Leon, thanks for all this info.
Can you share some thoughts on comparing the CRF250L and the G310GS?
hmmm
pretty much totally opposite bikes for both bikes being on/ off road bikes.
the Honda (little orphan Annie) stock is very flickable and changes direction quickly. this unfortunately makes it quite nervous and scary above 60mph on the road, cranking front tire pressure well over what honda recommends stops the head shake this bike is prone to developing at speed.
the BMW (Gunther) rides like a much bigger bike, rock solid and stable you can look around and it will stay the coarse, look around on the Honda and it will go where you are looking including right into that tree.
both bikes need suspension work, the 310 needs it the most as the rear shock is, pardon the pun, "shockingly" bad, the 250l works just fine as a play bike, it will go through pretty much anything a more capable dirt bike will go through, just not as fast. want to go fast then put the racetech or the propilot mods on it and it will handle the bumps and jumps with the best of them.
the 310GS shock stock has a way weak spring and virtually no damping, it actually pogos, the tractive shock from rally raid is so much better, it feels firm but soaks up everything I could throw at it. I got the "low" shock for my short legs, off the bike it is a few mm shorter (it can be adjusted even shorter) put it on the bike and it is taller LOL stock there is 3 inches sag without anyone on the bike.
power: stock the pre 18 crf250l makes 18hp at best and no torque, I have no clue what Honda was thinking when they decided to detune the cbr250 engine. the cbr was not exactly a road burner to start with, choking it down just made people mad, fortunately the aftermarket was on its game and products to boost power came out quickly. for 2018 they have finally uncorked it as they are tired of people screaming for the much better 300 engine.
the 310GS stock makes 34hp and that is even with the craziest intake restriction I have ever seen on a bike, the inlet to the air box is less than half the size of the throttle body, and my lawn mower has a bigger air filter.
yank the air box and slap on a K&N cone filter and reflash and it should make 40hp easy.
the 310 engine is a sport bike engine they based the design of the cylinder head on the 1000RR and it shows, huge ports and valves it don't start pulling good till 5000rpm and comes on the cams good at 7000rpm
that works good on road but hurts it off road, the fly wheel is to light for technical work and it is geared for launching across a intersection not across a log