Will Xtreme 160R help Hero regain its position in 150cc segment?

Hero xtreme 160r

India's leading two-wheeler company Hero MotoCorp is aiming to regain its glory in the 150cc segment with the Xtreme 160R. The Xtreme arrives into a market that is currently dominated by the likes of Yamaha FZ, Suzuki Gixxer and TVS Apache. The Xtreme 160R has little or no similarity with the old Xtreme. Besides, it can boast of several changes in design and performance. How well can it fare in the market? Here is the test drive report.

All muscles

These days if a bike needs to attract eyeballs, it needs to be beefy. The Xtreme 160R has enough of it. It is a sporty and muscular street fighter motorcycle. It has a slightly forward leaning posture as if it is ready to take off. The tail section is at a slightly higher level than the fuel tank, which gives it a sporty look. All lights, including the indicators, are LED. The robotic headlamp with daytime running lamp gives it a novel look. LED lights are small in size.

Fuel tank extensions further provide the bike a muscular outlook. The plastic shrouds covering the tank leave enough space for knee recesses. The fuel-tank covers that stretch to the side panels give it a one-piece look. Grab rails are built into the tail panel which serve their purpose well and give the bike's rear an imposing look. The seat is single piece but designed in such a way that it gives the feel of a split seat.

The meter console is fully digital and features a negative or inverted colour display. In short, a neat and clean console, with the only gripe that reading could be difficult if light falls directly on it. All switches are of good quality with the integrated start/kill switch being a welcome addition. The 160R also gets a segment-first hazard light switch on the left side of the handle.

Engine

The 163cc single-cylinder air-cooled fuel-injection engine produces 15 bhp of pea k power at 8,500 rpm and 14 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. It has more power than Suzuki Gixxer and Yamaha FZ, while there is not much difference in torque among these bikes.

Ride

The seat height is 790 mm (Gixxer 780 mm, Apache 800 mm, FZ 790 mm), which makes it ideal for shorter riders too. Though the riding position looks extremely sporty, the slightly raised handlebar makes it a capable partner for long journeys. Another notable factor is the seat comfort. It can accommodate both the rider and the pillion. The 160R weighs 139.5 kg (Apache 160-145 kg, Gixxer 135 kg, FZ 132 kg).

Refined engine

There is decent torque delivery in low rpms and the engine manages lower speeds even in top gear. This means fewer gear changes and will be a boon in city riding conditions. Wring the throttle and the bike makes progress in the same gear without much drama. Above 4,000 rpm the 160R delivers strong performance. It can reach 0-60 in just 4.7 seconds. The engine comes coupled to a smooth-shifting five-speed gearbox. Though simple, the gear shifts could be a little more smoother. The clutch feels light and would help in tackling tough traffic conditions. The 37mm front forks and a 7-step pre-load adjustable rear monoshock soak up bumps nicely.

The tubular steel frame makes it an agile handling motorbike and a delight around the corners. The suspension is tuned to be on the stiffer side, so the pillion will feel the bumps and potholes a little more than the rider. It gets petal disc brakes at either end with a single-channel ABS. Add to this the grip from the MRF tyres, braking is a non-issue.

Final lap

One of the highlights of the Xtreme 160R is its street fighter look. The 160R has advantages in its refined engine that is nimble in both city and highway conditions and provides excellent handling. Another standout feature is riding position that suits long journeys. Add to this a decent mileage, the Xtreme 160R could surely find traction in the market.

Bumblebee

Updated Price List Of TVS Apache Range – RTR160 To RR310

As of now, the TVS Apache range consists of motorcycles like RTR 160 2V, RTR 160 4V, RTR 180, RTR 200 4V as well as the flagship RR 310

TVS Motor Company continues to be one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the Indian market, and the automaker has its footprint in a range of mass-market motorcycle and scooter spaces. The Apache range of motorcycles is TVS’ premium sub-brand that currently consists of a total of five bikes, ranging from an engine capacity of 159.7 cc to 312.2 cc.

While TVS had hiked the price of the entire Apache series a few months ago, some of the bikes received another hike later on. In order to avoid confusion, we have put together a price list of the entire TVS Apache range as of October 2020, take a look –

Model	Engine specifications	Price*
Apache RTR 160 2V	159.7 cc | 15.53 PS | 13.9 Nm	Rs 1,00,550, Rs 1,03,550 (Rear disc)
Apache RTR 160 4V	159.7 cc | 16.02 PS | 14.12 Nm	Rs 1,05,500, Rs 1,08,550 (Rear disc)
Apache RTR 180	177.4 cc | 16.79 PS | 15.5 Nm	Rs 1,06,500
Apache RTR 200 4V	197.75 cc | 20.5 PS | 16.8 Nm	Rs 1,25,000 (Single-channel ABS), Rs 1,30,050
Apache RR 310	312.2 cc | 34 PS | 27.3 Nm	Rs 2,48,000

*All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi

The RTR 160 2V currently serves as the entry point to the Apache range, and in October 2020, is priced at Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.04 lakh for the standard and rear-disc variant respectively. On the other hand, the RTR 160 4V retails at a base price of Rs 1,05,500 for the standard and Rs 1,08,550 (all prices, ex-showroom) for rear-disc variant.

The RTR 160 2V uses a 159.7 cc, 4-stroke, air-cooled, 2V motor that makes 15.53 PS power and 13.9 Nm torque, while the 4V version makes use of a 159.7 cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled 4V engine that generates 16.02 PS and 14.12 Nm.

The 160 cc Apache twins are followed by the RTR 180, which comes equipped with a 177.4 cc single-cylinder engine which puts out 16.79 PS of max power and 15.5 Nm of peak torque. The 180 cc motorcycle is priced at Rs 1,06,500 lakh.

On the other hand, the Bajaj Pulsar NS200 and KTM 200 Duke rivaling Apache RTR 200 4V is now priced at Rs 1.25 lakh for the single-channel ABS and Rs 1.30 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom) for the dual-channel ABS version. The RTR 200 4V continues to be offered with a 197.75 cc engine that makes 20.5 PS and 16.8 Nm.

The RR 310 continues to be the most premium Apache motorcycle on sale in the country. It comes equipped with a 312.2 single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that churns out 34 PS of maximum power along with 27.3 Nm of peak torque. The Apache RR 310 is currently retailed at a starting price of Rs 2.48 lakh (ex-showroom).

Bumblebee