Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

2 years 2 months old with 39k on the odo

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

39000 in roughly 26 months !!!
This is not normal !!
Did you visit mars on your rtr ??

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

Hi bro, my RTR has clocked 28k kms and as per user manual, I have missed piston decarbonization at 18k kms and master cylinder cups replacement at 21k kms..

I guess what you have done takes care of both these things if I am not wrong.. And how do I get to know it's time to replace bore piston kit for my bike.? Will there be any performance decrease when it's time ?

And do we need to do something like running-in period for 1000kms after replacing it.?

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

Bike will start consuming engine oil. There will be a decrease in engine oil level and at high rpms you will be able to see some smoke coming out of exhaust.
Yes, you will have to run-in the bike.
I'm currently running-in after opting for new bore piston kit
[MENTION=63056]Abishek94[/MENTION] already completed the run-in buddy? Damn! I'm still at 400 or so:banghead:

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180


I wish I could :P
I was just calculating, jan 2015 was the first time I rode with Xbhp Bangalore chapter and the odo was at 19k then. 10 months down the line, odo is at 39k :P so that's 20k km in 10 months :P

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180


1400km done and probably another 400km to be done tom :P first 600-700km of run-in was mostly in city so that engine doesn't get stressed too much. From about 800km to 1300km was done in 2 days time :P

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180


You can get decarbonization done now also. Master cylinder sounds like something related to the brakes reservoir and not the engine.. Check up on that.
About the engine, what [MENTION=76203]sanjaynk15[/MENTION] said is true, look out for those signs..

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

Thanks for the clarification bro.. By the way from which service centre did you get it done?

I recently shifted near HSR layout and am facing difficulty finding good service centers near by.. Kubera TVS in HSR felt good when I visited but it has very bad reviews on Google..

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

I'm a bit more careful to get the engine opened for decarbonization as even a small mistake by the mechanics can ruin the engine..

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180


I bought the parts from tvs Service centre and took it to my mechanic who did it in front of me.. After searching for a decent tvs svc for 1 and a half years, I finally gave up and started servicing my bike by myself only for engine work like bore piston replacement I go to my mech..

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

Servicing the bike yourself?? Great bro.. :-D

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

Hi Abhishek, sorry to hear about the engine failure on your not so old bike ( I still remember you posting in this thread about your purchase - a couple of years back I guess). I have been away from this thread and forum for quite a while. So forgive me for asking - Could you please let us know (in a bit of detail) what caused it. If you have already posted it, please share the link.

My bike, (RTR 160) is still around 32K and this has had me worried a bit. Is this failure seen only in the new 180s? Asking it since I had seen the older 180s run without any issues for over 50K and another owner of new 180 too has reported the issue.

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

That is not engine failure bro.. Just wear and tear of piston.. It happens with every bike.. With time and distance traveled, the piston gets worn out and will not be able to guide in maximum power output.. Then you will have to replace it..

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180


Alert: Relatively long post ! :P
That's a good question, and I have been thinking of the same too for a while now. First, let me tell you my pattern of usage from when I bought my bike - run in was strictly under 4000 rpm.. There was hardly any instance where I took it above 4000rpm during the first 700-800km. (was too scared then about a new engine and also lack of knowledge about run in.) Then till about 10-12k km on the odo, my riding was strictly restricted to city riding, hence relatively lower rpms. It was only after 15k km on the odo that I started riding on highways. So the engine probably never got a chance to open up till about 15-17k km on the odo.
After this phase, what followed was extensive highway riding at say 7-8k rpm along with regular city usage. The first time I observed a drop in oil level was at around 24000km and on consulting some knowledgeable people on this forum like Psr sir and Divya bhai, I got to know that the piston rings were slowly wearing out but it was still early stages. My riding continued in full swing till about 37k on the odo when I decided I had enough of topping up of oil after every long ride and needed a change. Also, while riding long distance, it is important to have the peace of mind that the bike you are riding is in good condition.
So basically, there was no failure of engine, rather I chose to change the bore piston kit which would have given up in probably another 7-8000km.
So in conclusion, an air cooled, short stroke, undergeared engine could not endure sustained high rpm riding. Which is not so surprising given the configuration of the engine.
Another contributing factor is that rtr being an undergeared bike, the rpms are higher compared to other similiar capacity bikes. Like in rtr 180, 100kmph comes up at 7.3rpm roughly in top gear.. Which is comparitively higher, hence more heat and more wear and tear of components compared to probably 200ns in which 100kmph comes up at 6.7rpm (NS has a sixth gear). Based on my experience, I would say the rtr is a very good and capable city bike with abundance of torque.
If there was one feature I Wish for in the rtr, it will be a sixth gear. I am satisfied with all other specs and features of this bike. For example, my chain sprocket set is still the stock factory fitted one (now 40k km old) and looks like it has a bit more life left. Same with the clutch plates and rear brake pads. (though it depends a lot on usage pattern)
Now coming to the new bore piston kit :P the run in I followed was very different to the previous run in. Till 200km rpm was restricted to 4500rpm, Next 200km rpm was restricted to 5000rpm and the next 200km rpm was restricted to 6000rpm. With short bursts to higher rpms all along the run in phase. Hoping that this bore piston kit will last longer than the first one. If not, then maybe its time to upgrade :P
This wear nd tear of Bore-piston cannot be attributed to only the new rtr's... As both versions share the exact same engine and internals (tvs claims improvement in engine cooling in the new ones (which I don't believe)). [MENTION=13887]prateek2210[/MENTION]'s rtr's engine gave up somewhere around 25k km on the odo (if I remember right) and he owns the older version while shahbaz bhai owned the newer version and had done 55k km without any problems on the stock bore piston kit itself.
Well, I haven't heard of such a problem in rtr 160's uptill now. So you can relax for now :P

Re: TVS Apache RTR 180

I understand that, but 39k is too early for that and IMO premature wear-out of piston is indeed a sign of premature engine failure. Anyway, I'd like to hear about the oil change interval followed, riding pattern, RPMs at which gears were usually changed just to understand what I might be looking at down the road