With so many small-capacity motorcycles coming out of India at the moment, standouts can be difficult to spot. But every once in a while, a moto comes along that's interesting enough to break through the noise. The TVS Apache RTX could just be that moto.
TVS is a well-known bikemaker that operates in 80+ countries, largely operating in sub sub-300cc category of motorcycles. Its strategic partnership with the likes of BMW and the recent acquisition of British bikemaker Norton Motorcycles have done much to garner global interest, and it feels like the time is just about right for a new product to break through.
The company launched the Apache RTX in India this week, and I have to say, it looks solid. In case you’re wondering, RTX stands for Rally, Tourer, and Xtreme – all characteristics of what is essentially an adventure tourer as opposed to an all-out adventure bike. This makes sense when you see that it gets a 19-17-inch wheel setup.
Powering the moto is a liquid-cooled 299.1cc single-cylinder, four-stroke motor that produces roughly 36 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 21 lb.ft (28.5 Nm) of peak torque at 7,000 rpm. The motor comes mated to a 6-speed transmission and an assist and slipper clutch with a bi-directional quickshifter to make shifts as easy as they can get.
By the looks of it, the RTX definitely seems bigger than other motorcycles of this class. There’s definitely a hint of Triumph Tiger and Honda Transalp in there for the eagle-eyed. A steel-trellis frame and a die-cast aluminum swingarm make up the skeleton of the moto.
It has a big stance, which gives it big road presence too, thanks to the semi-fairing that finishes off with integrated dual LED headlamps. A tall windshield seems functional while the footpegs and handlebars are neutrally positioned for optimum on and off-road comfort.
The bike features a split seat setup, a rear luggage rack, and crash bars for engine protection. You don’t see a lot of bikes with gold forks in the class. Yet here we have a suspension system made up of 41-mm upside-down, fully-adjustable telescopic forks and a rear mono-shock with a floating piston. Travel at the front and back is the same – 7 inches (180 mm).
You get star-shaped alloy wheels that are wrapped in special compound Eurogrip tires. Braking is supported by a 320-mm disc with a fixed caliper and a 240-mm disc with a floating caliper at the front and back, respectively. Dual-channel ABS is standard and switchable.
TVS has equipped the RTX with the RT-LSC suite of electronics. You get four ride modes: Tour, Rally, Urban, and Rain. The electronic suite also includes Rally ABS, Traction Control, and Cruise Control.
All of this can be accessed via the 5-inch TFT instrument cluster, which is Bluetooth-enabled. It sports features like Map Mirroring with Google Maps, Digital Doc transfer, TPMS, and an option to control your GoPro. TVS’ SmartXonnect app further adds up to 38+ connected features, including last parked location.
But here’s what impressed me the most: the MSRP. With a starting price of INR 199,000 (around US$2,300 per direct conversion) for the base variant, you’re effectively looking at one of the cheapest adventure tourers in the world. Pricing goes steps up to INR 229,000 (US$3,400) for the top-spec BTO (Built To Order) variant.
You get a choice of five colorways: Viper Green (my personal favorite), Tarn Bronze, Metallic Blue, Lightning Black, and Pearl White. The order books have already opened in India, with deliveries expected to start soon.
For a ~300 cc single-cylinder bike, the RTX packs in a lot: ride modes, quick-shifter, slipper clutch, premium suspension, TFT display, and so on. Not only that, it will also make adventure touring more accessible for newer riders, especially when you consider its price point. It undercuts most of its competitors in India, including the likes of KTM 250 Adventure, which is at least INR 14,000 (US$1,230) more expensive, and that’s when you compare it against the top-spec BTO RTX trim. For a market that's as price-sensitive as India, it could bode well for TVS.
But the big question is, where do I see it launching outside of India? South Asian markets where TVS already sells are an obvious choice. Outside of Asia, there are some hush-hush rumors about the bike potentially making it to the likes of South Africa and Mexico, too. A launch in Europe seems extremely unlikely, while the USA would be completely off the table, considering TVS doesn’t currently sell anything there. We're still awaiting the official nod though.
Source: TVS Motor
