EXCLUSIVE: TVS Retron Spied; Expected Launch, Price And Other Details Revealed

Spotted testing for the first time, the upcoming TVS bike will likely be a neo-retro scrambler-esque motorcycle, something along the lines of the Ducati Scrambler

• The motorcycle features upright ergonomics, and an offset digital instrument cluster.
• The wheels appear to be alloy units, seemingly wrapped with slightly rugged tyres.
• Expect TVS to launch this bike later next year.

After captivating the 125cc segment with the capable Jupiter 125 and the Raider 125, TVS seems to be working on something even better. A test mule of what appears to be a neo-retro motorcycle has been spotted for the first time. In November last year, the Hosur-based bikemaker’s trademark application of the name ‘Retron’ surfaced online, and the spied motorcycle is likely to be called the same. 

According to our sources, the upcoming motorcycle will be more of a scrambler-themed offering, something along the lines of the Ducati Scrambler. True to this, the spied motorcycle features a wide easy-to-reach handlebar and a pair of mid-set rider’s footpegs. This, coupled with the single-piece seat, makes for upright ergonomics. You can also see the offset circular digital instrument cluster, which could be complemented by smartphone connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation, as that seems to be the norm on most modern motorcycles. The tail lamp and indicators are LED, so expect the headlamp to be a circular LED unit as well.

A closer look just above the crash guard reveals the radiator for the oil cooler, suggesting that this bike could use a derivation of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V’s heart. But more importantly, our sources have revealed that the upcoming motorcycle will likely be powered by an engine with mild-hybrid tech. Considering this, the most obvious way to go about it would be to use a version of the TVS Zeppelin’s 220cc single-cylinder air/oil-cooled motor. The mild-hybrid system should help in extracting better efficiency from the engine. A closer look at the rear wheel suggests that the engine will be linked to a belt drive, just like the TVS Zeppelin cruiser. 

The motorcycle employs a premium inverted front fork and a rear monoshock. If this bike indeed ends up using a 200-odd cc engine, then it would be the smallest TVS motorcycle to get a USD front fork. The wheels appear to be alloy units, and seem to be wrapped with slightly rugged tyres at both ends. It also gets disc brakes at both ends, likely with dual-channel ABS as standard.

Considering the state of the spied motorcycle, we reckon the production version is still some time away. Expect TVS to launch the bike somewhere around May next year at Rs 1.50 lakh, making it around Rs 11,800 dearer than the current Apache RTR 200 4V. This delta will further become smaller as the price of the Apache RTR 200 4V increases over time. 

All said and done, the upcoming TVS Retron will be the perfect answer to the soon-to-be-launched Bajaj Pulsar 250F. It will also go up against the Yamaha FZ25 and the Suzuki Gixxer 250.

Image Source