2022 TVS Apache RR 310 First Ride Review: Now Made Just For You!

Gorgeous, fun and practical - TVS’ flagship, the Apache RR 310, is hugely admirable because of how well it spans different motorcycling spectrums: sport, commuting and touring. It’s gotten this way with constant improvements; after its 2017 launch the RR was updated in 2019 with a slipper clutch to improve its sporting focus and also got refinement updates to damp its vibey and clattery nature. Then in 2020, the BS6 RR 310 was launched with a raft of updates! Aside from being cleaner it pushed the ability and excitement levels of the RR even higher. It packed ride modes, Michelin Road 5 tyres, a colour TFT instrument cluster and a new colour scheme. Now, in 2021, TVS brought the fourth iteration of the RR 310 in as many years, so what’s changed this time to make the RR 310 blaze brighter?

It’s different. It’s BTO.

BTO, or Built To Order, is TVS’ new customisation platform debuting with the 2022 RR 310. So this RR 310 looks racier because it’s wearing the One-Make Championship race bike-inspired livery. Colours for the alloy wheels, limited to grey, black and red for now, and a custom race number applied on the windscreen are the other options. Customisation can be done via Arive, an AR app, or through a web configurator. Then you can track its progress as it is manufactured on the assembly line till it is delivered to your nearest showroom. Here's a link explaining all the steps involved in buying the 2021 RR 310.

In terms of the standard package very little has changed. The digital instrument cluster gets a Digi Docs app to store your registration certificate, driving license and other documents -- an update that will be offered to existing BS6 RR 310 owners too. In terms of design, you’ll notice that the exhaust is upswept to increase cornering clearance, and when you thumb the starter you’ll find it sounds better too.

Packs a punch

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It does pack a punch, and that too is down to BTO. Under BTO you can customise your RR 310 with two packs. The first is the Race pack. This replaces the wide and flat handlebars with a sportier set. These bars aren’t lower, so the seating position is still pretty upright, but the bars are angled inwards by five degrees and downwards by 8 degrees. The footrest assembly has been raised by 30mm too, and along with the upswept exhaust you get 4.5 degrees of additional cornering clearance. When cranked over the additional grip from the knurled footpegs will definitely be appreciated.

 With the commuting-oriented bars out of the way, the rider gets a lot more ease and freedom to move around on the motorcycle. In the corners you can hang off more easily as your arms reach the handlebar in a natural manner. In corner-to-corner transitions, you can shift your body from side to side naturally. At corner exits, you can unload the tyres earlier and drive faster out of corners. The whole experience becomes more fluid, more intimate and faster. 

Then there is the second pack, the Dynamic pack. This adds a fully adjustable separate function fork at the front and an adjustable monoshock at the rear, both from Kayaba. The forks have 20 step rebound and compression adjustment, and 15mm of preload adjustment. The monoshock has ten steps of preload adjustment and 20 steps of compression adjustment. This pack also includes a brass-coated chain. Yes, a golden chain! 

The brass coating improves life of the chain, so you aren’t going to feel any benefits on the track immediately. But fiddling around with the suspension settings gives the RR a new attitude. A standard setting applied by TVS made the RR much sharper, almost twitchy. But further tweaking the setup resulted in a balance that improved agility to attack corners harder while also inspiring greater confidence. So, the RR 310 can be set up to suit who you are (weight) and how you ride (aggression). Then you will feel a difference every time you brake, turn or accelerate.

 Old + New = ?

The core hardware of the RR 310 is unchanged. The frame is the same. The 313cc engine with its 34PS of power and 27.3Nm of torque is unchanged too. So are the ride modes that were introduced in 2020--and be grateful that despite the international logistics crisis, the Michelin Road 5 tyres are still a part of the kit. 

When you combine the Race and Dynamic packs with the 2020 updates you get a motorcycle that can really be hustled on the track. The grunt from the engine makes it easy to get the drive out of corners, the Track mode sharpens the response, and the grip from the Michelins allows you to open the throttle with greater aggression too. In two short sessions, with less than 15 laps under the belt it was possible to clock a time of 2m 6.98s. I could brake harder, commit more and take more liberties and yet, the overwhelming feeling was that there was so much more potential to unlock. So when you combine the old and the new, you get something very potent!

All hunky dory?

Not quite. On two critical touchpoints, the RR 310 feels a bit disconnected. We have always complained about the lack of feel from the front brakes and the higher effort required; and now on this racier motorcycle, the shortfall is glaring. The throttle too can feel a bit lumpy, especially when rolling on the power; this can upset its poise when leaned over in corners. 

Also, from a design standpoint TVS needs to offer riders more race liveries to choose from (currently, there’s a Rs 4500 option for just a single scheme). The current decal’s colour scheme could have been cleaner and brighter too.

BTO - Good to Go?

The 2022 RR 310's capability and excitement has been widened and sharpened. With BTO every buyer can add more excitement to his or her motorcycle with just aesthetic tweaks; and the packs increase the dynamic ability of the motorcycle. The Race pack makes it more connected and engaging for cornering enthusiasts without compromising on everyday usability. The Dynamic pack makes it a convincing track machine, but also raises its everyday potential as you can find more comfort and control with the right settings. However, you will have to take the time and effort to dial the suspension in, or better still have an experienced hand walk you through it.  

The packs are priced at Rs 5,000 (Race) and Rs 12,000 (Dynamic), which is very good value! TVS hasn’t left existing RR owners in the lurch as they are offering these packs as accessories. Prices for these will be announced shortly, but you can expect them to cost much more. For reference, fully adjustable forks for almost any motorcycle would cost upwards of Rs 30,000 in the aftermarket.

So, the 2022 RR 310 has taken its versatility and multiplied the excitement by improving the RR 310 in each motorcycling spectrum. The Rs 5,000 price hike doesn’t dent the RR’s appeal and desirability, and the supersports is now even more deserving of the flagship status in the TVS family.