2021 BMW G310 R, G310 GS spied testing for the first time

20201 BMW G310 R Facelift

With almost the entire world staying indoors to fight the COVID-19, spy shots are becoming increasingly rare these days but some testing activities are being carried out in Europe. BMW Motorrad is gearing up to update its most affordable models, the G310 R and G310 GS, for the 2020 model year.

Prototypes of 2021 BMW G310 R street fighter and G310 GS adventure tourer have recently been spotted on a public road. Both motorcycles feature noticeable styling changes updates but nothing too exhaustive. The 2021 BMW G310 GS receives slightly revised headlamp with LED elements and a sleeker beak. The side panels are also revised to render a sharper appeal to the front end. Changes to the new G310 R include a new LED headlamp and redesigned fuel tank extensions.

The most significant change, however, is expected on the powertrain front. In India where the motorcycles are manufactured for global consumption, the BS6 emission standards are set to be implemented a few days after the lockdown is lifted (April 1, 2020 was the original deadline). This would mean, the single-cylinder 313 cc liquid-cool engine and its exhaust system are set to undergo some improvements. In Europe, the tweaks to the powertrain are expected to make the compact twins Euro-5 compliant.

20201 BMW G310 GS Facelift

In its current state of tune, the fuel-injected motor develops 33.6 hp and 28 Nm of torque. A 6-speed gearbox takes care of transmission duties. While KTM’s 390 Duke and Adventure offer higher performance figures, the Beemers resort to a relatively sedate riding characters. We don’t expect the powertrain tweaks to change the output figures significantly.

BMW has recently announced that it will not participate in this year’s INTERMOT which is scheduled in October at Cologne and EICMA which is scheduled in November at Milan. So, we expect the updated motorcycles to make their world premiere online whenever they are ready. With things stand as they are now, no automaker is going to be in a hurry to introduce a new product.

Despite being manufactured in India, the entry-level BMW motorcycles command a significant premium over their KTM counterparts. While G310 R and G310 GS contribute to around 80% of BMW Motorrad’s sales in India, volumes could be much better if the prices are more competitive.

While BMW wants to maintain a premium brand appeal, the BS6 versions of the G310 R and G310 GS could have more attractive pricing in India. At least, absorbing the additional cost associated with the updates would be a nice place to start.

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