The cheapest GS yet is the new BMW G 310 GS at just $6900 plus on-road costs arriving in mid-October 2017.
The G 310 GS will be available in “Cosmic” black, “Racing” red and “Pearl” white metallic, the latter adding $75 to the price.
We’re not sure why certain colours cost more, but BMW Motorrad Australia is not the only company to do that.
Anyway, the baby adventure bike is only the third in this new niche, following the 400cc Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 at $11,990 plus on-road costs and the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 at $6990 ride away.
The new Indian-built Beemer GS is like a smaller version of the top-selling BMW R 1200 GS.
It’s not the cheapest BMW. That honour goes to the G 310 R at $5790. Read our review here.
BMW G 310 RBoth are powered by a single-cylinder 313cc engine with 25kW (34hp) at 9500rpm and maximum torque of 28Nm at 7500rpm.
It’s a quirky twin-cam engine with the head tilting backward, rather than forward. Intake is at the front and outlet at the rear.
However, it’s different from the G 310 R with its high fender, GS styling, 19-inch front wheel, short 1420mm wheelbase and 180mm of suspension travel.
It has 41mm upside-down forks and sits on dual-sport tyres 110/80 R-19 and 150/70 R17.
Impressively, it has massive 300mm discs for such a light bike (169.5kg) and switchable ABS comes as standard.
Switchable ABS
The G 310 GS instrument cluster has a large liquid crystal display and a comprehensive range of information. It includes engine speed, road speed, gear, total kilometres, engine temperature, fuel tank level, remaining range, average fuel consumption, average speed and clock.
This is an untested area of the market, but it should make adventure biking more accessible to learners, women and shorter people.
Previously, these riders have had to settle for trail bikes which are not suitable for highway riding.
The idea of an adventure bike is that it is comfortable for a 200km highway ride to the forest where it is also capable on dual and single-track.
(Some say the Royal Enfield Himalayan is also part of this new baby adventure sector. However, the importers have not provided one for review, so we don;’t know whether they are capable in either territory.)
Novice riders can now choose a baby adventure from Kawasaki, Ducati or buy the cheapest GS BMW yet!