Testing off-road capabilities of BMW G 310 GS

NEW DELHI:

BMW

G310 GS, the most affordable adventure motorcycle from the stable of the German automaker, enjoys the sweet spot in the market even after a year of launch. The likes of newly-launched Hero XPulse 200 and

Royal Enfield Himalayan

slot in the similar segment but are relatively underpowered by quite some distance. On the other hand, the Kawasaki Versys X 300 is almost 35% dearer to little GS, which comes at a premium of Rs 3.49 lakh (ex-showroom, India).


The off-road capabilities of G 310 GS and its highway performance remained untested during our first ride. Recently, the little GS was taken on a ride from Delhi to Aligarh and back, ranging around 250 km. In a day's trip, the initial phase on the Yamuna Expressway presented a smooth tarmac for cruising but the real test began on badly broken country roads, leading to the city in Uttar Pradesh. Here's how the ride unfolded:

Part I: The highway cruise

Summers can be challenging in northern India and riding becomes unbearable. The day's forecast of 47 degrees prompted me to hit the road as early as 5.30am. An early start meant the engine heating wouldn't come into play much either.


The 313cc, single-pod, liquid-cooled engine at the heart of BMW G310 GS allows it to zip through that leaves most on the highway behind. With a steady pickup, the gear shifting is precise. The bike responds well on the extended empty stretches, letting the throttle-wring hit the apex of the revv range

The engine is tuned to deliver 34PS at 9,500 rpm and 28Nm at 7,500 rpm. The gear-ratios are short and you have to shift quickly while gaining speed. Sans traffic on highway translated into no start-and-stop movement at all. The G310 GS could be maintained between 7,000 and 8,500 rpm over a period of time. The top speed claimed by the company is 143kmph and we were well close to the mark. At the crest of the sixth and ultimate gear, BMW G310 GS sailed at 140kmph.

The wide handlebars, plush seat and easy-going footpegs are perfect to hit the miles. Content at 100-110 kmph, I could feel the discomfort nearing the red line. Add to that, I forgot the rubber mounting on the footpegs, which surely made life uneasy. The vibrations tend to creep in through the tank and footpegs but are well controlled. While the front fairing cluster and distinctive GS beak protrusion aide to the aerodynamic capabilities, a larger windscreen was desired to counter the windblast.



Absence of slip-and-assist clutch, when it's increasingly becoming common in the market, is another area of concern. The highway part didn't require any sort of rapid downshift or heavy thrust on the brake lever. Disc brakes are decent too, but the bite to bring the 170-kg tourer to a standstill isn't earthshattering.

The fully digital instrument console displays oodles of necessary readouts - speedometer, gear indicator, tachometer, trip meter, range, clock and more. However, the rider may find it difficult to toggle through the data due to the presence of button in the dashboard and not in the handlebar switch box. In fact, my liking for the LCD screens on offer in the bigger GS units left me anticipating for more.

Part II: On the 'rugged' turf

This is where I was itching to take the bike through -- dirt and cracks of rural surfaces. It was the test of the 'GS' badging on the youngest entrant. Once the highway ceased, it was just the fragile road filled with stones and pebbles, gleaming fiery reddish in the Sun. Challenging conditions, but the BMW G310 GS surprisingly encountered most undulations smoothly.

It would be fair to say, standing on footpegs of the tourer, which has a seat height on the higher side (835mm), looked intimidating now. Body leaning forward, I found myself at an aggressive stance due to the handlebars, which ideally should have been slightly taller. The switchable ABS (anti-lock braking system) of the rear wheels became a necessity. The button to turn off the added safety is equipped in the instrument console.

The Trellis frame and cast aluminum dual swing arm and other cycle parts are premium and reassuring. Whether sitting on the plush seat or standing on the cast aluminum footpegs, the rear mono shock and soft-tuned front suspension (41 mm upside-down fork) with 180 mm travel were confidence boosting. The performance of the tourer on most parts of the crater-filled road was pleasantly surprising.

Unlike high-end adventure motorcycles, exerting the bike on a more rugged patch for too long could be detrimental. The tourer loaded with a compact frame, however, comes without handguard or any other offroading elements. This, in some ways, compromises the adventure skills of the G310 GS.

The odometer reading at the end of the trip showed 246 km and I was left in good spirits with a mileage of 30.75 kmpl. An 11-litre fuel tank on board, riders opting to take arduous trips might have to frequent refill stations. Well, I wrapped the trip before noon and that probably never allowed the engine heating to cause any worry.