TVS Tyres is not a name that is new to anyone. They have been present in both domestic and international markets for a while now. In 2019 though, TVS Tyres went under a radical change. They rebranded themselves as TVS Eurogrip and the change wasn’t skin deep either.
There was a polar shift in the ethos where their focus changed from commuter-tyres-only to including passionate bikers as well. The game plan was to inculcate exclusivity and superior quality. With a bevvy of new launches, they followed up on their game plan and now, in 2023, they’re here with their new ADV and superbike tyres!
According to TVS Eurogrip, in the past 3 years alone, they have been on a record streak of launching products. To be numerically precise, they have launched 48 new products in the past 36 months. Maintaining that amazing streak, they plan to launch 25 new products in 2023. In their pursuit to be the best, they have worked on their manufacturing facility. In addition to the already high-tech machines and processes, they have a machine, the only one in India, that is meant for practical testing within the facility!
When we got the invite for a launch by TVS Eurogrip, we were expecting some good stuff but what we got was more than stunning. After the manufacturing facility visit, we also got to speak to the leadership team of TVS Eurogrip; Mr V Natarajan, Head, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, Mr Madhavan Parthasarathy, EVP, Sales and Marketing, Mr. Sivaramakrishnan Viswanathan, CTO, and Ms Kavitha Ganesan, Head, Brand Marketing.
After a presentation that included their past achievements, and their massive range of tyres for a variety of products, we finally got to the point that we were waiting for more eagerly than anything else- the launch of TVS Eurogrip Roadhound. It is a four-compound tyre which is mighty complex in itself. At the centre, we have compounds working towards stability and longevity while at the shoulders we have two more focused on stiffness and cornering stability.
This seemed all good on paper but we wanted to see how they went in the real world. So after the presentation and the factory visit, we left for the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. After all, a superbike tyre aimed at providing a great cornering experience is best experienced on a racetrack. And the technical layout of Kari Motor Speedway would prove to be the ultimate test for the new Roadhound tyres from Eurogrip.
The lineup of motorcycles included a Honda CBR 650F, a Kawasaki Ninja 650, a Kawasaki Z650, a Harley-Davidson Street 750, and a Benelli TRK 502. From an inline-4 to torquey twins, the lineup had enough variety to really make sense of the Roadhound tyres. Before hitting the track, we met with Mr Toshihiro Wakayama, a racer, instructor, author, and advisor on vehicle dynamics. With the 7 books that he has published on vehicle dynamics and his expansive resume, we knew that we could expect some fireworks and that is exactly what we got.
After his lead, we took it to the track and tested the tyres on each motorcycle one by one. No matter how different each bike was, the one thing that remained was the performance of the tyres. Be it under the hard acceleration of the twins or the screaming top end of the inline-4, the Roadhound tyres remained unfazed and the stability and grip on offer was phenomenal. In the corners too, we had the utmost confidence to push further and further with each passing lap. And our feelings resonated with all the riders from the media community that had descended on Kari Motor Speedway to test these tyres.
Overall, we came back very impressed with the performance of the TVS Eurogrip Roadhound tyres. TVS Eurogrip had a lot of faith in these tyres and it was not misplaced. The tyres proved their mettle with superb grip, brilliant handling, and overall amazing performance. That said, we cannot wait to shod the superbike fleet at #xBhpGarage and see how they go!
