Tag: tvs apache rtr 160

TVS Apache RTR 160 Vs. Hero Xtreme

This is our third article in the bike comparison series we started late last month. We are yet again pitting two popular 150cc bikes against one another – the TVS Apache against Hero Xtreme.

Apache Xtreme Comparison

The Apache is TVS’ marquee bike in the power bikes segment. The 160cc bike was launched in 2007 and is as popular among bike enthusiasts as the the Hero Xtreme which you may also know as the Hero Honda CBZ Xtreme of the yore! Here is a tabled comparison of the core specifications of the two bikes.

Specification Apache RTR 160 Hero Xtreme
Displacement 159.7cc 149.2cc
Max. Power 11.19 kW 10.6 kW
Max. Torque 13.1 Nm 12.80 Nm
Ground Clearance 180mm 145mm
Fuel Tank 16 liters 12.1 liters
Usable researve 1.7 liters 1.5 liters

The Apache RTR 160 is available at a price of Rs. 71,340 ex-showroom Delhi while the Hero Xtreme is available at a commensurate price of Rs. 65,975.

Mileage Comparison

A quote I often put up on this blog is that with great power comes a lower mileage. Considering that the RTR 160 has a higher power and a larger engine cylinder displacement compared to the Xtreme 150, the mileage you can expect with the RTR could be lower than what the Hero Xtreme could offer. That is in fact true by a mile according to the company claims. TVS says the Apache RTR 160 can draw around 54.1 kmpl under standard test conditions while the Xtreme, according to Hero, can draw 65.1 kmpl. That’s a huge difference in the official claims from both the companies. Let’s see if the real world tests also derive similar results.

Let us start with BikeAdvice. In our earlier report on the Apache, this was one report that was hugely positive on the bike as far as mileage was concerned. In their article, the website claimed to have seen 56 kmpl fuel efficiency on the Apache RTR 160 in the long term. In comparison, the website had a slightly worse mileage report for the Xtreme. In an aggregated report of reviews from over 70 customers, we had noted last time that BikeAdvice readers saw a mileage of between 45-51 kmpl on the Hero Xtreme. That’s pretty low compared to Apache.

To have a more real world feel of customer feedback, let us next jump on to the MouthShut forums. There are over 200 reviews for the Apache 160 on this site as compared to 187 reviews for the Hero Xtreme. Both these bikes have received an overall rating of 4/5 from the reviewers as far as fuel consumption was concerned. When it comes to the real numbers though, the race is a dead heat. The average mileage reported on city roads for both the bikes range between 40-50 kmpl which does not give any great insights into which of the two bikes is better.

What’s amusing is that we do not seem to get a better clarity on the winner even when we check the classifieds postings on Olx from people who own the bike. The average mileage reported for both bikes again range between 40-50 kmpl.

Source Apache RTR 160 Hero Xtreme
Official 54.1 kmpl 65.1 kmpl
BikeAdvice 56 45-51
MouthShut 40-50 40-50
Olx 40-50 40-50

So what’s the verdict? Although Hero Xtreme has an obviously better mileage officially claimed, things seem to be different as far as the reviews from blogs and real customers are concerned. The mileages as seen by customers on real world are more or less the same on both bikes. That being the case, I would prefer to go with the Apache RTR over the Hero Xtreme. Why? Because Apache gives you a better power, torque along with much better looks at only a slightly higher price. Getting the same mileage as the Apache on the Hero Xtreme only means the mileage offered by the lower powered bike is not ideal. Apache is the winner in this race.

TVS Apache RTR 160

The TVS Apache RTR was launched in 2007 and ever since has become one of the companies’ flagship bikes. The TVS Apache RTR 160 technically comes in the 150cc segment since there aren’t too many bikes in the 160cc space. The bike is powered by a 159.9cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine delivering 11.19 kw power and 13.1 Nm torque. In case you were wondering what RTR stands for, it is ‘Racing Throttle Response’. Other features on the bike include roto petal disc brakes, a wind-resistant tank and a sculpted digital display. The TVS Apache RTR 160 is priced at Rs. 71,340 ex-showroom in Delhi.

TVS Apache RTR 160 Mileage

TVS Apache RTR 160 Mileage

There doesn’t seem to be an official mileage claimed by TVS on its website at least. According to BikeDekho, the claimed mileage of the TVS Apache RTR 160 is around 54 kmpl. This is lower than the mileages claimed by other 150cc bikes like Yamaha SZ-x or Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler. The Yamaha FZ16 though only claims 50.81 kmpl of mileage.

Customer Mileage Reviews

Reviewing the RTR 160, MyIndiaGuide notes that the bike does not have too broad a wheelbase and that has helped it maintain a pretty decent mileage for a 160cc at 50 kmpl. Customers reviewing this bike on Yahoo Answers report a mileage of anywhere between 50-58.5 kmpl. It needs to be noted that except for one user, the rest have not reported above 55 kmpl on their Apache.

The reported mileage is the same on PriceArena. The website has reported the mileage of Apache RTR 160 at 50 kmpl. IndiaMart though has a more conservative figure. According to them, the fuel economy on the Apache RTR 160 is not expected to be more than 42 kmpl on city roads while this could increase to 54 kmpl on the highways.

The best mileage review comes from BikeAdvice. In a review of the bike phase-by-phase, writer Saran notes an extremely impressive mileage of 65 kmpl during the first 1750 kilometers. Post that, it fell down to 62 kmpl for up to 4500 kms. This mileage appears to have fallen down to 56 kmpl till 9000 kms. We could take 56 kmpl as the mileage reported by BikeAdvice for the long term.

BharathAutos provides a more realistic picture. In their review, the website has noted a city mileage of 45 kmpl which can increase to 50 kmpl on highways. The review is similar from IndianDrives that reports a mileage of 50 kmpl on the RTR 160.

Looking through MouthShut, there are over 200 reviews who together rate the Apache RTR 160 a 4/5 on mileage. Customers who have reported the mileage on the site claim the city mileage to be around 50 kmpl while the highways mileage has been reported to be 55 kmpl. The fuel economy reported on the city though goes down to as low as 40 kmpl on some reviews. So overall, one can say that the realistic mileage for city conditions is anywhere between 40-50 kmpl while that on highways is around 55 kmpl.

On Olx, the mileage reported by various customers selling their Apache ranges between 35-55 kmpl. That’s a huge variance and so if you are looking for more specific numbers be rest assured that the customer reporting 35 kmpl definitely looks like an outlier and so the average mileage you may expect is likely to be between 40-50 kmpl.

So should you go for an Apache RTR 160? Well, the bike has other complaints like significant vibrations at high speed. The mileage doesn’t seem to be a great problem given the fact that bikes in this segment tend to do worse than this. So our recommendation would  be to go through the product reviews of other bikes, take this one for a test drive as well before deciding on a bike. Here is a summary of all mileage reviews

Source City Mileage (kmpl) Highways Mileage (kmpl)
Official – 54
MyIndiaGuide 50 —
Yahoo Answers 50-55 —
PriceArena 50 —
IndiaMart 42 54
BikeAdvice 56 —
BharathAutos 45 50
IndianDrives 50 —
MouthShut 40-50 55
Olx 40-50 —