Once in a while, a motorcycle comes along that amazes even the most hardcore riders. The new Apache RTX appears to be one such bike that seems like a perfect combination of design, road presence, and build quality, but how does it fare on the road, and off it? We rode it in the Himalayas – over broken roads, through slush, and on highways.
What is it?
The first adventure bike by TVS Motor, the Apache RTX is powered by the newly-developed 299.1-cc engine (36 PS, 28.5 Nm). The design is quite likeable, and the bike has massive road presence – park it next to a Triumph Tiger and it will still attract eyeballs. Fit & finish is of global standards – paint quality is neat and there are no loose wires anywhere. But the 5-inch TFT screen looks small relative to the size of the bike. The seat (at 835 mm) is quite high – it gives you a good view of the road, but getting on and off can be a task for short riders.
How does it ride?
Fire the engine and the sweet note it produces shows how refined it is – even if you twist the throttle, the engine doesn’t growl or vibrate much.
Once astride, the bike doesn’t feel bulky – it weighs just 180 kg, and is really easy to handle in traffic or on sharp turns and narrow streets. Power is adequate, and gear-shift works like a dream. Unlike the RTR 310 that’s always eager for a wheelie, the RTX accelerates like a mature bike – it won’t overwhelm you, but isn’t slow either.
As you cross 40 km/h in second or third gear, you suddenly get dollops of power that continues till 100 km/h – it’s got bidirectional quickshifter that lets you change gears without using the clutch. The windscreen is adequate, and in the 80-100 km/h range, I didn’t feel any wind blast. The riding position is upright, and the hips and knees form almost 90-degree angle.
Fuel efficiency
After riding for about 6 hours – mostly across narrow, broken roads – the RTX returned fuel efficiency of 30 km/litre, which increased to more than 35 km/litre on wide highways around Shimla. A fuel tank of 12.5 litres means a safe riding range of 300-350 km.
Off the road
It’s got four riding modes (Urban, Rain, Tour, Rally) – I used the Tour mode on the highway, and Rally mode off the road (also switched off the ABS). Riding through a bit of slush and a lot of rocks, the RTX felt composed, but didn’t feel as easy as the Hero Xpulse 210. You can also ride it standing on the footpegs (a fundamental technique for off-road riding, as well as a great way to relieve fatigue on long on-road stretches), but it doesn’t seem as easy as on the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
Should you buy it?
Absolutely. The Apache RTX is one of the world’s finest midsize adventure tourers available at a killer price – Rs 1.99 lakh for the base variant, Rs 2.14 lakh for the top variant, and Rs 2.34 lakh for the BTO (Built To Order) variant, ex-showroom.
Engine, power, design, screen, etc, are the same, but the top variant has extra features such as smartphone map mirroring, bidirectional quickshifter, variable-intensity headlamp, and a larger grabrail, and the BTO gets adjustable front and rear suspension, tyre pressure monitoring system, and the Viper Green colour in these photos.
Its off-road capability seems average, but its on-road performance and handling – city and highway, going to a market/office or from Delhi to Himalayas – seem so exceptional that nothing comes close at this price point. And that commanding size and muscular styling is priceless.
What we like
Class-leading technology: Cruise control, Quickshifter, Google Maps mirroring
Exceptional ride comfort: Suspension set-up is tuned for all kinds of roads
Refined engine: Smooth, linear power delivery, ideal for touring and daily use
Pricing: TVS is offering so much for so little that the bike feels like a steal
What we don’t
Eurogrip tyres are okay on tarmac, but seem to lack grip off the road; Seat padding could be improved for even better long-distance riding comfort; While the bike’s mid-range and top-end are very good, low-end grunt is average; The fuel tank capacity is 12.5 litres, which limits its range to 300-350 km.
