Top 5 Facts About BMW G 310 R And G 310 GS

Now that the much-awaited BMW G 310 twins have been launched, here are five facts that you need to know about the motorcycles

Update: BMW G 310 R and G 310 GS Launched In India

BMW Motorrad first gave us a glimpse of its entry-level roadster, the G 310 R in India at the 2016 Auto Expo. Two years later, the German marque also debuted the G 310 GS in the country at this year’s Auto Expo. Even after all the showcases, there was no word about the launch of the G 310 twins for quite a while. But now, finally, the Bavarian bikemaker has launched the two motorcycles in the country today, and here are the top five facts about the two products.

Design:

When it comes to the design of the G 310 R, BMW chose the right motorcycle to draw inspiration from - the manic S 1000 R. The sleek halogen headlamp with the minimalistic cowl is balanced by the extensions of the muscular-looking 11-litre fuel tank. The single-piece seat has a rather high-set rear, complemented by the meaty 150-section rear tyre.

True to its name, the BMW G 310 GS carries the design DNA of its legendary larger capacity siblings. However, the motorcycle does away with the asymmetrical styling for a more subtle one. Though the fuel tank looks huge, with wide extensions on the sides, its capacity remains the same as the G 310 R’s 11 litres. The short windscreen should help reduce the wind blasts a bit and the standard tail rack fitment should come in handy for keeping a top box or a tail bag.

Both motorcycles feature the same all-digital instrument cluster, halogen headlight, bulb-type indicators, and LED tail light.

Engine:

Interestingly, BMW Motorrad has chosen to retain the same engine in the same tune for both the motorcycles. The 313cc single-cylinder DOHC motor with liquid-cooling and fuel injection makes 34PS of power at 9500rpm and a peak torque of 28Nm arrives at 7500rpm. Working in conjunction with a 6-speed transmission, the two motorcycles are capable of reaching a claimed top speed of 143kmph. This should be more than enough for Indian roads. Even though the output is the same for both the bikes, expect the GS to feature a different gearing to suit its of-road character. There’s no slipper clutch on either of the bikes, though. However, the G 310 GS features an endless Z-ring chain, which is more flexible, reliable and offers better lubrication than the O-ring-type unit on the G 310 R.

Underpinnings:

The two bikes use a bolted steel frame with a tubular steel rear subframe, riding on 41mm inverted forks up front and a preload adjustable monoshock at the rear. Understandably, the G 310 GS offers more travel than the G 310 R, at 180mm on both the front and the rear. On the other hand, the R gets 140mm front and 131mm rear suspension travel. Riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, the G 310 R wears Michelin Pilot Street tyres. Being an adventure tourer, the baby GS gets a larger 19-inch front and a smaller 17-inch rear aluminium alloy wheel, both wrapped with Michelin Tourance dual-purpose tyres. Sadly, BMW Motorrad does not provide the GS with spoke wheels even as an option. Tyres for the G 310 twins measure 110-section at the front and 150-section for the rear. Braking duties are handled by a 300mm front disc with radial caliper and a 240mm rear disc, both with dual-channel ABS as standard. However, ABS at the rear can be switched off on the GS for some extra fun.

Pricing and rivals:

At Rs 2.99 lakh, the G 310 R seems to be on the premium side when compared to its closest rival - the KTM 390 Duke, which costs Rs 59,000 less. The Bajaj Dominar 400, at Rs 1.62 lakh is the most affordable one in the segment. Other competitors include the Mahindra Mojo XT 300 (Rs 1.79 lakh), and the Benelli TNT 300 (Rs 3.43 lakh).

The G 310 GS costs Rs 3.49 lakh, which slots the motorcycle neatly between the entry-level Royal Enfield Himalayan (Rs 1.58 lakh) and the more expensive Kawasaki Versys-X 300 that will set you back by Rs 4.69 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). KTM’s upcoming motorcycle, the 390 Adventure is bound to make things a lot more interesting considering the amount of features and the value it promises to offer.

Also, interestingly, the white colour variants of the 310 R and the 310 GS (called Style HP & Pearl White Metallic respectively) are Rs 10,000 more expensive than the Cosmic Black and Racing Red variants of the R and the GS respectively.

Warranty & EMI:

BMW Motorrad is offering a standard three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty for both the motorcycles. You get an option to extend the warranty for the fourth and fifth year as well. Bookings are also open now at a token amount of Rs 50,000. However, there is a catch - there are only seven dealerships at present in Delhi (Lutyens Motorrad), Mumbai (Navnit Motors), Pune (Bavaria Motors), Chennai (KUN Motorrad), Bengaluru (Tusker Motorrad), Ahmedabad (Navnit Motors) and Kochi (EVM Autokraft). Two more dealerships - one in Chandigarh and the other in Kolkata - will be opened soon, and will also start accepting bookings for the G 310 twins.

BMW Financial Services India is also offering an all-inclusive monthly EMI starting at Rs 6,999 and Rs 7,999 for the G 310 R and the G 310 GS respectively. This includes Road Side Assistance, which is a 24x7, 365-day package for convenient repair/ towing services in case of a breakdown. The company also offers express loan approvals within two hours for enthusiastic customers.