TVS Apache RR310
The RR310 continues to hunt down city roads in this edition of its monthly report. While at it, I realised that the true joy of this motorcycle is out on the open roads. I have only been able to open up the engine till about 7,000rpm in the city and in fifth or sixth gear it is happy to cruise. However, unless you have a clear road ahead and can pull hard off the line, stop and go traffic means that you have to prod the revs in first, most of the time. Shifting to second sees an immediate drop in revs and a hesitant rise that at times, has led to a stall. On the brighter side, the light feel and easy handling of the RR310 keeps you moving along in tight traffic as long as you have space to fit the wide mirrors in. Temperatures have in soaring in the NCR and the RR has shown signs of heating but thanks to the clever heat dissipation, most of the heat is let out downwards with just a hint of it being felt around the lower legs.
Short highway runs on the Greater Noida Expressway is where I’ve enjoyed the engine’s power the most. The engine has a strong powerband that starts to come alive as low as 5,000rpm then offers a solid burst at 7,000rpm and carries it all the way to 10,000rpm before hitting the limiter. This unhindered acceleration helps reach three digit speeds ever so effortlessly. Then there’s the surprising suspension that performs as good as high-end units, gobbling up nasty bumps at high speeds. These have to be the best set of suspenders in this class of motorcycles as they are the primary reason for comfort that the RR310 offers over distances.