TVS Radeon: Pros, Cons And Should You Buy One?

Does the Radeon do enough to win your heart over the swarm of the 110cc commuters? 

The 110cc motorcycle segment is one of the most competitive spaces in the Indian two-wheeler market. And with the TVS Radeon added to the mix, you're bound to get a bit confused. So to make things simpler, we’ve listed down the 110cc commuter’s strengths and weaknesses to help you make an informed decision.

Pros:

Long and comfortable seat:

The bike’s seat length is set at 730mm while the width at its widest point is 280mm. Both are claimed to be the highest in its class. It’s comfortable to ride over extended city commutes and highway runs thanks to the soft seats. 

The pillion seating position is neutral, the rear grab handle is easy to grip and there’s enough space to move around given the generous length of the seat. However, long hours on the saddle does tend to become a bit uneasy both for the rider and pillion.

Torquey, fuel efficient motor:

The Radeons Duralife 109.7cc air-cooled single-cylinder motor makes 8.4PS at 7000rpm and 8.7Nm of torque at 5000rpm. It's tuned to produce a flatter torque curve with low-end grunt. The motor feels peppy at low revs, helping it clock 0-60kmph in 7.88 seconds. However, performance does taper off a bit as you go higher up the rev range.

Supple suspension setup:

Though the suspension's tuned a tad towards the stiffer side, ride quality is quite supple. It isn't plush but soaks in bumps and undulations without transferring jolts to the rider or pillion. In fact, even with a pillion on board, the rear suspension rarely bottoms out. Pillion comfort is quite good as well and the bike sails over rough patches of road. 

Cons:

Brakes could be better:

The braking isn't all that great in the standard variant. The Radeon features a 130mm front and 110mm rear drum brakes which miss out on bite and that shows in its braking distance. It drops the anchor from 60-0kmph in 23.74 metres, which is a smidge more than the Splendor iSmart. A front disc brake could have offered better braking in this case. However, it’s only available in the special edition model. 

Tyres feel skittish over gravel:

While the tyres perform decently on well paved roads, they feel nervous on gravel.

Looks similar to its competition:

It looks very much like a Splendor no matter which way you put it. In fact, the Radeon looks like a premium variant of the Splendor. While it may appeal to most budget-conscious enthusiasts, we expected something a bit different.  

Should you buy one?

Despite its quirks, the TVS Radeon is still one of the best value for money propositions in its segment. Aside from its comfortable ergonomics, a peppy engine, and plush suspension setup, the bike gets a host of features as well. This comprises of an LED DRL, USB charging port, side-stand indicator, and tank thigh pads. The TVS Radeon gets a big thumbs up from our side.