RTX 300 vs KTM 390 (349)Adventure — need honest long-term ownership advice
Hey everyone, I’m 20 and a college student, and I’m currently stuck between keeping my TVS Apache RTX 300 booking or switching to the KTM 390 Adventure 349cc.
I booked the RTX on September 2 as my first bike. I really love the design, adventure styling and features. I’m genuinely into adventure bikes, I occasionally do some off-roading(not hardcore) this Indian road are like mostly off road trails, and in the future I want to do proper long distance rides.
The waiting period isn’t really a problem for me. When I booked it, the website said this batch would start deliveries from February 15, so roughly 6 months of waiting. My dealer also said it could potentially go up to 8 months, and honestly I’m okay with waiting.
What has made me reconsider is long-term ownership and spare-part costs.
I’ve been seeing people mention some very expensive RTX parts. For example, I’ve seen prices quoted around:
Headlight: ~₹52,000
Front brake pads: ~₹5,500
Rear brake pads: ~₹1,800
Labour extra
I’m considering the 349cc KTM 390 Adventure because I’ve previously ridden my brother’s Gen-3 Duke 390 and absolutely loved the bike. I also like the KTM Adventure’s design, TFT, electronics, ground clearance and overall character. I’m around 5’8”, so I’m also wondering how manageable the bike is at my height.
I’ve already spent quite a bit of time researching YouTube and online reviews. What I really want is feedback from people who actually own these bikes and have paid for their servicing and parts.
For KTM 390 Adventure 349cc owners:
•How much are your regular services actually costing?
•How expensive are the common spare parts?
•Any major reliability/QC/electrical issues?
•How is the build quality after 1+ year?
•How is KTM parts availability?
•What are brake pad/chain-sprocket/clutch costs like?
•What’s your real-world mileage?
•How does it handle long rides and off-roading?
•tWould you recommend it to a 20-year-old college student?
I have several months before my RTX delivery, so I have time to make the decision. If you were in my position, would you keep the RTX booking or switch to the KTM 390 Adventure 349cc?
Please be brutally honest. I’m not looking for a fanboy KTM vs TVS argument I just want to make the right decision for my first bike.