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