BMW G 310 R 2022 — Specifications

When Munich entrusts its entry-level model to Chennai, it’s legitimate to raise an eyebrow. However, the BMW G 310 R, resulting from the partnership with TVS Motor Company, is not a gadget intended to fill the boxes of a catalog. It's a genuine commercial proposition, designed to appeal to A2 license holders and urban riders who want the Bavarian badge without mortgaging their apartment. At €5,390 for the 2022 model year, it competes in a hotly contested arena, facing a more spirited and better-equipped KTM Duke 390. The gamble is risky, but not absurd.

The Euro 5 update served as a pretext for a serious scalpel stroke on the bodywork. The result is unambiguous: the 2022 BMW G 310 R adopts a face that clearly recalls the S 1000 R. The LED optics, the daytime running light signature, the redesigned flanks with new side panels: the whole gains in visual credibility. It’s no longer a small motorcycle searching for its identity, but a roadster that embraces its lineage. It’s a shame that the LCD instrumentation remains behind the Duke and its TFT screen. On this specific point, BMW is noticeably lagging, and buyers who compare technical specifications before purchasing will notice.

Under the 10.98-liter tank, the 313 cm3 single-cylinder engine still rotates upside down in its steel tubular frame, the intake positioned towards the front to optimize thermal flows. 34 horsepower at 9,500 rpm, 28 Nm at 7,500 rpm: nothing has fundamentally changed in the figures, but the engine emerges from this revision cleaner in terms of emissions and better equipped for everyday use. The anti-slip clutch at this size may seem superfluous, but it mainly reduces the effort on the left hand, which is important on repetitive urban journeys. Ride-by-Wire and four-position adjustable levers complement a package that is more refined than one would expect on an entry-level model. The announced consumption of 3.33 liters per 100 km is not marketing: on the road, this figure is accessible, which partly compensates for the limited tank capacity.

The chassis, for its part, does not move. The 41 mm inverted fork, the aluminum swingarm, the Bybre calipers (a subsidiary of Brembo, let’s not forget), the ABS and the 110/70-17 front and 150/60-17 rear tires compose a healthy and predictable chassis. The wheelbase goes to 1,380 mm, slightly shortened, for a motorcycle that weighs 158 kg dry. On this criterion, it remains easy to handle, accessible with a low seat at 785 mm, and the maximum speed of 143 km/h is amply sufficient for the use to which it is intended. It is not a track bike, and no one asks it to be.

Ultimately, the BMW G 310 R test reveals an honest machine, built with seriousness in India and positioned with coherence. It clearly addresses new license holders, small builds and city dwellers who want a roadster with style without the constraints of a twin-cylinder. Those looking for a used BMW G 310 R will also find excellent deals on 2018, 2019 or 2020 models, the mechanical base being solid and the evolution from year to year marginal. The competition may be pushing hard, but this little Bavarian holds its own thanks to its finish, its sobriety and a brand image that few manufacturers can oppose to TVS at this price level.