I understand the attraction to the 1200cc adventure bikes but the practicality escapes me. For the limited amount of time I do have to ride and the nicer dirt roads available to me I’d rather have this
As a new rider one of the first things I did to mine was put on a set of 50/50 tyres and some bar risers, which made a huge difference off road and gave me much more confidence in the dirt. A fun bike for beginners.
I am 64 yo and have been riding for 50 years, I own an Africa Twin and a Beta 300. While I love both bikes I find the GS310 very compelling. It is not just for beginners IMHO. The AT is a handful off road and it is getting to the point to were, fully loaded, I have a hard time picking it up. My long distance touring days are behind me and I could very much see getting one of these to haul behind the camper.
This was super super helpful. Tried one of these today not knowing anything about on/off road style bikes and really enjoyed the handling of it over the 750. Went to research it on TH-cam. Watched this video. Don't need to watch any others. Buying it tomorrow to ride across Mexico. Done.
New rider with 4400 miles on the 310GS. Wife has the 310R. I can feel my skills growing as I ride this bike. Setbacks are not soul crushing (occasional drop). I invested in some crash bars, a better skid plate, extra lighting, bigger wind screen. I will get a bigger bike eventually. However, I think I will always keep th3 310. Its just so easy to ride....so much fun.
Excellent review as always. I have a F850GS and a G310GS. The 310 is a surprisingly capable bike around town and for shorter trips. I don't understand why they aren't more popular. You are right when you said that the media has oversold the "more is better" in bike size when it is not true. I take the 850 on long distance trips only because it has cruise control and is had a lot of luggage capacity. Otherwise, around town, with 70-80 mpg and the nimble handling, the 310 does the job very well. Great videos. You are definitely my favorite. Keep up the great work!
Hey Hey Ian. Thank you for this. My 2021 g310gs (same color as you reviewed) now has 8000k on the clock. I've been beating it around the local farm roads, pothole filled Bulgarian village streets and smooth as silk highways. Not one tiny thing wrong, ever...looks and works like I got it from the showroom floor. Cheap to buy, 5 year warranty, cheap fuel and insurance (10 minutes to change oil in my parking lot for just a few Euros). I can carry luggage for 4 and it's light enough to flog around the twisty mountain roads like a sports bike. I don't miss my GXR1000 at all, zero. The baby GS is the perfect bike, at least for me.
I’ve clocked in 5600 km since january, my experience is similar, amazing bike on all surfaces though it lacks a bit power on highway but I can still do 120 kph, but I might just be vain :p
I've really enjoyed your work but especially this one. I'm returning to riding at the age of 67 after a 30+ year absence. I went to the BMW performance center and rode the 1250 GS and just got hammered. I bought a 310 GS to learn on and kind of felt I was being a whimp and this review really validated my decision. Next spring I'll move up and repeat the course as well. Thank you for your work, I really enjoy it
Thoughtful, knowledgeable review! I have the 2021 as well - 3500 miles and it's a pleasure to ride and big value. Great introduction to the brand. I'm very pleased with the comfort, handling and utility. At 6'4", I rotated the handlebars up/forward 10 degrees and added a windscreen and hand protectors. $6400 out the door.
@@charlyhardly My leg inseem is only 34" - however in your case the SW MOTECH foot pegs - than can be lowered 15 mm - might be for you! The reviews are very good and they appear to be a simple install. Also BMW does make a Tall Seat for the G310GS...
I’m 6’ 1” and my inseam is 32 or 33 I think. I can’t remember. Haven’t ridden tho. Just felt like I was part of the minority men who made it over 6’ tall.
@@ChuckMahon Your comment was the one I have been waiting for. I am a little over 6 foot tall and about 185-190 lbs and was wondering if I was going to be able to comfortably fit onto a bike like this one. I don't anticipate travelling long distances and mainly want it to get out of the city and onto to some back roads to do a bit of fishing. Vancouver BC where I live has quite a few good places within easy reach and this bike just might be the perfect one for what I want to do. If you are 6 foot 4 and can ride it comfortably, my 6 foot one shouldn't be an issue. This will be my first bike and at 66 years of age I'm not looking for a rocket ship to get anywhere. Just enough power to travel at highway speeds and light enough for when I'm on the back roads. I figure with a couple of well made panniers and a few other minor improvements this bike just might be the perfect ticket to freedom.
Finally! Finally ! I ride bikes since 90's and here in Brazil at that time mono cilinder bikes were very popular. The vibrations don't bother me, I'm kinda used to them. The suspention is perfect for Brazillian roads with all their holes and bumps. Yesterday I rode it for about 300km and it was very confortable and economic. keeping 110 km/h its consumption reached 31 KM/L which to me sounds impressive. I use to say that it isn't the best bike in any aspect, but a good bike in all of them. It's relevant also to say that's a urban bike, not a dirt one, although it's capable to have a lot of fun doing a soft off road. Summing up I'm very happy with mine. Thanks Rock ! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
@@basedpatriotLT They share the same motor, eletronics and frame ( as far as I know ), but different suspension, rims, tires and some minor details. These differences already justify my point.
In my experience it’s 3,4 liter per 100 km, I use it 80% of the time in city traffic, revs between 5-7k are the economy zone in my experience, bike is best at 80 kph in 6th gear, it uses about 2 liter and the wind is bearable 120 kph with 4 liter isn’t that bad as well but I have to hang on the handlebar :D
I am in my late 50’s, bought one after I went to the MSF course, I think it was the right choice for me. Not planning on upgrading anytime soon, just want to learn, ride, enjoy and have fun. This is the right bike for that. You did a great job
Now in my late fifties also I’m slowing down some most of my riding will be pavement but being able to take an easy trail or dirt road better than I could on my goldwing is something I’m looking forward too. I’ve been in the market for a while for a small cc single to get around town on I think this will fit the bill nicely and it’s a better fit for me physically than the R version. Should be a wise purchase for me and I’m looking forward to it
BRM I found this video valuable. I'm a brand-new rider and I'm shopping around for my first bike. Of course I drool over the R1300GS, but that bike as a first bike would be idiotic. Just doesn't feel right. This video was valuable in that now I know that my first GS bike will not be one of the pricey ones. Cheers man, love your down-to-earth videos.
I got a used 2018 310 GS 3 months ago and just got delivered a new 2022 R1250 GSA 40th year edition. They both serve their purpose fine for me and 71 year old 255 LB 6' 7" rider. Yes the older 310 has a stalling issue taking off in first gear unless you anticipate it but this one runs great and I ride them both regularly! Thanks Ian for all that you do!
By far you have the best most thorough reviews. They're awesome! As someone who's owned quite a few of the bikes you've reviewed I really appreciate your honesty. It's great that you point out true flaws with bikes as all of them have one issue or another. Secretly (even though I won't admit it) I kind of want to buy a Hawk 250 EFI just to see how bad it is lol. Hopefully you'll get one on your review schedule lol.
great review, thanks. I got a GS310 a couple of months ago, let me share my experience. It is my first street legal bike, Im 5'8" 155lb (small guy). I was looking for a light not too tall adv bike, and budget friendly. I narrowed my search to this one and KTM390. I finally decided for BMW due ergonomics, it felt much more comfortable than KTM (for me). As you say, it is fun and easy to ride, light and go anywhere, I am happy in general. My only wish is it would be a little bit more powerfull, I want to avoid higways, here in Houston, but it is almost impossible, you need them to go from point A to B in most of the cases. There is were I need more punch. It goes max 90mph, It seems enough, but it is not, cause it takes some time to reach that speed and max rev. More than once, I have had an asshole tailgating very close behind me and I can't easily take off, go farther or switch lanes, were everyone is racing their cars and big pickups. Highways apart, it is a do it all bike. Also, at minute 21:08 you said that for standing up you need some work, not in my case that I am shorter, position is perfect for me.
I know what you mean about Houston. The worst Drivers in the World are in Houston. They know you are there, but will run over you anyway. Terrible Drivers. You have to take the Freeways in Houston to get anywhere. I never go through there unless I have to. I live in Coldspring and it’s perfect for riding up here. I have the 1200GS and Love it. But I’m thinking the 310GS would be a lot of fun. I’m impressed with what I saw. Like Ian said, change out the Suspension and it would be Perfect.👍
I'd like to see mention of experienced senior riders like myself who can no longer pick up a 900cc Triumph and have found these low cc bikes that have a similar weight / horsepower ratio to something we started with like the CL350/SL350 back in the day. Very similar in power and probably lighter and more comfortable.
I started on a Honda CL 360 in the mid 70’s and now 41 bikes later at 62 years old I own a 2021 G310GS. I’m enjoying it and although it’s not the fastest bike I’ve ever owned I find it to be a decent competent well handling comfortable motorcycle. I have long distanced from my home in Oregon to southern Arizona and back with no issues. I enjoy riding Forest service roads and backroads quite a bit. My last bike before this was An Aprilia ETV1000 Caponord. Sometimes I miss the horsepower but definitely not the top heaviness and the weight.It’s a great bike to camp with and some panniers and a rack have allowed me to properly carry everything I need and then some. I give this little GS two thumbs up as a very capable all ‘rounder.
@@riksavering7049 Nice to hear from somebody my age I can relate to. Was considering a 750 GS but this bike is half the price and judging by this review it definitely seems worthy of a test ride. At this stage of my life I'm basically looking for something to joyride on.
I’ve been riding for 60 years or so, I have a BMW 1200GS and Husqvarna 701. I’m 74 now and would appreciate a smaller, lighter bike. I just sat on the KTM 390 Adventure and didn’t like the fit. I’ll try a 310 the next time I’m at the dealers.
If you're doing more highway miles than fire trails I would hesitate to recommend this. I rode a g 310 GS two hours back from the dealer after buying it and it wouldn't hold 110 kms into a stiff head wind and I had to pull over with arm cramp from constantly readjusting my throttle grip. This is my seventh motorcycle and by far the least capable highway machine but it is the most versatile so there's that. @@BartholomewSmutz
Excellent bike, and you are so right on the bike size issue, but I guess it’s vanity. Once you accumulate enough experience, you start to appreciate the function more than the form.
Great review! I own a 2019 G310GS and your assessment was “on-point” on nearly every topic. I was getting back into riding 4 years ago and thought this would be a good entry bike. My bike has the ABS button and it’s nice to turn on and off as I ride. I upgraded my suspension to Rally Raid for both front and rear and it made a huge difference in off-road performance, just as you mentioned. I have ~14K miles on the bike and I can’t say enough good things about it. It is so much fun to ride. With knobby tires and upgraded suspension I can take this bike just about anywhere and feel comfortable. I have dropped it many times and picking it up is relatively easy, so riding alone isn’t a problem. I now own a 2021 R1250 and feel the 310 made me a better rider to get on the big GS. Just as you mentioned, the 310 is a great starter bike before moving to a higher HP and heavier adventure bike. Keep up the awesome reviews!
Hi Ian. Love your detailed review. Another great advantage of this bike is the dealer support. For example, here in Australia I get 24 hour roadside assist and I was able to purchase a service package which takes care of servicing costs for three years. It is a fun bike to ride and I haven't had any issues with it whatsoever. I frequently take it off road (within reason!). I could not be happier with this bike!
Kind of wish I bought the service package now, servicing seems a bit pricey. Might end up doing it myself and getting the computer thingo to clear the dash reminder.
Thanks for your honest review. The fact you ride a bigger BMW adventure bike, gives your review even more credibility. I was gonna skip over the GS 310 because the first ones had a bad reputation. I heard those issues have been fixed with the 2021 update. As a result of your review, I’ve contacted a local dealer to go check one out. Thanks
Me & my friends are all getting dual sports now & i have a friend who wants one, but doesnt want the traditional honda kawasaki suzuki yamaha dual sports because he doesnt like the dirt bike look. I showed him this bike & he instantly loved it. Im goin with him to pick up his brand new BMW g310s🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Great review, it seems to me all these manufacturers are missing the mark, a g400gs with wire wheels and a bit stiffer suspension would hit the sweet spot!
I own a 2020 310GS and I agree with you 💯 %. The bike needs a 400 or 450cc motor with around 45 horses and a slightly longer seat and it would be my forever bike. 👍
ktm has a 490 adv in the pipeline, 2 cyl. the fact that Kawasaki hasn't installed the 400cc ninja engine in the versys is still mind blowing to me. I've looked at the 300 for a while now and have not pulled the trigger on a bike yet because I'm waiting for that slightly larger displacement and off road capability
Thanks Ian. i have been riding for 52 years and this is my 11th bike. As a daily rider this is my sole means of transportation. It is light, quick, frugal, cool to look at and has a killer warrantly. I did have a Versys 300X, it was a great ride but I far prefer my G310GS. Thanks again for the review!!
@California Miner the 2 engines are very different for sure. Both are high revving. The twin is a bit smoother but needs to be as it has to spin at higher revs. I think the Kawasaki would win in a drag race. The GS just seems more relaxed at highway speeds. Both great bikes I just like the GS better. In my area both have great dealerships but the GS has a more robust warranty. Hope that helps.
@California Miner well I live in Vancouver and the GS ticks all the boxes. 2 more things to consider, first the seat on the GS is FAR more comfortable than the Versys. Many reviewers of both bikes make the same observations. Secondly it is kind of cool to have a BMW bike! One last thing. The 'presence' of the GS is more like a 500 or 650.
@California Miner I am using hard plastic gun cases as my top box and side case. They are a bit smaller because I think the big aluminium cases overwhelm the bikes appearance. Everything to scale.
I bought one and I'm loving it. Thank you for your review. I'm 5 3' 122lbs and as long as you have the lower seat bmw offers you will be fine riding but keep in mind that because the motorcycle is light you will feel the wind pushing you out of the road. I'm in Colorado. Weather here is lovely . Hahah This bike is budget friendly, beautiful and fun to ride. Bmw offers 3 years of warranty. No other brand does.
Great review, Ian--you've become a superb reviewer, terrific presentation, and you tell me everything I want to know in a very succinct and direct manner. I have followed you for a couple of years now, and although I enjoyed your early reviews and video, you have really come a long way. Thanks for all the hard work--you're doing a great job!
Ian, "The Rant" at the 29 minute mark was Spot On true and needed to be said. Having to lift a heavy bike multiple times with a team isn't fun. Great review, I bought the Baby Beamer based on it. Keep up the great work!
Good review as ever. I’ve owned 2, and would happily own another one. I’ve fully stripped down the entire front end of one of these and know them well. Number one was a full Rally Raid version, and remains the bike that I most regret selling. It really was excellent. Number two was completely standard, apart from the Rally Raid rack and bar risers. I sold the second to downsize the collection! Big miles are not an issue on this bike, I did a few 200+ days with absolutely no issue. It’s perfectly capable at motorway speed, albeit without much left. The seat is very comfortable and the display works well in real world conditions. Brakes aren’t amazing, but do work fine. Handling for my weight was exceptional on both. You can absolutely toss these into corners, full throttling out. Highly underrated in my opinion.
“Highly underrated in my opinion” From what I’ve seen, a lot of people are judging it for what it could’ve been rather than for what it is. And then you have the elitists..
This is what ultimately led me to get mine. About 500 miles on it so far, first bike and I can tell it won't be the last. Maybe I'll be ready for a GSA some day. Love all the reviews
Yeah man, nice review. I’ve had this bike for three years. It’s currently in the shop due to an inability to start. Have had electrical issues with it almost off the showroom floor. Dealer initially told me it’s just due to the small battery (?) but now even a battery change won’t help. Thankfully it’s still under warranty. Also, runs super dirty. The oil change interval is like 6k miles but after less than 1k the oil is sludge. I change mine every 2k and it comes out like Hershey syrup. It’s a good bike to learn on I suppose, but you can spend far less for a beginner bike and have cheaper service and fewer reliability issues if you look elsewhere. As for performance, when it starts it runs fine. Won’t win off-the-block against anybody, but it’s only a 300. It’s practically an electric bike come winter. If I don’t have it on the trickle charger religiously it won’t turn over. I got sucked in by the BMW GS mystique. Will never buy from them again and look forward to getting the T7 I put money down on if it ever gets back in stock.
The servicing sounds painful, as is usual with BMW. The previous generation of the 310 GS without the slipper clutch had all kinds of issues - a fragile kickstand, brake failure and electronic gremlins. I thought the second gen would be trouble-free but guess not. They're still nice bikes but the RE Himalayan, Versys 300 and CB500X are cheaper to run.
I could not find a T7 and ended up getting a Aprilla tuareg 660 been happy with it but long term reliability is unknown and it being a brand new Italian bike accessories and parts are not as available as I would like
@@SWTrailsAndWheels I had a 96 BMW oilhead as my last bike, while it was easy to work on. It always had something that needed to be fixed or maintained
This is a great review, thank you. I rode dirt bikes when I was an early teenager, but haven't ridden since in about 40 years. This looks like it might be a good bike to pick up and get back into riding, and maybe adding a 2nd bike that's a little bigger once I get comfortable again.
Great review, I own a GS1200 and I 100% agree with you they should rarely be taken off road, why would anyone want to drive 600lbs off road, no reason other than marketing stole their brain!
As an avid ADV rider, I stepped down from a GS1250 A to KTM 990 then onto a G310GS with every single option possible. That includes Rally Raid suspension and wire wheels. IMHO, it's way more fun to ADV on a little modded out Baby GS then any mamuth motorcycle. At the end of a 100 mile off road day I don't feel like I got my ass beat by Mike Tyson. The G310GS was my choice when I did the Continental Devide and now I plan to ride it from North America to Patagonia .
Excellent review, thanks. At 60 & with the onset of arthritis, I can't handle lard bucket heavy bikes anymore but also have nothing to prove either. I think this bike is ideal for people who are downsizing like myself, but would like also to enjoy a bit of adventure on dirt roads etc - but aso have the confidence to not worry about picking it up after dropping it. Regards from the UK - Ride safe 👍
I am an avid follower of your channel and I really appreciate your in depth and objective tests of the various bikes. I own a 2020 310GS and I'm very happy with it, agreeing 100 % with all your findings of this model. I'm very surprised to see that BMW on the 2021 model unfortunately dropped the switchable ABS. This is a step backwards
It's a rebranded TVS from India, that was designed by both companies. The TVs has slightly different fairing but otherwise it's identical. Very popular and reliable bike, that gives the bmw name. Just unplug the abs sensor on the rear wheel and you get to keep front abs. The ktm 390 is also indian Bajaj
you mention fueling issue at the 22minute mark - in my shortlist notes for the bmw310 when i was deciding on bikes - "really light flywheel - easy to stall constantly have to feather the clutch when 1st gear offroad (2021 and after models have fly by wire throttle to fix this)"
I have a 2021 model with 9.000 km on the clock, and I agree with the review. I added the BMW hand guards, heated grips, and a larger windscreen. So far, this has been an excellent ride, and my only complaints might be the short gearing and the tires. Last fall, I made a 3.000 km trip around Québec, and the bike was reliable and handled well. It did okay at Canadian speeds, and there's a 17-teeth pinion option to improve that.
Thank you for this review, it's not just a beginner bike! I'm short, and I own heavy bigger bikes. But I'm getting this to start my Australia tour solo later this fall. I want light weight and agile with comfort...
I hope you didn't get the GS. I fear you will struggle mightily with the distances involved in Australia on a single cylinder 310 cc. I found it dangerously slow on the highways I've had the misfortune to ride on.
I really enjoyed watching your video and listening to your thoughts. I’m in my seventies and considering a 310 GS after owning the 900XR for three years. I love the XR but I know that my body wants something lighter, I’ll try and get a demo bike to ride and see how we get on. Thank you.
Rally Raid of UK makes a complete off road kit for this bike. But it costs about the same as the bike. There are reviews of the Rally Raid version on TH-cam.
As always a really useful reference standard review, you really do cover everything ! Cheers from the UK. You absolutely provide the very best reviews I've seen!
I looked over all the bikes compared in this video and ended up with the BMW. I really like it so far, it’s great for my commute and great for taking off onto trails and into the fields on our farm. It has surprised me with its capabilities off road; I have not taken it on any truly difficult trails, but I am just learning how to ride off road and this has been a great partner in that. And I hardly feel like I’m sacrificing anything elsewhere; it’s very comfortable and does fine at 70-75 mph. It isn’t quick but has no issue getting up to speed, even with my large 250 lb frame on it. Don’t regret my purchase at all
I own a 2020-310GS. Coming off an 1100cc bike. I'm loving how easy this bike is. Also: tons of low cost add on bits online (AliExpress). Low cost of insurance. Great engine braking! 300 km per tank. Gravel roads all day, looking forward to 50/50 tires though. Quiet through small towns (putting along). A small GS has to start somewhere (1 cylinder). Still a GS, no way to make it feel like the bigger ones. Sport touring bags fit well, cost little. Thank you Ian, great review. 👍
I have this bike and it was my first adventure bike and I now have around 20,000 km off road on it. Done multiple cross country tours on it and it is a great entry level bike. You can turn the ABS off on the back wheel (right hand ABS Button) but other than that it has not other real electronics. Brakes & suspension are the two real limiters but didn’t stop me from doing the WABDR or the TCAT. It trucks along off road and it does have limits especially when climbing technical hills with big rocks - you just need to learn how to ride it. It will take you anywhere the bigger bikes will. I have upgraded to a Tuareg now which I absolutely love but have to say this is a very good bike to start with.
I’ve put about 6000 miles on mine in about 6 months. It’s been great. I did have the crank position sensor go out. It was replaced under warranty a couple weeks ago. But when I went to pick it up from the dealership it had been stolen.
@@mickleblade Yeah there definitely responsible. They finished working on it rolled it outside to bring in another. And someone jumped on a took off. They didn’t even know it was gone. They called me and said it was ready. When I showed up Saturday morning to pick it up they realized it was gone.
Preach man. I love the 1250, I’d love to own one. I also invested in training and am constantly practicing on my 850. These little bikes are great! Might be a second adv bike for my garage. I do wish they’d offer some more electronics. The electronics on the bigger bikes are amazing
Had this bike for a couple of years as my first bike. Thoroughly enjoyed pushing it in the twisties, and taking it more slowly on fire roads and trickier trails. Trouble free ownership experience. Have shortlisted the Yamaha T7 and Aprilia Tuareg for my next bike, for more power and comfort on a combination of asphalt and dirt 70/30.
I have the Aprilia and the OEM accessories can be pricey and the OEM luggage is plain robbery. It being so new there is little 3rd party options. It feels lighter than the T7 ( however I only sat one that was already owned have not seen a single one for sale in person)and never had the chance to ride one. The bike is pretty fun so far no real complaints other than there is no way to remove #bearacer from the tft which I think is pretty lame but each their own.
@@timm1583 Enjoy you bike! Here in Europe there doesn't seem to be much of a problem with the availability of either bike. Hope to test drive them in the the coming weeks. Will be looking to compare balance/low speed handling, low rev pickup and engine heat. I think the T7 clinches it on looks and the Tuareg wins on specs. I think they are both decent value for what they offer. Thankfully luggage is not a priority for me...
@@georgechrysaphinis6761 yeah honestly they both seem like great bike from what I can tell the T7 has a better dealer network and better reputation out here but if reliability seems to be to much of an issue I can always get another 2 years warranty before my original 2 years are up.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is how a video clip should be done. No fooling around and very informative. I am about to become a first time rider at the age of 66 years and this looks like what I would like to learn on. It will have more than enough power to get me to where I want to go. I will be doing some city riding and taking it out on the highway to get me onto some roads that are gravel and a few like you showed in the video. Those fishing holes that I want to get to are thankfully not accessible by cars and I'm guessing that if I carry a little extra fuel my leisure time is going to go up exponentially. Goodbye city, hello fishing holes that are all over the place near my home in Vancouver BC. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing more of your no bs videos in the very near future.
Hi Ian, great review. I have 2017 model and really love it. Had no problem with it in 4 years, use it daily for commuting here in Mexico. There are some differences, one of them is that I can switch off the ABS, BMW must remove this option later. What it didn’t had before, and I didn’t like it, is hazard light, I understand that now BMW added it. Regards. Alex.
I was looking at this about a year ago as a starter adventure bike but ended up going with the KTM 390 Adventure instead. 10 more HP and 30 lbs lighter seemed like a no brainer to me. Fun bike but have had some issues with it.
Thanks so much! I sold my 1250 GSA and got this little fellow instead. It´s so much more agile, it makes me feel safer and I´m not afraid to drop it or myself. I loved the big one but I feel safer now. I´m not a very experienced rider but love going on gravelroads, camping from the bike and just doing general touring/traveling. I´m working on kitting my little one with crashbars, luggageracks and all the bells and whistles to make it a mini GSA.. :) Life and your hobbies is what you make it. Me and my partner say "We Make Our Lives A Ride"! :)
Great review as always Ian. Spot on with saying this is the bike to learn off-road with. I bought a '22 KLR as my first "adventure" bike and traded it in for the 310 GS a month later, partly because of this review. KLR is a great bike, but the BMW is much, much easier/comfortable for me to ride, especially in the dirt. Not to mention a higher build quality it feels like. I plan on putting some serious miles on this bike and will reassess down the road whether or not to get a bigger bike. Keep it up man, best content on TH-cam by far.
looking to maybe get my first bike this year and already decided i was for sure getting something japanese. but.. this thing checks a lot of boxes for me. might reconsider.
Thanks for the review. I'm considering this bike as a 2nd bike for commuting/lane splitting and occasionally riding on dirt roads here in the San Diego/Southern California area (never ridden off road before). Sounds like it would fit the bill.
This bike is designed by BMW and built by TVS motors in India. The engine is TVS. I am not sure I would call it "Honda Reliable". However, this little machine should be fairly trouble free with long service intervals. Any ABS system can be disabled by simply pulling the fuse.
Perfect timing for this review, I'm looking to getting back into motocycling and the low-mid adventure class is exactly what I'm looking for. How does the 310 compare to the CB500X? I've watched a few videos you've posted of the Honda and I'm leaning that direction, but they're hard to come by while there are several 310's available in my area.
I want as my upgrading second motorcycle this 310 GS, but I am between this one and the versys X300. The BMW is a bit cheaper and it looks amazing, I do not know how maintenance costs compare between the two of them though.
I have a KLX300SM, and it is 80 lbs lighter than this with similar power. I weight 180 lbs. It's fast enough for me, but I really wish it had more torque under 6k rpm. Single cylinders aren't enjoyable to redline, so it would be really nice if it had more stroke/low rpm torque. I think a 400cc stroker would be awesome on bikes like these, hopefully we'll see some soon.
Can you do a direct comparison for this bike and the Kawasaki versys? I also would like to know the maintenance expectations / reliability compared to the competition? Thanks!
...I'm looking at it as a Exit Level Bike ...I've done the Tenere 1200/Africa Twin/Tiger 900 Rally/1200 GSA and now a 1200 RT ...just an "older rider" slowly trending away from the BIG....been there done that.
I took mine off-road and if you treat it a bit on the rough side, more like a cross bike, it handles beautifly on rough roads. Really use the low weight of it to your advantage and throw the tail out and just blast through the bumps helping it with your strenght. It responds great to more of a tough love style. I was standing up for about 90% of the time though.
The cb500x is about $7500. I'd gladly pay $8k+ for a GS with similar power and highway capabilities... If it existed. I'm in South Florida, and getting anywhere fun requires a major highway to get there, so my options are few. Hopefully BMW can fill my niche sometime in the next few years.
??? They have the 750/850. $16k. Which I think is overpriced. They ought to dump whatever makes them so much more expensive 🙂 I'd like the 850 to be a $12k version of the 310. The headlight is $1000. The rear shock is $1200.
This is a very good review. In two weeks I’m going with a buddy of mine to New Zealand and we’re renting two of these and riding the length of both of the islands . I haven’t made a trip like this since I did a coast to coast ( US) on my 1962 BMW 50 years ago. This gives me a great feeling for what these bikes will be like. Thanks for your review
Great Review!! Definitely checking your other reviews.. Regarding the 6-7 miles in the 1st Gear and not stalling, is cause of the bike being equipped with GTT tech.. it’s not advertised enough on the Baby GS.. 😎✌🏽
I guess the things that will stop you from buying this bike is: - vibration at highway speeds (best somewhat solution would be soft grips and bar riser, should also be better after first service). - small tank (no real solution). - not able to move around on seat (no solution). - not good for long distance because of all the above. Which is not great for an adv bike. - nearly all have battery and alternator issues, which will get fixed under warranty. - mirror vibrate So, great for short rides and mild off road riding due to limited suspension and cast wheels. Advantages and why I would buy it: - best looking small adventure bike. - smooth ride. - tubeless tyres. - high clearance. - Fantastic ground clearance. Best off road IMHO Honda crf300l rally. Best on road IMHO KTM 390 Adventure. This bike is good at both.
Hi Ian thanks for doing the video on the 310, I've got an 1150GSA, had a himmy (disaster and rejected under consumer act) 390 adv (disaster riddled with issues rejected again and dads to) an a 300 Rally which was great for learning green laning on (I'm more of a track rider) Sold that for the 1150 which was a dream bike. Been looking between these and the NX500. It's a shame there's not some more high end 300-500 bikes on the market as those of us that are more experienced still like the lighter stuff I had a RD350LC Yamaha an did 2k miles a week on a rd250lc. Over here in the UK we have a code of conduct on the TRF of a voluntary 25MPH. So looks like either or would be a good option, Hopefully taking them over to Norway when Dad and I have moved to Scotland. Thanks again for the excellent videos just about to check the 500x out.
Nice review, Ian; overall, I'll take my Himalayan. Yeah, it's not as powerful, not as fast, but easily as comfortable over long distances in the saddle, has more torque, and feels really solid in the dirt. Plus, it'll haul plenty of luggage. I've talked with guys that have added one more tooth to the drive sprocket, and say their Himis will cruise at 65 in the upper 4k rpm range. Plus, it runs well on regular gas. Oh, and I can turn my ABS off!
I went from a Himalayan to a 310GS. The Himalayan is better off road, and the GS is better in nearly all other respects, apart from the luggage carrying capabilities. The one major gripe I have with my GS is the gearbox. I've recently gone past 1000 miles and it's getting better, but slowly.
I bought my G310GS almost three years ago to ride on back roads and gravel roads and mild off road, as well as solo backwoods camping. I love my 2019 G310GS which has switchable ABS but is lacking the ride by wire throttle and slipper clutch of the newer bikes. I wish BMW offered a G310GS Adventure version with a 5 gallon fuel tank, tubeless spoke wheels, larger aggressive pegs, an aluminum bash plate, engine protection bars, and fully adjustable suspension front and rear. Those upgrades would cost BMW less than $400 and I'd pay $2000 more for that bike. Bike manufacturers, not just BMW, look at their small ADV bikes as beginner bikes. They use them to get new customers on the upgrade path to their mid size and full size ADV bikes. Older riders typically have more discretionary income and are buying smaller bikes because they have trouble handling and lifting larger bikes, but I'd argue that a small ADV bike like the G310GS is better off road for all riders. Unfortunately, the marketing department doesn't want to admit this, so they won't sell full featured lightweight ADV bikes because most people wouldn't buy their more expensive larger bikes. That's why smaller ADV bikes are built to a budget and are stripped of premium features. The companies would rather sell someone their first bike, that leads to their second and third. They aren't interested in selling old riders their last bike, so they miss the opportunity to make an R1300GS Adventure profit margin on a G310GS Adventure.
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Been watching your videos all the time. Very fun and informative. I’ll consider this bike when I get my Learners Permit here in Australia.
Have you reviewed the new 2023 Suzuki Vstrom 250 yet?
A TH-camr drove a GS310 from Germany to Pakistan then Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. He's still exploring on his 310. It's actually a pretty decent bike.
I was bound to see a Wildlens by Abrar connection 😂
@@ammarisrar2005 lol, yes
Cool, can you share the link?
I understand the attraction to the 1200cc adventure bikes but the practicality escapes me. For the limited amount of time I do have to ride and the nicer dirt roads available to me I’d rather have this
@@jpchiles m.th-cam.com/users/WildlensbyAbrarfeatured
As a new rider one of the first things I did to mine was put on a set of 50/50 tyres and some bar risers, which made a huge difference off road and gave me much more confidence in the dirt. A fun bike for beginners.
hey, how tall are you?
You do not have to be a beginner to enjoy a smaller cc bike
What are 50/50 tires?
@@Mike_to_the_k An equal split of On and Off-Road performance
I am 64 yo and have been riding for 50 years, I own an Africa Twin and a Beta 300. While I love both bikes I find the GS310 very compelling. It is not just for beginners IMHO. The AT is a handful off road and it is getting to the point to were, fully loaded, I have a hard time picking it up. My long distance touring days are behind me and I could very much see getting one of these to haul behind the camper.
This was super super helpful. Tried one of these today not knowing anything about on/off road style bikes and really enjoyed the handling of it over the 750. Went to research it on TH-cam. Watched this video. Don't need to watch any others. Buying it tomorrow to ride across Mexico. Done.
New rider with 4400 miles on the 310GS. Wife has the 310R. I can feel my skills growing as I ride this bike. Setbacks are not soul crushing (occasional drop). I invested in some crash bars, a better skid plate, extra lighting, bigger wind screen.
I will get a bigger bike eventually. However, I think I will always keep th3 310. Its just so easy to ride....so much fun.
Hows it going now?
Excellent review as always. I have a F850GS and a G310GS. The 310 is a surprisingly capable bike around town and for shorter trips. I don't understand why they aren't more popular. You are right when you said that the media has oversold the "more is better" in bike size when it is not true. I take the 850 on long distance trips only because it has cruise control and is had a lot of luggage capacity. Otherwise, around town, with 70-80 mpg and the nimble handling, the 310 does the job very well. Great videos. You are definitely my favorite. Keep up the great work!
Have the same duo here, and the 310 is not going anywhere.
I don't know why I still watch these videos after owning the bike for over 3 years.
Just got mine. total upgrade compared to those cheap chinese 250cc imitation for 2000usd i normally buy. now time to explore brasil
Hahahahaha amazing, now I don’t feel that bad. I have 2 months with it and apparently I’ll keep watching these videos just like you
@@hezus11same thing here 😂
Same 😂!! I buy the bike then watch the reviews
Me too😊
Hey Hey Ian. Thank you for this. My 2021 g310gs (same color as you reviewed) now has 8000k on the clock. I've been beating it around the local farm roads, pothole filled Bulgarian village streets and smooth as silk highways. Not one tiny thing wrong, ever...looks and works like I got it from the showroom floor. Cheap to buy, 5 year warranty, cheap fuel and insurance (10 minutes to change oil in my parking lot for just a few Euros). I can carry luggage for 4 and it's light enough to flog around the twisty mountain roads like a sports bike. I don't miss my GXR1000 at all, zero. The baby GS is the perfect bike, at least for me.
Wow ... keep riding!
Ditto, wow! Ride on! :)))
Evala!
I’ve clocked in 5600 km since january, my experience is similar, amazing bike on all surfaces though it lacks a bit power on highway but I can still do 120 kph, but I might just be vain :p
I've really enjoyed your work but especially this one. I'm returning to riding at the age of 67 after a 30+ year absence. I went to the BMW performance center and rode the 1250 GS and just got hammered. I bought a 310 GS to learn on and kind of felt I was being a whimp and this review really validated my decision. Next spring I'll move up and repeat the course as well. Thank you for your work, I really enjoy it
Thoughtful, knowledgeable review! I have the 2021 as well - 3500 miles and it's a pleasure to ride and big value. Great introduction to the brand. I'm very pleased with the comfort, handling and utility. At 6'4", I rotated the handlebars up/forward 10 degrees and added a windscreen and hand protectors. $6400 out the door.
Your 6”4 and you ride this bike comfortably or no I’m 6”0 and bike hurts my knees after a couple hours I’m young also 2018 bmw gs 310
@@charlyhardly My leg inseem is only 34" - however in your case the SW MOTECH foot pegs - than can be lowered 15 mm - might be for you! The reviews are very good and they appear to be a simple install. Also BMW does make a Tall Seat for the G310GS...
I’m 6’ 1” and my inseam is 32 or 33 I think. I can’t remember.
Haven’t ridden tho. Just felt like I was part of the minority men who made it over 6’ tall.
@@ChuckMahon Your comment was the one I have been waiting for. I am a little over 6 foot tall and about 185-190 lbs and was wondering if I was going to be able to comfortably fit onto a bike like this one. I don't anticipate travelling long distances and mainly want it to get out of the city and onto to some back roads to do a bit of fishing. Vancouver BC where I live has quite a few good places within easy reach and this bike just might be the perfect one for what I want to do. If you are 6 foot 4 and can ride it comfortably, my 6 foot one shouldn't be an issue. This will be my first bike and at 66 years of age I'm not looking for a rocket ship to get anywhere. Just enough power to travel at highway speeds and light enough for when I'm on the back roads. I figure with a couple of well made panniers and a few other minor improvements this bike just might be the perfect ticket to freedom.
Finally! Finally !
I ride bikes since 90's and here in Brazil at that time mono cilinder bikes were very popular.
The vibrations don't bother me, I'm kinda used to them. The suspention is perfect for Brazillian roads with all their holes and bumps. Yesterday I rode it for about 300km and it was very confortable and economic. keeping 110 km/h its consumption reached 31 KM/L which to me sounds impressive.
I use to say that it isn't the best bike in any aspect, but a good bike in all of them.
It's relevant also to say that's a urban bike, not a dirt one, although it's capable to have a lot of fun doing a soft off road.
Summing up I'm very happy with mine.
Thanks Rock ! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
So it is the same as 310R? If you say it is road bike which 310R is
@@basedpatriotLT They share the same motor, eletronics and frame ( as far as I know ), but different suspension, rims, tires and some minor details. These differences already justify my point.
In my experience it’s 3,4 liter per 100 km, I use it 80% of the time in city traffic, revs between 5-7k are the economy zone in my experience, bike is best at 80 kph in 6th gear, it uses about 2 liter and the wind is bearable
120 kph with 4 liter isn’t that bad as well but I have to hang on the handlebar :D
I am in my late 50’s, bought one after I went to the MSF course, I think it was the right choice for me. Not planning on upgrading anytime soon, just want to learn, ride, enjoy and have fun. This is the right bike for that. You did a great job
Welcome to the club Ram!
Now in my late fifties also I’m slowing down some most of my riding will be pavement but being able to take an easy trail or dirt road better than I could on my goldwing is something I’m looking forward too. I’ve been in the market for a while for a small cc single to get around town on I think this will fit the bill nicely and it’s a better fit for me physically than the R version. Should be a wise purchase for me and I’m looking forward to it
May I ask your height? I'm 6'2" and wonder if I'd fit comfortably
@@mrobertson188 I am 5’11”, fits me well. I think Big Rock Moto guy is your same height. There is a forum BMW G310 R/GS you,Ishtar want to check out
@@ramtrev8215 thanks for your reply
BRM I found this video valuable. I'm a brand-new rider and I'm shopping around for my first bike. Of course I drool over the R1300GS, but that bike as a first bike would be idiotic. Just doesn't feel right. This video was valuable in that now I know that my first GS bike will not be one of the pricey ones. Cheers man, love your down-to-earth videos.
I got a used 2018 310 GS 3 months ago and just got delivered a new 2022 R1250 GSA 40th year edition. They both serve their purpose fine for me and 71 year old 255 LB 6' 7" rider. Yes the older 310 has a stalling issue taking off in first gear unless you anticipate it but this one runs great and I ride them both regularly! Thanks Ian for all that you do!
I've read swapping in a 15T front sprocket solves that stalling issue completely
By far you have the best most thorough reviews. They're awesome! As someone who's owned quite a few of the bikes you've reviewed I really appreciate your honesty. It's great that you point out true flaws with bikes as all of them have one issue or another. Secretly (even though I won't admit it) I kind of want to buy a Hawk 250 EFI just to see how bad it is lol. Hopefully you'll get one on your review schedule lol.
great review, thanks. I got a GS310 a couple of months ago, let me share my experience. It is my first street legal bike, Im 5'8" 155lb (small guy). I was looking for a light not too tall adv bike, and budget friendly. I narrowed my search to this one and KTM390. I finally decided for BMW due ergonomics, it felt much more comfortable than KTM (for me). As you say, it is fun and easy to ride, light and go anywhere, I am happy in general. My only wish is it would be a little bit more powerfull, I want to avoid higways, here in Houston, but it is almost impossible, you need them to go from point A to B in most of the cases. There is were I need more punch. It goes max 90mph, It seems enough, but it is not, cause it takes some time to reach that speed and max rev. More than once, I have had an asshole tailgating very close behind me and I can't easily take off, go farther or switch lanes, were everyone is racing their cars and big pickups. Highways apart, it is a do it all bike. Also, at minute 21:08 you said that for standing up you need some work, not in my case that I am shorter, position is perfect for me.
I know what you mean about Houston. The worst Drivers in the World are in Houston. They know you are there, but will run over you anyway. Terrible Drivers. You have to take the Freeways in Houston to get anywhere. I never go through there unless I have to. I live in Coldspring and it’s perfect for riding up here. I have the 1200GS and Love it. But I’m thinking the 310GS would be a lot of fun. I’m impressed with what I saw. Like Ian said, change out the Suspension and it would be Perfect.👍
I love this baby GS, always dream of owning this 310GS
I'd like to see mention of experienced senior riders like myself who can no longer pick up a 900cc Triumph and have found these low cc bikes that have a similar weight / horsepower ratio to something we started with like the CL350/SL350 back in the day. Very similar in power and probably lighter and more comfortable.
I started on a Honda CL 360 in the mid 70’s and now 41 bikes later at 62 years old I own a 2021 G310GS. I’m enjoying it and although it’s not the fastest bike I’ve ever owned I find it to be a decent competent well handling comfortable motorcycle. I have long distanced from my home in Oregon to southern Arizona and back with no issues. I enjoy riding Forest service roads and backroads quite a bit. My last bike before this was An Aprilia ETV1000 Caponord. Sometimes I miss the horsepower but definitely not the top heaviness and the weight.It’s a great bike to camp with and some panniers and a rack have allowed me to properly carry everything I need and then some. I give this little GS two thumbs up as a very capable all ‘rounder.
@@riksavering7049 Nice to hear from somebody my age I can relate to. Was considering a 750 GS but this bike is half the price and judging by this review it definitely seems worthy of a test ride. At this stage of my life I'm basically looking for something to joyride on.
I’ve been riding for 60 years or so, I have a BMW 1200GS and Husqvarna 701. I’m 74 now and would appreciate a smaller, lighter bike. I just sat on the KTM 390 Adventure and didn’t like the fit. I’ll try a 310 the next time I’m at the dealers.
If you're doing more highway miles than fire trails I would hesitate to recommend this. I rode a g 310 GS two hours back from the dealer after buying it and it wouldn't hold 110 kms into a stiff head wind and I had to pull over with arm cramp from constantly readjusting my throttle grip. This is my seventh motorcycle and by far the least capable highway machine but it is the most versatile so there's that. @@BartholomewSmutz
Yes I'm seriously thinking of trading my Husky 701 in on the Beemer 310 👍
Excellent bike, and you are so right on the bike size issue, but I guess it’s vanity.
Once you accumulate enough experience, you start to appreciate the function more than the form.
Great review! I own a 2019 G310GS and your assessment was “on-point” on nearly every topic. I was getting back into riding 4 years ago and thought this would be a good entry bike. My bike has the ABS button and it’s nice to turn on and off as I ride. I upgraded my suspension to Rally Raid for both front and rear and it made a huge difference in off-road performance, just as you mentioned. I have ~14K miles on the bike and I can’t say enough good things about it. It is so much fun to ride. With knobby tires and upgraded suspension I can take this bike just about anywhere and feel comfortable. I have dropped it many times and picking it up is relatively easy, so riding alone isn’t a problem. I now own a 2021 R1250 and feel the 310 made me a better rider to get on the big GS. Just as you mentioned, the 310 is a great starter bike before moving to a higher HP and heavier adventure bike. Keep up the awesome reviews!
Hi Ian. Love your detailed review. Another great advantage of this bike is the dealer support. For example, here in Australia I get 24 hour roadside assist and I was able to purchase a service package which takes care of servicing costs for three years. It is a fun bike to ride and I haven't had any issues with it whatsoever. I frequently take it off road (within reason!). I could not be happier with this bike!
Kind of wish I bought the service package now, servicing seems a bit pricey. Might end up doing it myself and getting the computer thingo to clear the dash reminder.
Why would one pay to get others to service the bikes if not for warranty 😂😂😂
Thanks for your honest review. The fact you ride a bigger BMW adventure bike, gives your review even more credibility. I was gonna skip over the GS 310 because the first ones had a bad reputation. I heard those issues have been fixed with the 2021 update. As a result of your review, I’ve contacted a local dealer to go check one out. Thanks
This bike would be a hoot to buzz around town and commute. I like how BMW is thoughtful to include a big tail rack. Nice job as always.
Me & my friends are all getting dual sports now & i have a friend who wants one, but doesnt want the traditional honda kawasaki suzuki yamaha dual sports because he doesnt like the dirt bike look. I showed him this bike & he instantly loved it. Im goin with him to pick up his brand new BMW g310s🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Here is a bit of information: The engines for the BMW G310GS are made in Taiwan by Kymco as are the BMW Maxi scooters, that is whey they are so good.
Great review, it seems to me all these manufacturers are missing the mark, a g400gs with wire wheels and a bit stiffer suspension would hit the sweet spot!
A 450 or a 550 gs would be great
I own a 2020 310GS and I agree with you 💯 %. The bike needs a 400 or 450cc motor with around 45 horses and a slightly longer seat and it would be my forever bike. 👍
Shame it doesn't have the g450gs x-challenge engine in it !
Just get a KLR650…
ktm has a 490 adv in the pipeline, 2 cyl. the fact that Kawasaki hasn't installed the 400cc ninja engine in the versys is still mind blowing to me. I've looked at the 300 for a while now and have not pulled the trigger on a bike yet because I'm waiting for that slightly larger displacement and off road capability
Your "rant" was purposeful and truthful, so it fit in fine with comprehensive review. Thank you Ian.
Thanks Ian. i have been riding for 52 years and this is my 11th bike. As a daily rider this is my sole means of transportation. It is light, quick, frugal, cool to look at and has a killer warrantly. I did have a Versys 300X, it was a great ride but I far prefer my G310GS. Thanks again for the review!!
@California Miner the 2 engines are very different for sure. Both are high revving. The twin is a bit smoother but needs to be as it has to spin at higher revs. I think the Kawasaki would win in a drag race. The GS just seems more relaxed at highway speeds. Both great bikes I just like the GS better. In my area both have great dealerships but the GS has a more robust warranty. Hope that helps.
@California Miner well I live in Vancouver and the GS ticks all the boxes. 2 more things to consider, first the seat on the GS is FAR more comfortable than the Versys. Many reviewers of both bikes make the same observations. Secondly it is kind of cool to have a BMW bike! One last thing. The 'presence' of the GS is more like a 500 or 650.
@California Miner I am using hard plastic gun cases as my top box and side case. They are a bit smaller because I think the big aluminium cases overwhelm the bikes appearance. Everything to scale.
I bought one and I'm loving it. Thank you for your review. I'm 5 3' 122lbs and as long as you have the lower seat bmw offers you will be fine riding but keep in mind that because the motorcycle is light you will feel the wind pushing you out of the road. I'm in Colorado. Weather here is lovely . Hahah
This bike is budget friendly, beautiful and fun to ride. Bmw offers 3 years of warranty. No other brand does.
Great review, Ian--you've become a superb reviewer, terrific presentation, and you tell me everything I want to know in a very succinct and direct manner. I have followed you for a couple of years now, and although I enjoyed your early reviews and video, you have really come a long way. Thanks for all the hard work--you're doing a great job!
Hear hear, 100%👌
He really has come a long way, becoming a real pro
Ian, "The Rant" at the 29 minute mark was Spot On true and needed to be said. Having to lift a heavy bike multiple times with a team isn't fun. Great review, I bought the Baby Beamer based on it. Keep up the great work!
Good review as ever. I’ve owned 2, and would happily own another one. I’ve fully stripped down the entire front end of one of these and know them well.
Number one was a full Rally Raid version, and remains the bike that I most regret selling. It really was excellent.
Number two was completely standard, apart from the Rally Raid rack and bar risers. I sold the second to downsize the collection!
Big miles are not an issue on this bike, I did a few 200+ days with absolutely no issue. It’s perfectly capable at motorway speed, albeit without much left. The seat is very comfortable and the display works well in real world conditions.
Brakes aren’t amazing, but do work fine. Handling for my weight was exceptional on both. You can absolutely toss these into corners, full throttling out.
Highly underrated in my opinion.
“Highly underrated in my opinion”
From what I’ve seen, a lot of people are judging it for what it could’ve been rather than for what it is. And then you have the elitists..
This is what ultimately led me to get mine. About 500 miles on it so far, first bike and I can tell it won't be the last. Maybe I'll be ready for a GSA some day. Love all the reviews
Yeah man, nice review. I’ve had this bike for three years. It’s currently in the shop due to an inability to start. Have had electrical issues with it almost off the showroom floor. Dealer initially told me it’s just due to the small battery (?) but now even a battery change won’t help. Thankfully it’s still under warranty. Also, runs super dirty. The oil change interval is like 6k miles but after less than 1k the oil is sludge. I change mine every 2k and it comes out like Hershey syrup.
It’s a good bike to learn on I suppose, but you can spend far less for a beginner bike and have cheaper service and fewer reliability issues if you look elsewhere.
As for performance, when it starts it runs fine. Won’t win off-the-block against anybody, but it’s only a 300. It’s practically an electric bike come winter. If I don’t have it on the trickle charger religiously it won’t turn over.
I got sucked in by the BMW GS mystique. Will never buy from them again and look forward to getting the T7 I put money down on if it ever gets back in stock.
The servicing sounds painful, as is usual with BMW. The previous generation of the 310 GS without the slipper clutch had all kinds of issues - a fragile kickstand, brake failure and electronic gremlins. I thought the second gen would be trouble-free but guess not. They're still nice bikes but the RE Himalayan, Versys 300 and CB500X are cheaper to run.
I could not find a T7 and ended up getting a Aprilla tuareg 660 been happy with it but long term reliability is unknown and it being a brand new Italian bike accessories and parts are not as available as I would like
@@fallinginthed33p he said he had this bike for three years so it has to be the older model..
Stay far away from Euro bikes. Never worth the reliability headaches.
@@SWTrailsAndWheels I had a 96 BMW oilhead as my last bike, while it was easy to work on. It always had something that needed to be fixed or maintained
Been waiting for this since you posted the pic! I just ordered mine but still gotta wait a couple weeks to get it
This is a great review, thank you. I rode dirt bikes when I was an early teenager, but haven't ridden since in about 40 years. This looks like it might be a good bike to pick up and get back into riding, and maybe adding a 2nd bike that's a little bigger once I get comfortable again.
Same situation for me. Its been about 25 yrs since I've owned a bike. It might be my re-entry bike. Did you get one? If so how has it been?
Great review, I own a GS1200 and I 100% agree with you they should rarely be taken off road, why would anyone want to drive 600lbs off road, no reason other than marketing stole their brain!
Thanks. This may be the only BMW I'll ever be able to afford.
As an avid ADV rider, I stepped down from a GS1250 A to KTM 990 then onto a G310GS with every single option possible. That includes Rally Raid suspension and wire wheels. IMHO, it's way more fun to ADV on a little modded out Baby GS then any mamuth motorcycle. At the end of a 100 mile off road day I don't feel like I got my ass beat by Mike Tyson. The G310GS was my choice when I did the Continental Devide and now I plan to ride it from North America to Patagonia .
Excellent review, thanks. At 60 & with the onset of arthritis, I can't handle lard bucket heavy bikes anymore but also have nothing to prove either. I think this bike is ideal for people who are downsizing like myself, but would like also to enjoy a bit of adventure on dirt roads etc - but aso have the confidence to not worry about picking it up after dropping it. Regards from the UK - Ride safe 👍
ian, youre killing it. best reviews on youtube.
I am an avid follower of your channel and I really appreciate your in depth and objective tests of the various bikes. I own a 2020 310GS and I'm very happy with it, agreeing 100 % with all your findings of this model. I'm very surprised to see that BMW on the 2021 model unfortunately dropped the switchable ABS. This is a step backwards
"Ian rants" are why I tune in. Very nice review. You're the best!
It's a rebranded TVS from India, that was designed by both companies. The TVs has slightly different fairing but otherwise it's identical. Very popular and reliable bike, that gives the bmw name. Just unplug the abs sensor on the rear wheel and you get to keep front abs. The ktm 390 is also indian Bajaj
you mention fueling issue at the 22minute mark - in my shortlist notes for the bmw310 when i was deciding on bikes - "really light flywheel - easy to stall constantly have to feather the clutch when 1st gear offroad (2021 and after models have fly by wire throttle to fix this)"
My 310 has 7k miles on it and I've never had an issue. All of the miles I've put on it were in one year. It ain't fast but it's a fun lil bike
Thank you Ian. My son, 31 wants to get a motorcycle and I can't talk him out of it. This seems like the perfect beginner bike
Can’t wait for the versus 300. Your channel is awesome
The Versys has my full endorsement. They’re sweet bikes.
Agree!!
Thanks Ian! Great review as always. Would love to see your take on the KTM 390 Adventure.
I have a 2021 model with 9.000 km on the clock, and I agree with the review. I added the BMW hand guards, heated grips, and a larger windscreen. So far, this has been an excellent ride, and my only complaints might be the short gearing and the tires. Last fall, I made a 3.000 km trip around Québec, and the bike was reliable and handled well. It did okay at Canadian speeds, and there's a 17-teeth pinion option to improve that.
I love your review. Love your thoughts on people saying this bike shouldn’t have the GS tag.
Thank you for this review, it's not just a beginner bike! I'm short, and I own heavy bigger bikes. But I'm getting this to start my Australia tour solo later this fall. I want light weight and agile with comfort...
I hope you didn't get the GS. I fear you will struggle mightily with the distances involved in Australia on a single cylinder 310 cc. I found it dangerously slow on the highways I've had the misfortune to ride on.
I really enjoyed watching your video and listening to your thoughts. I’m in my seventies and considering a 310 GS after owning the 900XR for three years. I love the XR but I know that my body wants something lighter, I’ll try and get a demo bike to ride and see how we get on.
Thank you.
Rally Raid of UK makes a complete off road kit for this bike. But it costs about the same as the bike. There are reviews of the Rally Raid version on TH-cam.
The Rally Raid items can be bought separately.
19:08 You made the same exaggerated noises in the crf300l rally video. Surely you don't make this noise when the camera isn't rolling.
Hopefully the Versys 300 is going to be hitting your very informative channel soon.
Thanks!!
The Versys 300 has spoke wheels, dual cylinders, 17 liter tank, and is not made in India.
Versys are WAY cool bikes.
@@houseofroos Meh
@@kingdaniel69 that’s thoughtful
@@houseofroos Wah?
I enjoy your review solely for the fact that you give information without the fluff of sarcasm or humor thank you
As always a really useful reference standard review, you really do cover everything ! Cheers from the UK. You absolutely provide the very best reviews I've seen!
sold my DL1050 and bought a 310gs，this bike feel like a high rev dual sports
I looked over all the bikes compared in this video and ended up with the BMW. I really like it so far, it’s great for my commute and great for taking off onto trails and into the fields on our farm. It has surprised me with its capabilities off road; I have not taken it on any truly difficult trails, but I am just learning how to ride off road and this has been a great partner in that. And I hardly feel like I’m sacrificing anything elsewhere; it’s very comfortable and does fine at 70-75 mph. It isn’t quick but has no issue getting up to speed, even with my large 250 lb frame on it. Don’t regret my purchase at all
I own a 2020-310GS. Coming off an 1100cc bike. I'm loving how easy this bike is. Also: tons of low cost add on bits online (AliExpress). Low cost of insurance. Great engine braking! 300 km per tank. Gravel roads all day, looking forward to 50/50 tires though. Quiet through small towns (putting along). A small GS has to start somewhere (1 cylinder). Still a GS, no way to make it feel like the bigger ones. Sport touring bags fit well, cost little. Thank you Ian, great review. 👍
I` Heard Avon Makes a Good 50/50 Tire. So Many Tires Which 1 To Pick, Lol
@@bryanmathew2079 Right!? Lol. SO many to choose from. I'll look into the Avon tires, add them to the short list. Thank you.
You’ve nailed all my reasons I’m planning to change to an adventure bike.. well done Ian really good points made..
I have this bike and it was my first adventure bike and I now have around 20,000 km off road on it. Done multiple cross country tours on it and it is a great entry level bike. You can turn the ABS off on the back wheel (right hand ABS Button) but other than that it has not other real electronics. Brakes & suspension are the two real limiters but didn’t stop me from doing the WABDR or the TCAT. It trucks along off road and it does have limits especially when climbing technical hills with big rocks - you just need to learn how to ride it. It will take you anywhere the bigger bikes will. I have upgraded to a Tuareg now which I absolutely love but have to say this is a very good bike to start with.
As always, good, thoughtful comments. Thanks
I’ve put about 6000 miles on mine in about 6 months. It’s been great. I did have the crank position sensor go out. It was replaced under warranty a couple weeks ago. But when I went to pick it up from the dealership it had been stolen.
What happened then? Presumably the dealer is responsible.
@@mickleblade Yeah there definitely responsible. They finished working on it rolled it outside to bring in another. And someone jumped on a took off. They didn’t even know it was gone. They called me and said it was ready. When I showed up Saturday morning to pick it up they realized it was gone.
Nice review...I owned one last year and a great bike. Agree on entry offraod....it's a solid ride. Thanks
Preach man. I love the 1250, I’d love to own one. I also invested in training and am constantly practicing on my 850. These little bikes are great! Might be a second adv bike for my garage. I do wish they’d offer some more electronics. The electronics on the bigger bikes are amazing
Had this bike for a couple of years as my first bike. Thoroughly enjoyed pushing it in the twisties, and taking it more slowly on fire roads and trickier trails. Trouble free ownership experience. Have shortlisted the Yamaha T7 and Aprilia Tuareg for my next bike, for more power and comfort on a combination of asphalt and dirt 70/30.
I have the Aprilia and the OEM accessories can be pricey and the OEM luggage is plain robbery. It being so new there is little 3rd party options. It feels lighter than the T7 ( however I only sat one that was already owned have not seen a single one for sale in person)and never had the chance to ride one. The bike is pretty fun so far no real complaints other than there is no way to remove #bearacer from the tft which I think is pretty lame but each their own.
@@timm1583 Enjoy you bike! Here in Europe there doesn't seem to be much of a problem with the availability of either bike. Hope to test drive them in the the coming weeks. Will be looking to compare balance/low speed handling, low rev pickup and engine heat. I think the T7 clinches it on looks and the Tuareg wins on specs. I think they are both decent value for what they offer. Thankfully luggage is not a priority for me...
@@georgechrysaphinis6761 yeah honestly they both seem like great bike from what I can tell the T7 has a better dealer network and better reputation out here but if reliability seems to be to much of an issue I can always get another 2 years warranty before my original 2 years are up.
Hmmm, maybe a video comparison between this G310GS and the CRF300L Rally... I at least would love to hear the direct comparison between the two.
Nice Video! I'm looking forward for the CB 500 x review😁
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is how a video clip should be done. No fooling around and very informative. I am about to become a first time rider at the age of 66 years and this looks like what I would like to learn on. It will have more than enough power to get me to where I want to go. I will be doing some city riding and taking it out on the highway to get me onto some roads that are gravel and a few like you showed in the video. Those fishing holes that I want to get to are thankfully not accessible by cars and I'm guessing that if I carry a little extra fuel my leisure time is going to go up exponentially. Goodbye city, hello fishing holes that are all over the place near my home in Vancouver BC. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing more of your no bs videos in the very near future.
thanks!
I've added the RallyRaid Front suspension upgrade and it has made a world of difference - well worth it.
Hi Ian, great review. I have 2017 model and really love it. Had no problem with it in 4 years, use it daily for commuting here in Mexico. There are some differences, one of them is that I can switch off the ABS, BMW must remove this option later. What it didn’t had before, and I didn’t like it, is hazard light, I understand that now BMW added it. Regards. Alex.
@California Miner Hi! Also looked before buying Honda XRE 300 and VStrom, but choose at the and the 310GS and I am really happy with it! Regards!
I was looking at this about a year ago as a starter adventure bike but ended up going with the KTM 390 Adventure instead. 10 more HP and 30 lbs lighter seemed like a no brainer to me. Fun bike but have had some issues with it.
KTM story old as time.
No way the KTM is 30 pounds lighter
Hey mate, care to elaborate on those issues?
Thanks so much! I sold my 1250 GSA and got this little fellow instead. It´s so much more agile, it makes me feel safer and I´m not afraid to drop it or myself. I loved the big one but I feel safer now. I´m not a very experienced rider but love going on gravelroads, camping from the bike and just doing general touring/traveling. I´m working on kitting my little one with crashbars, luggageracks and all the bells and whistles to make it a mini GSA.. :)
Life and your hobbies is what you make it. Me and my partner say "We Make Our Lives A Ride"! :)
Great review as always Ian. Spot on with saying this is the bike to learn off-road with. I bought a '22 KLR as my first "adventure" bike and traded it in for the 310 GS a month later, partly because of this review. KLR is a great bike, but the BMW is much, much easier/comfortable for me to ride, especially in the dirt. Not to mention a higher build quality it feels like. I plan on putting some serious miles on this bike and will reassess down the road whether or not to get a bigger bike. Keep it up man, best content on TH-cam by far.
Solid review Ian, thanks for taking the time and demo'ing the on/off road capabilities of this bike.
I fall asleep to your videos.
Not in a bad way, I find your explanations very soothing.
looking to maybe get my first bike this year and already decided i was for sure getting something japanese. but.. this thing checks a lot of boxes for me. might reconsider.
Thanks for the review. I'm considering this bike as a 2nd bike for commuting/lane splitting and occasionally riding on dirt roads here in the San Diego/Southern California area (never ridden off road before). Sounds like it would fit the bill.
This bike is designed by BMW and built by TVS motors in India. The engine is TVS. I am not sure I would call it "Honda Reliable". However, this little machine should be fairly trouble free with long service intervals.
Any ABS system can be disabled by simply pulling the fuse.
TVS had a 20 year Joint Venture with Suzuki
Perfect timing for this review, I'm looking to getting back into motocycling and the low-mid adventure class is exactly what I'm looking for. How does the 310 compare to the CB500X? I've watched a few videos you've posted of the Honda and I'm leaning that direction, but they're hard to come by while there are several 310's available in my area.
Honda by a mile.
Thanks for the great video. Personally, if I were to actually do long miles on a small displacement bike, I'd get the Honda CRF 300 Rally.
I want as my upgrading second motorcycle this 310 GS, but I am between this one and the versys X300. The BMW is a bit cheaper and it looks amazing, I do not know how maintenance costs compare between the two of them though.
One of the best reviews of any product I've ever seen.Well done,great job.
I have a KLX300SM, and it is 80 lbs lighter than this with similar power. I weight 180 lbs. It's fast enough for me, but I really wish it had more torque under 6k rpm. Single cylinders aren't enjoyable to redline, so it would be really nice if it had more stroke/low rpm torque. I think a 400cc stroker would be awesome on bikes like these, hopefully we'll see some soon.
Thanks again Ian for challenging my perceptions of not only what a motorcycle should be but what a motorcycle even is.
Can you do a direct comparison for this bike and the Kawasaki versys? I also would like to know the maintenance expectations / reliability compared to the competition? Thanks!
...I'm looking at it as a Exit Level Bike
...I've done the Tenere 1200/Africa Twin/Tiger 900 Rally/1200 GSA and now a 1200 RT
...just an "older rider" slowly trending away from the BIG....been there done that.
I took mine off-road and if you treat it a bit on the rough side, more like a cross bike, it handles beautifly on rough roads. Really use the low weight of it to your advantage and throw the tail out and just blast through the bumps helping it with your strenght.
It responds great to more of a tough love style. I was standing up for about 90% of the time though.
Speaking from the heart.All fair comment.Thanks.
The cb500x is about $7500. I'd gladly pay $8k+ for a GS with similar power and highway capabilities... If it existed. I'm in South Florida, and getting anywhere fun requires a major highway to get there, so my options are few. Hopefully BMW can fill my niche sometime in the next few years.
??? They have the 750/850. $16k. Which I think is overpriced. They ought to dump whatever makes them so much more expensive 🙂 I'd like the 850 to be a $12k version of the 310. The headlight is $1000. The rear shock is $1200.
This is a very good review. In two weeks I’m going with a buddy of mine to New Zealand and we’re renting two of these and riding the length of both of the islands . I haven’t made a trip like this since I did a coast to coast ( US) on my 1962 BMW 50 years ago. This gives me a great feeling for what these bikes will be like. Thanks for your review
How did the trip go? Did you enjoy the bike?
Excellent review, one of the best I’ve seen ,honest,detailed and not rushed, great job…
Great Review!! Definitely checking your other reviews.. Regarding the 6-7 miles in the 1st Gear and not stalling, is cause of the bike being equipped with GTT tech.. it’s not advertised enough on the Baby GS.. 😎✌🏽
I guess the things that will stop you from buying this bike is:
- vibration at highway speeds (best somewhat solution would be soft grips and bar riser, should also be better after first service).
- small tank (no real solution).
- not able to move around on seat (no solution).
- not good for long distance because of all the above. Which is not great for an adv bike.
- nearly all have battery and alternator issues, which will get fixed under warranty.
- mirror vibrate
So, great for short rides and mild off road riding due to limited suspension and cast wheels.
Advantages and why I would buy it:
- best looking small adventure bike.
- smooth ride.
- tubeless tyres.
- high clearance.
- Fantastic ground clearance.
Best off road IMHO Honda crf300l rally.
Best on road IMHO KTM 390 Adventure.
This bike is good at both.
Thanks for the excellent summary. Agree on all points.
Great summary... I had to change the front sprocket to T17 to avoid the shaking
Hi Ian thanks for doing the video on the 310, I've got an 1150GSA, had a himmy (disaster and rejected under consumer act) 390 adv (disaster riddled with issues rejected again and dads to) an a 300 Rally which was great for learning green laning on (I'm more of a track rider) Sold that for the 1150 which was a dream bike.
Been looking between these and the NX500. It's a shame there's not some more high end 300-500 bikes on the market as those of us that are more experienced still like the lighter stuff I had a RD350LC Yamaha an did 2k miles a week on a rd250lc. Over here in the UK we have a code of conduct on the TRF of a voluntary 25MPH. So looks like either or would be a good option, Hopefully taking them over to Norway when Dad and I have moved to Scotland.
Thanks again for the excellent videos just about to check the 500x out.
Nice review, Ian; overall, I'll take my Himalayan. Yeah, it's not as powerful, not as fast, but easily as comfortable over long distances in the saddle, has more torque, and feels really solid in the dirt. Plus, it'll haul plenty of luggage. I've talked with guys that have added one more tooth to the drive sprocket, and say their Himis will cruise at 65 in the upper 4k rpm range. Plus, it runs well on regular gas. Oh, and I can turn my ABS off!
I went from a Himalayan to a 310GS. The Himalayan is better off road, and the GS is better in nearly all other respects, apart from the luggage carrying capabilities.
The one major gripe I have with my GS is the gearbox. I've recently gone past 1000 miles and it's getting better, but slowly.
I bought my G310GS almost three years ago to ride on back roads and gravel roads and mild off road, as well as solo backwoods camping. I love my 2019 G310GS which has switchable ABS but is lacking the ride by wire throttle and slipper clutch of the newer bikes.
I wish BMW offered a G310GS Adventure version with a 5 gallon fuel tank, tubeless spoke wheels, larger aggressive pegs, an aluminum bash plate, engine protection bars, and fully adjustable suspension front and rear. Those upgrades would cost BMW less than $400 and I'd pay $2000 more for that bike.
Bike manufacturers, not just BMW, look at their small ADV bikes as beginner bikes. They use them to get new customers on the upgrade path to their mid size and full size ADV bikes. Older riders typically have more discretionary income and are buying smaller bikes because they have trouble handling and lifting larger bikes, but I'd argue that a small ADV bike like the G310GS is better off road for all riders. Unfortunately, the marketing department doesn't want to admit this, so they won't sell full featured lightweight ADV bikes because most people wouldn't buy their more expensive larger bikes. That's why smaller ADV bikes are built to a budget and are stripped of premium features. The companies would rather sell someone their first bike, that leads to their second and third. They aren't interested in selling old riders their last bike, so they miss the opportunity to make an R1300GS Adventure profit margin on a G310GS Adventure.
Agreed.