Design & Engineering
A first look, and you would be hardly able to tell the difference between the Twinspark and any other Thunderbird, till you see the engine. It’s a contemporary looking powerplant with an incorporated crankcase and gearbox projected to lessen oil seepage. Every other bit is similar; the round headlamp, double instrument pods, front disc brake, seat and pillion backrest are all the same as the normal Thunderbird’s. A notable visual difference is the shorter muffler that we received on our test bike.
The panels underneath the seat feature a minuscule ‘Twinspark’ sticker, which is the lone sign of this key technical step forward of the bike. Also on either side, just beneath the tank, are round reflectors; a helpful touch when you’re emerging from a side road onto a highway. The fuel tank is sheet-metal, and the overhang welded below it is a blemish, while the fuel tank cap looks dated. The Twinspark does well to offer slow- cam chain adjusters, as compared to the more predictable system provided on most Indian models.
Paint and fit-finish is still is not upto the mark.
Drivetrain & Performance
The all-new engine has twin-spark plugs, an automatic decompression facility and unit-construction that the company claims has answered the crisis of oil discharge, a key problem with the old engine. Although a lot does stay alike, other important changes contain a high-flow trichoidal oil pump, hydraulic tappets, an automatic primary chain tensioner and the drive chain assembly shifted to the right side in order to reduce transmission loss. The Twinspark benefits from TCI ignition for a fine spark. You get 2bhp more, for a figure of 19.8bhp, and 2.85kgm of torque, which is a insignificant 0.1kgm more than the older version.
Start it and you instantly notice a smoother feel near idle. The handlebars don’t judder in your hands just yet. Select first gear and as you let the clutch out, it feels a bit improved. A six-plate clutch instead of four makes the difference. As you hasten through the gears, this smoothness unfortunately diminishes however, to be replaced with Royal Enfield characteristic vibrations, Which is where it goes from bad to worse, and it’s apparent that thrashing the engine is not the way to ride this bike.
Economy
Fuel economy is not a subject of relevance among Royal Enfield bike lovers, who will buy the Thunderbird Twinspark more for its lifestyle value, than economy. For the record, the Twinspark returns 35.7kpl in the city and 36.8kpl on the highway.
Ride & Handling
The riding arrangement of the Twinspark is classic cruiser fare, and its saddle is a sensibly pleasant place to be on long rides.
The Thunderbird uses known, large, kicked-out forks and an extended single-downtube frame. Its gas-charged dampers at the rear are par for the course for motorcycles in India, but even on their softest setting tend to jump when pushing the bike to its edge. These work best when the bike is overloaded.
The Thunderbird Twinspark is somewhat a burden in city traffic, but a steady bike on the highway thanks to its 19-inch rims. The handlebars do provide ample weight for city riding, but there is no dodging this bike’s rangy wheelbase and heft in the city.
Verdict
5/10
The dreary general quality, the heavy price tag and the out-of-date technology make sure you do not buy this bike by using your head. Yes, the new engine is better and more modern, but then these are changes that should have been made a long time ago.
But looking at the Thunderbird Twinspark as such is missing the point totally. It is a bike you buy with your heart.
Specification
ENGINE
Fuel Petrol
Installation Inclined from vertical
Type Aluminium alloy block and head
Bore/stroke 70/90mm
Compression ratio 8.5: 1
Valve gear 2 valves
Power 19.8bhp
Torque 2.85kgm
Power to weight 108.7bhp per tonne
Torque to weight
Specific output 57.2bhp per litre
Transmission
Type
Gearbox 5 speed, 1-down, 4-up
Ratios/kph per 1000 rpm 1st 3.06/7.4
Final drive ratio
Chassis & Body
Construction
Weight
Wheels Wire spokes
Tyres 3.25 x 19 front, 3.5 x 19inches rear
Spare
Suspension
Front Telescopic forks
Rear Gas-shocks, tubular swingarm
.jpg)
Design & Engineering
A fresh set of racy decals and a rich gold finish for the brake callipers and the front and rear suspension, give the RTR 180 its new look. Smart stripes mark the circumference of the slim spoke alloy rims, petal-type brake disc rotors and exposed chain embellishing the bike’s dandy looks.
The RTR 180’s powerful headlight is flanked by twin city lights and is powerful enough to make night riding safe. Clip-on handlebars sit atop a matte-black steering head, emblazoned by the RTR 180 logo. The smart looking blue back-lit LCD instruments and the practicality of the illuminated key slot are appreciable. The tachometer reads up to 12,000rpm, with the redline starting at 9000rpm and read via an illuminated needle. The RTR 180 comes loaded with a digital speedometer, odometer, clock and fuel counter.
The RTR 180’s broad mirrors are well placed to offer a wide view. Smartly buffed alloy clutch and brake levers will fit all hands nicely. Switchgear is comprehensive, with an engine kill switch also at hand.
The familiar RTR fuel tank provides outstanding grip to a rider’s thighs. This motorcycle’s side panels, seat and tail regions are neatly sculpted, and sport a generous dose of alloy as noticeable around the footrests. There’s a split grab-handle at the rear, as well as a sharp brake warning lamp.
Fit, finish and paint lustre are first rate on the new TVS motorcycle; but, build quality is not on par with today’s new crop of Japanese motorcycles.
Drivetrain & Performance
The four-stroke Apache RTR 180 engine has a cubic capacity of 177.4cc, with its single cylinder sporting sportsbike-typical short-stroke measurements. It’s an attractive air-cooled power plant with sharply chiselled crankcases. Despite having only two valves, a carburettor and only a single spark plug the latest TVS flagship makes a meaty 17.3bhp of maximum power, which works its way through the crank at 8500rpm. Its peak torque number of 1.58kgm comes into play at 6500rpm.
The top speed and 0-60kph acceleration recorder are bound to be an absolute hit with the youngsters. Our test bike had both, but calibrated to read out optimistic figures — 0-60kph was a second faster, reading 3.6 seconds for a true time of 4.49sec. The RTR 180’s five-speed gearbox with near-identical ratios to the RTR 160 shifts with smooth precision in a one-down-four-up pattern.
This sporty motorcycle revs like a banshee all the way up to an impressive 12,000rpm, its quick-revving nature making the RTR 180 an ever-ready tool for hard riding. The power band is wide, firms up at 6000rpm and remains beefy all the way to 9000rpm, after which it quickly tapers. An Apache RTR 180 in the right hands will crack the 60kph barrier in 4.49sec and zip past 100kph in 13.84sec en route to an impressive top speed of 125kph in top gear.
Economy
The RTR 180 is almost as frugal as its 160cc cousins in the fuel economy department - capable of 38.4kpl in real-world Indian city conditions, and 40.2kpl on the highway.
Ride & Handling
The Apache RTR 180 runs 17-inch rims at both ends with a telescopic fork front suspension and gas-charged dual shock absorbers assisted by a rectangle section swingarm at the rear. The difference is the wheels are now distanced by a wider wheelbase to add stability, extend the bike’s handling envelope as well as to provide more reassuring high-speed stability.
The new Apache is held together by a dual downtube frame, fine-tuned by TVS R&D to allow the machine to respond with light, taut cornering manners and crisp, neutral handling through almost every condition. The RTR 180 is able to hold its line when flicked into corners, retaining this good composure even when tilted at aggressive angles into high-speed bumpy corners. Ride quality and the seat are comfortable and well suited to most riding conditions.
The rear disc brake never finds the rear wheel dangerously grabbing the tarmac, with TVS having dialled just the correct amount of progression into its operation. Our shortest stop on the 180 saw the bike halt from 60kph in 17.65 metres.
Verdict
8/10
With the RTR 180, TVS brilliantly hits the basic sportsbike buttons spot-on -with scalding acceleration and a respectable top speed supported by light, neutral handling and fierce brakes. That having been said, the RTR 180 has the ingredients to provide performance junkies with a knockout doses of enjoyment. It also makes most of its rivals feel just like mundane commuter bikes.
Specification
ENGINE
Fuel Petrol
Installation Inclined from vertical
Type Alloy block and head
Bore/stroke 62.5/ 57.8mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Valve gear 2 per cylinder, sohc
Power 17.3bhp at 8500rpm
Torque 1.58kgm at 6500rpm
Power to weight 126.3bhp per tonne
Specific output 97.5bhp per litre
Transmission
Type 5-speed
Gearbox 1-down-4-up
Suspension
Front Telescopic forks
Rear Gas shocks, rectangular swingarm
What it Costs
On-road - Mumbai Rs 73,100
Design & EngineeringThe Pulsars were one of India’s best-looking bike family. However, with the third iteration looks seem a bit jaded. The refreshed 180 is still a handsome motorcycle and has improved things by a notch as it borrows some cues from the Pulsar 200 and is now shod with reassuringly fatter front forks from that sibling. What remains unchanged is a black dress-code for this bike’s lower cycle parts, as are sleek alloy rims.
The new 180 comes with trendy Pulsar trademark digital instruments with a bold analog and white-set tachometer that is easy to decipher, and a similar large digital — and contact-free driven — speedometer in a commanding position on the fascia. The instrument console includes an engine redline beacon as also twin-trip gauges that can be independently zeroed via a button.
A fuel gauge along with regular warning icons is standard fare.
New on this bike are sporty clip-on handlebars, atop which are mounted a superb set of switches true to the Pulsar family. These contact-free operation switches have self-canceling indicators that ensure you won’t forget to leave them on after completing a turn. The 180 DTS-i still comes with smart, broad and functional rearview mirrors but they use ill-fitting rubber boots.
The latest Bajaj gets new mini-tank extensions first seen on the Pulsar 200, as well as really smart, upmarket-looking raised letter decals. Also new is a tank pad that protects the rear of the fuel tank from getting scratched by a rider’s belt buckle. The 180 retains its flush-fitting alloy and aircraft-style fuel-filler. While the bike could offer more functional knee recesses, we found its split seat and grab-bar to be welcome new additions. Also used is a sporty-looking exposed and O’ring sealed drive chain.
Flush-fitted LED tail and brake light strips on the sharp rear section make this one of the best-looking tails on Indian roads. The new 180 also uses an extended rear mudguard that provides good illumination for its numberplate. Nice paint quality, good fit and finish, as well as a high level of attention to detail are obvious 180 DTS-i highlights.
Drivetrain & Performance
The 180 DTS-i sticks with an all-alloy cased, four-stroke cycle engine that’s clearly based on the earlier tried-and-tested powerplant. Its single-cylinder is air-cooled and still displaces 178.6cc. Bajaj has used its patented DTS-i technology, which ensures the engine’s twin-plugs are set to ignite together in one instant, thereby delivering higher power output as well as improved fuel economy. The bike also employs ExhausTEC, or a resonance chamber sitting on the silencer that helps pack a healthy punch low in the bike’s power band.
There’s a marginal bump up in power as the bike now delivers 17.02bhp at 8500rpm and 1.45kgm of torque at 6500rpm. While straightline performance is just about identical to the outgoing model on paper despite the new 180 weighing in a few kilos more than its predecessor, the rider benefits from a relatively more refined feel now.
Throttle action is nice and light, with a quick response always at hand, and the bike revs cleanly all the way into its redline without any glitch. It’s a flexible engine too, with five, well-spaced gear ratios that ensure a rider need not play too much with the ’box to extract optimal performance. The cable-operated clutch on our test bike worked well at all times.
We managed to hustle the new 180 from rest to 60kph in 4.83 seconds, going on to pass 100kph in 14.18sec en route to a creditable true top whack of 120kph. We discovered that speedometer error, which was pleasantly absent on the earlier 180, now plays a part on the new Pulsar.
Economy
A larger footprint, four extra kilos and improved performance should have adversely affected economy. But our test proves the price paid has been minimal as DTS-i tech and an overall efficient engine keep the 180 almost as economical as before. Remember, this Indian sportsbike achieved cult status by virtue of not compromising economy despite it being a performance machine. The 180 is good for 43.3kpl in city conditions, and 46kpl on the highway.
Ride & Handling
The Pulsar 180 DTS-i rides on 17-inch rims front and rear, using a twin downtube frame, with its rear swingarm now fabricated from elliptical section metal instead of the rectangular steel used before. The front forks now measure a much healthier 37mm and the bike has also been shod with superior tubeless tyres at both ends, the rear a chunky 120/80 x 17-incher. And, at the rear, the Pulsar 180 still uses twin, gas-charged suspension.
The clip-on handlebars deliver superior feel and the riding position remains unchanged, calling for a modest lean into the handlebars, with slightly rear-set foot-pegs. The 180’s seat is adequately padded.
Handling feels a notch more stable in the straight line, thanks to the uprated suspension and tyres, with turn-in also a little heavier as a direct consequence. There’s a marked improvement in ride quality as the bike soaks up the worst of Indian roads with aplomb. While the new 180 calls upon some extra effort around corners, it stays that much more planted on the road while called upon to execute turns.
The front disc brake has now been upsized with a 260mm diameter rotor, giving the bike really fierce brake bite and capable of bringing this 147kg motorcycle to a stop from 60kph in no more than 15.6 metres.
Verdict
8/10
The new Pulsar 180 DTS-i is an improvement on an already decent bike. Borrowing a raft of features from its 200cc sibling, the 180 now gets fresh appeal. The slender boost in power counters its weight gain and keeps performance at par with the outgoing model, which anyway wasn’t a slouch. Bajaj has surprisingly neglected to equip its new bike with fuel-injection. Still, ride and handling on the new 180 are better than before. Overall, better features and more pizzazz for almost the same price make the new Pulsar 180 DTS-i an interesting alternative to smaller 150cc bikes.
Specification
ENGINE
Fuel Petrol
Installation Inclined from vertical
Type Aluminium-alloy block and head
Bore/stroke 63.5/56.4mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Valve gear 2 per cylinder, sohc
Displacement 178.6cc
Power 17.02bhp at 8500rpm
Torque 1.45kgm at 6500rpm
Power to weight 115.7bhp per tonne
Specific output 95.2bhp per litre
Transmission
Type 5-speed
Gearbox 1-down 4-up
Ratios/kph per 1000 rpm - 1st 2.790/4.3,2nd 1.890/6.4,3rd 1.390/8.6,4th 1.090/ 11,5th 0.930/12.9
Chassis & Body
Wheels 6-spoke alloy, 17 inches
Tyres 90/90 front, 120/80 rear
Suspension
Front Telescopic forks
Rear Gas shocks, elliptical swingarm
Brakes
Front 260mm disc
Rear 130mm drum
What it Costs
On-road - Mumbai Rs 67,500
