Spied: 2017 TVS Apache RTR 160 spotted testing
TVS Motors has had the Apache RTR 160 in their line-up for a long time now. In fact, it is the other motorcycles like the Honda Unicorn and Hornet CB160 or the Suzuki Gixxer or the Yamaha FZ16 v2.0 that have more recently arrived on the scene. Of course, as we've noted in our specification comparison just a short while ago, all the bikes grew in displacement while the Yamaha went back to being a 150. The point is that the TVS Apache RTR 160 is now the oldest motorcycle in the segment, and these spy shots suggest that TVS is getting ready to rectify that shortly.
The motorcycle caught testing is clearly an Apache from the bodywork but a lack of badging, the number plate and the natural hesitation of the test rider lend credence to the claim that this is, indeed, a test bike, most likely, the TVS Apache RTR 160. The kick-starter - something the 150cc class still like to have - is perhaps the biggest indication that this is an entry-level Apache, as is the drum rear brake which is currently available only on the RTR 160.
While it is hard to say just how much engine work TVS will have done on the new bike, clearly, the frame is new. This doesn't mean new steering geometry or wheelbase necessarily though. Usually, the switch from a twin shock rear to the monoshock we see on the test bike is a significant enough chassis change for the resulting frame to be considered all-new.
Visible in the shots is a new side panel design and the same digital console as the RTR 200. The photos aren't fully clear, but the tyres seem to stick with the current RTR 160 spec - 90/90-17 and 110/80-17, and the rim design has not changed either.
TVS should launch this motorcycle soon - it looks production ready. The question really is, whether TVS will set the ball rolling on just the Apache RTR 160 or not. The TVS RTR 180 and 180 ABS are styled and spec-ed very similar to the RTR 160, and it makes sense to us that TVS should unveil the refreshes for both the motorcycles at once, upgrading the whole line-up to the same design ethos as the wonderful TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. Let us know what you think.
Video source: The Gearhead Bureau