TVS Apache RR 310 vs KTM RC 390: Which Supersport for Bihar Roads?

At the top of the accessible supersport class sit two very different machines: the TVS Apache RR 310 and the KTM RC 390. Both are fully faired, both are seriously quick, and only one of them is designed with Indian road conditions as the starting point.

The numbers at a glance

• TVS Apache RR 310: 312.12 cc liquid cooled, 38 PS, around 30 kmpl, 174 kg
• KTM RC 390: 373.2 cc and around 43 PS
• The KTM is faster outright, the Apache is easier to use on Indian roads
• The Apache offers four ride modes including Rain, plus a TFT cluster with SmartXonnect

Engine and performance

The RC 390 makes around 43 PS from 373.2 cc and is the faster bike outright. The Apache RR 310 produces 38 PS from a 312.12 cc reverse-inclined liquid cooled engine. On a race track the KTM wins. On a Bihar highway with unpredictable surfaces and traffic, the difference between them shrinks considerably, and the Apache is the easier bike to ride quickly with confidence.

Ride modes and electronics

The Apache RR 310 offers four ride modes: Sport, Track, Urban and Rain. Rain mode in particular is not a marketing feature in this part of the country, it is genuinely useful from June onwards. The bike also gets a TFT cluster with SmartXonnect connectivity. The KTM has its own strong electronics package, so compare the specific variants in front of you.

Comfort and ergonomics

The Apache is the more accommodating of the two over distance. Its riding position is committed but not punishing, and at 174 kg it is manageable in traffic. The RC 390 is the more aggressive, more track-focused machine, which is thrilling on the right road and tiring on the wrong one.

Running cost and servicing

Both are rated around the 30 kmpl mark and both need proper maintenance with quality consumables. The practical question in a district like Araria is where the nearest authorized service is. TVS Madni Motors is the authorized TVS dealership for Araria, on Dak Bunglow Road, which puts genuine parts and trained technicians in your own town.

Which one should you buy?

• Choose the Apache RR 310 for usable performance, four ride modes including Rain, better everyday comfort and local authorized service.
• Choose the KTM RC 390 if outright power and track focus are the reason you are buying.
• For the same engine without the fairing, look at the Apache RTR 310.

Buying a supersport in a district like ours is a decision about the other 95 percent of the time, the part that is not a perfect empty road. The Apache RR 310 was designed with those conditions in mind, from the Rain mode to the riding position, and that is why we think it is the more rewarding bike to actually own here.

Prices and specifications quoted are indicative and change with model year. Contact our showroom for the current on-road price.