BMW G 310 R – Review
Let’s start off by addressing the elephant in the room, the price of BMW G 310 R. At Rs 2.99 lakh it is an expensive proposition for the equipment on offer. Now that we’ve flagged out the caveat, which we will visit that later on in the review. Read on to find out how the BMW G 310 R fares as an ultimate urban road weapon. The German motorcycle manufacturer BMW Motorrad is best known for coveted adventure motorcycle like the R1200 GS and also supersport motorcycles like the S1000 RR. Their first motorcycle with inline 4 cylinders. So far they didn’t have anything in the quarter-litre segment. In 2013, BMW Motorrad and India’s TVS announced their collaboration to develop a sub-500cc motorcycle. The result is G310 R.
- Design
The design of the motorcycle is of a true naked sport. The proportions of the bike are small and it does indeed look small, with a wheelbase of 1374mm and a seat height of 785mm, the bike is compact. Surprisingly it doesn’t feel cramped once you are on the saddle. The fuel tank looks big and muscular, but it can hold only 11 litres of petrol. The handlebars and footpegs fall to hand very naturally. The seat is wide with firm padding and there is quite a lot of space to move around. The pillion seat is small, which is typical of all the motorcycles in this segment! The triangular shape of the headlight looks neat and has a small wind deflector on top of it with the R badge. The tail lamp is in an unusual position, it is placed on the mudflap which holds the number plate. The rear panels have a neatly placed split grab rails. The instrument panel is fully digital with a bar graph tachometer, shift light, gear indicator, fuel gauge, clock, etc. it also displays actual range to empty. The motorcycle looks proportionate. Everything is in the right place and of the right size.
- Engine
The engine on the BMW G 310 R feels familiar as it is the same unit that powers the TVS Apache RR 310. It is a 313cc single-cylinder engine which pumps out 34horsepower at 9500rpm and 28 Nm of torque at 7,500rpm, these figures don’t stand out on paper, but BMW has rotated the engine by 180 degrees. So now the intake manifold is at the front and exhaust manifold at the rear of the engine, exactly opposite of what we are used to seeing. The reason to do that is simple. Leaning the barrel and head backwards frees up space. This allows the motor to be moved forward in the chassis, which means the swingarm can be longer for a given wheelbase which in turn gives better control over the rear suspension. The engine comes to life at around 3000rpm and settles at 1300-1400rpm. Put it in gear and release that clutch, which is light. The engine is forever eager to rev till the redline, which is10,500rpm. The only noticeable change is the strong roar in the sound from the airbox once you cross that 7k rpm. Below 7k rpm that roar is present but it’s muted. What I did not like about the engine though is its low-end performance. Due to this, getting stuck in city traffic feels a bit annoying as you will notice the engine stalling at lower revs. The engine on the BMW G 310 R has vibrations and hence, does not feel as refined as one would expect a BMW to. The engine overall behaves in a sedate manner unlike its rival KTM Duke 390, which is extremely frantic in nature. Gear shifts on the G 310 R are quick and engine braking is strong, a slipper clutch sorely missed here
- Braking & Handling
Braking is handled by a 4 piston ByBre unit with a 300mm disc at the front and a 2 piston ByBre unit with 240mm at the rear. ABS is standard. The Michelin Pilot Street rubber combined with the KYB forks provided plenty of traction even on hard braking.
Handling has to be one of the key areas where the BMW G 310 R shines. The coordination between rider input and the directional change is almost magical. The motorcycle feels nimble, which is a boon to have in the traffic situation urban commuters face daily. The G 310 R offers a plush ride quality and the suspension is set slightly on the softer side. Be it broken surfaces, speed breakers or potholes, the BMW G 310 R manages to glide over most of them barring only the larger ones.