Bike: BMW G 310 GS
The baby Beemer imitates its larger siblings in all but oomph
WHILE riding this compact GS, I was reminded of my 1970s motorcycling days. This was back when 16-year olds were allowed to get licences for only 50 cm3 motorbikes. Never mind pint-size, these were tot-measure engines, but the best part was being able to dice your schoolmates (there were many different makes of bikes) using full throttle and timing your gear changes to perfection … all without breaking the speed limit. With high-powered bikes these days, you have to be exceedingly careful to control the power so as not to fall victim to speed traps and accidents.
This is where the latest BMW comes in. With 313 cm3 and a single cylinder at your disposal, you can have a lot of fun without necessarily getting into trouble. The GS forms part of the Adventure stable tuned for both on- and off-road use but, since this is not a hardcore off-roader, the wheels are cast aluminium and not steelspoked. There’s a large 19-inch unit at the front and a conventional 17-incher at the back.
The 310 is available in three colour options – red, blue or black – all paired with grey panelling. Whatever the hue, it’s a good-looker and, despite being more petite than its GS siblings, still a fair size for a single. And that makes it comfortable to ride. You sit inside the bike with good legroom for standing up over the bumps. Meanwhile, longtravel suspension is another BMW Motorrad area of expertise and makes for comfortable cruising.
On the other hand, the seat can feel too high. Given that this is an entry-level motorcycle aimed at younger riders, putting your feet flat if you are under 1,9 metres tall is a stretch. Fortunately, there is an option of specifying a 50 mm lower seat position. There is also an option of a 50 mm higher seat but I reckon this won’t find many takers. From that vantage point, the rev counter is difficult to read – analogue would be better – but the rest of the digital display is adequate. Wide mirrors are great but making your way slowly through rows of stationary vehicles can be compromised.
The single-cylinder engine is a BMW design, not a Rotax, and has four valves and dohc. Liquidcooling is used and the head is reversed so the fuel injection is ahead and the exhaust behind. It produces 25 kw at 9 500 r/min and the torque spread is healthy, making for easy acceleration at low and medium revs.
Like so many singles and twins, the engine is a bit clattery at idle but a throaty growl from the inlet manifold soon takes over on pull-away. At higher revs, it gets a bit buzzy but the vibrations do not affect you much after hours of riding (we traversed many gravel roads and country lanes where the bike felt completely at home, mainly thanks to the long-travel suspension).
The six-speed gearbox is slick-shifting although engaging neutral can sometimes prove tricky. Unfortunately, first gear is too tall for this type of bike and the clutch must be slipped to prevent stalling, a bit like on a sports bike. ABS is standard on the single discs, front and rear, but can be switched off for off-road use. We did find, though, the front brake – like the rear, manufactured by Bybre, a company owned by Brembo – lacks any decent bite.
A small fly screen is fitted and the tyres are semi off-roaders, making all trips a pleasure whether on tar or gravel. The claimed top speed of 143 km/h allows enough manoeuvre room for overtaking, too.
The consumption is equally impressive. I saw 3,0 L/100 km on the trip computer and the official figure is 3,33 L/100 km, leading to an acceptable range on the 11-litre tank. During performance testing, fuel usage still showed less than 4,0 L/100 km.
Which finally brings us to the price. It may seem high at first but it’s actually reasonable if you remember BMWS hold their values well and that the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2, with its 400 cm3 and 40 kw, costs a heady R116 000.