TVS Apache 200 One Make Race Experience

TVS Apache 200 One Make Race Experience

Bike Tested: TVS Apache 200 (Track Spec); Test Location: Chennai

The track-spec TVS Apache 200 is completely ripped, it weighs 11 kgs less

Riding on the track is completely different from riding on the road. There is also a huge difference in the way both the bikes are built. Some bikes are built on the track and then a production version is brought on the road, while some go the other way round. TVS however got the Apache RTR series of motorcycles from the track and then put it on the road. As TVS has been into racing for quite some time, they had arranged an amazing track riding experience for the media. But Chennai was struck by the cyclone Vardha and the race got postponed. Later in 2017, the Madras Motor Race Track was opened for the final round of the national championship. We were there at the track not just to cover the event but also experience track racing.

Motor Quest: History of TVS Racing dates back to the year 1983, where there were about 100 racers racing all around on the TVS moped. 1991 was the year the Supra SS 100cc was developed for rally racing. The year 2000 was the time when the first 4-stroke 150cc engine from TVS came into racing under the TVS Fiero badge. TVS followed it up with the Apache 160 in the 2007 for road racing and the Apache 450 FX in 2013 as an adventure motorcycle. The Apache 200 made its debut in 2016.

So, the race weekend had a twisted story for me as I was on a vacation in Goa and getting back to work was pretty much amazing as I was going to race other journalists from the media. Well getting the hangover out of the body was necessary and hence a good sleep is all that I needed. When I arrived at the track on day 1, we had a practice session scheduled for us. As we reached the track, it was actually the second day of the National Championship where the Hondas and the open class racers had already completed their practice and few of the groups with their qualifying too. Although TVS had all its races in the days 2 to 4, the media race was planned for day 2 and day 3.

Every time you ride on the track, it counts, you improve lap by lap

The practice session was for a good 30 minutes while I was anxious on getting back on the track after almost two years. Got the riding suit yet I was facing difficulties even with the largest size of the racing suit available, cons of gaining excessive weight. Here at the event, one particular bike wasn’t just assigned to the rider for the whole 3 sessions of race. As the novice and expert category riders were also riding along, they were using the same bike which was kind of an issue as the requirements used to vary from rider to rider. We got 4 laps of riding in the practise session which was enough to get the hang of the bike and know the track well. There was an expert rider who rode along showing us the apex and the braking points.

So the first day was just getting over, we got to know the track and also could enjoy others racing. By the time we finished our lunch, there were multiple practice sessions and qualification rounds getting completed for the other class and manufacturers. We were pretty much excited, well at least I was! Looking at all the riders gunning out their motorcycles to its limit. There was a complete girls racing event too which was covered under TVS with the Apache 180. This bike was the completely ripped race-spec version of the street running Apache 180. These Apache 180’s have proven to have the fastest time around the track because of their astonishing power to weight ratio.

Coming back to us, as we were riding the race-spec Apache 200, there were some changes made to the motorcycle. While it looked a lot like the stock Apache 200, the difference was the covered headlamp and the tail-light with a free flow performance exhaust. The mechanical changes were more effective which included a lighter camshaft and ported valves helped for an extra 2 BHP bump in power. The weight reduction of 11 kgs from the weight of the stock bike aided more to the performance. The tyres on the Apache 200 were the set of Pirellis similar to the ones available on the road going version but these were of a slightly softer compound providing good amount of grip on the newly laid tarmac of the MMSC race track.

The second day of the race and the first session was the qualifying round of the media race, this decides where I stand on the grid. While we were reaching the race track from our hotels, there was a slight amount of drizzle. In the mean time, we also got to know that it had rained heavily last night. Worried yet curious, we imagined the track to be wet and it was. By the time we geared up for qualifying, the sun was out and the track dried up and we were ready to set our timings. Qualifying is for 20 minutes and we were all set out to get our timings. Just at the first lap, there is again a slight amount of drizzle. The track wasn’t hot enough to provide optimum grip either. The wet patches from the last drizzle led to the sliding of tyres.

Others did about 3 laps for qualifying while I did just one and qualified 5th on the grid with a timing of 02.36.896. The fastest qualifying time was 02.25.455, 10 seconds faster than me. The types of flags were explained to us before the race but I got confused when the slippery surface flag was shown and I just entered the pits. Got out of the pits to get another lap but the qualifying stopped. Now it was time to take some rest and watch other races until noon. The media race was scheduled just before lunch. In the meantime, I got to know that there was another media race to be held before this one. The same Apache 200 line-up but running completely stock. At that time, the test riders and the media gave their inputs and some slight modifications came into the picture this time on the bike we were riding.

It was at this time I noticed that the exhaust pipe was stock, it was just the end-can that was replaced. Basically done to play around with the back-pressure. There is a thing about the Apache’s exhaust note, it sounds the best. Here the double-barrel exhaust was replaced with a freeflow. The exhaust note was still bassy and loud but not as loud as the other race-prepped bikes. It was an hour past noon and it was our time to race. We completed our warm-up/sighting lap and were ready on the grid. A pair of paddock girls stood right next to us and we posed for some pictures. Two minutes to the start of the race, the track is emptied. It’s us on our motorcycles and a safety car behind waiting for the green light to flash.

Apache 200 is agile and inspires confidence to follow the racing line faster

You launch when the lights go off. It’s 3, 2, 1, Go! And I had a marvellous start. I got the inner line but the top four riders ahead of me were pretty light and entered the corner early without braking. So as to not tip off anyone, I had to let the throttle off at the first corner and then the formation was fixed for the race. The race was on and the pack at the front was fighting for pole while I was struggling to keep up with the pack rather than improving my position. It was a four lap race and by the end of lap 3, I was at least two seconds slower than the top four. It was at this time, I was racing as well as enjoying the rideability of the Apache 200, the lightness, the ease of riding and the fun.

The four lap race concluded with me starting at 5th and ending at the same position. The best part was, I improved my lap timings by 9 seconds with 2.27.455 being my fastest lap around the track. The experience of riding on the track is one of a kind, intimidating yet requires a calm mind with a lot of mental focus. TVS with the Apache has been setting up grounds to promote racing as a sport in India and the amount of approach and exposure it receives is really great. This track riding experience has got my interest back into track racing and within a few months, I might just hit the track again for competitive racing or just for fun. Thanks to TVS and the Apache 200, it was till date the best weekend of 2017.