• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

How is everyone doing - new 310's?

Omega Man

Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat
Staff member
Seems like things have died down on these 310's. I was expecting there to be a quick "snap up" of existing stock, but they are available.

How is the ride?

How comfortable is the seat- with a comparison to another seat you like?

Vibration at speed?

Is it meeting reasonable expectations as a "good all around ride"?

Is it really more of a "quick hop" machine and you really would rather take the big bike for anything serious?

I'd be interested on how these are working out, especially with the rebirth of the Honda Mini-Trail right around the corner.

OM
 
Seems like things have died down on these 310's. I was expecting there to be a quick "snap up" of existing stock, but they are available.

How is the ride?

How comfortable is the seat- with a comparison to another seat you like?

Vibration at speed?

Is it meeting reasonable expectations as a "good all around ride"?

Is it really more of a "quick hop" machine and you really would rather take the big bike for anything serious?

I'd be interested on how these are working out, especially with the rebirth of the Honda Mini-Trail right around the corner.

OM

Our trip to Des Moines and then to Republic, Washington and back to New Mexico was just over 4,400 miles. Then a couple of weeks later our trip to and from Duluth, MN for the Aerostich Very Boring Rally was just over 2,300 miles. Cruising at up to 75 with ease and a top speed of 90 works well. Our trip from home to Kerrville, Texas and back were over 400 mile days and the seats were just fine. I do not detect any bothersome vibration in the bars, seat, or pegs but do see a little in the mirrors. Stiff headwinds can be a bother and the fuel tank is too small at 2.9 gallons. Both of our 310GS bikes are over 11,000 miles and approaching 12,000. They have been the only bikes we have ridden for the past four months and I would rate them excellent all-around bikes. Not a K1600 for sure. Not an RT for sure. But excellent travel bikes nonetheless.
 
Our trip to Des Moines and then to Republic, Washington and back to New Mexico was just over 4,400 miles. Then a couple of weeks later our trip to and from Duluth, MN for the Aerostich Very Boring Rally was just over 2,300 miles. Cruising at up to 75 with ease and a top speed of 90 works well. Our trip from home to Kerrville, Texas and back were over 400 mile days and the seats were just fine. I do not detect any bothersome vibration in the bars, seat, or pegs but do see a little in the mirrors. Stiff headwinds can be a bother and the fuel tank is too small at 2.9 gallons. Both of our 310GS bikes are over 11,000 miles and approaching 12,000. They have been the only bikes we have ridden for the past four months and I would rate them excellent all-around bikes. Not a K1600 for sure. Not an RT for sure. But excellent travel bikes nonetheless.

Nice that they are both working out so well. :thumb
OM
 
What was an average fuel run Paul?

Average consumption is about 70 with normal 2 lane riding - speeds 60-65 or up to 70. Fighting a 25G40 headwind on the Interstate in Montana we got about 50. Tooling around the Enchanted Circle near Taos, NM - 40-55 mph - we both got 84. The small engine provides much more variable fuel consumption than larger engines do. That and the small tank can make life interesting. The instrumentation is good and includes average fuel consumption that can be reset to start over, and current fuel consumption so you can observe what happens when you go up hill or downhill. More importantly one of the settings shows range remaining and that seems to be very accurate on both bikes. When the bike has just 3/10 gallon remaining a red light comes on and the display automatically switches to "range".

So fuel stops generally need to be made between 150 and 190 miles depending on conditions. I can push it when stations are near and plentiful and be very cautious in the vast expanse of the great plains and western deserts. Bottom line: we never ran out of gas. :)
 
The good news is that it appears that carrying a single 30 oz. MSR bottle of fuel could provide 15-20 miles of travel with careful fuel conservation.
 
So glad you guys made a great decision for new bikes. What is it like passing? Lets say normal 60 or 70 on a 2 lane and you have a car or two to get around. Do you try that? Do downshift into 4th or even 3rd? Can you roll on the throttle and just Zoom around?......
 
So glad you guys made a great decision for new bikes. What is it like passing? Lets say normal 60 or 70 on a 2 lane and you have a car or two to get around. Do you try that? Do downshift into 4th or even 3rd? Can you roll on the throttle and just Zoom around?......

I almost always downshift from 6th to pass. I have done so for years on my K75s and R1150R. On the 310GS 5th is good from about 45 to 90 (redline). 4th is good from 35 or so to 75. Passing is usually not an issue. It would be going up a steep hill or into a stiff headwind. Otherwise - shift down and roll on.
 
The good news is that it appears that carrying a single 30 oz. MSR bottle of fuel could provide 15-20 miles of travel with careful fuel conservation.

We learned on the KTM cousin:banghead
IMG_0846-2.jpg

The small engine provides much more variable fuel consumption than larger engines do. That and the small tank can make life interesting.

Bottom line: we never ran out of gas. :)

H's KTM counts up on miles to go...mine as well, scary to look down and see 3! We are not as wise as some here and took a few times riding the ridgetops of Arkansas. 2.9 can def be interesting
The above pictured MSR resides in a tube on hers after the first lesson

IMG_0129.JPG
 
On the back of the little TW that might......I have two tubes. The MSR bottles are great, thought I would give 2 Sea-Foam (fuel treatment) bottles a try. Both filled with treated non-ethanol fuel for better longevity. So far so good.
OM
 
I put a little over 7500 miles since April on my R. It is not, for me a slab cruiser, but I no longer do that. It holds its own running with traffic on those interstates I must take, but it is really fun on some nice tight roads in the Appalachians. Fuel light comes one somewhere around 145-150 and indicates around 45-50 miles remaining. Fillups are seldom over 2 gallons.
I have no trouble with 400 mile days heading north to the mountains, but lately the trips back south seem a lot more tiring. For the record I am 75 and have ridden a lot of Airhead miles in my past. Just returned from Daytona where I had the side stand recall done and spent a couple of days at Biketoberfest. Speed limit plus run either direction was not a problem.

This bike will not keep up with a higher powered machine obviously, but traveling solo with camping gear, I have not experienced any lack of power. It does seem happier around 5K RPM.

Everything considered I am very happy with the purchase.
 
I put a little over 7500 miles since April on my R. It is not, for me a slab cruiser, but I no longer do that. It holds its own running with traffic on those interstates I must take, but it is really fun on some nice tight roads in the Appalachians. Fuel light comes one somewhere around 145-150 and indicates around 45-50 miles remaining. Fillups are seldom over 2 gallons.
I have no trouble with 400 mile days heading north to the mountains, but lately the trips back south seem a lot more tiring. For the record I am 75 and have ridden a lot of Airhead miles in my past. Just returned from Daytona where I had the side stand recall done and spent a couple of days at Biketoberfest. Speed limit plus run either direction was not a problem.

This bike will not keep up with a higher powered machine obviously, but traveling solo with camping gear, I have not experienced any lack of power. It does seem happier around 5K RPM.

Everything considered I am very happy with the purchase.

Great :thumb
Nice report......Thanks.
OM
 
There is a young lady member -- Jennifer Ott Argentino -- that is riding the wheels off of her 310.

But she is on the FB group....

Screen%20Shot%202018-10-24%20at%203.04.47%20PM-X2.png
 
I almost always downshift from 6th to pass. I have done so for years on my K75s and R1150R. On the 310GS 5th is good from about 45 to 90 (redline). 4th is good from 35 or so to 75. Passing is usually not an issue. It would be going up a steep hill or into a stiff headwind. Otherwise - shift down and roll on.

Thanks.....It's pretty much the way I need to know how to ride the thing...……..
 
Voni and I are approaching 12,000 m.iles on our two of these. No issues really. The battery on mine failed to take kindly to a few days of GPS "on" drain. My fault. Not the bike's. The chains seem fine at 12K. I have not checked the valves. I really want the OEM Maintenance CD but don't have it yet Hoping soon. Anybody have on? We love the riding of these bike. I hope I like the maintenance is all good too.
 
I think the 310 and its’ competitors are the right bikes for the time.
It’s also interesting to compare the 310 to a mid-sixties 305 Honda. Near the same weight and displacement, the Super Hawk actually has a higher reported top speed (source: wikipedia). It seems the real progress in 55 years has been suspension and brakes.
 
An issue not specifically discussed so far is possible addition of larger windshield. Has anyone noted a need for any wind protection? I test-rode a 310R with no protection at all (maybe a stock fly screen, but don't recall?) and I thought the wind management was excellent. I spend only about 10 miles/minutes on an interstate at speed and among traffic and noticed no discernible buffeting at all. What about those of you riding this bike for a prolonged time? Does the bike feel like it needs a windshield of some kind?

I am creeping ever closer to pulling the trigger and swapping my F800ST for the 310R. I have not done a trip longer than about 7 or 8 days and 3,000 miles in several years, so I believe my days of any long distance touring are behind me. As I have aged (in my early 70s now), all my bikes have been smaller than the one before, and my long trips have lost their appeal. Now I am much more likely to decide, almost spontaneously, to grab a change of underwear and take off somewhere for 3 to 5 days. I believe the 310R might be the right next bike for me.
 
Back
Top