TVS Apache RTX BTO long-term review, 4,500km report

This is the second time, after the original RR 310 in 2017, that TVS has created enormous excitement over a brand-new premium bike and then struggled to deliver. The RTX 300’s massive waiting periods have been well documented now, and like many customers, we have also had to wait nearly a year after its launch to get a long-term test bike.

I hopped off the Xpulse 210 that I’ve been riding for months and onto the RTX, and the first impression was... dull. The engine seems to lack zing and excitement at lower revs, and it all felt very calm and controlled. At first, this was disappointing, and to be honest, I didn’t care for the bike much on that initial commute home. It was quick, comfy and effortless, but simply lacked spice or drama.

The adjustable Showa suspension does a great job of soaking up bad roads.

Having now spent a few weeks with the bike, my opinion has evolved. The bike still feels the same, but I have grown to like its demeanour. While it is a mild-mannered gentleman of a motorcycle that almost never encourages bad behaviour, it still gets me from point A to B at a quick pace and in very good comfort. While lacking in drama, the engine is superbly tractable and never threatens to stall at low revs in thick traffic. This efficient, almost Honda-like character is bolstered by a fabulous feel-good factor.

The look and size from the rider’s POV are of a much more expensive bike.

The rider’s point of view is fabulous, and the whole tank area, as well as the TFT and windscreen, feel like they were off a bike that cost three times the price. It even feels like a large motorcycle when you’re sitting on it, and TVS has achieved something truly special in how it can give you this experience at such a low price.

The quickshifter occasionally causes a short cut in power delivery.

On the topic of features, some of them have been highly appreciable, while others could stand to improve. As someone who doesn’t check tyre pressures as often as I should, the tyre pressure monitoring system has been great. I also love the fact that the bike remembers to keep the traction control and rear ABS off, and I don’t have to deactivate them on every ignition cycle. However, as we reported before, the engine does occasionally hesitate under acceleration at lower speeds, and this has to do with the quickshifter sensitivity. I’ve deactivated it for now, and doing so has solved the issue, but I do miss using it.

The motor is tractable and has good performance, but is a bit low on character.

Beyond that, the RTX is proving to be everything that we discovered in our initial reports. It has fantastic suspension comfort with a taut, but absorptive setup. The chassis is stable and communicative, and it gives you the confidence to ride over rough surfaces at speed without concern. Seating comfort is also fabulous, and while the engine may not blow your socks off, it certainly performs well and can easily cruise at triple digit speeds.

As for vibrations, they certainly exist but haven’t been bothersome so far. I’d like to spend more time with the bike, especially on the highway before sharing whether there are any situations where the vibrations become a pain. We’ll save that for the next report.