BMW Motorrad dealers in Pune, Kerala and Chennai are now accepting bookings for the two bikes even though there has been no official communication from BMW. The German automaker has said that the two bikes will go on sale in the second half of this year.
Made in India
The G 310 R and G 310 GS are both being produced at TVS' Hosur plant. The two bikes are on sale in Europe and the US. The company delayed its India launch because they couldn’t find a decent dealership base to handle the expected demand. Both bikes were showcased at this year’s Auto Expo. The 310 R, is a sport-naked with a muscular tank, angular headlamp and compact dimensions, while the baby GS inherits its family styling, including the stubby front beak, radiator shrouds and headlamp cowl.
Launch & pricing
Since the company hasn’t announced anything officially, we asked the three dealers, who accepted a booking of Rs 50,000 for both bikes, how much they were expecting the price to be. They said that the G 310 R is expected to be priced at around Rs 3 lakh, while the G 310 GS could be priced around Rs 3.5 lakh (both prices, on-road).
Dealers also suggested that sales will begin sometime in the June-July period.
Engine
Just like the TVS Apache RR 310, these two bikes are fitted with a reversed-cylinder design that slopes towards the rear wheel, instead of the conventional engine layout. This motor makes 313cc and is a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder unit that makes 34hp and 28Nm, and is paired to a six-speed gearbox. Both bikes can hit a top speed of 143kph.
Chassis
The front suspension is non-adjustable on both bikes, but the rear monoshocks are adjustable preload. They both are fitted with tubular steel frames, five-spoke alloy wheels and ABS. With a 300mm front disc and 240mm rear disc, they have identical brakes too. Kerb weights for the G 310 R and G 310 GS are 158.5kg and 169.5kg, respectively.
Competition
The bikes will take on KTM’s Duke 390 and with a price tag of Rs 3 lakh (on-road, India) the bike can also compete with bikes like Kawasaki’s Z250 (Rs 3.08 lakh) and the Benelli TNT 300 (Rs 3.43 lakh). (Prices ex-showroom, Delhi). At Rs 3.5 lakh (on-road, India), currently the adventure-tourer G 310 GS has no direct competition.