Something a bit different...

[TT1138]

Been meaning to do a quick write up on this for a while since I picked it up last year, but only now got round to it due to a busy Christmas work-wise.

It’s a BMW G310GS, but with a number of the Rally Raid UK upgrades. You buy the bike, and Rally Raid will sell you the parts to fit yourself. Essentially it transforms the fairly basic 310 into a genuine off-road/ adventure machine. Closest comparison would probably be the (now-discontinued) CCM GP450. I was very lucky in that I managed to pick this one up used and already built, with most of the upgrades already fitted.

It’s a really interesting bike to ride. With only 33bhp it’s not fast by any means, but it’s very light and the roadholding with the Tractive cartridges and shock is very impressive, meaning you can hustle it round corners holding most of your speed. With a skilled off-road rider (which I’m not) aboard, I would imagine it can do some really impressive things with the correct tyres on. It sits happily at 70 on the motorway.

I’m lucky enough to own a couple of other much larger capacity adventure bikes as well, but in the limited miles I’ve done (thanks Covid) it’s really impressed me and I’m looking to hopefully a couple of (moderately paced) U.K. tours on it this year.

[Rubin215 QFSM]

Yeah, I see these as being a modern DR350.

Much more everyday usable than all the grossly overblown Ewan/Charlie bikes and probably a much better bike on the mucky stuff.

[Lukas239]

Looks fantastic and gives me KTM 390 adventure vibes. However, the rally raid stuff looks bloody expensive

[carinaman]

The intake being on the front and exhaust on the back is interesting.

[Jazoli]

carinaman said:

The intake being on the front and exhaust on the back is interesting.

I think its an odd place for an exhaust for an 'adv bike' as its the first thing to hit the ground if it goes over on the right.

Looks good though.

[V8RX7]

How light ?

I'd find it hard to believe 33bhp is enough having recently ridden a F650GS and found it wanting with 50bhp

I think the ideal lightweight adventure bike would be based upon a 690 / 701 circa 155kg and 70bhp

[TT1138]

V8RX7 said:

How light ?

I'd find it hard to believe 33bhp is enough having recently ridden a F650GS and found it wanting with 50bhp

I think the ideal lightweight adventure bike would be based upon a 690 / 701 circa 155kg and 70bhp

170kg fully fuelled.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time on the F650 and yes, felt very much the same. Personally I think the 50hp BMW quoted for it was towards the optimistic end of the spectrum!

33hp is enough, provided you ride with that in mind. You have to plan overtakes more, and be prepared to use a lot more of the rev range than you would on a bigger bike. It’s definitely not a bike I would use for a Euro tour, but for a short tour round the Welsh countryside, mostly on B Roads, it’s enough.

[V8RX7]

So about the same weight but you've sacrificed half the power for comfort - fair enough but that seems to be aimed at a tiny market.