[Shumi_21]

Originally Posted by NoSugarNoSpice

I
The final sting that hurt a lot .

Argh! I feel your pain man! The first crash on a new bike is always the most painful one. But glad to know that you are alright & got away with minor abrasions

[bevivek]

Originally Posted by NoSugarNoSpice

I found a new low of motorcycle ownership in the pavement and roadsides, as I lost control of my bike on the road-dirt border on the outside of a left hand turn mainly due to carrying too much speed. I was in full gear and that saved my ass, well most of it. My knees got abrasions due to the knee guards getting displaced. Everything pointy on the left side of the bike has been obliterated.

Important thing is you are safe.

Feel terrible about the extent of damage to the bike and happy that while the bill is extensive, the bike is back to its pristine shape.

[bevivek]

Got the bike Saturday afternoon. Ownership threads etc will come but meanwhile a few teaser snaps.

Snaps in order


1. The bike showed just 3 km when I picked it up at Pashankar. Filled gas on the way home with reading at 16 km.

2. Bike soon after it reached home

3. Went on a Sunday morning ride to Kanhe Phata. Stopped for tea close to Dehu Road with the sun just about rising

4. At a sports club close to my house.

5. My two bikes the CB300R with its older sibling the Honda CBR250R

[vijayk]

SVM honda, here in Chennai, called me last week and informed only 2 bikes are available to select (both are RED). I went and closed the deal. Paid 2.89L (bike on road cost + Sports pack accessories) after discount of 10K. I am getting the bike by this Friday 7th Feb

[vijayk]

I have taken the delivery of my bike today. While riding from showroom to home, I found the engine warning symbol is glowing and not going off. Called the manager and he said to bring the bike tomorrow morning to check. Any idea about this warning?

[NoSugarNoSpice]

Originally Posted by vijayk

Any idea about this warning?

Have the dealer inspect it, maybe some wiring missed during PDI. Take photos/ videos of the issue in case it magically goes away. Dealer can diagnose it with the blink codes.

[NoSugarNoSpice]

I got a tail bag that looks like it's shaped to hold a watermelon. Goes well with the neo cafe theme.

I tripped to Gandikota, time for pics now. Managed to fool around on some lose gravel, can't let the ADV boys have all the fun.


Not just for show, well kitted to go.


From Anantpur to Gandikota the roads and scenery got nicer and nicer, culminating in rolling hills punctuated with windmills, roads disappearing into valleys, yet surprisingly empty, letting me do top speed runs.


Really strong angle from the front 3-quarters. Also shown is the side with the glossy ppf. The un-ppfed painted side has already started collecting swirls.


Side profile of the bike gets busy at the raised handlebars. I want to drop em but my back might kill me.


Clear inspiration for the round headlight. Almost tipped over the bike while setting up for this shot. Caught it with one hand and thanks to the light weight, saved it. Must probably have been tipped over by the wind tho.


No, I haven't crashed the bike in the lake. Just some environment pics. Gotta protect what we have left you know.


Mileage was pretty good, started with a full tank, I tanked up for 400 Rs twice, and ended on start of reserve. This seems spot on then. Though riding was very mixed with me doing 5-6 top speed runs and then puttering on the shoulder at 65 waiting for the gang to catch up.

[vijayk]

Originally Posted by NoSugarNoSpice

Have the dealer inspect it, maybe some wiring missed during PDI. Take photos/ videos of the issue in case it magically goes away. Dealer can diagnose it with the blink codes.

No issue to engine or any heating problem. Technician has checked it and cleaned the sensors. After which no warning symbol stays. Checked for few kms and it is fine now. I am yet to plan a long trip.

[bevivek]

Originally Posted by NoSugarNoSpice

I tripped to Gandikota, time for pics now. Managed to fool around on some lose gravel, can't let the ADV boys have all the fun.
... then puttering on the shoulder at 65 waiting for the gang to catch up.

Great pics NoSugarNoSpice. What was the average cruising speed which felt comfortable without engine feeling strained?

[shifu]

I hear from the dealer in Hyderabad that Honda has stopped selling CB 300R until end of this year. Something about this being a CKD unit and now Honda is mandated to manufacture as well in India. Anybody knows if this is true?

[Shumi_21]

Originally Posted by shifu

I hear from the dealer in Hyderabad that Honda has stopped selling CB 300R until end of this year. Something about this being a CKD unit and now Honda is mandated to manufacture as well in India. Anybody knows if this is true?

The Mumbai dealer has a few bikes in stock, but no offers yet! The tentative dates for the BS6 model of the CB300R is September 2020. No information about local production yet. Although I do like the 2020 model with the matt black panels and golden coloured forks and rims!

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

I think the CB300R will be manufactured in India sooner than later because:

1. The CB300R has been outselling the CBR250R consistently over the last few months! Honda will inevitably drop the 250R from it's lineup once the BSVI regulations kick in. As Nithesh has pointed out, no point in keeping an assembly line open for barely double digit sales every month. Since the CB300R's engine is derived from the 250R's, Honda can easily swap the CB250R's assembly line with the 300R's!


2. The resulting price drop by manufacturing the CB300R locally will help Honda put some gap between it and the Duke 390 and the RE650's. We enthusiasts understand the difference between all these 3 bikes and what they bring to the table, but the average motorcycle buyer usually cross-shops between all the motorcycles available in his/her budget and picks the most VFM product on paper. The Duke, the Interceptor and the CB300R are priced too closely, which is a disadvantage for Honda. Dropping the price to about 2L ex-showroom will surely be advantageous.

3. The source; Autox mentioned in the OP also has a 9 odd minute video of the interview with HMSI's VP, Y.S Guleria, as the CB300R is the best of 2019 according to Autox:
HERE and they only talk about the CB300R for 2 minutes and 45 seconds before moving on to the BSVI Activa! So, yes it may take a while for Honda to start local production of the CB. I hope they announce it after the whole BSVI migration completes!




P.S: Please do take my thoughts with a pinch of salt as I will be buying the CB300R soon, so there may be some confirmation bias on my part!

[NoSugarNoSpice]

Originally Posted by bevivek

What was the average cruising speed which felt comfortable without engine feeling strained?

For engine strain, you can carefully take it upto higher triple digits and the throttle response is still very good and then throttle response slowly fades. High end is not something you need to worry about.

If you mean NVH levels, then my Axor helmet starts getting far too loud with wind noises at 120. At 100 there is a buzz in the pegs, and can feel tingles in the bar, tank and seat are fine. At 60-80, you feel almost nothing and you can get ridiculous mileage(an owner had a displayed 48 kmpl ), but it feels pretty slow. 110 'feels' right for me. So that's what we were using. But at those speeds, the group had few moments with sudden tight corners and unexpected intruders on the road so, 80-100 feels safe.

But the bike doesn't like to go too low in higher gears, ie below 60 in 6th, the bike starts to shudder if you give wide open throttle. The min rpms for each gear which don't lug are like:
1st - 1300 rpm, idle rpm is 1500(idles at 8kmph, does not like to go below 7)
2nd - 2200 rpm
3rd - 3000 rpm
4th 5th and 6th - 4000 rpm
Below these rpms if you give wide open throttle, the bike lugs and acceleration feels gradual, it requires smaller throttle inputs to pull cleanly.

The feeling on the controls depends on your seating/weight distribution.

[bevivek]

Originally Posted by NoSugarNoSpice

At 100 there is a buzz in the pegs, and can feel tingles in the bar, tank and seat are fine. At 60-80, you feel almost nothing and you can get ridiculous mileage(an owner had a displayed 48 kmpl ), but it feels pretty slow. 110 'feels' right for me. So that's what we were using. But at those speeds, the group had few moments with sudden tight corners and unexpected intruders on the road so, 80-100 feels safe.

Thanks a lot that is very useful. I am still in the running in period so have generally stayed at around 80 for the few 100 km+ rides I have gone on though I did of course push it to 100 every once in a while to see how it feels in the 300R.

I don't know if it is the running in period, but I felt my CBR250R was more refined at higher speeds than the CB300R. Another odd sensation is that I would touch 85 in the CBR250R in fifth and there would be sixth to take me to three digits and beyond. In the CB300R, I reach 80 / 85 and have often found to my surprise that I am already in sixth.

[NoSugarNoSpice]

Originally Posted by bevivek

I don't know if it is the running in period, but I felt my CBR250R was more refined at higher speeds than the CB300R. Another odd sensation is that I would touch 85 in the CBR250R in fifth and there would be sixth to take me to three digits and beyond. In the CB300R, I reach 80 / 85 and have often found to my surprise that I am already in sixth.

It is easy to quickly run out of gears with the low end torque just carrying you without giving much throttle. Refinement is best till 80ish.

Once the run in and first service is done, get used to the bike. Try to find a nice open road, get good gear and safely try to run the bike in the 6000 to 9000 rpm power band, not in 6th gear, even 3rd or 4th is enough. Yes it will feel rougher than the 250R, and it will be raucously loud, but do let me know how that was, compared to the 250.

[bevivek]

Before anyone asks, the Ownership thread is in the making. Write up is done, taking time to do the detailed snaps.

Meanwhile wanted opinions on windshield. I have gone on 4 100+ highway rides and the wind blast is quite uncomfortable. I am looking for something that truly works as a windshield should, so that I can do a steady 100 without feeling I will be blown off.

I would ideally prefer a windshield that I can buy locally and not import from somewhere. I recently imported something from Tec bike parts and it took 6 weeks to reach during which it spent quality time at various customs sheds in India, first Delhi then Mumbai. It also went off the radar so I had no idea what was going on. So preference is to local.

On other topics:

- Getting an FE of around 32 in combo of city and highway riding.

- Done 800 km so far in around 8 weeks

- Certainly less refined at higher revs than my CBR. On the other hand, the bike has great acceleration and you are able to leave most other vehicles standing (at least for the surge from the first few gears).

- The lightness of the bike is its greatest strength (for city rides, weekenders etc) and its greatest cross (for long distance highway touring). The front feels very light post 100 kph.