Apollo Alpha H1

THE APOLLO ALPHA H1 IS INDIA’S LATEST LOCALLY manufactured radial tyre to take on those firangs. Marketed as a corner-carving and mile-munching strip of rubber that feels at home in the dry or wet, the alpha h1 has raised a fair number of eyebrows. but is it just the best of the indian radials or can it stand its ground against the likes of the Metzelers, Pirellis, and bridgestones that it competes with?

Well, we have had the apollo alpha h1 tyres on our Bike India Project motorcycle, the Royal enfield interceptor 650, for a couple of months now and here is what we have found so far. the point to be noted here, though, is that the apollo alpha h1 mainly caters to the lower capacity, lighter 300- to 400-cc motorcycles such as the KtM 390 duke, bMw G 310 R, and the like. apollo tyres were unsure about the tyre’s performance on the heavier interceptor 650, with a load index of 54 (212 kilograms) at the front and 66 (300 kg) at the rear. ample for the light, single-cylinder motorcycles it caters to. however, our Bike India Project bike has also shed a few kilos with a wet weight in the 196-kg region.

Well, how do the alphas fare then? in short, very well. these tyres seem to be a little mellow with quick changes of direction; however, once leant over, they have a very confident persona. this becomes noticeable when getting on the throttle exiting a corner as the tyres instil the confidence to be aggressive on the gas. a good thing. yes, there is a slight weave if a little too much meat is being fed to the accelerator, but nothing scary; on the contrary, it is quite stable and a little fun too.

Apollo have marketed the alpha h1 as an all-round tyre that is great in the corners, long-lasting, confidence-inspiring in the wet, and all that at a reasonable price point. with the monsoon almost upon us, we shall soon have an update on this particular rubber in wet conditions. stay tuned for a full review of the apollo alpha h1 tyres in the near future.