BMW’s newest, smallest motorcycles come to the International Motorcycle Show

By Albert Khoury Published December 17, 2016

The 2016 Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) is taking place at the Javits Center in New York City this weekend, and BMW Motorrad brought along a pair of its newest and smallest rides: the 2017 G 310 R roadster, and its (slightly) more adventurous counterpart, the 2017 G 310 GS. The R takes its styling cues from its bigger sibling the S 1000 R, while the little GS brings to mind a miniature R 1200 GS — none of which is a bad thing.

Eric Valtos, Business Communications Specialist at BMW of North America, gave us a closer look at the new G 310s. The bikes were developed in Munich by BMW Motorrad and will be produced in Bangalore, India in cooperation with TVS Motor Company.

Recommended Videos

The baby Beemers represent BMW’s entry into markets that may not have been able to sustain sales of the manufacturer’s larger, pricier models.

The G 310 series will be the smallest displacement bike currently sold by BMW. With their introduction, BMW joins the likes of the Japanese Big Four and European manufacturers such as KTM in bringing smaller bikes to American shores.

The bikes share BMW’s new 313 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine, designed with four valves and two overhead camshafts, together with electronic fuel injection. It produces 34 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 21 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 rpm. The bikes are produced for a world market, and as such can accommodate various qualities of fuel while meeting emissions requirements and maintaining fuel efficiency.

Both the G 310 R and GS come with standard ABS, which can be deactivated for rougher terrain in the beak-nosed GS. The R is the lighter of the two at 349 pounds, compared to the GS’s 373 pounds. A six-speed gearbox lays down the power. Inverted forks are designed to handle various types of terrain and the rear spring has adjustable pre-load settings.

The R features a relaxed seating position and easy-to-reach controls. The LCD shows engine speed, road speed, gear, total mileage, engine temperature, fuel tank level, remaining range, average fuel consumption, average speed, and time.

The GS evokes an adventurous spirit, and it does offer more off-road-oriented features than the R. Spring travel is 7 inches in the GS, compared to 5.9 inches in the R. The GS’s 19-inch front wheel is 2 inches larger, and you also get a small windshield, high front fender, and aluminum luggage racks.

The lack of spoked wheels belies the GS’s off-road aspirations, and this bike would struggle with the difficult terrain for which its larger siblings were designed. However, in parts of the world where motorcycles are the main form of transportation despite the lack of maintained roads, this bike will feel right at home. And that is a smart move on BMW’s part, as that market stretches far beyond a few adventure-seeking riders.

The G 310 R’s launch price will be $4,995 including the destination fee, which has also been lowered to keep the price under $5K. The G 310 GS’s price has yet to be announced, but should be in line with the R.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Al started his career at a downtown Manhattan publisher, and has since worked with digital and print publications. He's…

Cars

Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Cars

Tesla just scrapped the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Cybertruck range extender last month when Tesla removed the option from its website. Now, it’s officially scrapped it and is refunding the $2,000 deposits that customers put down for the $16,000 battery pack.

“We are no longer planning to sell the range extender for Cybertruck," Tesla said in a message to customers on Wednesday, adding, "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full.”

Cars

Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix

Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has issued a voluntary safety recall after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a minor collision in Las Vegas. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, led the company to investigate and identify a software issue affecting how the robotaxi anticipates another vehicle’s path.
The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.