I've been lucky enough to have put a few hundred miles on a demo bike (it was meant to be more but weather (the various Beasts from the East), work, travel and life in general conspired against me) with a view to purchase one rather than an F800GS for an overseas trip I'm planning at the start of 2019. End result is that I've bought one and preparing to enhance it further with Rally Raid's kit. In truth it's the Rally Raid kit that has convinced me as I've not got the upper body strength to pick up a F800GSA repeatedly and the F800GSA at bike does not seem that much less bulky than the R1200GS I ride normally (apologies if I've now upset GSA fans - it's a great bike but too much for what I have planned). The "standard" F800GS was going to be my pick but when I saw the G310GS emerge in the news and heard about Rally Raid's developments I got sucked into the smaller is better. I started out riding 250cc and 400cc road bikes so had some idea what I was letting myself in for regards (lack of) torque etc.
My observations on the G310 are based on riding a long list of Hinckley Triumphs, a Honda VFR, before migrating inexorably to BMW (R1100S, R9T, F650GS Dakar and R1200GS).
I was 5'11" but am probably only 5'10" now after a long lie down on a slope.
32" inside leg.
Weight: 11 stone.
Riding position is good but I prefer a little more room seat-to-peg. The bars need a twist up to set them "just so" for me, but in truth I sat on it for couple of hours without any discomfort at all.
It is happiest on the back roads where it is absolute hoot. You worry so much less about the surface conditions as the bike tracks really well and changes direction so easily you end up watching more of the world around you ... and that's not just because you are travelling more slowly. I took the big GS round the same route after taking the little one out for a 30 mile A, B and unclassified route and there was naff all in the loop time - even though the 1200 does allow you to overtake at will and the 310 has reminded me all about planning.
[I should point out that was was not a "time trial" but just a Rospa-esque type ride (I'm not up to the standard I once was ...) with the duration noted for each loop]
The brakes are adequate but certainly like the bite of the bigger GS - but that's going to be an advantage off road so no issue there. Suspension was pretty good on road and I only went up a simple dirt track as the bike wasn't mine and it handled it really well. No issues at all. I was actually surprised by the grip from the stock tyres in the cold conditions. I'm an off road novice though (done one day's training and then only played on easily accessible and rideable tracks) so training myself in the future for more demanding off road adventures is on the list.
If you look on other forums, you see the various gripes about the rear brake lever and the front levers being too long etc. but there is nothing fundamentally wrong given the design brief and price point. Shorty levers on the bars will sort that but I will admit to looking forward to what the Rally Raid team work out for the rear brake lever. It's OK as is but could be better.
But these are really minor points. Even the short screen I think suits the bike in terms of what is was targeted at. Sitting at what I thought was it's happy speed on road (60-ish indicated) it thrummed away quite the thing and let you enjoy the world around you. And returned 72 mpg according to the trip computer but I never actually checked with mileage vs. pump.
I'll let you know how I get on when I get the Rally Raid kit onto my own and then do a comparison. As ever, the bike will be more capable than me, but at least I know I won't have it to worry about ...