TVS has used the Auto Expo in Delhi to unveil the Akula 310 - a fully-faired take on the BMW G310R it builds at its factory in the south of India.
Akula is Russian for ‘shark’ and the bike has been developed by TVS’s in-house racing team as a celebration of the company’s history in racing. With its unpainted carbon bodywork, nicely styled front end and R1-esque seat unit, the Akula certainly looks predatory.
The engine also promises to provide performance to match those looks, because the Akula 310 is powered by the 313cc single-cylinder engine from the G310R, which TVS says it’s retuned for more power.
Threre aren't any power figures at the moment but as a reminder, the BMW G310R makes a claimed 34hp and 20.6lb/ft torque in standard trim. A hike in power is likely to bring the Akula in line with the kind of 40+hp on offer from the likes of the Yamaha R3 and KTM RC 390.
Aside from the carbon-fibre bodywork, the Akula is also said to feature a selection of lightweight parts, but there are no more detail available about what they are. However, its racing credentials are bolstered by the fact that its got a force-red air box, fairing fins, and even has an inbuilt gyro camera.
TVS has given the Akula a different subframe but it looks like the suspension and brakes are straight off the BMW. The exhaust system is also the same as the G310R's, but TVS has added a new silencer to suit the Akula's sportsbike looks.
Although this is a concept, reports from India say it will be in production by the end of the year. It remains to be seen whether BMW produces anything similar based around the G310R.
The Akula's unveiling follows a rumour from India that said TVS was working on a fully-faired bike based on the G310R platform and codenamed 'U69'. A speculative rendering of the bike left us a little underwhelmed.
Thanks to MotorBeam for the photos.
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