This is the first adventure bike from TVS, that too with a brand-new 300cc engine!

Quick News Highlights

• The Apache RTX300 is more of a road-biased adventure tourer than an off-road-oriented one

Price, Variants & Rivals

The pricing for all the variants are extremely competitive considering the fact they're loaded with features. The starting price is on par with the Yezdi Adventure, its main rival in the 300cc segment, and also the Suzuki V-Strom SX 250. On the other hand, the top variant undercuts even the smaller-engined KTM 250 Adventure.

Design

Even though the Apache RTX 300 is an ADV, it has managed to retain the typical sportiness associated with Apache bikes, thanks to the sharp-looking bodywork. In some ways, it reminds us of the Triumph Tiger Sport 660. That said, it still has the typical ADV-like elements, including a tall windscreen, knuckle guards (optional), a sharp beak-like fender (also optional), and a muscular-looking quarter-fairing setup. All in all, we really like the design as it looks every bit modern.

It is offered in 5 colors: Viper Green, Tarn Bronze, Metallic Blue, Lightning Black and Pearl White. Out of the 5 colours, we really love the Viper Green the most as it looks very unique and flashy.

Engine & Performance

The Apache RTX 300 is powered by a 299.1cc E20-compliant, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine which produces 36PS at 9,000rpm, 28.5Nm at 7,000rpm. This is the most powerful 300cc adventure bike in India. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch.

The brand has made some internal tweaks to the engine to make it more durable and also to ensure it stays cool. The bike is offered with 4 riding modes: Rally, Tour, Urban and Rain which modulate power delivery. More about them in the 'features' section. With the Top and BTO variants, riders can get a bidirectional quickshifter as standard.

Underpinnings

The TVS Apache RTX 300 is built on a new trellis frame and a die-cast aluminum swingarm. It is suspended on an inverted fork with compression and rebound adjustment, and a monoshock with preload adjustment (with the BTO variant). The bike rolls on a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear alloy wheel setup, with radial tyres.Radial tyres have more flexible sidewalls compared to conventional ones, thereby offering better confidence while cornering.

The braking setup consists of a 320mm petal disc at the front (with radial caliper) and a petal disc at the rear, with dual-channel ABS. The bike has a ground clearance of 200mm which is pretty good for a touring-friendly ADV.

Features

The bike gets a 5-inch TFT console that displays speed, time, fuel-level, tachometer readings, along with odometer and tripmeter readouts. The console offers smartphone connectivity and related features such as call/SMS alerts, GoPro Control, and map-mirroring (full-fledged navigation that broadcasts the map from the smartphone - works with both Android and iPhone). This feature is only available for the Top and BTO variants of the bike.

The console also offers a distance-to-empty readout, along with a top-speed and 0-60kmph acceleration recorder. TVS has offered a full-LED lighting setup, with a variable intensity headlight that adjusts its brightness depending on the bike's speed (only on Top & BTO variants).

The bike features a ride-by-wire throttle, and a range of riding aids.It includes a traction control system, cruise control, wheelie control and switchable rear-ABS. The riding modes work alongside different levels of ABS as well as traction control settings. There are 3 ABS modes on offer: Rally, Urban and Rain, whereas, the traction control system is offered with 2 modes: Rally and Urban. Riders can toggle through these via the left-hand side switchgear, which is the same as the one we have seen on the TVS Apache RR 310. TVS is also offering adjustable levers.

The switchable ABS allows riders to turn off ABS at the rear wheel, making the bike better suited for off-road riding as experienced riders will then be able to perform controlled slides. Lastly, with the BTO variant, you can also get a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Accessories

The bike is offered with genuine accessories developed by TVS in collaboration with popular brand Givi, a premium motorcycle accesories brand (for the luggage system). There's a USB charging port on the left handlebar, an engine bashplate, crashguards, knuckle guards, side panniers, a tank bag and a top box as well.

TVS Adventure Academy

TVS has also announced that they will be launching their very own adventure academy, which will help riders learn offroad riding from experts. This is similar to KTM Pro-XP, and will be a good opportunity for enthusiasts to improve their skills under the guidance of expert riders.

BikeDekho Says

The Apache RTX300 is a bold new direction for TVS - into the fast-growing adventure segment. This segment started off with the Royal Enfield Himalayan 411, then the 300cc space became popular thanks to the launch of the Yezdi Adventure and the BMW G 310 GS. Now with the GS gone (to be replaced by the much more powerful F 450 GS), only the Yezdi Adventure (which recently received an update) is left in the 300cc category. This makes the Apache RTX300 the only other bike in this displacement category.

TVS has a distinct advantage here as it is able to take advantage of the lower tax structure under the new GST 2.0 regulations, where bikes with engines of 350cc and below attract 18% GST as opposed to 28% GST. This ensures that the Apache RTX300 remains a solid option for those looking for a touring-friendly adventure bike with lots of features and looks that grab attention - that too at a fairly affordable price point.