TVS RTX 300 Test 2026 - A2 adventure bike for under 5000 euros

TVS is so far probably only known to hardcore industry insiders in Europe. Yet we're not talking about some small motorcycle manufacturer here. In 2025 TVS overtook Yamaha with an output of nearly 6 million units to become the third-largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, is active in almost 100 countries and speaks of around 65 million active riders. Five production sites and an annual revenue of roughly five billion US dollars illustrate the scale of the company.

By 2027 TVS wants to be represented across Europe. The new TVS RTX 300 plays an important role in this plan, with which the Indians want to gain a foothold in the European A2 adventure touring segment for the first time.

The company's origins go back to 1911, and TVS has been building motorcycles since 1979. For European riders, the partnership with BMW Motorrad, which has existed since 2013, is especially interesting. So far TVS's most important sales markets have been India, South America and Asia. With the "Performance Range" - the engine is known from the last generation of the small BMW GS - built around the 310 models and the completely new RTX 300, that is now set to change.

RTX stands for "Rally Tourer Extreme." A rather confident name for a 300cc adventure bike - in its home market it counts as a big bike. Looking at it closely through European eyes, however, the TVS is less an extreme rally enduro and more a compact all-rounder with gravel ambitions.

European market launch is scheduled for November 2026. The RTX 300 Essential will be offered in Lightning Black and Pearl White and costs 4,890 euros. The price of the higher-spec Adventurer version will be 5,290 euros. It will initially be offered in Viper Green. Notably: both variants get five years of manufacturer warranty.

TVS names entry-level and upgrading riders as the core target group for Europe. The RTX is therefore meant to deliberately offer a technically and electronically comprehensive yet accessible entry into the world of motorcycling.

Standing in front of the bike, the dimensions look quite grown-up. Seat height is 835 millimeters, ground clearance 200 millimeters and wheelbase 1,428 millimeters. The 12.5-liter tank sits above a steel trellis frame, combined with a finely crafted aluminum swingarm. Ready to ride, the RTX weighs in at 180 kilograms. TVS also told us on-site of a possible payload of 240(!) kilograms.

The heart of the RTX is the newly developed RT-XD4 engine. The liquid-cooled single features four valves, two overhead camshafts and 299.1 cubic centimeters of displacement. 36 hp or 26.5 kW are available, with maximum torque of 28.5 Nm. Power is transmitted via a six-speed gearbox with assist and anti-hopping clutch. The tuning is short-stroke.

The 36 hp only arrives at 9,000 rpm, with maximum torque at 7,000 rpm. The throttle valves are controlled electronically via ride-by-wire. According to TVS, the goal in tuning was to stay as close as possible to a conventional connection between throttle grip and engine.

Also technically interesting is the aluminum cylinder block with plasma coating. This is meant to, among other things, reduce wear and increase engine oil life. The oil change interval is currently set at every 7,500 kilometers. According to TVS, it is currently being examined whether this interval can be extended further in the future. As an internal target, the head of development named a maximum oil consumption of 40 milliliters per 1,000 kilometers.

Urban, Rain, Tour and Rally are available. Throttle response, traction control and ABS regulation change accordingly. Urban offers softer throttle response and stronger traction control intervention, Rain additionally increases safety margins on ABS & traction control. Tour provides a more aggressive, linear power delivery for country roads and longer stretches.

The Rally mode is particularly interesting. Traction control intervenes noticeably less here, rear ABS is deactivated and front wheel regulation is also reduced. This gives the rider significantly more freedom on loose surfaces.

TVS also emphasizes that the suspension and electronics were adapted to the requirements of the European market. From my point of view, the Urban mode could have been skipped or replaced with a freely configurable mode. In general, the tuning of the throttle response is really well done - not many vehicles from current competitors (especially not those from China) act this smoothly.

You clearly notice the short-stroke design of the RTX while riding. If you want to access power, you have to keep the engine spinning. Below about 4,000 rpm, comparatively little happens.

In return, the single revs cleanly and willingly up to nearly 10,000 rpm. In practice, the engine feels most comfortable between roughly 5,500 and 8,500 rpm. Above that, slight vibrations are noticeable at the handlebar.

This also means: anyone wanting to ride briskly has to actively shift gears.

In the corresponding trim, the bidirectional quickshifter helps with this. It works cleanly and functions reliably even under high load. Even while trail braking into a hairpin, you can, for example, downshift from third to second gear without needing to use the clutch. With only 36 hp, this can indeed be necessary in order to accelerate back out of the corner with enough revs.

There is one peculiarity when shifting into first gear: with the quickshifter, this can only be engaged at speeds below approximately 20 km/h.

The relatively short gearing is necessary given the modest engine output, and overall it is well done. This makes the RTX feel livelier than the bare 36 hp figure might initially suggest.

The downside shows itself at higher speed. Already at normal country road pace, the rev level is comparatively high. Anyone frequently covering longer distances at higher speed must therefore accept that the small single is constantly working hard.

The sound, on the other hand, turns out surprisingly punchy. Especially at low revs the single sounds gruffer than you'd expect from a 300. On overrun, an occasional light popping can even be heard. The end muffler looks fairly voluminous relative to the rest of the bike, but produces a pleasant sound without being unnecessarily loud.

The tank holds 12.5 liters. During our test ride through Tuscany the onboard computer showed an average consumption of 3.4 liters per 100 kilometers.

From this figure a calculated range of around 368 kilometers results. Of course, this is neither a consumption figure measured at the pump nor an actually ridden range. For a first impression, however, the value shows that the relatively small tank need not be a big problem given correspondingly low consumption.

At 1.87 meters, I fit surprisingly well on the RTX.

The riding position is comfortable and feels more grown-up than the displacement class initially suggests. The 835 millimeter seat height allows for a relatively open knee angle, and the footpegs are positioned comparatively low.

The handlebar is pleasantly wide. The fitted risers aren't especially tall, but together with the clearly upward-bent handlebar, an imposing, upright riding position results. Standing up, however, I would want a somewhat higher handlebar.

Wind protection is also basically fine. The non-adjustable windscreen noticeably takes wind and weather off the rider's torso. Shoulders and arms, however, remain exposed to the airflow. Especially in rain, the protected area ends roughly at shoulder height. The helmet also sits fully in the airflow.

That doesn't have to be a bad thing, at least if you're wearing an aerodynamic helmet like the Schuberth C5. In terms of noise level it's a genuine benchmark in the segment anyway. If you additionally have the new ANC module fitted, disruptive wind noise is reliably filtered out - Schuberth speaks of a sound level reduction of around 12 dB. My first impression, after a whole day in the saddle, makes me believe it. Even my beloved custom-fitted earplugs from Neuroth, I don't miss. After 8 hours of wearing a helmet they usually start to pinch - that seems to be a thing of the past with the ANC helmet. An intensive long-term test of the pricey system will follow. In the meantime you can read up further with Philipp's first test of the Schuberth C5 ANC.

The gold-colored fork on the tested Adventurer variant is no mere show piece. In this version TVS uses a 41mm USD fork from WP with 180 millimeters of travel. Rebound and compression are adjustable. At the rear, 180 millimeters of travel are also available; the mono shock can be adjusted in rebound and preload and likewise offers 180 millimeters of travel.

The cheaper Essential version, on the other hand, does without the extensive adjustment options.

In practice, the WP components leave a convincing impression. The base setup is clearly on the comfortable side, without the bike feeling spongy as a result. The shock also doesn't start pumping unpleasantly on rippled asphalt. A balanced setup has been achieved here.

This works excellently, especially on the narrow and, in places, badly damaged roads of Tuscany. Both transverse edges and longer potholes are swallowed comfortably. The rider's spinal discs will thank the WP suspension components.

Somewhat less convincing is adjusting the spring preload on the shock, which I did during the lunch break. A hook wrench is needed for this. Access to the adjustment ring is via a relatively narrow opening on the right side of the vehicle. It works, but is rather tedious.

For the chassis, TVS uses a high-strength steel trellis frame combined with a cast aluminum swingarm. Ground clearance is 200 millimeters.

Cast aluminum wheels are used: 19 inches front and 17 inches rear. The RTX is fitted with dual-purpose tires from Eurogrip, developed together with TVS for this bike.

At the front, a single 320mm disc with radially mounted caliper provides braking. At the rear, a 240mm disc with floating caliper does the work. The two-channel ABS comes from Bosch. Performance is class-typical and the setup suits the bike.

TVS has also given thought to smaller details regarding use away from clean asphalt roads. For example, the shape of the rear fender is meant to prevent dirt from collecting directly at the shock.

The air filter is also relatively easy to access. Four screws need to be loosened for this, and the appropriate tool is included with the bike.

Despite the name, the off-road ambitions should be realistically assessed.

The 19-inch front wheel, cast aluminum wheels and 180 millimeters of travel clearly speak against serious use in tough terrain. The standard engine guard is also made only of plastic and would only tolerate rougher rock contact to a limited degree.

This doesn't mean the RTX has no place off asphalt. Gravel roads, poor tracks and light terrain suit the concept just fine. Anyone planning more demanding off-road sections needs to upgrade.

The original accessory program fits this too. From market launch, TVS offers, among other things, tank crash bars, a more robust aluminum bash plate, handguards & a raised fender. Touring riders are also considered, with a windscreen extension, luggage rack, top case and side cases among the parts available at launch.

In terms of features, the RTX is clearly above what one is used to from many bikes in this displacement class.

Even the Essential comes with four riding modes, a five-inch TFT, cruise control, traction control, switchable ABS and full-LED lighting.

The Adventurer adds, among other things

• the bidirectional quickshifter,
• tire pressure monitoring,
• the more extensive suspension adjustments,
• extended connectivity including smartphone mirroring (the app required for this, however, is unfortunately not yet available in Europe)
• and the higher-quality finish details.

The smartphone can be connected via WiFi and Bluetooth. Through the SmartXonnect app, maps can be mirrored directly onto the TFT, and music and phone functions can additionally be integrated.

Operation with the four-way pad is pleasantly accessible and intuitive. The display itself is easy to read, though for my taste and my worsening eyesight it could be a bit bigger. There would be room in the cockpit for it - the five inches seem almost a little lost there.

All in all, the equipment is undoubtedly one of the RTX's strengths. Tire pressure monitoring, quickshifter, cruise control and connectivity are anything but standard in this class.

Build quality is basically appropriate for the price. Panel gaps are fine, though on closer inspection you can also spot areas where there's still room for improvement.

The stickers applied to the bike, for example, are not clear-coated over. Switches and levers offer satisfactory haptics but are not backlit.

The routing of the wiring harnesses is also partly relatively exposed and not optimally shielded. In some places cables peek out from under covers, for example around the exhaust.

These are not dramatic flaws, and none of them affected function during our test. But these are exactly the kind of details that reveal TVS trying to combine an extensive technical package with a comparatively low entry price.

Visually, the RTX presents itself as distinctive. Especially the front end, with its modern LED headlight, has a characteristic look.

Illumination of the road was very satisfactory during our test. Especially in the tunnels of Tuscany the LED technology impressed, but even during the torrential rain in the afternoon, we could at least be pleased with the headlight performance.

The automatic light function also works well. Switching between daytime running light and low beam happens quickly and reliably. At the same time, the RTX remains clearly visible even with daytime running light activated. Full-LED lighting is already standard equipment on the Essential.