BMW’s introduced the new F900 R last season, overhauled the S1000 R this fall, and now it’s also reworked the G310 R naked bike.
The G310 R isn’t one of BMW’s flagship products, but it could be one of the most significant bikes in its lineup. Built in India by TVS, the G310 is an affordable small-bore roadster, powered by a liquid-cooled 313cc single-cylinder with unusual reversed-head design (intake at front, exhaust to rear). It took BMW into a whole new market when it was introduced, as the German manufacturer had long ignored the beginner bike genre.
For 2021, the 310 isn’t getting a power boost. It’s getting basically the same treatment as the G310 GS: An upgrade to Euro5-friendly emissions tuning, with ride-by-wire throttle and anti-hop clutch. Output is the same, roughly 34 horsepower and 27 pound-feet of torque.
Through the rest of the machine, you see more similarities to the GS upgrades. The R model also gets adjustable levers and LED lights. And, there’s new bodywork, and new paint. Whether that’s an improvement or not is a question of your own preference.
BMW isn’t making a bunch of ballyhoo about these updates, but nevertheless, it’s important to the company’s future. All the Euro OEMs are moving aspects of production to India or other Asian countries these days. BMW now offers a lot of bike for little money; those are very modern features at this price point (starting at $5,650). The 310 series has already lasted a whole generation in the BMW lineup now, and appears to be here to stay.Â
