TVS RADEON BS6
You don’t always need a super-sharp engine or a race-spec chassis to enjoy the Thrill Of Riding
An econo-commuter that offers genuine riding thrills as well
MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT POWER and handling and not fuel efficiency in their new bike. I’m no different – as I own a Yamaha ’stroker and a KTM 390 Duke. And then I spent a week with the TVS Radeon BS6.
First impressions
I presumed the Radeon BS6 to be a plain-jane commuter like its BS4 sibling. But the rorty thrum I heard as I kicked it to life threw out all preconceptions! The fuel injection impresses with its smoothness (though not its urgency) at city speeds. It’s easy to find the perfect stance on the long, comfy saddle, and the large mirrors give a clear view of the world behind. Next, the skinny tyres, 116kg kerb weight, and rubber tank grips made darting through traffic easy. And, despite holding onto the gears longer than needed, the Radeon rarely protested.
On the daily grind
The combined brakes felt neither precise nor sharp like the performance on offer – a modest 8.08bhp and 8.7Nm. Nevertheless, I was still wringing the throttle despite knowing the Radeon is tuned more for comfort than redlinechasing thrills (apparent by the missing tacho). Post sundown, the DRL-equipped headlight offers reasonable illumination, though the beam doesn’t fall too far. But it wasn’t until I reached home that I had the biggest revelation: the umpteen speedbreakers on the way there had been dispatched without a second thought!
So when should I buy one?
The fun little Radeon isn’t straitjacketed as a commuter despite the fuel needle barely dropping after almost a hundred kilometres. Nevertheless, it has its shortcomings. The 1980s-spec all-up shift pattern seems alien in today’s fuel-injected age, as do the drum brakes up front (though TVS has a front disc variant on offer). Lastly, the ‘power’ light flashes post anything beyond half throttle, or (curiously) when idling for more than a few seconds.
At `59,962 for this all-drum variant, it seems stymied somehow and we’d recommend the (`8000 more) disc-equipped variant as an apt buy for beginners to thrash around on while developing their skills, though it’ll still feel camouflaged in a sea of Splendors.