That sounds like an absolute weapon! Yea the low clip ons were starting to kill my back, so I opted for the mt-10/ 'naked' R1; but now im thinking of reconsidering. Raced a few s1000rrs in my GT-R, those things are missles haha. Maybe it was you, im from southern MD lol
Economics of 310 Ownership
It seems to me like there are two philosophies when it comes to bike ownership: some people buy a bike and keep it forever, others trade it in every couple of years.
One of the things that makes BMW interesting and attractive is the 3-year warranty, which gives you more room to strategize on when to sell a bike or trade it in.
What is your ownership strategy? And do you approach the 310 differently than you do other bikes?
It seems to me that unless you’re able to do your own repairs, owning the bike out of warranty would be a risky move. From what I can tell, repairs are usually a couple of hundred dollars at the low end, and can often extend to several thousand dollars at the top end. Given how affordable the bike is, I think you can quickly get to a point where a repair would cost you almost as much as the bike will be worth after three years.
Relatedly, has anyone looked into or considered extended warranties? When I picked up my bike, the dealer showed me what they have an offer. They quoted me an extended warranty of 36 months provided by RPM Plus for $1,650—which I think is pretty high, but which would be cheaper than getting a new bike at that point, given that taxes alone would be around $600 or so.
One of the things that makes BMW interesting and attractive is the 3-year warranty, which gives you more room to strategize on when to sell a bike or trade it in.
What is your ownership strategy? And do you approach the 310 differently than you do other bikes?
It seems to me that unless you’re able to do your own repairs, owning the bike out of warranty would be a risky move. From what I can tell, repairs are usually a couple of hundred dollars at the low end, and can often extend to several thousand dollars at the top end. Given how affordable the bike is, I think you can quickly get to a point where a repair would cost you almost as much as the bike will be worth after three years.
Relatedly, has anyone looked into or considered extended warranties? When I picked up my bike, the dealer showed me what they have an offer. They quoted me an extended warranty of 36 months provided by RPM Plus for $1,650—which I think is pretty high, but which would be cheaper than getting a new bike at that point, given that taxes alone would be around $600 or so.
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There’s just nothing like lots and lots power and proper space to use it.
I feel like I will have to get a second bike sooner rather than later. After four months and 4,500 miles, my headlight started acting up (high beam starts flickering even though it’s turned off). I brought the bike to the dealer on Saturday. The earliest they’ll be able to look at it is Friday. In case they can’t get it fixed then and need to ask BMW or order parts, it’ll easily be 2-3 weeks before I’ll have it back. Maybe I need to get a Grom as a backup…
Anything is better than nothing. In forty odd years of riding, the longest I've been without a bike is three months. It was a very long three months.Maybe I need to get a Grom as a backup…
I think this is an area where the difference between countries becomes really clear. Because virtually no one in the US has a bike as their primary means of transportation, dealers are not in a big hurry to get them fixed when something goes wrong—or to supply a loaner vehicle.
Jerry, how did you end up with all BMWs in your stable? I assume you’ve owned bikes from other brands in the past?
Jerry, how did you end up with all BMWs in your stable? I assume you’ve owned bikes from other brands in the past?
My 850GSA left on the HaulBikes trailer yesterday headed for its new home. 5 days till I pick up my 310GS (a ’22 picked up on advrider) and I’m already getting antsy with our mild winters. Currently own a Vino125 as a pit bike and don’t think I could rely on something that small as a primary means for transportation. Traffic is simply too crazy for that. Just hoping I can resist getting another RT come spring, if not the economics of trying the 310 won’t have worked out. BTW I’m enjoying the forum immensely.
Why did you decide to say farewell to the 850?My 850GSA left on the HaulBikes trailer yesterday headed for its new home.
Great bike but wanting to try it’s junior since it will fit in my enclosed race trailer and on a VersaHaul on the back of our Ford Transit based Motorhome. I’m trying hard to stay with a single bike (happy wife, happy life) and thought I’d give this a try.
How long did it take you to sell it? It seems like there isn’t a particularly large market for the models in that range, at least compared to the R version GS bikes.
I have to disagree. My dealer went to extreme measures to quickly fix my 310GS because (1) I carefully manage my relationship with them, (2) it died unexpectedly 114 miles away, and (3) I (truthfully) told them I needed the bike in seven work days for an no-refund off-road event. Also worth noting are the many stories in the BMW MOA magazine about dealers quickly getting tourers back on the road. Of course, a lot of this is situation specific. The loaner concept is a liability issue and, more recently, an availability issue....dealers are not in a big hurry to get them fixed when something goes wrong—or to supply a loaner vehicle.
My last non-BMW bike was my Suzuki TS250 sold in 1986; before that, I have to go back to my Honda GL500 Silverwing sold in 1984. I've had BMW's continuously, except for the three months when I had no bike, since buying my 1977 R100/7 in 1984. I did consider several non-BMW dual sport bikes before deciding on my 310GS, but the test ride feel killed the Husky 701 option and the premium above MSRP that the Honda dealer wanted killed that option. My reasons for going BMW through the years were initially my father's valid 1970s era opinion on their reliability and later/still, their continuous innovation. Other brands have caught up reliability-wise thanks to modern manufacturing methods, but, in my opinion, BMW is still leading the way on motorcycle innovation.Jerry, how did you end up with all BMWs in your stable? I assume you’ve owned bikes from other brands in the past?
It took several months, think they suffer from the traditional BMW bias toward Boxers (having owned several I get that) and reluctance to buy models not produced in the Fatherland. I’ve owned many other brands but always seem to gravitate back to the Roundel.How long did it take you to sell it? It seems like there isn’t a particularly large market for the models in that range, at least compared to the R version GS bikes.
That’s heartening to hear. It no doubt helps that you have bought several high-end bikes from the same dealer (I assume), so they should be doing their best to keep you happy. My experience has been rather different, though I don’t know whether that’s because I only have a 310 or because the dealership that’s closest is understaffed. I’m planning some longer trips for this coming summer and have been wondering what I would do if the bike broke down 2,000 miles away, when It would be imperative to get on the road again as quickly as possible. I guess it all depends on the dealership.I have to disagree. My dealer went to extreme measures to quickly fix my 310GS because (1) I carefully manage my relationship with them, (2) it died unexpectedly 114 miles away, and (3) I (truthfully) told them I needed the bike in seven work days for an no-refund off-road event. Also worth noting are the many stories in the BMW MOA magazine about dealers quickly getting tourers back on the road. Of course, a lot of this is situation specific. The loaner concept is a liability issue and, more recently, an availability issue.
Bad assumption: The only bike I bought from them was the 2022 G310GS itself, hardly high end. I bought my RR in northern Virginia (used with just 680 miles on it) and I bought my XR new from Charlotte BMW because at the time, it was the first fully optioned 2021 Motorrad colored XR inbound to the US. In fact, other than knowing it had Motorrad colors, I had to buy the XR without knowing what it would look like because BMW had not yet announced the 2021 model year changes and all pictures were still embargoed. Most of my relationship with my dealer comes from having them do all the service work on the RR, XR, and GS and I buy all my BMW OEM parts and accessories through them.It no doubt helps that you have bought several high-end bikes from the same dealer (I assume), so they should be doing their best to keep you happy.
The nearest dealer won't be 2000 miles away, at least not here in the US. Pretty much every person I've spoken with who broke down during the trip had a good story about how quickly the nearest dealer was able to get them going again and/or a good story about how someone from the BMW Anonymous Book recovered them, got them to a dealer, or got them going themselves. Before your trip, get the Anonymous Book App on your phone and make sure you have BMW Roadside Assistance or roadside assistance from your insurance company or through BMW MOA. BMW Roadside Assistance transported me and my G310GS 114 miles back to my dealer at no cost to me. It took them awhile to find a provider, but they got it done in the end.have been wondering what I would do if the bike broke down 2,000 miles away, when It would be imperative to get on the road again as quickly as possible. I guess it all depends on the dealership.
That’s some truly exemplary service from your dealer, then. As I mentioned in my “State of the Industry” thread, my experience has been different. When I called the local dealer to ask whether they could do the 600 mile run-in check a couple of days before I left for a longer trip, they told me that the first opening they have is four weeks out. I called two other dealers, both of which mentioned that they might be able to do it even though I hadn’t bought the bike with them. (Which struck me as a ridiculous thing to even consider.) In the end, I found a dealer about 200 miles from here who did it, and I got the service done on the first day of my trip. That dealer was really excellent—friendly, trustworthy, and eager to help. Maybe I‘m just having bad luck with my local situation here.
Sorry, but I'm going to call bull on this one: Unless your trip was an unplanned emergency (like my breakdown and non-refundable event), expecting a dealer to have or make an opening with just couple of days notice is poor planning on your part. Expecting him to bump a customer who got in line before you is not reasonable. What about that customer's plans? As the saying goes, "Bad planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."When I called the local dealer to ask whether they could do the 600 mile run-in check a couple of days before I left for a longer trip, they told me that the first opening they have is four weeks out.
You’re right about that, and I wouldn’t disagree with you on this point. But there’s a larger issue at work here. If you sell me a new bike and you expect me to do a 600 mile service, but then you can’t offer that service within 5 weeks of me buying the bike, then that’s just not a great customer experience. (I got the bike on a Friday, called first thing the following week for a service appointment.) Granted, maybe that’s just what being a motorcyclist entails, and maybe I’m being unrealistic in my expectations, but it certainly doesn’t make it easier to use a motorcycle as serious vehicle rather than just as a toy that you may or may not be using on weekends. Just my two cents as someone who’s new to this world and who uses a bike as a daily driver.Sorry, but I'm going to call bull on this one: Unless your trip was an unplanned emergency (like my breakdown and non-refundable event), expecting a dealer to have or make an opening with just couple of days notice is poor planning on your part. Expecting him to bump a customer who got in line before you is not reasonable. What about that customer's plans? As the saying goes, "Bad planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."
I get your frustration and I agree re your experience point. An interesting aspect of service wait times is that if your service capacity equals your service demand, service wait times become infinite. So, service providers have to buy excess capacity if they want to maintain reasonable wait times. However, motorcycle service demand is seasonal, so they can size their service staff for the height of the riding season and pay for excess staff during off season or they can let wait times wax and wane seasonally. They cannot afford to pay for excess staff off season, so we all get wait times that wax and wane seasonally.But there’s a larger issue at work here. If you sell me a new bike and you expect me to do a 600 mile service, but then you can’t offer that service within 5 weeks of me buying the bike, then that’s just not a great customer experience.
I can think of three solutions I've used to work with this. (1) When I'm buying a new bike during the busy season (rare for me), I make the break-in service appointment part of the negotiations so I have an appointment scheduled when I expect to need it before I write the check. (2) I used to live near Bob's BMW in Jesup, MD; they solved this problem by making Saturdays first-come-first-served. They painted numbers on the service area motorcycle parking spots; if you really needed something done that day, you arrived before they opened, or at least quite early on, and parked in the open spot with lowest number. These sessions became mini-rallies with riders bringing food, drinks, chairs, books, tall tales to swap, etc. Bob's did this in part because their service wait times grew to 4-6 weeks during the height of the season. Perhaps you can suggest something like this to your dealer. (3) I know how to do my own basic services; if I can't get in, I can at least make sure continued use of the bike doesn't put it at risk of mechanical failure or void my warranty (I fully document everything when I do a service).
Oh well, we live in an imperfect world; that's not going to change anytime soon; but somehow we mostly muddle our way through.
True words. I’ll have to do some thinking on this. Maybe the takeaway really is that it’s best to have more than one bike, given that the turnaround for bike repairs tends to be longer, for all of the reasons you mention. I’m privileged in that my job and location don’t require me to have a car, and now that I’ve gotten a taste of what it’s like to live with a bike, I don’t really want to get one either. I really like the solution that Bob’s BMW came up with. They seem to be a quality outfit, from all I can tell. I bought some riding gear from them and they were excellent.Oh well, we live in an imperfect world; that's not going to change anytime soon; but somehow we mostly muddle our way through.
All of this makes me wonder how much a good car mechanic can do as far as bike work goes. I have an excellent little shop right around the corner, with a great owner. When I installed my Scorpion exhaust, I couldn’t get the oxygen sensor off, because the nut was so tight. I stopped by, he took one of his tools, loosened it, and I was gone again in a minute. I gave him a $10 so he could get a drink at the nearby bar and everyone was happy.
Being dependent upon a single point of failure is problematic. In the Army, I was trained to have backups for your backups. You need one backup, whether it's a second bike, a friend, public transportation, etc.Maybe the takeaway really is that it’s best to have more than one bike
Bob's is a well run business; this reflects Bob's laser like focus for efficiency and profit.I really like the solution that Bob’s BMW came up with. They seem to be a quality outfit, from all I can tell.
I think relying on a auto mechanic will only go so far, but certainly worth cultivating. If there is an independent motorcycle mechanic nearby, it couldn't hurt to cultivate him or her for some things.All of this makes me wonder how much a good car mechanic can do as far as bike work goes. I have an excellent little shop right around the corner, with a great owner.
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Not sure where you live, but I've spent many years in the US with a bike as my only transportation and had plenty of friends like that too.I think this is an area where the difference between countries becomes really clear. Because virtually no one in the US has a bike as their primary means of transportation <snip>
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