BMW G 310 GS: 3,000 km ownership review

Previously, I was looking to buy a pre-owned Kawasaki Ninja 300. Later, I got inclined towards the TVS Apache RR310 but finally bought the G 310 GS.

BHPian nitinkbhaskar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introducing the latest member to the family - BMW G 310GS aka Reyah!

Likes

• Great looks - Nothing else comes close in this segment or 1 above.
• Robust build (barring some small design flaws) & decent quality of cycle parts - Have covered approx. 3k kms and I still don't hear any odd rattles after putting her through a whole lot of dirt, muck, rut, rocks and whatnot.
• Well-tuned suspensions - It gobbles all the undulations on road and has not yet bottomed out.
• Comfortable seats (both rider & pillion) & riding dynamics - 2 up touring all day long is definitely doable.
• Wide service intervals (10k Kms or 1 Year) - Spend more time on the road than at service centers.
• Powerful headlights - Totally satisfied with the illumination. For someone like me who will rarely ride in the pitch-black night, the stock setup performs really well.
• Did I mention great looks?

Dislikes

• Dated instrument console projecting limited information - It just doesn't belong to a machine of this day & age.
• Clunky gearbox - Decent upshifts but downshifts are not smooth. Finding N is a task.
• Meek horn - Highway rides demand an upgrade (There are some scooters out there which has a better set of horns).
• Low fuel capacity - 11L usable capacity means you will have to visit fuel stations frequently.
• Zero protection despite ADV moniker - All you get from the factory is a plastic bash plate. No handguards, no crash guards nothing.
• Non-switchable ABS - Dropping a major feature while upgrading the bike. Seriously?

Disclaimer: This review is compiled by a person whose experience with motorcycling is limited to single cylinders i.e. CBF Stunner, Unicorn & Classic 500.

Also, you won't enjoy my photography & writing skills, but I will try to share my experience so that potential owners can gain something out of this ownership thread.

P.S: Those wondering about the name - Reyah is an Islamic name that roughly relates to "winds" / "strength". Hoping that I ride with the winds to explore places and keep my riding passion alive for many many miles.

Thread Index

• Buying Decision & Dealership Experience
• Knowing Reyah (Quick Look Around, Instrument Console & Switch Gear, Lights)

• Ride Review
• Maintenance, Accessories & Wrap-up
• Tips & Tricks - Ongoing placeholder for quick hacks which has made my life easier with Reyah.
• Important Updates - Ongoing placeholder for anything crucial which I feel should be shared with potential owners for informed decision making.

Buying Decision & Dealership Experience

Well, this is the video that made my better half believe that I will go mad if I don't get a bike for myself. Since I sold my C500 in Delhi and shifted to Bangalore, she must have seen me watching this (among other videos) at least twice daily (for 2 years). And then one fine day she blurted out - go get your Ninja. I suddenly opened T-BHP classifieds, OLX, etc. to look for a pre-owned Ninja. Why preowned? - Well blame Team-BHP.

Anyways, nothing came close to my expectations in the pre-owned market. What did come close was Athek's Ninja 650. Had a good chat with him but then a quick look at my finances made me realize that the 650s are still a distant dream.

At that point, the BS6 version of RR310 launched and that was a really serious contender. Add to the fact that N300 BS6 was not in sight, I was tilting towards matt black RR310.

However, just when I was about to transfer the token amount, the below image popped up my feed.

And I was hooked.

Until now I was just thinking from the heart (motorheads will get this ), but now I tried to bring in some logical aspect. And when I really thought about it, the ADV made so much sense. The below spec sheet matched my requirements (weekend riding, exploring places and touring) to the T.

Also, the revised pricing helped the cause and 2.91 lakhs ex-showroom looked very tempting. With this, I coordinated with Gopal from Tusker BMW and I must say he handled my case very professionally.

Even though the delivery was delayed due to high demand (especially of Rallye edition), the communication from Gopal was very prompt and assuring.

Finally got the delivery of my bike on 24th Dec (Christmas Eve gift, eh ??) against the booking done on 20th October. Have ridden approximately 3000 kms since then and now I feel that I can do justice to adding an ownership review on Team-BHP.

Knowing Reyah - Quick Look Around

One thing is for sure - the Rallye edition is eye candy. I know that it's no sports bike with all those curves and hues but not a single day has passed when I parked Reyah and then didn't look back to admire her beauty. And in my books, that's the top requirement.

Looks killer, right?

Notice how the gold shocks pop out with all the blue, silver and black accents around.

The rear left has a very clean look without the saree guard. Silver rear footpegs are quite functional and look classy.

BMW folks want this bike to scream of her lineage. Check this collage which captures BMW branding all around the bike.

And if these brandings were not enough, you also get the complete BMW moniker - Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.

Rider footpegs do the job but are too narrow for saddling/off-roading. You can remove the rubber inserts for better grip in rough terrains. You also get a side stand switch that cuts off the ignition if the side stand is deployed midway.

Quite functional luggage rack. Have placed a sling bag for your reference.

Rear white shocks on the left and front golden shocks on right. Also, note the exhaust pipe from the reverse inclined engine behind the rear shocks.

Some pics of the under-seat area. The fuses and their details are well laid out. The service manual is nicely tucked in a compartment in the belly of the seat. Also, I was not expecting a TVS medkit.

There are 2 design flaws that I have noticed:

• The rear part of the seat does not fit the main body panel completely. There is a minute play of around .5 cm which makes some noise while going through potholes. Nothing major and you can't hear this within the helmet. With 2 up riding this is sorted on its own due to pillion weight.
• The number plate and rear fender rub together and hence tend to rattle. Again, can be fixed easily.

All in all, very happy with the build quality of the bike.

Continue reading nitinkbhaskar's ownership review for BHPian comments, insights and more information.