Autoportal India

The steady pitter patter of the raindrops on my helmet started increasing in intensity, but just about, as the rain gods seemed to change their mind every second minute. The new TVS Ronin I’m astride purred along happily along the narrow twisty roads, and the intermittent drizzle was soon forgotten. Comfort and relaxed easy rideability seem to be the almost perfect recipe on two wheels for a rather wet outing like the one I’m indulging in now. Earlier that morning, we woke up to a downpour, which had somewhat faded out by the time we rolled out of our digs and onto the wet roads of South Goa. But the intermittent drizzle continued, with bouts of heavy rain, as we spent the better part of the day with the Ronin, the latest motorcycle from TVS Motor Company.

The new TVS Ronin has a relaxed vibe to it, but with a smooth and refined engine, with strong low-end torque, and great road manners.

The Ronin started life as the TVS Zeppelin concept shown at the Auto Expo a few years ago, but the production model seems to have taken a road less travelled than what the designers of the original concept had envisioned. Nevertheless, it’s here now, something of a first for TVS, which only has commuter motorcycles, entry-level sporty nakeds and its flagship entry-level sportbike, the RR 310. Whether internal discussions, feedback from multiple brand, strategy and product teams resulted in what the Ronin is, we will never know, but it seems to have undergone a lot of brainstorming to finally become what it is.

According to TVS Motor Company, the Ronin has been designed to address a new range of young riders, looking for a motorcycle with easy rideability, and built for both the daily commute and occasional long rides.

Now, according to TVS, the company wants to target an entirely new breed of riders. And as I chugged along at a leisurely pace, with the smooth four-valve engine belting out a burbly exhaust note, it all seemed to make sense. Easy rideability, leisure riding, new breed of riders, women riders, and even beginners, anyone can swing a leg over the Ronin and not feel intimidated. But does it have all the qualities to make it a successful product for TVS, a company known for making dynamically-sound, well-engineered two-wheelers? Now, that’s the more pertinent question, and something which we intend to find some answers, and possibly some hints and revelations about TVS Motor Company’s future product strategy as well.

The 225 cc, single-cylinder, four-valve engine has a perfect square design, with identical bore and stroke of 66 mm. The difference is, it doesn’t have the trademark thump of a long-stroke engine. In numbers, the Ronin’s 225 cc engine makes 20.1 bhp at 7,750 rpm and 19.93 Nm at 3,750 rpm.

Engine & Performance

The Ronin cranks to life silently, thanks to the integrated started generator (ISG), which was first seen in scooters and then in smaller commuter motorcycles as well. The engine, a 225 cc, single-cylinder, four-valve, single overhead cam unit, has a perfect square design, with identical bore and stroke of 66 mm. The difference is, it doesn’t have the trademark thump of a long-stroke engine of say, a Royal Enfield Classic 350, or a Honda H’ness CB 350, but has higher revs. The four-valves also aid in better refinement, and although high-end performance isn’t in the league of short-stroke or over-square engines, the “perfect square” engine helps achieve a balance between speed and pulling ability.

Low and mid-range tractability is where the Ronin excels at. In fifth gear, you can pull cleanly from 35 kmph without any knocking from the engine, and for riders looking to stay in one gear without too many downshifts in the city, the Ronin will be a boon.

In numbers, the Ronin’s 225 cc engine makes 20.1 bhp at 7,750 rpm and 19.93 Nm at 3,750 rpm. The numbers may look like a long-stroke unit of one of the most popular modern classic models, but in character, the Ronin feels a lot more refined, is eager to rev freely and is complemented by a bassy and burbly soundtrack from the exhaust. The assist and slipper clutch offers a light and easy feel on the clutch lever, and the 5-speed gearbox offers precise shifts. The gearbox internals are the same as the Apache 200’s, but the gearing has been changed to be shorter, to aid in more tractability at low speeds at higher

The four-valve engine is smooth, the 5-speed gearbox slick, and the clutch lever light with the assist and slipper clutch. Overall, engine feel is quite refined and well-engineered, but top-end performance is a little lacking, if that is a consideration.

Acceleration isn’t back-slapping, but it revs freely close to 8,000 rpm and the speedo shows 100 kmph and beyond when prodded. We saw a speedo-indicated top speed of around 107 kmph, before we ran out of a closed road during a test run. But low and mid-range tractability is where the Ronin excels at. In fifth gear, you can pull cleanly from 35 kmph without any knocking from the engine, and for riders looking to stay in one gear without too many downshifts in the city, the Ronin will be a boon. On the flip side though, better acceleration would have certainly made a stronger impression, as would have better top-end performance.

The TVS Ronin excels in its dynamics. Front-end feel is very planted, ride quality is plush, and even in the wet, the Ronin offers a sure-footed planted feel.

Ride & Handling

Where the Ronin makes a very strong impression is in its dynamics. The chassis, a double-cradle, split steel frame, offers a stable feeling, but it’s also light and easy on its feet with its 160 kg kerb weight. The front end feels planted and sure-footed, even in the wet, and the 41 mm Showa forks certainly aren’t there just for premium appeal! Show it a corner or two, the Ronin, even in the wet, is up for some hustling, and offers very good confidence to the rider. Even the gas-charged monoshock offers a plush ride quality, which just glides over road imperfections.

The TVS Ronin comes with ABS with two modes in the top-end variant, with Urban and Rain modes. Brakes are quite effective, even in the wet, but what stands out is the excellent ride quality and superb handling.

The brakes, with dual-channel ABS in the top-spec variant, offer good bite and progression, and complement the tyres in grip and stopping power. And of course, TVS offers two ABS modes, Urban and Rain, so there’s an added layer of confidence and safety in the braking system as well. The block-pattern tyres hint at some rough riding ability, although the Ronin is no off-roader (not that TVS is lacking in any experience in MX events, and even reputed international rally raid events, including the Dakar). The Ronin though, has good grip, and the tyres help in tackling surfaces with less traction, as we found out during our first ride in mostly rain drenched surfaces. The ABS modes will prove a boon to new riders, especially in low traction conditions.