TVS Apache RTR 200 4V SmartXonnect Features Explained

From navigation assist to lean angle sensing - the SmartXonnect module on the latest RTR has quite a lot to boast about. We explain them:

TVS launched the Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 with SmartXonnect technology recently. This feature essentially allows you to pair your smartphone with your motorcycle via the TVS Connect app which is available for both Android and iOS users. With this, you can access and control a host of features on the LCD instrument cluster. Here’s a detailed explanation of some of its noteworthy functions.

How to open up the app and pair it with your phone?

After downloading the app, you’ll have to log in either using one of your social media accounts or your mobile number. If you’re using the latter, an OTP is sent to your phone, which will have to be entered into the app for security validation. The app will then ask for your bike’s chassis number for verification. Once entered, you’ll be able to access all the features of the app. 

The instrument cluster of the bike houses two buttons: Mode and Set. Use the mode button to make sure the instrument cluster is displaying the odometer reading. After that, press and hold the Mode button so that the display enters the “Set kmph mode”. Then release and press the Mode button four times to access the “Bluetooth Pairing Mode”. Press the set button and then the instrument cluster looks for compatible phones nearby. It goes without saying that your phone’s bluetooth needs to be switched on for this. When the instrument cluster shows “No Device Connected”, press the connect icon on the app. Then enter the passkey “123456” and voila, your phone’s connected! Make sure your phone isn’t under any battery optimisation mode as that will affect the connectivity to the bike. Once saved, the app connects with the bike automatically the next time you use the motorcycle. 

What are the notable functions/ features available?

Using the app, the instrument cluster can show incoming call/ SMS alerts, send auto-reply SMS (only available on Android), send navigation assist inputs, using which the display shows arrow marks and distance-to-turn in the dot-matrix display. You can also save the last-travelled route, and access the last-parked location of your bike.

Another interesting feature is the lean angle mode in the app, which displays the angle of lean on the dot-matrix display in the instrument cluster. The app uses the phone’s gyroscopic sensors to display the lean angle, so it may not be accurate at all times. The app even uses the phone’s sensors to measure and display G-forces. Consequently, TVS recommends the phone to be vertically mounted on a rigid part of the bike, which isn’t exactly practical. You can access the lean angle mode by long-pressing the Mode button until it shows the “Set kmph mode” and then pressing it again thrice and cycling your way to the Lean Angle Function. The tachometer readings will be hidden when you use the lean angle function, though.

Emergency Features:

When the fuel level goes into reserve, the app displays a low-fuel alert and sends a low-fuel assist request to the instrument cluster. You can accept the request by long-pressing the ‘i’ button on the right switchgear of the motorcycle for three seconds. On accepting, the app will automatically provide navigation to the nearest petrol pump. If you want to reject, you’ll just have to press and hold the ‘i’ button for a second.

The app is capable of detecting a crash using the phone’s accelerometer data, and can send out a crash alert to the instrument cluster. You can use any button (mode/ set or info switch) to cancel the crash alert. If not cancelled within 180 seconds, the app will send out your location details to the phone’s emergency contacts. 

Apart from these, you can also access the lap timer function and use the ‘i’ button to register your lap timing. The SmartXonnect even allows you to set the shift light, record top speed and acceleration times. All these features are heavily dependent on the smartphone and a couple of buttons on the instrument console, making it slightly clunky to use. We hope TVS polishes it by introducing a proper TFT console with directional buttons on the switchgear in future iterations.