TICKING THE RIGHT BIKE BOXES
Full-size machine is fast, frugal and easy to handle for beginners
Affordable, small-displacement bikes are taking an ever-bigger market share in North America, where big-bore bikes have ruled for more than three decades. However, the motorcycle industry here needs new riders, and while new riders might have trouble managing heavy, highpowered machines, they don’t want diminutive beginner bikes either. Bike makers are listening and in the past few years have begun filling the niche with full-size, easy handling and affordable motorcycles. The latest is the 2018 BMW G310GS, and it ticks all the right boxes.
At $6,450 the made-in-India G310GS costs just $150 more than its only real competitor, the Kawasaki Versys-X 300, though the former includes BMW’s three-year warranty, which is a big factor to consider for a beginner when regarding long-term operating costs. However, it costs $1,200 more than BMW’s own G310R naked bike, with which the GS shares many major components, including the frame, engine and brakes.
The main differences between the GS and the R are in the suspension components, bodywork and wheels. The GS has more suspension travel at 180 mm front and rear (140 and 131 mm for the R) for improved off-road capability; it has a frame-mounted half-fairing, a 19-inch front wheel versus the R’s 17-incher, a taller-profile rear tire (150/70R17 vs. 150/60), and it has off-road foot pegs. It also has switchable ABS for improved offroad ability, which can be switched on or off on the fly.
Its 313-cc liquid-cooled single is identical to the R’s, claiming 34 horsepower and 20.7 pound-feet of peak torque, though injection mapping is slightly altered to accommodate a different muffler.
Steering geometry is a bit more relaxed than on the G310R, thanks to the taller suspension and different front wheel. Seat height is also 50 mm taller, at 835 mm, though reach to the ground is still relatively easy, partially because of the softly sprung suspension.
The digital instrument panel offers a surprising array of information for a bike in this price range, and displays speed, engine revs, gear position, time, fuel level, two trip meters, and fuel consumption info. Some cost-cutting measures are also evident, including the limited suspension adjustability (only rear preload is adjustable), and the absence of reach-adjustable levers. Fit, finish and build quality, however, seem above par for its class.
Despite the G310GS’s entry-level price and engine displacement it does not feel like an entry-level bike. This is a full-size motorcycle, and at 169.5 kilograms wet, it weighs 11 kg more than the R but 5.5 kg less than the Versys-X. The riding position is upright, though legroom is cramped with the standard seat; an optional, taller 850-mm seat is available for taller riders. Behind the seat is a very robust luggage rack, a cue that the G310GS is designed primarily for markets where small bikes carry big loads.
The bike takes off effortlessly from a stop, though you have to work the gearbox frequently to maintain momentum when exiting corners at a quick pace. On the highway there’s ample passing power available from about 80 km/h, and it easily sustains 120 km/h. The counterbalanced engine is relatively smooth below 100 km/h but buzzes through the handlebar, foot pegs and seat above that speed. The fairing offers some wind protection for your torso, and an accessory taller screen will no doubt be available soon to offer even better wind protection.
A 15-km ride on winding gravel roads is enough to reveal the GS’s surprisingly compliant suspension, which makes small bumps, dips and ruts disappear without wallowing. The suspension is soft and well-suited for light duty offroading, though the fork tops out with a light clunk when the front wheel leaves the ground off small jumps. It also soaks up all of its travel after landing more enthusiastic launches, bottoming lightly. Its easy-handling nature inspires confidence on hard-packed dirt, though more aggressive tires are needed for more aggressive offroad excursions.
Where the G310GS really impresses is on very twisty roads at a spirited pace, where it handles everything from tight, near-switchback-like curves to fast sweepers without a hiccup. The OEM Metzeler Tourance tires are better suited for paved roads and have enough grip to wear right to the edges. Despite its soft suspension, the bike displays exemplary stability; the only caveat — due to the soft, longtravel suspension — is that you can’t approach corners while hard on the brakes. The bike dives considerably when on the binders, so you have to brake sooner and smoother, to which it responds with an impressive amount of cornering speed.
However, it’s not all praise for the G310GS. A couple of riders had mishaps earlier in the day, which provided some revelations. One is that the G310GS doesn’t crash very well. In one case a bike sustained substantial damage after its rider washed out the front end on a gravel road. Admittedly I didn’t witness the crash, but it seemed like a relatively minor spill since the rider’s street gear wasn’t torn or otherwise damaged, and he was completely unharmed.
The bike fell on its right side and the muffler had pushed into the swingarm, its mounting bracket bent. The handlebar was bent significantly, too, but to me, the most revealing damage was to the master cylinder. The brake lever bent upward without breaking, but it also bent its mount at the master cylinder, causing the lever to swing up and down excessively and requiring replacement of both parts.
This type of damage tells me that some of the alloys used are soft. Or maybe not, because I’m not a metallurgist, but as a former mechanic I’ve seen my share of crashed bikes, and master cylinders can usually survive such punishment.
As noted, however, the 2018 BMW G310GS checks several boxes that should make it a success. It has a small-displacement engine that’s powerful enough to be engaging, while claiming a very frugal 3.3 L/100 km. Its smaller displacement makes it inexpensive to licence and insure, it’s an attractively styled light-duty adventure bike that’s sized for adults rather than being a three-quarter-scale beginner bike, and it’s a great urban runabout. It’s also priced right.
The little G310GS will likely serve as a great stepping stone to larger bikes for budding riders.