The new Tramplr series from Apollo Tyres is a range of rugged tyres meant to fit Indian bikes of various shapes and sizes. There are two models available, the Tramplr ST and the Tramplr XR. We recently got to try out these tyres but our time with the ST was extremely limited, so this article will focus on the more premium offering, the XR.
Both tyres have nice-looking tread patterns, with a few interesting design motifs thrown into the tread and sidewalls. They both also have tread wear indicators built into the tread pattern. Apollo also differentiates itself on how these tyres are packaged, as they ship with a thick canvas wrap that can be reused as a tool roll or a medical kit pouch – nice.
The bike I got to try the tyres out on was a Yezdi Scrambler, and they were quite nice on the off-road terrain we put them through. I am by no means a highly skilled off-road rider, but these tyres felt secure and the levels of traction were easy to read in the slush and loose sandy sections we got to play in.
While Apollo says that XR is 70/30 tyre, 99 percent of riders will probably spend 99 percent of their time riding on the road, if we’re being honest. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to spend any time doing that at the launch event. Nevertheless, the quoted specifications look quite promising.
Apollo says that they’ve tested this tyre both in India and Europe to cover a wide range of testing environments. They chose a pretty high development benchmark in the form of the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyre and they claim that the Tramplr XR outperforms it in terms of grip, braking and wet weather performance.
The company also shared some interesting test data in terms of how long these tyres will last. On a BS6 Bajaj Dominar 400, Apollo’s internal data quotes a front tyre life of 24,512km, while the rear tyre lasted 25,317km. Meanwhile, on a BS6 Royal Enfield Classic 350, the company says it extracted 45,762km from the front and 35,872km from the rear. Of course, all these tests are conducted in a ‘controlled environment’ so what the real-world figures are remains to be seen.
The XR’s overall claimed performance is quite impressive, especially when you consider how much they cost. Prices will depend on size, but Apollo says you can expect to pay around Rs 6,500-12,000 for a set of the XR’s, while the STs will range from Rs 4,500-6,000 rupees for a set.
As most of these tyre tests tend to go, we’ve only got a very basic idea of what the Apollo Tramplr XR is about, so we can only give you a definitive verdict after we’ve spent a lot more time to judge its road manners, how it ages, etc. Until then, the XR appears to be a unique and quite tempting tyre option in the market.
