The Naked Truth

A reworked engine, longer gearing, new electronics, and attractive aesthetics. What seems to be a small update at the outset actually runs much deeper. Has TVS finally cracked the street code? We test the new RTR 310 to find out

- Story: Abhisu Poddar Photography: Sanjay Raikar

THE APACHE RTR 310 HAS LARGELY BEEN THE underdog in a segment dominated by KTM and Yamaha street-nakeds, and there is no obvious reason why. After all, the TVS is a well-tailored bike in its own right, with a power-dense engine paired with a lovely quick-shifter and an impeccable hybrid trellis frame that carves corners like a scalpel. Sure, it had its weaknesses; some of them being its vibey engine, shorter gearing ratios, and, of course, the price.

In fact, TVS is so confident about the job it has now done with the RTR 310 update that it invited us for a media ride that started early in the morning from our hotel in Coimbatore. Taking us through wide highways, narrow villages, and twisty sections, the ride finally culminated at the COASTT High Performance Centre for a proper track run.

Now to the changes. The 312.12-cc, reverse-inclined, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine has received a makeover so extensive, it would put the Kardashians to shame. Armed with a lighter forged piston, improved piston ring design, reworked DOHC cylinder-head, and rerouted exhaust piping, TVS has done a commendable job of tackling this bike's major pain-point: the vibrations. The bike is now much more refined, with the buzz from the handlebars gone. Above 5,000 rpm, however, the seat would serve much better as a seismograph.