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BS6 BMW G 310 twins spied in India
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Updated entry-level BMW bikes to sport styling tweaks to the headlight housing and tank
The BMW G 310 twins were one of the most eagerly anticipated launches of 2018. However, a high price tag meant that BMW’s most affordable motorcycles were still rather out of reach and didn't do very well in our market. Barring the introduction of a few colour schemes, the G 310 R and G 310 GS also remained unchanged over the last couple of years.
However, that is set to change as what appears to be BS6-compliant iterations of the motorcycles have been spied out on the road in India. Whether these bikes were actually being tested or simply being transported is unclear, because the riders were not wearing the sort of protective gear you would expect on a BMW test rider. Ironically, they each seemed to be carrying a yellow bag on the fuel tank, in which we could spot what looked like new riding jackets!
What’s new on the BS6 G 310 R and G 310 GS?
Visually, not much. Cosmetic changes only appear to extend as far as a slightly redesigned headlight housing and tank. Where the more significant changes lie are likely in the mechanicals.
The G 310 twins share their co-developed 312.2cc single-cylinder engine with the TVS Apache RR 310. With its most recent update, the RR 310 has been equipped with ride-by-wire throttle, four ride modes and a smartphone connectivity-enabled instrument cluster. At the moment, we can’t say for certain how much of this tech will make its way onto the BMWs, but it’s likely they will feature the same BS6 engine that produces 34hp at 9,700rpm and 27.3Nm at 7,700rpm on the RR 310.
When will the bikes go on sale?
The bikes spied look like they are in the final stages of production. So it shouldn't be long before they go on sale - the BS4 iterations of the G 310 R and the G 310 GS were priced at Rs 2.99 lakh and Rs 3.49 lakh, respectively. However, right before the BS6 norms came into effect, BMW Motorrad was selling existing BS4 units with discounts of upto Rs 70,000. This was a much more reasonable asking price and sales of the 310s increased as a result.
Given the apparent similarity of these bikes to the BS4 models, BMW will need to launch them at a lower price if it wishes to make a significant dent in KTM's sales numbers.
Azaman Chothia
