What is this weird looking thing on Tarmac’s home page that doesn’t have four wheels, you might ask? Your eyes don’t deceive you, we have indeed started covering motorcycles as well! And just in case this seems out of the blue, here’s a bit of context: I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 18 years old, something that started as a hobby to connect me with my father who was always into them. We took a few inter country trips alongside some close friends, but since moving to New Zealand, I focussed on the car side of things. I could never stay away from bikes too long and, after drooling over their two-wheel models when returning a press car, BMW were kind enough to have us onboard for their Motorrad division.
So enter the G310 GS. The GS namesake is one of the most famous and prestigious motorbike lineups for the German brand. They have a serious reputation back in my home country of being extremely capable, comfortable and durable machines, fit for the Gelände/Straße badge they carry, meaning Terrain/Road.
While the majority of the GSs are larger bikes, BMW has capitalized on the name cache by applying the same treatment to one of their smaller models, the “normal” G310, and it became a tall bike, exactly as you would expect. The different fairing with the windscreen and the taller riding height now make it a genuine GS. It is not uncommon that when upsizing a bike with a smaller footprint, proportions end looking off, or that it is just trying too hard. This is absolutely not the case here, the G310 GS looks great and not a single person that I showed it to (from normies to motorbike nuts) had something bad to say about it.
And nice touch with the BMW M colours, I must say! The exposed and painted frame breaks the darkness on the lower half of the bike, and the other colours keep the design dynamic despite the black alloy wheels. The stretched profile ends with a practical tray at the back that you can attach a box to, so that you can really go for that look and cover for longer distance riding. My press model had a few other off-road options such as an engine protector and knobby tyres, which suit the bike like a glove.
The dashboard is simple in implementation, but has a lot of helpful information. It is all digital, in LCD form, and you always have a tachometer, speedometer and gear indicator in sight. Through the single button available, you can flick between trip computers, engine temp, range and settings.
Headlights are bright and very useful, and on the left grip you have a switch for position, low and high beams and also that small trigger you can use to quickly flash the high beam, a handy tool for a crash course in lane etiquette. On the right one, you only have the usual kill switch and starter.
Using the latter will bring the 310cc single cylinder engine alive. Despite its smaller footprint and cylinder count, it’s got the goods: water cooling, 4 valves per (single) cylinder, and DOHC. If it feels crazy to call out double over head cams as a feature in 2024, I only have myself to blame: I’ve owned four bikes to this day, and none had them. And its behaviour is indeed very “one cylinder-y”: you get torque down low, and a smooth and progressive power delivery. Yes, it doesn’t emit the most thrilling soundtrack, but has enough crescendo to build some theatre as you approach the 11k RPM redline. And from around 6.5k and up, it changes pitch in a way that makes it more rewarding to ring out – just don’t mind the vibrations. When it’s time to upshift, the gearbox is very slick, easy to operate and works great with the clutch which has a very clear take up point. And how is it to ride?
As you seat on it, another benefit of the small engine becomes clear: the thin frame makes it easy to wrap your legs around, and finding your own riding position is second nature. My first motorbike had a very similar setup, with a tall riding height and a single cylinder, small engine. It was a pleasure to lean on and learn to navigate the two-wheel world, and the G310 is every bit as much, with the light weight that allows it to be maneuverable while having enough power to handle what’s thrown at it.
Most of my recent motorcycle experience has been with bikes with a very relaxed riding position, so it took me a little while to get used again to this upright stance that predated my custom days. And the more I ride the GS, the more I appreciated its posture: the comfortable height (for my 1.89m) and handlebar position, the supportive seat and the position of the pegs allow you to lean forward on it as much as you want while still allowing for quick changes in trajectory, meaning the bike is a breeze in the city and also nimble on the motorway. With the windscreen, you fight the wind less and could ride for hours: I had a 2 hour, non-stop riding stint on it and did not feel tired or numb at the end of it.
In the city, it shines as a practical commuter: the clutch is light, and the size is just right to make it easy to move through traffic with great visibility. On traffic light and merge ramps, you can really twist the throttle and add some thrill to the commute rowing through gears without ever breaking the speed limit. Then, once you’re onto the motorway, the GS has enough grunt to maintain highway speeds and brave the winds, but a passenger and cargo might make it feel slightly underpowered.
Keeping up with the Gelände part of their name, I had a short off-road ride on it. Granted, I take it lightly even when off-roading cars, so it was even more so on the bike, given how rusty I still am. But it was enough to see the light weight and the dynamic riding position (even when standing on the pegs) are really helpful to make the G310 capable on loose surfaces. And here, the knobby tyres get to make a big difference, I bet this bike is lovely on fire roads or even sand.
Brakes are good, and inspire confidence despite the dive you can experience on sudden pulls on the right lever. They are single rotors front and back, but this assembly suits the performance envelope, and offer ABS which is always great to see.
I couldn’t have asked for a better bike to kickstart (okay, almost) our Tarmac riding journey. The G310 GS is a pleasure to ride, extremely approachable and would make an incredible daily rider with all the credentials to tackle the weekend, regardless of the terrain. Thanks, BMW Motorrad, for the experience!
