TVS Apache RR 310: NAILED IT.

Don’t be fooled by the colour of this bike or the Indian factory’s name on the tank. This will soon become a mini-BMW superbike. And because of that we wanted to know how it really goes. Behold, the 312.2cc future.

This bike has been in the making for 22 months – for nearly two years Indian company TVS has very publically tested this mini-superbike on the open road. It’s had us very excited.

Why so excited? Well, largely because this motorcycle – the Apache RR 310 – was developed through a coming together of TVS and BMW. Yep, that’s the motor from the G310 R in there. All wrapped up in a cracking chassis. And this bike is going to appear with two badges available – TVS for the Indian market and BMW for the European markets.

So this motorcycle, in reality, will become the mini-BMW Superbike. The G310 RR perhaps. Or the S310 RR or the 310 S (there’s some traction for that last name at the moment, but let’s not get lost in the semantics of a future name right now).

Whatever it’s called in the end, the bike that is going to wear a BMW badge and look like a mini-HP4 will be virtually identical to this Apache RR 310. Apart from the HP4-esque colour, that is. The riding

Fittingly our first experience of the Apache RR 310 was at the Chennai racetrack where most of the development work on the Apache RR was conducted, logging over 3000 laps. This track is TVS Racing’s second home where they have their own permanent workshops and pit garage.

First impressions are of a smooth and very tractable motor with great bottom and mid-range punch. Out of the pit lane, right for C2, across the track to line it up for the C3 left-hander and then open it up as you go up through the gears flicking through the short-loop kink and then brake, dropping two gears for the C4 left-hander. The RR is quick, as quick as you’d expect a 310cc bike