We all have our favourite artists, right? People who have honed and refined their art forms to such a fine point that we cannot help but admire them. If one looks a little deeper though, there’s this question that one will always find looming. What is art? In our view, it is self-expression. The outlets take various shapes but in the end, it is about putting what is inside one, out there. In a philosophical sense, of course. These outlets are what we call art forms. Writing, music, acting, painting or sketching; are all art forms.
Now, what if we combine multiple art forms? Well, writing and music give us songs. Even more complex are movies. Art has been at the core of xBhp as well— writing, photography, videography, editing, and so on. But for us, motorcycling is also an art and has been at the centre of all our artistic endeavours. Recently, we came upon a motorcycle that embodies this idea of motorcycling being art like nothing else- the TVS Apache RTR 310 or… the Freestyler.
We say that because one of the key ingredients for cooking art is freedom and the TVS Apache RTR 310 has been designed keeping that in mind. It is built to provide the rider with everything they need to express their love for motorcycling as Monty Singh will show you in this project. On top of that, we also added xBhp Core Team Member Ankita Arora’s sketching in the mix and that’s that.
Talking about the motorcycle, the Apache RTR 310 is brilliant. It has everything one can ask for in a motorcycle and then some. It stands out in terms of engine performance, its dynamic capabilities are exceptional and it is a class apart in terms of technology. On top of that, it looks stellar too. The design is like the outward manifestation of that Freestyler spirit that TVS refers to when they talk about the Apache RTR 310. Every reason that we could think of to make it a part of the xBhp Garage was right there in front of us.
Now ever since we have got it, our minds have been flooded with the stuff we can do with it. In the previous issue, you read about our time with it in the Lodhi Art District where the motorcycle felt right at home. For this project, we wanted to do something more than just appreciate the idea of the Freestyler. We wanted to bring it to life and with Ankita Arora at the helm of visualising and sketching our ideas and Monty Singh ready to enact them, we were off.
The Axor Apex Venomous is not only a scorcher in terms of looks but offers unmatched comfort and protection that comes standard with the Axor Apex series helmets.
As you can see, our ideas included a lot of stunting. Burnouts, wheelies, drifting, sliding, stoppies; the whole thing. After all, stunting is also an art form and the TVS Apache RTR 310 is the perfect tool for it. If motorcycling is painting, it is the paintbrush. If motorcycling is music, it is a guitar. If motorcycling is sketching, it is just about the best pencil you can ask for. Ask Monty Singh, a professional stunt rider renowned for his antics and he’ll tell you the same.
No less than the most beautiful examples of art in the world at a standstill, the Apache RTR 310 is capable and dynamic enough to be called ‘poetry in motion’.
Let us get a bit technical now and try to break down the reasons why the Apache RTR 310 is so good at what it does. We’ll start with the engine. It is the same mill as the TVS Apache RR 310 but it has been reworked extensively to suit what TVS had in mind for the Apache RTR 310. It has a little more power and a little more torque along with shorter gearing for even more punch. It is just as good as getting you out of sticky situations at the twist of a throttle as it is at raising that front wheel off the ground in a grand salute to the motorcycling gods.
Protected by Rynox with the Tornado Pro 4 jacket, Airtexpants, and Helium GT gloves, our rider had nothing to worry about as he turned riding a motorcycle into a dance.
In terms of handling, everything is on point; from the brakes to the suspension to the chassis. It is predictable, quick, and docile. It can turn on a dime, drop the anchors in a hurry, and rocksteady whether you are accelerating in a straight line or sweeping through a corner. That predictability also makes it ideal for shenanigans the likes of which you see here.
With a well-judged chassis complemented by sharp steering, the Apache RTR 310 never feels nervous or twitchy; even when the power is pushing the rear wheel out, the tyre is making clouds out of smoke and you are counter-steering the heck out of it to keep everything in line. It even reads like a lot of work but on the Apache RTR 310, it does not feel like that. All of this left Monty greatly impressed. We concur because the man knows of what he speaks!
Devoid of many modifications, the Apache RTR 310 felt right at home with whatever Monty tried with it. We have ridden it in the city and the highways alike and it felt like home there as well. We tested it on a bumpy track in Thailand and while the track was overwhelming, the Apache RTR 310 never felt that way thanks to the extensive suite of electronics.
Monty has been doing stunts for the past 18 years in which 14 he spent working as a stunt rider professionally. From Bollywood movies to TV commercials, Monty is renowned for his ability to make a motorcycle dance to his tunes, as he did with the Apache RTR 310.
In a word- freedom. It allows you to do whatever you want with it and it sticks by you. It allows you to express yourself the way you want to. And we reiterate that freedom is the key ingredient in art. Freestyling is art and, well, now you can tell why the Apache RTR 310 is called ‘the’ Freestyler.
