BMW Motorrad India has officially launched the BMW G 310 R and the BMW G 310 GS. Here five things you need to know about these motorcycles.
Made in India
The G 310 R and G 310 GS were both already in production at the TVS Hosur plant and being sold in European and US markets. The sport-naked 310 R was supposed to go on sale in India in 2017; but the company postponed the launch so that it could have time to set up a decent dealership base to handle the expected demand. Since both bikes have been around from quite some time, we are quite familiar with their designs. The 310 R, being a sport-naked, has a muscular tank, angular headlamp and compact dimensions. On the other hand, the baby GS inherits its family styling, including the stubby front beak, radiator shrouds and headlamp cowl.
Pricing and warranty
The G 310 R is priced at Rs 2.99 lakh while the G310 GS – its adventure variant – is priced at Rs 3.49 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). The G 310 R has been launched in the following metallic colours – Cosmic Black, Racing Red and BMW's famous Style HP. Meanwhile, the GS has been launched in Pearl White Metallic, Cosmic Black and Racing Red. The Style HP and Pearl White Metallic colours will cost an additional Rs 10,000. The BMW bikes come with a standard unlimited-kilometre, three-year warranty, with an optional warranty extension to a fourth and fifth year.
Engine
Like the TVS Apache RR 310, the G 310 R and G 310 GS use a reverse-cylinder design that slopes towards the rear wheel, instead of the conventional engine layout. The upside of this layout is that it creates space for a longer rear swingarm while keeping the wheelbase relatively short. The engine is a 313cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder unit with four valves and a DOHC cylinder head. It churns out 34hp and 28Nm of torque on both bikes – identical to the Apache RR 310. The engine is paired with a six-speed gearbox and both the R and GS models have a claimed top speed of 143kph.
Chassis
The GS gets an upside-down 41mm fork, just like the R. However, at 180mm, the GS has 40mm more travel than the R. While the front suspension is non-adjustable on both bikes, the monoshock does boast adjustable preload. The R (being a sport naked) rides on 17-inch front and rear wheels, while the GS (being the adventure variant) gets a larger 19-inch front wheel and a standard-size 17-inch rear wheel. Brakes on both bikes are identical – a 300mm front disc and 240mm rear disc. The G 310 GS sports the same 11-litre fuel tank as the R. We wish it was offered with a larger-capacity unit, though. The kerb weights for the G 310 R and G 310 GS are 158.5kg and 169.5kg, respectively.
Competition
At this price point, the G 310 R is around Rs 57,000 more expensive than its more-powerful rival, the KTM 390 Duke, which carries a price tag of Rs 2.42 lakh. The G 310 GS, at Rs 3.49 lakh, doesn’t face direct competition, yet – at least until KTM launches its hugely anticipated 390 Adventure. The only other adventure motorcycles that the G 310 GS goes up against, for now, are the Royal Enfield Himalayan FI (Rs 1.68 lakh) and the Kawasaki’s Versys-X 300 (Rs 4.69 lakh).