The New TVS-Petronas Race-spec Apaches Are Here

TVS Motor Company and Petronas recently announced their partnership in an endeavor to spearhead a new era of motorcycle racing in India. TVS Racing already has a successful and well received racing program called the TVS One Make Championship in which the road-going version of its Apache RR 310 is offered with track-only bells and whistles that transform the sports tourer into a proper corner-slicing scalpel. Here is a walkaround of the new Petronas-TVS RR 310 that will be deployed for its One Make Championships here on.

In its racing guise, the Apache looks fiery. The new racing livery is a blend of TVS and Petronas’ brand colours, and the combination looks pretty cool. The fairing is a fibreglass unit as competitive racing restricts the use of headlights for safety purposes. The weight saved must be substantial as well. Even the race-spec clip-on handlebars have been dropped lower( roughly 3-4 inches) for an aggressive tuck behind the windscreen. This also changes the sharpness of the Apache’s handling around the track by a great deal.

While the suspension isn’t the adjustable unit that you can buy from TVS under the Built To Order or BTO program, the damping feels progressive and could be the result of a more viscous fork oil being added to the mix. While the brakes remain unchanged, TVS has developed special soft compound Eurogrip Protorq tyres for the track which dramatically improve both overall grip levels and braking feedback considerably. Notice how the lower clip-on bars sharpen the rider geometry, insane!

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The sharper geometry is further accentuated with the help of rearset race footpegs, and slightly lower seat. While structurally the motorcycle looks unchanged, you will notice the rear of the motorcycle is stripped off all road-going bits like indicators, pillion footrests, pillion seat, rear mud deflector, the overhang tail and chain cover, to list a few.

Now that’s what you call a tail-tidy kit! Race friendly fibreglass bodywork keeps the lines clean and body weight low.

The Apache gets a custom built, race-spec, free-flow exhaust for not just a cleaner and punchier power delivery, but also for trimming the weight of the motorcycle. You will notice the CatCon is missing as this is a full system and not just a slip-on exhaust unit.

The Apache has a 312.2cc, liquid-cooled, single pot motor that, in its stock state of tune, churns out 34PS and 27.3Nm. Given the alterations made on this race-spec Apache, the output would certainly be higher and the responsiveness a lot sprightlier.