BMW Motorrad of Germany and TVS Motor of India took the automotive world by storm when they announced a tie-up in April 2013. An official document revealed by the two brands talked about a series of sub 500 cc bikes. Fast forward to 2015 and the first of these, the BMW G 310 R, a naked roadster, was revealed to the public.
The BMW G 310 R was developed by BMW Motorrad’s R&D team in Munich. TVS was given the responsibility to manufacture this machine in India. Later, production of the BMW G 310 R also began in Brazil.
BMW’s greatest piece of machinery, the BMW S1000R (which is the naked variant of the S1000RR) continues to be the shining beacon for its naked machines. The G 310 R has clear traces of this overpowering echo. Later the brand also fed the entry-level adventure seekers with the BMW G 310 GS. However, a faired cousin of the BMW G 310 R has been alluding us for a long time now.
Faired BMW G 310 R may be a reality someday
BMW Motorrad Japan recently concluded the BMW G310 Trophy at the iconic Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan. The BMW G310 trophy allowed BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS motorcycles to participate in Neo Standard Class and Challenge Class saw 50+ units of these bikes compete. Some were in the form of the naked roadster, some with the adventure tourer’s body and some with a full fairing! Teams were not allowed to make any mechanical changes to their bikes, save for aftermarket exhausts (not allowed in the Challenger Class).
The fully-faired G 310 R and other machines which participated in the G310 Trophy had to carry their bike numbers on the side panels and tail section. The headlamp unit had to be covered up as per standard racing protocols. Besides that, the bike’s number was also displayed on the covered-up headlamp of a windshield on top of it. Other parts like rearview mirrors, stands, pillions footpegs, horn and license plates (along with bracket) were not allowed.
Each team could have a maximum of 2 riders and one pit stop was compulsory for all teams. During this pit stop, teams can switch riders. Refuelling the BMW G310 Trophy machines was not allowed in the middle of the race, while the engine had to be stopped along with a minimum stoppage time of 1 minute!
Design: Classy meets Sporty
The fully-faired BMW G 310 R looked strikingly close to the BMW G 310 RR concept showcased at the Japanese version of BMW Motorrad Days in September 2018. Interestingly, the bikes used in the G310 Trophy had a headlamp unit designed on the lines of the new 2019 BMW S1000RR!
Unlike the concept model, which had a carbon-fibre bodywork, these bikes seem to use a more accessible material. The tall windshield on the faired BMW G 310R allowed riders enough space to duck and protect themselves from windblasts. Customised with the help of BMW Motorrad Japan dealerships, these bikes also flaunted a racing cowl. CNC machined rider footpegs were also seen on several of the machines.
The faired BMW G 310 R’s fairing sports the familiar gills seen in the previous generation of the BMW S1000RR. However, these also helped in cooling the engine. Riders also used a racing seat (read: a thin slab of foam) to reduce the weight of the bike. Besides that, the bikes sported the same 5-spoke, cast aluminium alloy wheels as the stock motorcycle.
Also Read: 50,000th BMW 310cc series motorcycle rolled out from TVS Motor Company's plant
Cycle Parts: Extremely limited
These fully-faired racing machines had rear sprocket guards installed so that a part of the body is not accidentally caught between the chain and the rear sprocket. Some bikes also had a reinforced swingarm to help the bike come out unscathed from the gruelling 50-minute endurance race.
The suspension setup is the same as that of a stock BMW G 310 R. In the front, the bike gets a 41 mm upside-down fork with 140 mm of permitted travel. Rear gets a monoshock with adjustable preload and 131 mm of travel. Braking duties are administered by a 4 piston radially mounted fixed calliper up front over a 300 mm disc. The rear wheel is anchored to a stop with a 240 mm disc with a single-piston floating calliper.
The BMW G 310 R has 17-inch wheels at both ends. The front tyre is of 110/70 specification and the rear tyre is a 150/60 unit. The Challenger Class allowed only the use of normal radial tyres. However, the Neo Standard class allowed the use of specified bias tyres or specified high grip radials.
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Engine: The beauty of German engineering
The BMW G310 Trophy at Motegi allowed no changes to the powerplant. In stock form, the BMW G 310 R is powered by a 313 cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, fuel-injected engine which uses an interesting backward tilted layout. Coupled to a 6-speed gearbox, the engine can produce 34 PS of power and 28 Nm of torque.
TVS Motor, though, has kept the Indian audience charmed with the TVS Apache RR 310 which uses the same powerplant as the G 310 R. This fully-faired motorcycle is the most powerful Apache yet with 34 PS of max power. The torque output is registered to be slightly lower than on the G 310 R - 27.3 Nm.
Apart from a more informative dash, the TVS Apache RR310 also gets dual LED projector headlamps, a new subframe and a race-tuned KYB suspension. Besides that, TVS Motor recently also introduced a race-tuned slipper clutch to assist the gearbox. The result? The TVS Apache RR310 has a top speed of 160 km/h (G 310 R tops out at 143 km/h) and can accelerate from 0 to 60 km/h in 2.93 seconds. Also, the 100 km/h mark from standstill is reached in a little over 7 seconds.
Also Read: TVS to launch new model co-developed with BMW Motorrad
Expectations: When can we expect a fully-faired BMW G 310 R (or should we say BMW S 310 RR?)
BMW Motorrad has made no official announcement about a fully faired BMW G 310 R. Nor have any spy images of a motorcycle in similar spec come up. For now, BMW is content with the volumes of the BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS but a fully-faired variant cannot be completely ruled out.
If we talk pricing, the TVS Apache RR310 is priced at INR 2.27 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The BMW G 310 R and G 310 GS are priced at INR 2.99 lakh and INR 3.49 lakh respectively (both ex-showroom, Delhi). If introduced, the fully-faired motorcycle by the German bike maker may hit the 3.6 lakh mark.
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