TVS Apache RTR 200 4V vs KTM 200 Duke vs Bajaj Pulsar AS200: Spec Comparo

After an interminable wait, TVS Motors has finally taken the wraps off the Apache RTR 200 4V today at their test track in Hosur. Being the new flagship, the new naked streetfighter has a lot riding on its shoulders, not just for its makers but also for the enormous amount of expectations that enthusiasts have placed on it. It also needs to up the ante in the 200-odd cubic capacity game considerably, because there have been some very worthy contenders for this throne in the last few years. Below, we pit the specifications, features, and general impressions of the Apache RTR 200 4V against its two closest rivals, the KTM 200 Duke and the Bajaj Pulsar AS200.

Features:

The Apache RTR 200 4V is the first TVS to get a monoshock suspension at the rear, something that the KTM 200 Duke and the Bajaj Pulsar AS200 already boasts of. The former two gets all-digital instrument consoles, while Bajaj have chosen to stick with the tried and tested analogue-digital console for the Pulsar. The KTM is the only one in this trio to have upside down-front forks, that too from Swedish specialists WP. All three bikes employ disc brakes at both ends, the Pulsar having the largest diameter at 280mm, while the RTR is the only with petal disc rotors. None of the three bikes has anti-lock braking systems, but TVS Motors say that ABS is definitely coming to the RTR 200 4V in the future.

Dimensions and cycle parts:

At 810mm, the 200 Duke is the tallest of the bikes here, which might be of some concern to customers of a relatively shorter stature. All three bikes have more or less the same wheelbase: 1367mm for the KTM, 1363mm for the AS200, and 1353mm for the RTR 200 4V. The Apache is the heaviest of the lot, tipping the scales at 148kg, while the KTM 200 Duke weights in at 136 kg and the Pulsar is in between the two at 143 kilos.

The rest of the cycle parts are pretty similar. While the 200 Duke and Apache comes with high-performance tyres -- from Metzeler and Pirelli respectively – as either standard or optional equipment, the AS200 makes do with de rigueur MRF Zappers.

Engine:

This is where the real meat of the matter is. While the 200 Duke comes only with fuel injection, the RTR 200 is offered with both fuel injection and carburettors, and the AS 200 makes do with carbs only. The Apache RTR 200 4V produces 21 PS and 17.5 Nm from its 197.75cc engine; the Pulsar AS200 makes 23.5PS and 18.3Nm from its 199.5cc engine, and the KTM is the most powerful of the lot here, producing a heady 25PS and 19Nm from its 199.5cc engine.

Sadly, the Apache RTR 200 4V is the only one of the trio here to come with a 5-speed transmission, while the 200 Duke and AS200 both feature six-speed ‘boxes. With the advent of better maintenance-free batteries, kickstarters have been given the boot in all three motorcycles.

Pricing and Verdict:

With a base price of Rs 1.38 lakh, the KTM 200 Duke is the most expensive of the lot here by a fair margin. The Bajaj Pulsar AS200 will set you back by Rs 93.5 lakh. The just-launched TVS Apache RTR 200 4V will retail for Rs 88,990 (ex showroom, Delhi) for the carb variant while the top end fuel injected variant with Pirelli tyres can be yours for Rs 1.07 lakh. When it is launched in March, TVS Motors says that the ABS variant of the bike will retail for Rs 1.15 lakh. With its competitive pricing, stylish looks, and attractive spec list, the Apache RTR 200 4V couldn’t have come at a better time for diehard Apache fans looking to move to something bigger up the food chain.