KIWI RIDER JULY 2020 VOL.2 | Page 98

SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE TECH The G310GS arrived in New Zealand in late 2017 as a 2018 model, and while it is a budget adventure bike, it does have a few bells and whistles befitting a bike wearing the GS badge. Included in the package, which retails at $9495 at dealerships, is an LCD dashboard display with all the info you need – from fuel monitoring and clock to gear position, it’s all there – as well as ABS braking with an easily accessible switch to disable the ABS at the rear wheel for adventure riding. Admittedly, that’s not a lot of technology at your fingertips like you see in the rest of the GS range, and it’s something that is especially highlighted when you compare it directly with its recently arrived European competition – KTM’s newly arrived 390 Adventure – but at this end of class that’s all you need. If anything, the straightforward tech of the GS is an asset for entry-level riders rather than a disadvantage. The LCD dash gives you a heads up on all the info you need to know and nothing you don’t. Unlike the rest of the compact adventure class, the ABS can be disabled on the fly with a single push of a button. The competition requires you to come to a standstill or click through multiple menus to disable it. It’s almost like BMW Motorrad decided to follow the age-old adage of K.I.S.S when it came to the design of the 310GS... It is a bike targeted at the entry-level rider after all. BIG BROTHER INSPIRATION The all-important styling is clearly inspired by the big GS models with the beaked fairing of the 310GS definitely slotting it in as part of the family, while the factory fitted rear rack adds to the utility a bike claiming any kind of adventure credibility must-have. Even the plastic shrouds around the 11-litre fuel tank feel sturdy, though I still wouldn’t want to test out how sturdy without fitting some aftermarket protection. While 11-litres of fuel load doesn’t sound like much, combined with a tested real world average economy of 4.4 L/100km (vs the claimed 3.3L/100km) you should comfortably see at a minimum of 250km between stops. That’s plenty of adventure in most people’s books, especially when most of us are far from our optimum level of bike fitness and need to stop often. 98 KIWI RIDER