than to go flat-out on one of the most exotic race circuits on the MotoGP calendar?