BikeWale Track Day 2019: BMW G310R

Gallery Introduction Performance Handling Track Goodness

Introduction

The BMW G310R might be a street bike but its roots are embedded in a racier avatar. Yes, we are talking about the TVS Apache RR 310 which was part of last year's track day line-up. The G310 R borrows nearly all its components like the frame, wheels, brakes, suspension and engine from the latter.

But then again, it is a street bike, which is also the reason it is part of the 2019 BikeWale Track Day. So, did it justify our theme? Is the BMW G310R worth it as a street bike/occasional track day motorcycle? We tested the motorcycle for three days at the MMRT, Chennai to find out for ourselves.

Performance

Well, the G310R is an enthusiastic machine that wants to run ahead of itself the moment you wring the throttle. And mind you, while the 313cc mill is peppy, the throttle response is linear too. Approaching a corner on the G310R requires a bit of early braking as the brakes have less bite and feel, however, the progression the setup offers is quite good. The dual-channel ABS ensures there is no untowardly drama when you go hard on the brakes. But as we found out after pushing the bike to its limits for around four laps, the brakes tend to fade.

Partly compensating for the brakes are the inverted forks and monoshock which are slightly stiff but do a good job on the track. There is minimal nose dive on hard braking and the bike does not wobble around on straights and most importantly mid-corner. It holds its ground and promises not to wash out under you and even allows corrections midway.

However, the most enthralling part of the G310R on track is exiting corners thanks to its strong mid-range. The bike feels alive the very moment the throttle is pinned and pulls away like its life is depended on it and this is without threatening to throw you off.

Handling

In terms of how it handles, I knew it would positively answer all the questions in my mind as soon as I was astride the G310R. The riding triangle is almost perfect for the track. The handlebar is wide and a bit forward set so it offers a slightly aggressive posture. The 310R's fuel tank is beefy and there is almost no effort to get a firm grip on it and the foot pegs are mildly higher set.

On the track, with those ergonomics, the G310R feels natural and nimble. Tipping into corners, even simultaneous ones like C4 and C5 requires minimal effort as the G310 R flows in willingly. And with the rear set pegs comes high cornering clearance, so there are less chances of grinding the foot pegs but getting your knee down is pretty easy.

Track Goodness

The BMW G310R makes for a perfect beginner's motorcycle for track day; forgiving and easy-going is how I'd like to term it. The riding position feels natural almost instantly and the 34bhp of power output is just enough to have a tonne of fun around a track like the MMRT which offers straights as well as technical sections. Speaking of turns, we particularly loved the 310R's handling which makes it effortless around corners instilling confidence and a highly-addictive feeling of going faster.

And similar to the Bajaj Dominar 400 which was also part of this year’s line-up, one can ride the BMW G310R to a race track and go completely bonkers there and most importantly without changing much of the stock settings. So if you are looking to do some track time occasionally, the G310R is definitely an option worth considering.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi