800)
{
g_width=728;
g_height=15;
g_format="728x15_0ads_al_s";
}
else
{
g_width=468;
g_height=15;
g_format="468x15_0ads_al_s";
}
google_ad_client = "pub-2531648925526452";
google_ad_width = g_width;
google_ad_height = g_height;
google_ad_format = g_format;
google_ad_channel ="";
google_color_border = "FFFFFF";
google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";
google_color_link = "000000";
google_color_text = "000000";
google_color_url = "008000";
//-->
google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
TVS Apache Road Test by Dilip Bam
Apache is the name of the most fierce, Red-Indian tribe of USA, which has killed more white men in the 19th Century than any other tribe. If you get a chance, watch a Hollywood movie named “CHATO’s LAND”. Chato is an Apache played by Charles Bronson. Chato’s wife is raped and murdered by five white men, and the movie is about Chato’s revenge, and how he single handedly overtakes and kills all five of them one by one. How many bikes (whites?) this Apache will overtake, remains to be seen.This bike, the TVS Apache, was long in coming. In fact it was overdue. The ever conservative TVS seemed loathe to load (overload?) its bike(s) with things like 5-gears, disc brakes, mag-wheels, self start and mach0 looks for fear of price overload. But given the market demand spurred by youth and the success of the Pulsar, This had to happen. And how! And when it came, it came with a bang! I am talking about the fierce looking 150 cc Apache, recently launched by TVS. The technical specifications are as follows.The cylinder dimensions are the same as the original TVS-Suzuki Fiero, which became TVS Fiero, Fiero F2 and Fiero FX, which is the 147.5 cc, 4-stroke engine having bore X stroke of 57 X 57.8 mm. Styling is the most aggressive on any Indian bike, and more ferocious than even most foreign bikes. The engine produces 13.5 bhp (9.95 kw) of power at 8500 rpm and develops a peak torque of 12.3 Nm at 6000 rpm at a compression ratio of 9.5. Built on a short wheelbase of 1260 mm (Bullet==1370 mm), this bike has a 16 liter petrol tank (with a 1.7 liter USABLE reserve) which feeds a Mikuni BS26 carburetor which is tuned for idling at 1400 rpm. This 136 kg kerb weight ((Bullet==163 kg)) bike has a power to weight ratio greater than 100 bhp per ton (101.16 bhp per ton to be exact), which is claimed to be the highest in this class of bikes.The engine features IE surge, i.e. Intake & Exhaust surge which is created by having a resonator built into the air-cleaner box as well as into the exhaust silencer. While other bike makers call it Exhaustec (since it is there in exhaust silencer only), TVS has gone a step further by building the same thing into the air intake system as well. I call it Intec+Exhaustec surge. Ignition is inductive, and digitally timed for precise and complete combustion to give high fuel efficiency as well as high power. Combustion efficiency is further enhanced by employing a twin-electrode spark plug as well as the increased duration of the spark from 200 milliseconds to 1200 milliseconds per spark. Roller cam followers are now almost standard on all TVS bikes including this Apache.Riding on black alloy 17-inch front wheels and 18-inch rear wheels (same diameter as Victor Edge), the Apache has an option on the rear tire. While the front tire (90/90 x 17) is standard on all variants (and same as Edge), the rear has an option between 90/90 x 18 and 100/80 x 18. Having done some racing on this bike, my recommendation is to go for the 100/80 rear tire because the road-holding, cornering and flip-ability is much better with the 100/80 tire. Using a 100/80 tire (instead of 100/90, which most others use), lowers bike height and centre of gravity by @ ONE cm, which inspires great confidence especially when you are riding above 100 kph speed. The double cradle chassis is suspended on 105 mm travel telescopic forks front, while 79 mm travel rear suspension is on mono-tube inverted gas shockers with reservoirs. The 5-speed constant-mesh gearbox operates thru a primary clutch which allows the bike to be started (by kick or self) in any gear, while stopping is by a 240 mm disc front and 130 mm drum at rear.Electrics are backed by a 12 volt battery of 9Ah capacity for the electric start version and 5 Ah for the kick-start version. TVS bikes are known for their bright and excellent headlight beam quality, and the 35 watt headlight of the Apache further proves it. The 21 watt rear brake light further enhances night safety.
OPERATIVE DIMENSIONSSeat height (off stand) is 76 cm, which makes this bike quite low, so that both feet of a rider of slightly less than 158 cm height can simultaneously reach the ground. So all vertically challenged people who were apprehensive about their feet reaching the ground on 150 cc bikes, take heart. This bike is for you. Height be damned. Handlebar width is 66 cm exklooding the end-pieces (Bullet 67.5 cm) and 73 cm if end-pieces are inklooded. Rear brake pedal throw is 14 cm, giving good mekanikal advantage for stopping power. Effective seat length is 62 cm (Bullet 71 cm), with 36 cm length for rider (Bullet 40 cm) and 26 cm for pillion (Bullet 31 cm). Max seat width is 26 cm for rider portion (Bullet 31 cm). The seat is probably the most highly stepped except Bullet. While the step in the Bullet seat is 3.5 inches high, the step in the Apache is 2.5 inches high. The Bullet referred here is the Machismo. Apache ground clearance (GC) is 160 mm at the side-stand mounting, while GC is 140 mm at the rear end of the retracted main stand. Rear-view-mirrors width of field is a highly effective 84 cm.Instrumentation is quite well laid out. The dashboard consists of a tach0 at LHS, a speed0+0d0+trip meter in the centre and a fuel gauge at RHS. Switchgear consists of self-start button, headlight 0n-0ff button, and engine-kill-switch (EKS), one above the other in that order at RHS ; while horn button, self-canceling blinker switch, headlight Hi-Lo beam switch, choke lever, and the yellow pass-light switch, are one above the other in that order at LHS.Tell-a-tale lights are thoughtfully spaced. The turn-left tell-a-tale is a green, left pointing arrow in the LH dial (tach0), while the turn-right tell-a-tale is a green, right pointing arrow in the RH dial (fuel-gauge). All other tell-a-tale lights such as Neutral gear (green-N), Hi-beam (blue beam) and cruise (green) and zoom (orange) are in the RH dial (fuel-gauge). The ignition key-slot is radium laced (like the dials of watches & clocks), and is supposed to glow in the dark. The handle of the ignition key is embossed with the same motif as the crank-case covers, especially the RHS cover.ON THE ROADPress the start button and engine fires. Gear shift pattern is one-down-four-up, which is accepted (and confirmed by my own research) as the safest shift pattern. Twist the throttle and the engine responds instantly, thanks to the IE-Surge. You take off as traffic allows. Gear shifting is quite slick with no hint of slipping or false neutrals. Whether traffic is slow moving or fast, staying with it is simple. Leaving traffic behind (if you wish) is even simpler. In fact, the Apache eggs you to leave traffic behind. I have checked out the Apache in most kinds of traffic, speeds and road conditions. With the low centre of gravity, the bike feels quite planted at all speeds. Road holding is excellent and handling is on par, or even better than competition. Braking characteristics are good, especially when both front and rear brakes are used pari-passu (==together==simultaneously) as they should be, not just front brake alone or rear brake alone. The use of low-profile 100/80 rear tire increases surface area of contact between rear tire and road, which increases braking efficiency. Also, due to 17-inch dia front tire and 18-inch rear, load distribution is more front biased, in view of which, the larger contact area of the rear tire is really effective in stopping. Torque characteristics are on par with this class, with the five cogs giving a very good spread to cope with traffic of any kind. Low end tork is also quite good, and one can easily trundle along in top (5th gear) at 30-35 kmpH without any jerk or chain snatch. Top speed I could do on this bike was a speed0 indicated 112 kph.The Apache, in keeping with its name really comes into its own at night. The Apaches of USA attacked the white-man owned ranches mostly at night, because Apaches have the best night-vision among all humans. Same applies to this bike. The twin-eye-lamps, which I call Mandrake-the-magician lights, make it look as if a cat with glowing eyes is coming at you at night. Not that this is something new. Bullet has had it since before I was born. Later Pulsar did the same. Now the Apache is doing it. More effective (for the rider at night) than the Mandrake lights, is the headlight beam quality of the Apache, which is the best 35w beam in the 150 cc class. When you switch on the first step of the headlight switch, not only the Mandrake lights come “on”, but all three dials also get back-lit.SEAT STEPI have some issues with the concept of step-in-the-seat. Sure, Bullet has it. Maybe that is why others are also copying it. But then, copying Bullet is like tin-pots trying to copy Big-B. Personally I DO NOT like stepped seats. If you like step-in-seat, so be it. It is fine. To each his own. To me they limit the mobility of my ass on the seat, and leave very little manoeuvring space for my ass. I say the same for Pulsar, Edge and for the Apache as well. The matter can be easily settled by giving seat options. If manufacturers are giving ES / KS option, tire option, drum / disc option, why not flat / stepped seat option? Base & dimensions of the seat can be same. It is only a matter of cushion shape, and the cost difference between stepped-seat and flat-seat would be zero. Personally I prefer the flat seat of the RX100.FUEL CONSUMPTIONI did the fuel consumption test on the Apache exactly on the same road, load & traffic conditions under which I do all fuel tests. The figures I got were as follows. Fuel used is ordinary unleaded green petrol. Single rider was me, weight 62 kg.
S.No
Test conditions of TVS APACHE
Distance Covered (km)
Fuel Consumed (litres)
Fuel average (kmpL)
1
Speeds up to 55 kmpH. 28 gear changings to 3rd. TWO full stops at traffic lights, enjin off, self-start & move. Much brakings and crawlings in heavy traffik in 1st and 2nd gears.
4.3
0.09
47.7
2
Almost steady 40-45 in top (5th) gear. No braking. One gear change to 4th, overtook slow moving learner driver car at 50 kmpH and back to steady 45.
2.6
0.028
92.8
3
Speeds up to 60 kmpH. FOUR gear changes to 4th plus once gear change to 2nd, accelerate and touch 60.
3.8
0.065
58.5
4
Speeds up to 55. Two brakings and three gear changings: once to 2nd & twice to 3rd.
1.7
0.032
53.1
5
Down slope + plain road. Eight gear changings. One stop at trafik light for 10 sec with enjin running. Then enjin off, self start and move. Speeds up to 60.
7.2
0.105
68.6
6
Overall Fuel Average
19.6
0.32
61.30
CONCLUSIONThe most attractive feature of the Apache is its mean and aggressive looks, which is further enhanced by the short wheelbase. Low seat height makes it attractive for shorties, since even a person of 157 cm height can reach his feet to the ground. Having both Intec as well as Exhaustec gives this bike the IE surge, which is quite effective. Fuel efficiency, as you can see from the above table, is class leading. Best headlight beam quality is a TVS hallmark. Best after-sales-service (from Century Auto in Pune) makes it even more attractive.The on-road price of APACHE in Pune is Rs.49,800/- for the kick-start version which has five spoke alloy wheels, and Rs.58,600/- for the electric start version which has six-spoke black alloys as well as black chain cover and black silencer with chrome heat shield.
