BMW G310 R Spotted in South India; Launch Likely in 2017

[Praveen]

BMW motorrad fans, rejoice! Your wait finally gets a respite! The BMW G 310 R has been spied in India for the first time since its unveil at the 2016 Auto Expo. The bike was seen in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu. The video shows a bunch of guys in a car going ga-ga about the bike and even trying to chase it! Dressed in a beautiful shade of 'Strato Metallic Blue', the bike seems to be quite a looker! Going by the looks of it, the bike's got all the bells and whistles like inverted front forks, rear monoshock, chunky tires, front and rear disc brakes. The bike is expected to be manufactured in Hosur, The engine is expected to be a 300cc liquid cooled one churning out around 30-odd bhp and is likely to be priced within INR 3 lac. So, expect the bike to be a tourer rather than a brawler like the Duke 390. Here's the video:

[Praveen]

The bike is the fruit of the collaborative effort of TVS and BMW. If you ask me, it is indeed a good combination. BMW and TVS can merge their engineering prowess while TVS can make the product a reality with their state-of-art and cost effective manufacturing techniques. Here's a walk-around review by ZigWheels at the Auto Expo:

What I like:

• It's an affordable BMW bike and looks the part too!
• Engine: 313cc liquid cooled engine produces 34 bhp and 28 Nm. The engine is mounted horizontally to ensure smooth combustion and power delivery.
• Transmission: Speaking of power delivery, the engine is mated to a 6 speed transmission, which is ideal for highway runs. Even in the facebook video, you could see how effortlessly the bike overtakes the guys in the car!
• Styling: The bike is essentially the younger brother of BMW's litre class S1000R street bike. Muscular tank, fat front forks painted gold, and lean, yet curvaceous rear makes the bike stand apart from the rest.
• Quality: BMW's trademark German engineering and TVS's manufacturing is the ideal combination, much like Bajaj-KTM partnership. If KTM can sell like hot-cakes in India, co can BMW. The switchgear quality of the Auto Expo bike were excellent and I hope it stays the same. I swung my leg over the Auto Expo model.

What I don't like:

• Comfort: The single piece seat may be good news for the pillion but not so much for the rider. The curved rear portion of the rider seat tends to push the rider towards the front and the rider ends up slamming on to the fuel tank. Not good for the family jewels, I say! I wish they come up with an option of split seats.

Verdict:

The BMW G 310 R has definitely got the looks that can kill and the performance to match. The million dollar question is the price. If BMW manages to price it around INR 2.5 Lac, then it could be the next big break for both BMW Motorrad and TVS motors!

[NikilSJ]

The BMW G310R looks like a worthy competitor to the KTM Duke 390. However, does it come with ABS? At Rs 2.5 lakh, ABS should certainly come as standard I feel. However, the one I'm waiting for is the TVS Akula (or Apache RTR 300). That bike with the same powertrain will definitely be cheaper than the BMW for sure.

[n00b]

Their reaction when they see the bike is very funny! "Poda Poda"

[Roshun]

Their reaction when they see the bike is very funny! "Poda Poda"

I love the reaction in the video "Poda poda" translates to "Go, GO!" in Tamil. When they first spot the bike, one of them thinks it's a Mojo. But when they pull up alongside and realize it's a BMW G310R, their excitement increases. Of course, the G310R rider is having none of this spy video business and zooms off. The frustration of the first-generation Maruti Swift not being able to keep up is evident with the co-driver yelling at the driver to catch up.
That bike does look really fast. It should easily give the KTM 200 a good run for its money when it is launched.

[Akshat_Pokhriyal]

Does look really quick. To be fair to the Swift though, it did have 4 people onboard. An embarrassing spectacle nonetheless :P

[NikilSJ]

Hahaha. That video is hilarious. The 310R looks quick. I hope it is more refined than the KTM Duke 390. I'm guessing it will be because of its twin-cylinder layout, but can't wait to read reviews of this cracker of a bike.

[Praveen]

NikilSJ As Roshun said, it has the potential to give a good competition to the Duke 200 and even Mahindra Mojo. And yes, I hope they keep ABS feature as standard or at least, optional. It would be a disappointment if they forgo ABS in the name of cost-cutting. However, I feel Akula will take some time to materialize in production form. I'd say it would take at least a year for them to roll out the production version. By the time it comes, I hope Honda would also (finally) come up with the CBR 300 R so as to give stiff competition to the KTM's.

[Praveen]

NikilSJ The BMW G310 R has a single cylinder engine only. Expect counterbalancers to do the trick when it comes to refinement levels. Apparently the top speed is around 140 kph, which is good enough for Indian roads, I guess. Fuel tank capacity is around 10 liters, which translates to a range of around 250-300 kmpl. I think this bike could be a capable tourer and the BMW badge will help in registering good sales figures unlike the Mojo which ended up being underrated and lost into oblivion.

[NikilSJ]

BMW has released the first promotional video of the upcoming G310R. One of the most anticipated bikes set to be launched in the subcontinent, the BMW G310R is the product of the collaboration between BMW and TVS where the German takes car of development and the Hosur-based manufacturer looks after manufacturing. The G310R is BMW’s first foray into the sub-500cc segment to take on rivals like KTM’s Duke 390 and Mahindra’s Mojo.
BMW is currently in the process of opening new showrooms across the country.
Take a look at the video below:

The video connects with people who love their bikes with bold statements like, “People have cars because you need a car to get places. You don’t need a bike, [and] people have bikes because they love bikes.”
Spec recap:

• Engine: 313cc water-cooled single cylinder
• Power: 34PS @ 9500rpm
• Torque: 28Nm @ 7500rpm
• Wet Weight: 159kg
• Top Speed: 145kmph (claimed)

TVS will also be releasing a track-oriented bike based same platform and powertrain as the G310R called the Akula 310.The BMW G310R is expected to be launched around the festive season and will be sold exclusively at BMW Motorrad dealerships.

[Praveen]

Stefan Schaller, the CEO of BMW Motorrad has confirmed that their operations will begin in October. So, expect the bike to be launched within this year at the least.

[CorsaVeloce]

The GS310 R was spied again and this time, without any camo. Looks smart, but rather small as compared to the current 300cc bikes out there.

If I may say so, the rear reminds of the darn ugly Karizma ZMR. Especially the brake lamp.

The front on the other hand is nice, the radiator looks nice and the liquid cooling should really help in Indian conditions.

[Praveen]

CorsaVeloce These pics are taken by some Honda CBR riding group, right? I wonder how they made the test guy actually stop for pictures! Does this happen often? I heard the top speed is likely to be around 170 kmph, which is plenty for our Indian roads and the mileage stands at around 25-28 kmpl. Not bad for a 300cc liquid bike, I say! Note the circular opening on the fuel tank. I think that's where BMW logo would come. Why did they have to go the Karizma way for the tail lamp? Even Mojo-like tail-lights would've been better! Looking at the first picture, it just feels like the seat is a bit cramped for a 6+ foot rider.

[Praveen]

The production of BMW G310 R has started, as these leaked images on facebook indicate:

Engine unit of the 310 R:

Production has commenced in TVS' Hosur plant, near Bengaluru. The pricing is expected to be very competitive, even undercutting the KTM Duke 390! This could be the cheapest offering from BMW Motorrad, thanks to BMW's partnership with TVS Motors. The bike is expected to be launched in India late this year.

[Praveen]

The list of accessories have been revealed by a Malaysian- based website, paultan.org. They seem to be pretty much similar to what other premium bikes offer. The accessories list include the following:
* Rear rack
* Two variants of top panniers- one, a standard 29-litre unit, and the other is a 30-litre top case that comes in Granite metallic grey.
* Two seats are also available where one is a soft seat which is designed for better ergonomics, and a lower seat for shorter riders. Expect the lower seat to be less comfortable than the standard seat owing to the reduced cushion.
* Center-stand.
* LED turn signals.
* A 12-volt socket for charging electronic gadgets.

Expect a premium price for these accessories. The top pannier for the KTM Duke costs around INR 13,000. So expect the pricing to be similar to the panniers offered by BMW as well. Honestly, top panniers look absolutely horrible on naked bikes. Although I don't understand the use of LED indicators. I mean, indicators are indicators, right? what difference do LEDs make apart from the power ratings?