A proper ‘Cruiser’ with Substance and Panache | Tech Reddy

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TVS Motor Company has come up with some of the most popular motorcycles that the Indian audience has seen in the last few years. Be it the Apache war series or the classic Conqueror series, each has its own unique features and is highly applauded by auto pundits. But with the Ronin, TVS thought of trying something that it had never dared to do until now, and that people have come to expect from a bike maker. Well, here we are talking about TVS entering the cruiser motorcycle segment which has been dominated by brands like Royal Enfield, Jawa and Bajaj for many years.

The TVS Ronin is the first attempt in the cruiser segment of bikes from the brand and in more ways than one, it has succeeded. Although many of you here will argue that the Ronin doesn’t particularly fit in the solid segment due to a few Scrambler-ish elements but the effort from TVS is valiant. We had the bike with us for a few days and here’s what we found:

TVS Ronin design

The TVS Ronin is not an out and out Scrambler; instead the styling appears to be an amalgamation of many motorcycles. In particular, it seemed to me that the designers of TVS took a lot of inspiration from old school motorcycles. The front fascia is dominated by a rotating headlamp and the AHO function is well managed by the T-shaped LED DRL. The inclusion of gold colored USD front forks is a welcome move as it compliments the headlamp design as well.

TVS Ronin. (Photo: Manav Sinha/News18.com)

The turn indicators are sleek and house LED units. The bike rides on 9 spoke alloy wheels while other styling elements include engine casings in black shade, large belly pan, and black exhaust pipe with silver tip. The rear end boasts of an LED light cluster. Another notable feature here is that the TVS has LED lights everywhere, whether it’s the headlamp, the turn indicators or the tail lights.

Also Read: TVS Ronin in Pics – Check Design, Features & More in Details

Features of TVS Ronin

To begin with, the TVS Ronin boasts a single-pod instrument cluster that is fully digital in nature and provides a range of information to the rider such as distance to empty, gear shift indicator and side engine limiter. The seat is a one-piece unit in a brown finish that is reasonably comfortable for the passenger as well as the pillion and soft cushioning. Buyers also get an optional USB charger but the center of attraction remains the TVS Smart Xonnect Bluetooth connectivity system as it works well with multiple features such as phone and message alerts, turn-by-turn, and voice assistance.

TVS Ronin. (Photo: Manav Sinha/News18.com)

The Ronin also comes with Urban and Rain riding modes. The keys are precisely placed for the convenience of the passenger while the plastic used is also of the highest quality. The company has not compromised anywhere in terms of quality and one gets full value for money spent.

TVS Ronin Ride, Braking and Handling

Sitting on a double cradle split synchro rigid frame, the TVS Ronin features 41 mm USD Showa forks as front suspension and mono-shock with 7-step adjustable pre-load as rear suspension. The overall suspension system is quite competent and during our ride, we noticed that it absorbed a lot of potholes because it was softer than most of us thought. That’s why, it felt comfortable to ride the bike even in bad places.

The riding position is upright on the Ronin with easy access to the handlebar. Front-mounted footpegs provide a comfortable ride to the rider. So, in the ride and handling department, the TVS Ronin performs much better than our expectations.

TVS Ronin. (Photo: Manav Sinha/News18.com)

In terms of braking, the bike is equipped with a 300 mm disc unit at the front and a 240 mm disc unit at the rear with dual-channel ABS. The overall braking system is excellent and the braking distance is very less. During fast braking at high speeds, the bike was stable and didn’t feel dangerous. A special mention goes to the adjustable brake and clutch levers for the convenience of the rider.

TVS Ronin Engine and Performance

The TVS Ronin is powered by a BS6-compliant 225.9 cc single-cylinder oil-cooled petrol engine that produces a maximum power of 20.2 bhp at 7,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 19.93 Nm at 3,750 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch which is a welcome option for the brand. The engine performs very well on highways at high speeds and is in line with most 350 cc cruiser motorcycles currently on sale in India. To be precise, it does the 0-100kmph sprint in 14.19 seconds while the 0-60kmph sprint is completed in just 4.26 seconds.

TVS Ronin. (Photo: Manav Sinha/News18.com)

TVS has installed a silent start system that is almost noiseless at the touch of a switch. The engine is smooth, refined and peppy. Riders may experience vibration at higher speeds, say after 100km/h. During city riding, the Ronin is not too difficult to ride, with the help of Glide Through Technology (GTT) which enables the rider to pass through dense traffic by releasing the clutch in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears without the need to accelerate. indeed. The mileage you get with this bike is between 30-35km/h. All said and done, the TVS Ronin excels in the performance arena with a 225.9 cc engine that works effortlessly at high (well, not triple digits) and low speeds.

TVS Ronin Verdict

TVS Ronin is available in three variants namely SS, DS and TD at a price range of 1.49-1.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in the Indian market. With the launch of the Ronin, TVS has tried to enter a field dominated only by Royal Enfield and it will not be an understatement to say that it has succeeded in its tryst. It is a brave effort by TVS engineers to make this motorcycle perform well.

TVS Ronin. (Photo: Manav Sinha/News18.com)

It directly locks horns with the bigger and more powerful Royal Enfield Hunter 350 but priced in the same range. It would be good for RE bikes if TVS gets more people to test ride the Ronin before the Royal Enfield bikes as they are compatible and better in some areas. Design is a pretty independent thing and it varies from person to person, so there are no opinions there but in some departments, Ronin wins the heart.

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