It wasn’t that long ago when I started reviewing motorcycles. Besides the fact that I am only 18 and have just gotten my license, most of the time, the motorcycles that I get to ride are mostly scooters and underbones. Most of the time, my reviews are based on my experience with a similar bike in its class, but this time, it’s a different story. It will be my first time riding an adventure bike, and a BMW. Specifically, this is my personal experience and review of the BMW G 310 GS.
Since it was my first time riding an adventure bike, I was surprised by its ergonimics. I never expected that I would love high-mounted handlebars. To be honest with you, seeing the bike in person, I don’t understand why people call it the “Baby GS”. I get that its dimensions are different with the bigger GS’s, but dude the bike is actually huge in person! But maybe I’m just taking things too literally. It’s got the signature fuel tank of the GS’s, a tiny windscreen, a luggage rack, and an engine crash guard. The unit that I got is the Race Red colorway and my photos just couldn’t justify how good the bike looks in person. The accents, the lines and curves, and to top it all of is the side panels with BMW’s Badge. I can’t tell you how many heads turned and stared when they saw the BMW G 310 GS.
The main highlight of the bike for me is how comfortable the ride is with the G 310 GS. The seats are by far the softest I’ve ever ridden in my life. I am 5’11″ and I could flat foot easily, but if you’re under 5’8″, the G 310 GS might be a little bit high with its 32.9-inch seat height; worry less, because BMW offers a lowered seat option of 32.3 inches. The seating position of the bike places you in an upright and comfortable position.
Due to my lack of experience with adventure bikes, I couldn’t really tell how different the suspensions are with the G 310 GS and the bigger GS models, but for me, the suspension of the bike is really soft, which I found really great both on and off-road. I’ve tested the bikes on rocky and bumpy roads and the inverted front forks and the rear spring preload do their job. Until my very last moments with the bike, the BMW G 310 GS made my first adventure bike experience a really smooth and comfortable experience.
Powering the G 310 GS is a 313-cc liquid-cooled, four-valves, single-cylinder engine that produces 34 hp and 28 Nm of torque. It has more than enough power and acceleration to ride on the highways and twisties. I just wish the stupid 400-cc baseless rule in the expressways by the government would be changed to at least 250-300 cc. It’s such a wasted opportunity as the G 310 GS could easily go in expressways. I did not push the bike too much but the top speed that I was able to get with it was 137 kph with a rider weight of 76 kg. The bike could push to at least 150 kph.
City riding with the BMW G 310 GS is actually not that bad. It has a pretty wide turning radius but of course, with its big body, you would be forced to wait behind cars as you can’t lane filter in tighter traffic. In longer rides, the G 310 GS is perfect. I rode the bike from Cavite to Laguna up to Tagaytay and back to Imus, Cavite and I didn’t feel any back pain or strain at all. The G 310 GS has a fuel capacity of 11 liters and I got about 30 km/l. Pretty impressive as I was sometimes very aggressive with the throttle.
Stopping power is provided by disc brakes both front and rear which uses ByBre components, a subset of the most famous brake manufacturer in the world, Brembo. I’d say the stopping power of the G 310 GS is sufficient, but I just find it a little more on the soft side; but despite that, the G 310 GS comes with Integral ABS both front and rear which is always a plus. If you decide to play around, there is a button wherein you could easily turn off the ABS in one click.
As for extra features, there aren’t that much to speak of, but with the price you’re paying for a BMW, you can’t really complain. It has an LCD panel which gives you the common information you need. However, if you decide to go and make your bike look a lot better, there are plenty of aftermarket parts that you could put to make your bike look more adventurous.
Mr. Nico Ylanan told me that I am lucky to be riding these bikes at my age, and I totally agree. My first adventure bike experience is very memorable. Coming from a first-time adventure bike rider, I can tell you that the BMW G 310 GS is a perfect place to start, and apart from owning your first adventure bike, you could also be part of the proud owners of BMW.
Elijah’s Likes
- Riding Comfortability is top notch
- Everything is made in high quality
Elijah’s Nitpicks
- I hope there was an option to get the gold spoke wheels like in the other GS models (I think it would look so much better)
Pricing and Rating
Design: ★★★★★
Features: ★★★★☆
Safety: ★★★★★
Acceleration: ★★★★☆
Handling: ★★★★★
Fuel Efficiency: ★★★★☆
Comfort: ★★★★★
Value for Money: ★★★★★
Price: P300,000*
Overall: 4.6 out of 5
*Pricing is correct and accurate as of this article’s time of writing.
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