BMW G310GS anyone?
 

Wouldn't be my choice as a travel bike – would prefer a 450 trail bike – but got to try a rental with off road mods for a couple of days in Morocco.

Long version here.
Short version: pretty good for what it is: looks great (full bike size), well made, handles securely on backroads and suspension is not too soggy on the dirt. Did nearly 90mpg too, so that's about 300km range.
But: gets buzzy over 90kph, saddle is terrible and it's only a 310 that weighs 170 kilos.

https://adventuremotorcyclinghandboo...04/3310-28.jpg
https://adventuremotorcyclinghandboo.../04/a310-4.jpg
https://adventuremotorcyclinghandboo.../04/a310-8.jpg

I was just reading about these the other day. I am interested, but I have had a couple of negative experiences with BMW in the past so I am also a bit leery.

It will be interesting to see how these new BMW 310's hold up over long term use in a rental fleet in Morocco. IMO, this a perfect test of the build quality overall.

The 170 kg. weight is worrying, less so the modest (30 HP est.) power. But sounds like renters may not be buying the 310 once back home due to the crippling seat. BMW should address that ASAP, IMO. (easy fix)

The RR Kit version of the 310 looks good, but lack of motorway power may dissuade some from buying.

Another interesting NEW bike in this class is the X300 Kawasaki Versys. This little 300cc Twin revs to the Moon but stays smooth most of the way up to it's 11.5K RPM power peak of 39 HP. It's also a "roomy" bike, I sat on one, not ridden one yet.

Previous Thai made Kawasaki's have been well built and last well. (KLR, KLX,
Versys 650, Versys X300 ... probably others)

It's a bit heavy too, but only about 10lbs. heavier than the BMW 310GS. But I'm betting the Versys is the better road bike than BMW's offering. From reviews, it's capable cruising smoothly at 70 MPH with decent up hill passing power if you're willing to rev it a bit.
Prices of BMW 310 vs. Kawi Versys X300 are close, here in USA, with BMW
going for MSRP of $6000 USD, the Kawi for $5700 USD (ABS). Add about $1000 USD per bike for various dealer fees and taxes.

Local dealer wants to put me on one, haven't got round to it. bier

Thanks Chris.
Very good Informative post.
Cheers

Personally I would be very afraid of buying lowest, cheapest models of luxurious and generally expensive companies like BMW, Mercedes etc. They often cut corners even in their big flagship models so what do you think they can "do" to these budget vehicles? IMHO if you want BMW get a mid or high end bike.

BMW G310GS anyone?
 

Thanks for the post and good summary. I appreciate that. The pictures of the bike look nice as well.


I just saw mollydog's post and if we are talking Versys vs 310, I can say that down here I have a 300cc twin cylinder Benelli and for a while I was storing a friend's 400cc single Bonnie copy. Some random Chinese brand. Anyway, I rode the 400 for a while to put some miles on it for him and then every few days switched back to my Benelli. What a difference the twin cylinders make. It's incredibly smooth and pulls so much stronger from below 3k rpm. And the Benelli weighs over 400lbs! The 400cc single in comparison is in the low 300s.

For me, as a travel bike, multi cylinder all the way. Less vibration and much more enjoyable to ride.

I took a long look and a short test ride. Nope. I'll keep my Sertao for improved gravel/dirt roads. Nothing better about it. It's not a traveler. I would like it even less over time. Essentially a fat bike with a little engine. No improvement in my "small ride" stable ... that also includes 250xt Yamaha for single track paths/trails and DR650 for longer distance two track roads thru mountains rocks, deserts sand and mud.

I read with interest that Moto Ted did some work on one. He had to take the exhaust off to change the rear brake pads. Imagine that in 20ks time when the header bolts are starting to seize. What utter ludicrousy. It is not a bike that has been designed with long term use and travel in mind. Its made for people that want to dip their toe into the BMW brand.

BMW G310GS anyone?
 

Are you sure about this? Not calling bs, but it sounds a bit of an exaggeration. If so, then shame on BMW.

I wonder if Fern means the bulky silencer, not the whole system.
Annoying, but I'm sure I've had bikes which needed this done just to get the spindle out.

While you guys are all speculating online whether this bike is any good or not, I've been out riding one - right across the USA so far, and will be on my way back east (via a lot more dirt) from next week...

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...BvtD7JF-X2.jpg

There is a current running ride-report on the ADVrider forum should you wish you follow along and/or engage as appropriate... so far, it's more impressive than you might imagine - particularly when you consider it is a small capacity single cylinder machine.

Jenny x

Nope he had to remove the whole thing. He is a BMW mechanic at a BMW dealership.. (sometimes)

Jenny, you changed your rear brake pads, did you expirience any problems?

So which one would you prefer CB500X with adv kit or this one? :)

Shameless plug for another website, Jenny, and actually at least 3 of us "speculating online" here HAVE actually ridden one. And none of us thought it would make a good travel bike.
(Of course, idle speculation to while away the hours IS what the internet is for though isn't it?)
As far as I'm concerned, apart from good ish suspension and excellent brakes, I thought it a gutless, over weight, damned uncomfortable oversized brute.
Hope you have a good trip, at least the fuel consumption is low.
Simon.

Hi Stu' - no need to change my rear pads just yet, but I can't see how it's going to be a problem. The rear calliper is a single piston sliding design - the pads are held in using a pin and R clip, and they slide in and out from the rear.

Ought to be a 2 minute job.

Jx

But charged as a minimum of 1 hour by any main dealer.
:innocent:
Do half a dozen of them in an hour and charge them all for the same hour.

Yup ! For my sins.

That case was on the road version. Having a look at the GS version, it might not be an issue.

The silencer and the headers are a single welded unit. INSANE !!! The silencer stops the pin being removed. However, you could remove the caliper (which requires the wheel to be removed)

And yes, those header bolts are small and made of the lowest grade steel you can imagine. I put it back together with plenty of copper-grease to try and save the poor owners wallet down the line. (Which BMW say you shouldn't use... But I say f**k em)

BMW are selling a lot of 310s. Not because they're good bikes. They're part of their "Rookie to rider" scheme. Which isn't that bad really.

https://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/Of...ietoRider.html


Make no mistake, these 310s are SERIOUSLY POOR QUALITY. Models less than a year old are coming back with issues such as seized calipers, electrical issues (Cheap sensors used everywhere).

These bikes are built in India. Using Indian produced substandard components. Everything on them is cheap zinc plated steel and plastic.

They may look well designed and well made on a showroom floor, but just go and look at one with 1000 miles that has seen a few damp roads and you will realise that they're like any cheap 'throw-away' third world motorcycles/scooters.

Look past the badge !!!

A 310 is around £5k new I think. That's the 1/3 of the price of a new 1200GS. So of course, they're built to a standard. A very low one.

If I had £5000 to spend on a bike. It certainly wouldn't be one of these. You can buy A LOT of good VERY GOOD bikes just a few years old for £5000.

You can buy a BRAND NEW CRF250 Rally for £5000. The only conceivable reason I can imagine that anyone would buy the BMW over one of those is that they have short legs.

Good summary here by JMo after <4k miles. (Rally Raid conversion so suspension obviously gets a pass.)

Besides many good points (like vibes pass after 6700rpm - never got that high myself) she also mentions the too narrow front pegs (for standing) plus prematurely worn out cush-drive rubbers, like the the old XTZ660. Never had any probs (that weren't of my own making) with mine on the short trip I did, but I always thought that the Tenere was another bike which looked great, capitalised on a legendary reputation/brand, but was heavy and cheaply put together underneath. People still managed big trips with the usual minor probs.

Also, far from unique to the 310, but as with all these highly tuned, small-engined bikes (I've had or run a few in recent years), the fuel consumption isn't impressive when you think of what you lose in terms of comfort, easy overtaking, etc. What JMo recorded below (UKmpg added) is worse than my CB500X (av: 74; best: 93.5; worse; 57) and maybe the 500X she ran on the TAT 2015.

3. The fuel economy is good. Initially while keeping the bike under 60mph, I got as high as 67US [80.5UK] mpg, and typically 62 [74.5] mpg was my average according to the dash display. However, it does start to increase once the speed rises - 70mph or thereabouts sees it drop to 57 [68.5] mpg (and as low as 48-50 [59] mpg in a head wind), while pushing 75-80mph means I didn't get over 50 [60] mpg, and as low as 39 [47] mpg into that strong headwind and uphill over Tehachapi [Pass; famous wind farm] …

With the 310GS I see some convincing themselves it's a mini GS1200 so must be suited to travel biking, rather than a small-engined bike with the big GS look.
As Fern said, it's 'made for people that want to dip their toe into the BMW brand'. Nothing wrong with that and a smart move by BMW. Great for nipping about and for Rookie Riders; not convinced it's my kind of travel bike (any more than a 1200GS, tbh) because for me the whole point of putting up with a '250's' limitations on the street is light weight and agility off road.

There is plenty of competition out there for this market. Might be of interest to see how the build standard of this weeGS compares with the new RE Himalayan that comes to the market for 1000GBP less.
KTM are in there with a similar size engine in road-going guise and Kawa/Suzi have products with a comparable engine capacity, to name a few.

With the "rookie" scheme, BMW have sort of caught up with Honda here in the UK: their marketing for new riders with restricted licences started some years ago.
Slightly remarkably, there is a second hand CRF250L on offer on UK ebay at present with 59,000 miles on the clock - going strong according to the advert and not using oil.

Absolutely. They're dam good bikes. You can buy a nice example for £3000 !!

I'll be buying one soon.

Predictable. Perhaps some don't realize that building high quality small bike costs about the same as building a high quality BIG bike. (R1200GS vs. G310GS.

I'm wondering if BMW will, in future, UP the standard build quality of India produced product.

As a comparison, look at the quality of motorcycles coming out of Thailand. Most Triumphs are built there.

And of course both Honda and Kawasaki are seriously committed in Thailand and both produce many many bikes there. The quality is very high, equal to anything built in Japan or UK. Impressive.

Could not BMW do something similar for Indian production? To answer my own question ... they could but they probably won't. All about PROFIT.

As mentioned, the little G310GS looks like "the real thing", is cheap and looks quality on the showroom floor. They are, apparently, selling well.

I sat on the road model, gave it a quick look, it looked OK.
And much of the moto press say the same thing. It's all good! ... But is it really?

Chris's reports from Morocco will be key to knowing the real truth once the rental company has feed back after a season or two of use of 310's as rental bikes. :mchappy:

Exactly. The public asks for a light weight adventure bike, the manufacturers produce small engined bikes that are still too heavy. CCM were sooo close with the GP450 - 125kg, 450cc, cush drive hub, low seat option... Such a shame they blew it with the wrong engine, some over complicated design (the fuel tank) and the usual wiring issues.


I think the CRF L is still too heavy for a 250, (as is the KLX250S, which I think is a better appointed bike and much underrated) but it beats the BMW in virtually every "adventure" criteria except the "looks like a GS" one!

exactly, and as big bikes quality is not impressive go figure...

how do you know? No, quality is not very high as Japan quality is not very high anymore either, get use to it.

Just to update this thread... I’ve currently racked up over 11,000 miles on my G310GS now - from Virginia to California, then back across the country to Toronto, and now I’m heading back west again - currently in Colorado...

I have to say, it continues to impress - both off-road (admittedly with the Rally-Raid suspenson fitted of course) and also on - and while it’s forte may not necessarly be high mileage long highway days, it can easily do that too if required... I was in Des Moines Iowa this morning, and now I’m a stones throw from Denver Colorado.

Like tossed salads and scrambled eggs, the mountains are calling again...

Goodnight everybody!

Jx

Ps. If anyone is interested in my bike and the Rally-Raid upgrades in general, Juan just posted a new video from our week in Moab in May this year:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng7oFzQ9QHU

curious if there is such kit available for nc750x as IMO it has much better engine torque wise then e.g. CB500x and I did on this bike plenty of off-road, e.g. in Morocco. Only limitation is ground clearance and weight, excellent handling bike off-road.

Hi Tremens - if you’ve spent any time on the ADVrider forum threads regarding the CB, I feel I’ve explained why John (at Rally-Raid) and I felt the CB was a much better platform for an all-terrain Adventure bike than the NC range.

In a nutshell, as you say, it has limited ground clearance, a much longer wheelbase and is significantly heavier - an ADV kit for that bike would mean it competes directly with the already established 750/800c class such as the Triumph Tiger and 700/800 GS of course - all of which are competent and cabable larger ADV bikes out of the showroom. In fact I’d suggest the only thing the NC would really have in its favour is the DCT transmission option.

The point of the CB is that it is a phyiscally smaller and lighter bike, but that still has the [twin cylinder] on road performance of those larger bikes, while being more nimble and managable when you go off road - and as you are probably aware, I have taken the CB seriously off-road, including the Rubicon Trail.

Hope that clrifies things...

Jenny x

ps. Rally-Raid do offer upgraded and adjustable suspension components for the NC model, but not longer travel, spoked wheels or engine guards etc.

Recall notice
 

FYI -

https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/201...ect-2017-2018/

Ride Safe - Michael

that's the quality of today's bikes, lunch the product and next day there is a recall...where did the QA took place? BMW, Honda, Yamaha all are the same now.

To be fair, it is only a handful of bikes that have suffered - but enough now for BMW to do something about it of course.

for info. The issue is where the tube that the side-stand pivot bolt goes through, is welded to the tab on the frame. Some bikes appear to have more weld than others, and some of the ones that apparently have less weld have had the joint crack and in some cases the tube bracket has snapped off.

I agree with Tremens that this sort of thing should really have been addressed as part of the initial quality control - but presumably the issue didn't come to light until the bikes started being used.

As I understand it, the fix [an additional support bracket] for existing models is being rolled out to all affected territories, and all later production batches revised have received a revised specification and better Quality Control.

Jx

Just saw this thread and I may have a bit of input. I've been trying one in the moroccan desert in february. How it happened was actually quite funny :

We've been riding along the algerian border with 3 friends and were staying in a bivouac (touareg style tents that you can rent for the night) and after diner we saw some fellow exhausted riders come in. Middle Aged german that came all the way from germany to have try a bit those GS310. Funny thing is that they arrived by car, with their support vehicle. They had ditched the bikes in the desert 15 to 30 kms ago, when they couldn't manage to get past the fech fech track.

Full of confidence after riding for a week in the sand (with bikes ranging from 250 two-strokes to husqy 701) we offered to recover the bikes for them if they could manage the truck to drop us on the location.
We've been there in pitch black night and found the bikes deeply in sand with the OEM tyres and OEM tyre pressure ! Obviously, this is going to be hard without knobblies.... And it was! The standing position was a nightmare and there was way to much weight on the front end to manage anything good...the suspensions was overwhelmed by everything that came at it. The ground clearance could have been way better and the seat was way to low for you to get your foot out in sitting position (for exemple in a rut curve)

Don't get me wrong : going straight for the desert with OEM suspensions and OEM tubeless tires and trying to ride in deep sand is pure madness. Those guys didn't have a clue what they were getting into. But even with better suspensions and knobblies, I doubt this bike could go for this type of terrain. The overall bike is too heavy especially the front end, and the standing position isn't good for me. If I wanted something in this price/power range, I would go for a CRF250L, especially knowing that the heavy GS310 isn't more comfy...
But surely, this type of track isn't what this bike is made for...It is more road oriented. You know the saying; If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree...

I bought it myself back in April this year.

Currently I'm running a blog on ADVrider, but will be condensing that (as I have done with my previous trips) as a dedicated ride report here on the HUBB once I've finished this trip at the end of August and have some time to go through it all.

I'll also be at the Horizons Canada-West event in a couple of weeks, plus California at the end of September - with the bike and my latest AV presentation about the trip this summer.

Jx

The weight of the BMW 310 GS and all the other small adv bike that has been released the last couple of years is what is bothering me. By all means - its great that many manufacturers have come up with small capacity adv bikes but when the weight scale is tipping 170-180 kilograms and more for most of them Im not sure if its really a small bike.

BMW 310 GS - wet weight 169,5 kilos
Kawasaki Versys 300 - wet weight 175 kilos
Suzuki V-Strom 250 - wet weight 188 kilos
Honda Crf 250 Rally - wet weight - 157 kilos
Royal Enfield Himalayan - wet weight 191 kilos
Benelli Trek 502 - wet weight 213 kilos

For comparison:
KTM 690 - wet weight 150 kilos
Husqvarna 701 - approx 155 kilos
Suzuki Dr 650 - wet weight 166 kilos

Say no more...

To be fair - you are comparing 'adventure' bikes with street legal enduro bikes there...

ADV bikes by their nature tend to come with a lot more bodywork/fairing/screens, better lights, far more comfortable seats, a stronger subframe, and usually a lot more fuel capacity too...

Add that lot to a 690/701 or DR650 and the weight is basically the same - although at least with the 690/701 you'd get a lot more power and typically better suspension too.

Jx

drz650 or ktm690/701 are not really enduro bikes aren't they? :)
and that GS310 doesn't have anything special specific to adventure bikes,
that is before you add your designs rally kit :)

I agree with heavy weight argument here, low power and lot's of kilograms are not going well in pair. Similar crf250l or 250l rally. Besides, for adventure bikes the most important thing is reliability and that remain to be seen yet for this new bmw model.

Looking how some guys using on long trip real enduro bikes like 110 kg ktm 500 exc it's really hard to understand why companies makes such elephants for entry level adventure market. Why bmw don't bring back good 650 x-country model with 147 kg dry and 52 hp ???

Hi Tremens - I'm not going to get into a pissing match, but I'd say the KTM 690 Enduro (the clue is in the name) and the similar Husqvarna 701 are exactly that - large capacity enduro bikes, with minimal concessions to daily use - crappy headlights, small gas tanks, board-thin seats... in other words, the modern equivalent of the older 650 class 'enduros' (of which the DR650 was one) and other examples such as the XR600/650, XT600/660, KLX650 etc. which were all considered competition bikes before off-road racing became obsessed with lighter weight and higher performance of the 450 MX based bikes...

But I certainly agree with you with regard to the overall weight of this new breed of small capacity 'adventure' bikes - however, that is almost inevitable - they are built/specced down to a price (who's really going to spend $10,000 on a showroom spec 250cc bike? - certainly not enough people to warrant a mainstream manufacturer building one!) - so if you want a genuinely high-specification small capacity bike, you're going to have to look at modifying some sort of base bike for your needs.

In that regard I really don't think there are that many people choosing something like a 500EXC as a base - yes it can be done, and it's a great lightweight platform, but as I mention above - once you've added all the elements of civility, the bike doesn't weight 110Kg any more...

CCM came close with their GP450 - unfortunately that was not the ideal engine for genuinely long-distance travel, and they don't make that bike any more.

I certainly share your enthusiasm for the old BMW X-Country and other bikes built around that 650cc Rotax designed engine. But things move on, and I doubt that engine meets current and certainly new emissions regulations for example.

Unfortunately the X-Country and X-Challenge were also limited (from the factory) with rather small fuel tanks, no-doubt helping to keep their overall/wet weight down.


At the end of the day, people on internet forums seem to be obsessed by weight (not so much on here, but certain on ADVrider eh? ;o) - when the variables are inevitably huge on a travel bike - not least how much luggage you carry, and how much you personally weigh, and are you taking a passenger etc etc.

Personally I think it's a waste of time wishing for what was, or hoping a unicorn will be born. I look at what's currently out there, find something that most closely suits my needs (or at least I can afford), then set about preparing and modifying it as I consider appropriate for the trip I have planned.


Bringing this conversation back around to the title of the thread, if you want me to break down my experience with the G310GS so far, I'd be happy to do so.

In the meantime, I've ridden over 14,500 miles in a very short period of time (less than 9 weeks actually on the road), and so far it has proven utterly reliable - and yes, I had reservations about the bike initially (before I bought it), but those have proved unfounded...

It's true it isn't the fastest thing on the open highway (here in the USA), but it will sit very comfortably at 70mph/112kph all day (and I mean ALL day - I've ridden a number of 600mile/1000km days back to back already, including one day just shy of 750 miles), with a little more in reserve for overtaking - although you kind of need to plan for those compared to a larger capacity/more torquey bike of course.

The only real weak link I've found has been the cush-drive rubbers - there are only three vanes in the hub, and coupled with the rubber being rather soft, there ends up being a lot of fore-aft play in the rear sprocket carrier after only a few thousand miles.

The foot controls are rather low-rent, but again, referring back to the top of this post - that is kind of to be expected on a bike that comes in under $6000 USD - and don't forget that price includes a 3-year warranty and roadside assistance in the USA too.


As I mentioned earlier on in this thread, I took a punt on a G310GS earlier this year, and I'm currently blogging my experience with this bike in detail on a different forum, so it might be worth dipping in there if you can't wait for a condensed summary here later this summer.

As I always say: manufacturers don't make 'bad' bikes these days - they can't afford to. Whether a particular model meets your specific needs (or at least would make a good basis) is a decision you need to make - and I trust you agree that every single one of the bikes owned by members of the HUBB will have been personalised and modified in some way. Such is the nature of our beasts.

I hope that gives some food for thought?

Jenny x

Well - whatever you choose to call different bikes or how you categorise them
:
The fact is that many overlanders have taken a KTM 690 RTW or in long overland trips and also some Husky 701 is taken overland touring, still a new model of course. And the Suzuki Dr650 is probably the most used model EVER for RTW/overland travel.
So you can brand them this and that and exactly how you like, in reality they are used for RTW and overlanding just as much as «real» ADV bikes. What does it make these bikes then?

I agree with you - up until a couple of actors took two huge bikes around the world a dozen years ago, most people travelled on 600cc size dual-sport thumpers like the XRs, DRs and XTs (and KLRs ;o) of this world - suitably modified to make them a bit more comfortable and to carry more luggage.

I think what we're seeing now is manufacturers essentially 'accessorising' these kinds of bikes to offer a similar specification, so less work needs to be done - and also basing them on more street orientated chassis and engines, so they retain their longevity and strength with less maintenance. The problem there of course is that usually means more weight and bulk?

You can't really blame the manufacturers though - they are effectively offering us the SUVs of the two-wheeled world. Those few people who prefer something more focused, still have the option of taking a Jeep or Defender and modifying it?

Jx

well, I don't quite agree here, they maybe don't do 'bad' motorcycle but they do use cheap components sometimes with random quality. That's the problem.

But never mind, I am to be honest surprised a bit by your choice - if you really wanted bmw experience why didn't you choose more suitable bike like F750GS for instance? unless this is mainly for promoting adventure kit.

Aw come on Tremens - you're just trolling me now!

If you'd read any of my thread on ADVrider you'd already know why - because I wanted to try something a little smaller and lighter and more nimble than what I usually ride (my Rally-Raid/Honda CB500X);

In comparison, the F750GS is:

a) long and low, and handles like a barge in comparison.

b) has less suspension travel and ground clearance.

c) weighs 120lbs (54Kg) MORE than the 310GS.

d) is hugely more expensive.

e) not available in the USA at the time I bought my bike (April 2018), due to, I believe, cheese valves.

I'm sure the list could easily be longer!

Again, I would refer you to the running blog on ADVrider to see the kind of riding I've been doing on this GS, and it ought to be obvious... certainly I cannot see any benefit to owning a F750/850GS, unless you wanted to primarily shlep up and down highways all day.

Jx

As some of you are aware, I work in a large BMW dealership during the UK summer months.

An update on the 310's.

Lots are being sold. They're very popular with new riders (BMW's new rider scheme helps here), women and lots of aging riders who are finding big bikes just too heavy now.

Even though they are cheaply made and there have been a few recalls, we have yet had one back with what I would class as a serious failure.

We've had a few faulty sensors here and there and that's about it.

At the moment, I'd say a brand new R1200GS is more likey to let you down than a 310 !

perhaps It proves the age old adage that simple is best.

Still. It's early days. I'd like to work on one that's done a long trip and see how it's faired.

Following on from what Ted has said above, I would tend to agree... in my experience this bike would appear to be just about as reliable as any other (other than Hondas of course ;o) - I've now covered more than 17,500 miles on my G310GS - and as mentioned previously, the only issue I've had is the cush-drive rubbers wearing very quickly and needing to be replaced.

During the latter part of the trip I also suffered a strange wiring issue with the headlight bulb connector melting - someone speculated it's possibly due to the vibration of the headlight (which does seem a little excessive on this bike) causing the terminals to loosen and eventually arc, which would explain that...

However, in neither instance has that stopped me continuing the trip, and simply getting the faulty components changed at an appropriate juncture.

I've not suffered any issue with my own side stand (and I have hammered it on rocks countless times during the summer), but Amy Harburg who rode her G310GS from Mongolia to the UK recently did have her side-stand bracket snap as a handful of other owners have experienced.

If anyone is interested in what this bike might be like to live with day-in and day-out on a long distance trip, I've now condensed my original blog into a ride-report here on the HUBB :Beemer Beemer chicken deener and I've essentially split the trip into three sections, with observations and a summary at the end of each leg: Virginia to California, California to Toronto, and Toronto back to California (with a brief pause in Idaho).

Hope that helps anyone considering this bike as an alternative to a larger machine...

Jenny x

I wonder how new engines in R1250GS will affect reliability rankings of BMW bikes :innocent:

310 gs
 

well I would say the 310 makes a great small travel bike, it all comes down to cost. off road its ok as standard but no enduro bike on road it will sit at 70mph all day what more do you want . people always compare bikes of greater value to it . 690&701 are not in the same ball park £ for£. as for all them 650 dr/xt good bikes but not in production at present , as for men stuck in the desert at night must be the bike not the rider !!!! you have choice where to spend your money, it may be an up and coming maker from the east. 40/50 years ago japan had the same problems!!!! triumph honda bmw hardly worthitson seem to head that direction might tell you the future is coming again.

Ahem........

https://www.suzuki.ca/en/2018-dr650se

They are getting long in the tooth, but you can still buy a brand new one for under 3000 GBP in Canada WITH a 5 year warranty:)

I still could not justify buying one of these new small capacity bikes that weigh more than a DR and pay an extra $1000 + to do so.

310 gs
 

well you are lucky you can still buy one , but to me times have moved on . you have to try these new bikes ! otherwise we shall all be riding bush pigs for ever . there is still room in the market place for all but for me a 310 gs will do .:scooter::scooter:

That is pretty much the crux of it - and ought to be in threads like this... no one is disputing that different bikes can satisfy a particular individual's certain needs and/or budget etc.

Personally speaking, I feel it would be more useful to discuss how the G310GS actually handles being used how most of us here on the HUBB actually tend to use our bikes - ie. it's weak/limiting points vs. it's positives - based on ownership and experience with the machine, and let readers make up their own minds if it might be right for them or not...

There are plenty of tit-for-tat specification comparison threads between bikes on other forums like ADVrider... ;o)

"I mean, why would you ever buy a 170Kg bike with 34hp when you can get double the power at under 150Kg with a Husqvarna 701 blah blah blah..."


Jenny x

Thanks, but no thanks.....Ive owned and ridden plenty of small bikes, I found the KTM 390 was fairly gutless and the build quality was horrible - hopefully KTM will change the gearing and bottom end torque if they do a 390 Adventure and not make it out of cheese. The Kawasaki Versys 300 you have to rev to the red line to get it moving - not my style of riding.
If I was to buy a another small capacity bike, Id rather buy a lightly used Yamaha WR250R, 30+ kg lighter than these new cheaply made wave of small capacity bikes and far better off pavement - which is where I would ride it, no bodywork to break and much better suspension and build quality.

I did talk to my wife about a 310 GS, she used to ride and was contemplating getting back into riding a smaller easier to manage bike with a low seat height, but she still would find it too heavy to maneuver and push (she is quite petite and not very strong)

I did a couple of thousand kms on and with 310s in November.
Bikes had around 7-11,000km on the clocks and all came with locally made bash-plates and crash bars.
Overall we covered 11,000km (me 2200).
The agency has had no issues with breaking side stand mounts.
None of us detected worn cush-drives.

Long version and loads more pics here

Good
• Indian build still keeping up

• Efi motor fuels smoothly at all altitudes
• Comfortable for tall riders, considering it’s a small cc bike
• A great little bike for bendy, gnarly backroads

• Decent brakes and easily switchable rear ABS

• Mitas E-07/ Metz Karoo 3 do-it-alls better all round than stock Anakees

• 19-inch front wheel ideal road/trail compromise

• Suspension surprisingly well damped

• Very good economy. Averaged 90 mpg (75 US; 31.8kpl; 3.13L/100k)

• Range from the 11-litre tank well over 300km, or about 200 miles

• Hallelujah, a near-proper toolkit!
• Chunky looking subframe should manage loads fine

• Useful dash data too, scrolled or edited with one button

• Yes it’s 169kg wet (claimed) but like they say of a GS12, it carries it well

Less good

• Over geared; could easily lose a tooth off the front sprocket
• Tank panels too wide for comfortable off-road standing

• Still stalls occasionally when pulling away or cold
• Thin seat lasts a couple of hours
• Hard to select neutral from a standstill

• Some bikes had starting issues at <5°C

• Mirrors blur above 90kph as vibes set in

Problems
• A couple of the bikes with the wire wheel conversion had malfunctioning ABS: the ABS ring sensor was probably mispositioned.

• On one cool wet morning, and on a couple of chilly <5°C mornings, a couple of the bikes wouldn't start straight away. It's a known issue. One guy may have pushed his battery too far and ended up jump startiing. To be precise, we found if you didn't catch and rev the engine first go, it took a minute or three to get going, initially misfiring before firing properly. Must be some fuelling/‘choke’ thing. Switching off to possibly reset something, and 'no throttle' seemed to do the trick.

• A couple of times my engine coughed under light load.

Had a broken side stand on a recent trip.
Bike had about 19,000km.
Bloke was just dismounting normally.
Rental agency said it had happened to a couple (or happened to this bike before).
Not an easy fix to do well.
Other than that, bikes are doing great for what they are.
A Himalayan can't catch them on the road once they get it on, but it's so much better on the dirt. Mpg is about the same.

G310gs
 

I know I am late to the party. but in my defence I only joined the Forum yesterday.
I have been riding bikes, no breaks, since I was 16 and I am now the wrong side of 50 nearer 60 to be honest. I have ridden all kinds of bikes, sports, sports tourers and touring. All of the larger cc's.
I got the baby GS as a 2nd bike for commuting, which is 45 miles a day on Yorkshires finest back roads, and as I intend to scale down work and do more leisure biking, I dipped my toes in adventure style bike because my aim is do some serious travel. Having tried every demo small capacity ADV bike in Yorkshire, I decided on the 310GS, for my commute to get used to this style of riding.
Price of fuel ever increasing high mpg for commuting a must getting 85 - 90 mpg, comfy (think sports bikes), well equipped and a very good instrument panel. With our roads getting worse, repairs not forthcoming due to cut backs, except where the Tour de Yorkshire cycle races take place ! Decent brakes with switchable ABS and long a service intervals. Bike is totally standard my only mods are a tall Powerbronze screen and better headlight bulb.
Since getting the bike at beginning of this year, I have been to Lake District, off road on the forestry commission roads locally, and a trip to The Black Forest in Germany, visiting my sister and back via the Alps in France to see an old friend.
For a bike that was supposed to be for commuting only, I am never off it, so much so I have literally just sold the Ducati sports bike.
The bike, whatever that maybe for my travels will have some big shoes to fill. Whats not to like.
I accepts all the views of seasoned ADV riders and the misgivings of this bike, but these are my views on the baby GS.
No I don't work for BMW.

Glad you are enjoying your 310, Pete.
I was just reading about the side stand issue yesterday and how they handled it.
Do you know if yours was reinforced under recall (if it was made before May 2018).
Or, I would be interested to see a close-up photo of the redesigned sidestand pivot on a post 5/18 bike.
I presume the pivot plate welded to the frame is substantially thicker.

Hi Chris - my bike had the frame replaced (even though mine never suffered from a broken stand) as part of the warranty recall, this is what the revised mounting bracket looks like on the replacement/new frames:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...7RDnbgw-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...XgTS6kz-XL.jpg

Note. I removed my side-stand switch earlier on during my trip, and I asked them not to replace it as part of the rebuild, which is why it's missing in these photos.

Jenny x

Hi Cholo - yes, if you were to smash the switch on a rock for example, then you'd end up with the bike only being able to be started in neutral, which is a bit inconvenient - particularly if you happen to stall the bike in a tricky section and you need to select neutral before you can get going again.

If you read my ride-report Beemer Beemer Chicken Deener on the HUBB, you'll see the kind of conditions I was riding in all through last summer - plus the specific post here describes how you can remove it and bypass the in-gear cut-out, while leaving it able to be reinstated at a later date if you wish.

note. It's obviously far easier to do that mod at home in the garage than out on the trail, but if you did damage your side-stand switch, that's how you bypass it to keep going.

Hope that helps...

Jenny x

It's a common mod, Cholo.
Besides breaking a low-slung switch, water getting in there can be a problem on bikes, road or trail.

Remove it (or permanently join the wires in the switch) and it's one less thing to have to diagnose if the ignition plays up.
Plus you can put it in gear with the wheel up leaning on the stand, to spray the chain.

Thanks for pics, Jen.

A dirty double bill...

A little shameless self-promotion here, but if you fancy a weekend in the Sierra Nevada foothills (Mariposa California) at the end of September - I'll be hosting two presentations at the annual Horizons Unlimited traveller's meeting:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/california-2019

Along with my updated Packing Light Q&A session, I'll be presenting my original G310GS video together with the debut of part 2 which covers the second half of my 2018 trip cross-crossing the North America on the G310GS last summer...

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-kp2p7CX-L.jpg

This is always an excellent and inspirational event, coupled with some awesome on-road and off-road riding right on the doorstep of the venue, just west of Yosemite National Park - hope to see some of you there this year!

Jenny x

Motorrad, a quite large motorcycle news company (i believe), just uploaded their 50.000km test and their results from extensive (?) tests and measurements they took beforehand as well as afterwards. Their findings include also problems, toubleshooting and so on. Worth a watch, and i believe youtube translates it too?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OlD4Fejn_M&t=0s


Greetings

Just back from another cumulative 21,000km (6 x 3 x 1200) on or with 310 rentals, now with about 30,000km on them.

All look in very good shape (Moroccan climate)
No USD leaks
No burning oil
Neutral hard to select
Shock has even less damping now
Another (reinforced) sidestand went
Up to 110 mpg (39kpl)
Up to 12 litres in a tank
One had a persistent battery issue down to a loose connection somewhere
One smashed wheel (unfortunate square-edged rock encounter while crashing).
All hanging in there as the German video above may also confirm.

Nothing special on the dirt as you'd expect – bigger BMs I also rode felt a lot more stable – but as much fun blasting through mountain switchbacks.

With TL you rarely have to remove a wheel but I noticed the 17mm front axle cap bolt only has 5mm sides (like the X-bike BMs of a few years back). It means you absolutely need the right sized ring spanner if it's been done up to 973Nm like they do out here (even with oil filler caps) or you'll ruin the nut and be buggered. Not present in the surviving toolkits, local Chinese '17s' were way out, but a Mercedes (or any European car, fyi) wheelbrace includes a solid 17mm socket.

By the end of a week most admitted begrudging respect for the 310s.

More pics here.

https://adventuremotorcyclinghandboo...1/t2019-44.jpg

4 pages and still no outright conclusion :helpsmilie:

Thank you to everyone who posted.

My dilemma.

I like the spec.
I dislike the BMW brand and have history with their awful customer support.
I like the price
The dealer who I would buy from has a reputation for not being corporate idiots. Speer vs Goering, hardly a convincing argument.
I will do my own maintenance so basically throw the warranty away at 6000 miles.
There seems to be no experience of this, the owners seem frankly institutionalised (present company excepted).
I think I can fix the cold starting problem with a lithium battery which I will buy anyway.
I don't think I should have to.
They claim to have fixed so many issues there can't be much left to go wrong.
I cannot live with a CRF250 because I'm too short.
Honda are running scared of the virus to the point they are impossible to deal with and don't seem to want to sell me a CB500X
The CB is 30kg heavier which is important enough not to ignore
I can get the right tyres while the choice on the CB is missing a winter selection.
The Enfield is a step too far down on power.
I aren't buying Chinese made.

I think this is coming down to who offers the best deal :helpsmilie:

Andy

If you buy a new one, you will get a THREE year warranty. Which is actually really good.

So any problems will be fixed for free. Then get rid of it.

I was a BMW dealer tech until quite recently. I saw many of them come in and out and worked on many of them.

They're a cheap Indian bike with better quality stickers and fairings. Don't expect quality because you won't get it. Like anything BMW, take off 30% of it's price-tag for the badge, and that's what you're really buying.

For what they are, they're actually very expensive. But BMW warranty is really good. As long as you're not one of those arsey people who whine that the their centre stand gets rusty on it's feet after two years.

It's a plate which is bolted to the frame. Requires some special tooling and new side stand/bolts etc.

Thanks Ted,

But if I put my own air in the tyres or buy a non logo'd lamp from Halfords* will they still pay up? Free parts aren't free if you have to buy their oil at crazy prices and have a day off work while their apprentice strips your drain plug and they get some araldite in**. Honda and Enfield have been fair on this, use genuine parts and they play.

*I kid you not, Alan Jeffries rejected a rubbed through F650 loom because I'd tried another bulb to get me there alive one December afternoon :(

**Alan Jeffries again, I was a slow learner.

I like doing my own work. There is a certain satisfaction in a valve shim changed on a winters afternoon.

I never keep a bike past 3 years, raised blood pressure over strident horns and the like just to keep a bike I'm bored with doesn't happen.

All good to know, Thank You.


Andy

WOW! I had no idea!

Just goes to show exactly how much wool is being pulled over customers' eyes.

So much wool, in fact, that I think the ewe is still in there, somewhere....

Today I had my in the flesh experience.

This is a cracking bike with a lot to recommend it. The engine is willing, the size and weight great. They got the design right.

I doubt I will buy one because :

Everyone from owner chat to the salesman is obsessed with the warranty and recalls. This is like when Aeroflot announce both pilots are sober today and run the safety drill a third time. It does not inspire confidence.

The demo bike needed the front brake bleeding (or its got the wrong sized master cylinder) which adds to the nagging doubt.

While BMW have moved on from the suited lizard style of selling and are willing to discuss it further, an offer only £200 better than Honda have made against a CB500X doesn't cut it. The "only £80" to turn off the service light each year I have simply added on, making the CB500X the same price if I keep it three years and the light annoys me once a year.

BMW should look at the positives. They got me in their showroom for the first time in 17 years and if they make them right for another 3 years without using the owners for test work I might look again. They need to get rid of latching service lights.

Andy

I've never bought a BMW bike (although I came close a couple of times) but we have been subjected to the full force of their marketing and lifestyle vision on the car side as my wife is currently on her 4th Mini. There's a lot of similarity between selling cars and selling cruises - both of them sell you a vision and deliver, well, metal. It's up to you to delude yourself.

Like you found with the bikes there's a lot of patter about warranties etc from the saleman (salesmen - we've had a load of them) but to tell the truth, in 12 yrs we've never had a single thing go wrong with any of the cars so how good it is or not isn't something we've ever had to find out. A few bald tyres is as much as we've ever had to spend out on. That's because, I suspect, because we buy new and p/ex it for another new one after 3 yrs. That has to be the lifestyle they want to sell to you and profit from themselves. If the local dealer ever kept salesmen for more than a few years I suspect we'd be on first name terms with them now - but if you have a more than three year old car - or bike, you're on your own and ostracised from the 'family.'

It's all bullsh1t really but my wife just wants the thing to work every time she get in it and she has no interest at all in the oily bits so she's happy if nothing goes wrong. I'm the opposite - if something isn't going wrong I get bored with it. :rofl: