The White Rann: Chasing Horizon On The TVS Apache

Kutch is all about the white ‘Rann’ and camels. Well, that's what I used to think, but after visiting it, I realized I was wrong. Getting to ride in a place that looks like a blank canvas, where you can even see the curvature of the earth is surreal. I got the opportunity to ride through Kutch and the Road to Heaven with TVS. But it was not just a ride, TVS has planned something more to add to our amusement.

Five Rann Of Kutch Edition TVS Bikes Unveiled

TVS planned a cultural evening show, but to our surprise, they unveiled their five bikes by the end of it. The five bikes were the tvs ronin, Apache RR310, Apache RTR 310, Apache RTR 200 4V, and another Ronin. These were not normal TVS bikes but they had the essence of Kutch on them, TVS calls them Unscripted Exploration Edition. Four of these bikes were painted in a theme inspired by the sunset at Kutch with cracked salt flats of white Rann meeting the orange and blue sunset and small silhouettes of camels. 

But the bike which caught our eyes more was TVS Ronin which was completely transformed into a bike which was made for white Rann. It has a headlight grill, a tail rack, knobby tyres, a leather tank pouch, and leather grips. To showcase the traditional side of Kutch, it gets Ajrak art-inspired leather saddlebags, a leather seat, and a custom paint job featuring a landscape of Kutch. These beautiful customisations were done by Eimore Customs. 

Ride To The Never Ending Road

The day I was most excited about was the  160km long ride on the Road to Heaven to see the sunrise at the salt flats. The unique sunrise opportunity was all the motivation that I needed to be ready to roll out at 4am. As luck would have it, I ended up with the Apache RTR 200 4V as my ride for the day. 

2 hours in and we were at the start of the Road to Heaven as the view was mesmerising to say the least. There were endless salt flats on both the sides with just a single long stretch of tarmac stretching for infinity. 

With every second, the skies became glorious. The Apache 200 sang along beautifully, adding to the day’s exciting start. Even after riding it for 80km, I did not feel tired. Some local breakfast delicacies were munched on rapidly after which we were free to enjoy the white expanse. 

I lucked out once again as a fellow journalist was kind enough to swap his Apache RTX 300 for the return leg. Having ridden it just a few days earlier in Pune, I was already quite comfortable with its size and proportions. But on the vast open roads, the ADV felt composed and stable. And my batch’s lead rider took us a bit off tarmac to have some fun in the dirt. Even then, the RTX was calm and rock solid.

Leaving The White Canvas Behind

After two days of experiencing the white Rann and colourful culture of Kutch, it was finally time to say goodbye and return to the daily grind. This was a ride worth cherishing, one that I am keen to undertake again in the future.