2017 BMW G310GS ADV First Look Review

Up until today, the smallest gelande strasse BMW has ever offered has been the G650GS. Well, move over G650GS, because the new-for-2017 G310GS undercuts you by 339cc, 56 pounds, 16 hp, and likely a few thousand bucks.

That's right, BMW took its recently announced, Indian-made G310R naked bike and ran it through the GS machine. That means a larger 19-inch front wheel, dual-purpose tires, extra suspension travel (1.6 inches in the front and 2 inches in the rear), a wider handlebar with more backsweep, serrated footpegs, a higher 32.9-inch seat, a luggage rack, and of course GS-inspired bodywork with a pretty puny windscreen. There's also a different muffler cover and a unique triple clamp with "GS" embossed in the upper clamp. The standard-issue ABS is even disableable.

It’s still got cast wheels and not abuse-friendly spoke hoops, but the littlest GS looks like an excellent bop-about, with just enough off-road capability to allow riders to explore a few fire roads or trails.

It’s pretty bold of BMW to put the GS badge on an Indian-made bike, especially one with zero track record. But, as BMW says in its press release, “GS is a promise—a promise of perfect functioning, reliability and robustness.” To that end BMW shipped German-made production equipment to India, established a separate manufacturing area in the host company’s facility, put the technicians through training, and have strict quality control.

The G310GS itself was obviously designed in Germany, and BMW threw a fair amount of engineering at the engine. It applied DLC or Nikasil coatings to surfaces subject to wear, pulled a few F1-inspired valvetrain parts from the S1000RR, fine-tuned the lubrication system, slapped on a sizeable radiator, and even rotated the cylinder 180 degrees so the exhaust faces backwards.

This arrangement is said to help with handling, since it moves the engine’s weight forward toward the front wheel while also making room for a longer, traction-enhancing swingarm. The 313cc engine’s horsepower is listed as 34 hp, and if the G310R is any indication the GS should prove pretty torquey, though at a claimed 374 pounds with gas the GS is 25 pounds than the naked version.

We don’t know when the G310GS will come to America or how much it will cost. If you want us to make an educated guess based on what we know about the G310R, we’d say early 2017 and between $5,000 and $6,000.