TVS will not be developing bikes of other segments on the Apache platform. It also clarified that BMW didn’t have any involvement in the development of the Apache 200 4V.
TVS launched the Apache 200 4V a few days ago and the bike has got rave reviews. The expectations from the motorcycle were high and it seems to have met most of them. Of course, the fans are disappointed with the fact that it doesn’t get a 6-speed gearbox but then cost cutting had to be done somewhere. Another development which many people expected was the introduction of a semi-faired or fully-faired motorcycle later in the future but TVS has said that no such variant will be developed.
As per TVS, the Apache has a very loyal fan base and the customers associate the name with naked street-fighters. Thus, developing a faired motorcycle or an adventure tourer on the same platform wouldn’t be the right thing to do. While the reasoning sounds fair, we believe the real reason behind this is the TVS-BMW partnership. Their first bike, the G310R is to be launched at the Auto Expo next month and it is a highly awaited motorcycle too.
The platform underpinning the G310R will spawn into other models too and a fully-faired motorcycle is rumoured to be already under development. The buzz is that an adventure tourer will also be developed in the near future as the demand for the same is on the rise. With all sorts of bikes being developed on this platform, it makes little sense to build similar machines on the Apache platform as it might lead to cannibalisation.
The Chennai based automaker also clarified that the Apache 200 4V has been developed completely in-house and BMW Motorrad has had no involvement in it. Previously, it was believed that the cooling system and a few other components draw inspiration from the BMW GS models but the speculation has been laid to rest. For now, the company needs to concentrate on making the Apache available across India and delivering bikes to eagerly waiting customers soon enough.
