BMW G310R Naked (2021 - ) review

Updated for 2021 but originally launched in the UK in 2016 (with mixed results), BMW’s entry-level, A2-compliant roadster has a lot going for it, at least on paper. At under £5K (thanks to having a fairly basic spec being built in India by partner TVS, who now also own Norton) it’s BMW’s most affordable bike and so is a potentially vital machine for introducing bikers to the brand. (The thinking being: get into bikes on a G310R on a PCP deal and BMW’s excellent, comprehensive ‘Rookie to Rider’ program and you’ll be hooked into the brand for life.) It’s also decent looking and easy to ride, which, for a novice bike, isn’t to be underestimated. But although its German design is OK and its Indian build quality difficult to criticize, the G310R is also a little basic and crude, its performance and ride fail to convince and it’s so soft we’d expect many buyers will want to upgrade after just a few months. As a novice entry into BMW, though, it undeniably does its job.

The G310R is a single-cylinder, lightweight, naked roadster aimed at novices so you’d expect it to be easy to get on with and manage with an upright, comfortable riding position – and it is. A raw novice will find it unintimidating and easy to control, as will smaller women riders, who we expect it’s largely aimed at. In that respect, there’s nothing to criticize. It does also have to be said, however, that the G310R is also conspicuously smaller, and, well ‘cuter’ than many rivals which can make it seem a little cramped for larger or taller riders and makes it more tiresome over distance as the riding position is less roomy and relaxing. But if you’re under, say, 5’7”, you’ll love it!

Although easy to ride, unintimidating and, well, a BMW, the G310R does have its limitations when it comes to practicality. Yes, it’s a ‘doddle’ to get on with and its diminutive size makes it brilliant when wriggling through traffic around town – but that’s pretty much your lot. Those small proportions and its underwhelming performance limits its appeal on the open road, the lack of weather protection means distance work of motorways are a no-no and its no off-roader, either. That latter criticism isn’t as obtuse as it sounds. BMW also does a G310GS – a ‘mini GS’ if you will – based around the same engine and chassis but with roomier proportions, a fairing and some dirt pretensions which is far better at all of that, so if practicality’s what you want, you don’t have to look far.

Although updated for 2021 primarily to meet the new Euro5 emissions regulations by way of a ride-by-wire throttle and a ‘self-boosting anti-hopper’ clutch, the performance from the fairly weedy 34bhp, just 313cc single is unchanged, which makes you wonder if BMW shouldn’t have gone further. For gentle riding and as an introduction to bigger bikes, it’s fine. Delivery is smooth and predictable and the controls are all slick. But away from town on faster roads it is shown a clean pair of heels by faster A2 bikes such as Honda’s acclaimed CB500 series (which have 47bhp). As a learner and as a city bike, you won’t have many complaints. It’s when you start to want more than that when we suspect it’ll become an issue. The brakes, too, comprising a single front disc but with snazzy, four-piston, radial mount caliper from Bybre, the same brand that now supply BMW’s bigger bikes, are certainly adequate, especially considering the G310R’s light weight, but otherwise are unremarkable.

Again, as with much else about the G310R, the ride and handling of BMW’s baby flatters to deceive, in other words: they seem the part at first but are ultimately slightly underwhelming. The front forks are good looking 41mm inverted telescopics (which are unadjustable) with a preload-only adjustable rear monoshock. So far, so routine. Again, novices will have few complaints, giving a controlled, fairly plush ride and neutral, intuitive steering. Beyond raw novice level, however, its limitations are quickly exposed, delivering a slightly boingy, squishy ride if thrashed down some country lanes and with little of the controlled precision of, say, a KTM Duke 390. I repeat, it’s not at all bad, especially for raw novices who don’t know/or want any better. But more experienced riders will ultimately be slightly disappointed.

The G310R may be BMW’s cheapest offering – but it’s still a BMW for which there’s a price to pay. In all honesty, the current new price of around £4800 is truly impressive, being a full £1000 LESS than, say, Honda’s CB500F. On top of that, it’s a BMW, which has near-legendary residual values. While the third consideration is the G310R’s slightly soft performance, which won’t make any excessive demands on consumables such as tyres, chain life, brake pads and so on. The fly in the ointment? First, that all accessories (and some paint schemes) cost extra and second that the G310R hasn’t quite proved the success hoped for, which means its residuals are worse than most BMs. But those niggles aside, it’s cheap to run – you should even get over 70mpg fairly easily.

When originally launched back in 2016 there were concerns over quality as the G310s were the first BMWs built in India, by partner company TVS. This was borne out slightly when initial production was delayed slightly for not meeting BMW’s standards. In reality, few of those concerns have been proved to have merit. There were a couple of recalls of early examples concerning the sidestand switch but these have now been rectified and, with this ‘second generation’ example we’ve little reason for concern. Yes, the quality of fit and finish in some areas isn’t quite up to that of BMW’s more premium machines, but we’d expect that given the price.

Like the German firm’s larger machines, the G310R comes with BMW’s now standard three-year, 36,000-mile manufacturer-backed warranty for all parts and labour, which is a large part of its appeal. Servicing is fairly typical, too, in being every 6000 miles or annually, but considering the likely low mileages this sort of bike covers, it shouldn’t be a problem.

BMWs are famous for being fairly basic in standard trim but with lots of extra-cost accessories available – as a price. The same is true – if not even more so – of the fairly basic, budget-priced G310R. The dash is a fairly small LCD digital affair, switchgear is uninspiring and the mirrors are basic, too, but up to the job. The 2021 upgrade has also brought LED headlight and indicators to join its LED taillight and there’s new graphics and colours, too, but if you want anything else you’ll have to pay for it.

The G310R has been conceived very deliberately as a novice-friendly, A2-compliant entry point into the BMW range which, along with the German’s brand’s clever ‘Rookie to Rider’ scheme it certainly delivers. In other words, as a marketing device, it’s brilliant. It’s also a BMW, with all the kudos that brings and is very impressively priced. If that’s enough, great. It also has to be said, however, that there are far better (albeit sometimes more expensive) A2 bikes available, with more performance, better handling, sharper specifications of all three. But if you want an affordable, entry-level BMW, it does the job, but if you want more versatility, get the G310GS version (if not something else entirely).