TVS Apache RTR 160 4V Dual Channel ABS With USD Variant: Detailed Explainer

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V Dual Channel ABS with USD comes right before you step up to the flagship trim in the range. It is priced at Rs 1,32,740 (ex-showroom, Delhi). From design to features, performance and mileage, here’s all you need to know: 

Design & Styling

At a glance, the one major difference you’ll notice here is that up front, this drops the regular telescopic setup that we saw on the cheaper variant. This version gets a 37mm upside-down fork, which gives the front end a chunkier, more premium look. TVS has kept the lighting setup the same across the range: LED units for the headlamp (LED projector), tail lamp, and turn signals. And if you’re going with this variant, then you get access to some exclusive paint schemes, including options like Matte Black paired with red alloy wheels, which you won't find on the entry-level bikes below it.

Features

The instrument console is the same as the one on the Single Channel ABS variant below it; the colour TFT display is reserved exclusively for the USD with TFT trim above this one. That said, you won’t necessarily miss the TFT as this one itself is pretty feature-packed. It’s got turn-by-turn navigation, call alerts, and ride telemetry. Traction control is also one of the elements you’d be missing in this trim, but that’s not a dealbreaker for a small-capacity bike anyway.

Safety & Hardware

The name gives it away: this is where ABS becomes dual-channel, so both wheels get anti-lock protection instead of just the front. Braking hardware itself is unchanged, a 270mm petal disc up front and a 240mm petal disc at the rear, and the wheel and tyre sizes stay the same too, 90/90-17 front and 130/70-17 rear on the same 17-inch rims. This variant tips the scales at 146kg, about 3kg more than the Single Channel ABS bike.

While the regular fork is set up quite well, the inverted fork should help in ensuring a bit more sophisticated damping, and should aid in handling even further.

Engine & Performance

Mechanically, nothing changes here; it's the same 159.7cc, air-oil-cooled single-cylinder motor found across the range. The power and torque figures vary as per whichever ride mode you're in. Sport mode is good for 17.55PS at 9250rpm and 14.73Nm at 7500rpm, while Urban and Rain settle at 15.64PS at 8650rpm and 14.14Nm at 7250rpm. Also, the top speed is 114kmph in Sport mode, whereas it’s slightly lower at 103kmph in other modes. 

The engine is paired to a slip and assist clutch, so that the clutch lever effort is easy and the aggressive downshifting is safer as it lets the rear wheel slip instead of locking up. As for the real-world mileage for the Apache RTR 160 4V, we got 42-45kmpl in mixed conditions, which is pretty decent for a sporty 160. 

BikeDekho Says

While the premium is quite small over the single-channel ABS variant, you not only get better safety but also better handling thanks to the inverted fork. In our opinion, safety shouldn’t really be compromised, and so that alone makes it a much better value for money bike than the variant below.