Honda’s priorities in India have seen a slight shift in the past couple of years. Where the company used to seemingly deploy every resource in the quest of being No. 1 in our market, it’s become evident that Hero isn’t going down without a fight. In fact, the gap in sales volume actually grew last year. But don’t feel bad, because this has actually gotten the Japanese giant to focus more of its might on a much smaller group of people for a change – us, the enthusiasts. Honda’s big bike line-up is ever growing. It recently announced a new Silver Wing business vertical dedicated to premium bikes and has just opened its first big-bike-only Big Wing showroom in Gurgaon. And the best part is that when Honda makes a move, the rest usually follow.
Of course, Gold Wings and Blades remain a dream for most, and it’s been years since Honda offered a reasonably priced motorcycle that’s of any interest to the enthusiast. Now, five years after its 300cc platform replaced the CBR250R, (which still languishes in our market), we finally have a taste of what progress feels like. Say hello to the CB300R.
The round, full-LED headlamp is obviously retro-themed, but the fuel tank is long and chiselled and those radiator shrouds with their brushed aluminium look add a real sense of class. A new 41mm USD fork does wonders in giving the bike powerful stance and you can’t miss the unique cylindrical LED indicators. Also something you don’t usually see on small machines like this is a naked aluminium housing for the radiator, which looks fantastic from afar, but a little roughly finished when examined closely.
The rear section is clean and uncluttered with a split seat design, a neatly executed LED tail-lamp and cleverly designed grab handles. The lower section seems a bit cluttered though, with a large but decently executed exhaust on the right and an enormous saree guard on the left. Facing the rider is a clean-looking LCD display that is well laid out and easy to read, but is missing a gear position indicator. The switchgear seems to be of high quality, but the indicator button is where the horn’s usually is and this gets quite annoying.
The biggest question in your mind is probably what this 30.45hp, 300cc Honda engine feels like. Well, for starters it’s actually 286.01cc, which is up from the earlier 249cc. Sound and feel-wise, it’s very familiar. Refinement is decent, but there are some mild vibrations above 8,000rpm, which get stronger near the 11,000rpm redline. Performance-wise, the engine definitely feels more potent at all points in the rev range and this comes down to two things. Naturally, there’s the extra 3.9hp and 4.5Nm, but perhaps more significantly, it is the fact that it weighs a whole 20kg less than the CBR250R.
Our performance tests highlight the advantage of lower weight, and this bike is quicker than you’d expect, managing to just sneak under the 7sec mark in the 0-100kph run. Power delivery is linear, a 100kph cruise is easy and 140kph arrives without too much stress. With some determination, you should be able to see well above 150kph on the clocks, possibly even 160. Flexibility at city speeds is a strong point too, and I’d say this is the nicest city bike in its segment, given the easy dimensions, tight turning radius, light clutch and decent heat management. The upside of its weight shines once more, this time in the form of impressive fuel efficiency – 28.1kpl in the city and 37.4 on the highway.
Summary:
CB300R key highlights | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 286.01 cc |
| Kerb Weight | 147 kg |
| Colours |
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| Max Power | 30 bhp @ 8,000 rpm |
The Honda CB300R is based on the CBR300R but the styling is based on the current CB1000R, which means a neo-retro café-racer type look that is quite fetching. It has a 286cc single cylinder liquid-cooled engine that generates 30bhp and 27.5Nm. All-LED lighting and CBS with ABS are some of the features that the CB300R has. The fuel tank holds 10 litres, and the kerb weight is a low 143kg. The brakes are radially mounted 4-piston calliper in the front and a floating calliper at the back. Tyre sizes are familiar ones: a 110mm wide front and 150mm wide rear. The suspension is quite conventional with inverted forks in the front, and has only preload adjustment for the rear.
The CB300R is available in either black or red. It competes with the likes of the KTM 390 Duke, BME G310R and further up the price ladder, the Kawasaki Z250. The price is Rs 2.4 lakhs ex-showroom India, despite it being a CKD product.
The CB300R is available in either black or red. It competes with the likes of the KTM 390 Duke, BME G310R and further up the price ladder, the Kawasaki Z250. The price is Rs 2.4 lakhs ex-showroom India, despite it being a CKD product.
good one
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