The TVS Apache RTR 160 2025 Review is an in-depth analysis of the definitive motorcycle in the 160cc sporty commuter segment, a machine that successfully blends TVS’s renowned racing heritage with the daily demands of urban riding. The 2025 model year receives highly significant, performance-enhancing, and safety-focused updates, notably introducing dual-channel ABS on its top variant for the first time. The Apache RTR 160 maintains its core specialization—a sharp, quick, and engaging performance motorcycle—while elevating its safety and compliance features to meet modern standards. This review dissects the high-revving engine, details the advanced new safety technology, evaluates its track-focused handling and urban comfort, and confirms the competitive price positioning that secures its market appeal in India.
Engine Specs and Performance: The R.T.R Racing Specialization
The raw, engaging performance of the TVS Apache RTR 160 2025 Review subject is powered by its high-revving engine, reflecting the brand’s “Racing Throttle Response” (RTR) pedigree.
The 159.7cc Air-Cooled Engine
The motorcycle retains its trusted $159.7\text{ cc}$ single-cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine. This unit is engineered for a sporty character and high power output relative to its segment. The engine generates a maximum power of $16.04\text{ PS}$ (15.81 bhp) at $8,750\text{ rpm}$ and a peak torque of $13.85\text{ Newton-metres}$ at $7,000\text{ rpm}$.
The specialization here is its power-to-weight ratio. With a light kerb weight of approximately $138\text{ kg}$, the RTR 160 offers responsive acceleration and agility, making it excellent for quick sprints and carving through city traffic. The engine is mated to a reliable 5-speed manual transmission, perfectly geared to extract strong mid-range performance. The motorcycle has a verified top speed of $107\text{ kmph}$. For the 2025 model year, the engine is updated to be OBD-2B compliant, ensuring it meets the latest emission and on-board diagnostics standards without compromising its performance edge.
Riding Modes and Urban Specialization
The Apache RTR 160 includes TVS’s electronic riding modes—Sport, Urban, and Rain. These modes are a significant technological specialization in this price bracket, allowing the rider to adjust the bike’s performance parameters.
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- Sport Mode: Delivers maximum power and sharpest throttle response for open roads.
- Urban/Rain Mode: Softens the throttle response and slightly restricts peak power (to around $13.32\text{ PS}$) to ensure safer, more manageable riding in dense traffic or wet conditions.The inclusion of Glide Through Technology (GTT) is a crucial urban specialization. GTT allows the rider to move the bike at low speeds (up to $7\text{ kmph}$ in first gear, up to $17\text{ kmph}$ in third gear) without applying throttle, mitigating clutch use and fatigue in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
New Features and Technology: Dual-Channel ABS Specialization
The most impactful update for the TVS Apache RTR 160 2025 Review subject is the introduction of a game-changing safety feature, positioning it as a leader in rider protection.
Dual-Channel ABS (D-ABS)
The headline feature is the introduction of Dual-Channel ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) on the top-end variant. This is a first for the Apache RTR 160 series, which previously only offered single-channel ABS (on the front wheel). Dual-channel ABS provides significantly enhanced safety by monitoring and preventing lock-up on both the front and rear wheels during sudden or hard braking, especially on slippery surfaces. This specialization provides superior control and rider confidence and is a major value addition in the highly competitive 160cc segment.
Digital Cockpit and Connectivity
The bike features a fully digital instrument console that is clean and legible. The top variants (Disc BT and Dual Channel ABS) feature TVS SmartXonnect Bluetooth connectivity. This system, paired with a smartphone app, offers crucial information directly on the cluster, including:
- Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Essential for navigating city streets.
- Call/SMS Alerts: Displaying notifications on the screen.
- Crash Alert System: A unique safety feature that notifies pre-set contacts in the event of a crash.The motorcycle also receives fresh graphics and a sporty colour palette (e.g., Matte Black and Pearl White with red alloy wheels) to maintain its aggressive, track-inspired styling.
Mileage, Comfort, and Handling: Blending Sport and Commute
The TVS Apache RTR 160 2025 Review subject achieves a fine balance between its racing DNA and the practical needs of daily commuting.
Fuel Economy and Riding Range
The ARAI certified mileage for the RTR 160 is a respectable $47\text{ kmpl}$ (the higher-spec 4V model often achieves better mileage due to its four-valve engine architecture). Owner-reported mileage typically hovers around $40\text{ kmpl}$ to $45\text{ kmpl}$ in real-world city use. This balance of power and efficiency makes it an attractive choice, offering a decent range for both urban commuting and weekend rides from its $12\text{-litre}$ fuel tank.
Comfort and Handling Dynamics
The bike sits on a Double Cradle Synchro Stiff chassis, providing a rigid and stable base for its performance. The suspension setup is composed of telescopic front forks and Monotube Inverted Gas-filled Shox (MIG) with spring aid at the rear. While this setup offers sharp handling and agility—a key specialization for aggressive cornering—the suspension is tuned to be slightly on the stiffer side, which can translate to a firmer ride quality on heavily broken or poor roads. The seat height of $790\text{ mm}$ is accessible for most riders, and the riding posture is slightly sporty but comfortable enough for daily use.
Pros, Cons, and Price in India
The TVS Apache RTR 160 2025 Review confirms the motorcycle’s evolution into a safer, technologically advanced, and highly competitive package.
Pros (Advantages)
The major advantages are the segment-leading addition of Dual-Channel ABS on the top variant, the high power-to-weight ratio ensuring quick acceleration and agility, the inclusion of Riding Modes and GTT for superior urban usability, the SmartXonnect Bluetooth system with navigation and safety alerts, and the sharp, aggressive styling that appeals to young buyers.
Cons (Drawbacks)
The primary drawbacks include the lack of a sixth gear (leading to higher engine strain/vibrations on long highway runs), the slightly stiffer suspension tuning which impacts comfort on poor roads, the continued reliance on a basic two-valve, air-cooled engine (while the 4V version is better, the base 160 retains the older architecture), and the relatively conservative top speed compared to some rivals.
Expected Price in India
The pricing of the TVS Apache RTR 160 2025 is competitive, with the new safety features leading to a slight increase in the top-tier variants. The estimated Ex-Showroom Price in India for the key variants are:
- Standard Drum Brake: Approximately $\text{₹}1,12,000$ to $\text{₹}1,16,000$.
- RM Disc Bluetooth: Approximately $\text{₹}1,19,000$ to $\text{₹}1,23,000$.
- Dual-Channel ABS (Top Variant): Approximately $\text{₹}1,24,000$ to $\text{₹}1,34,320$.
The final On-Road Price in India for the top Dual-Channel ABS variant is estimated to range from $\text{₹}1,45,000$ to $\text{₹}1,55,000$ depending on the city and local taxes, confirming its strong value proposition as a safe, stylish, and high-performance commuter.
