[Matrix888]

Things you will like:
1. Acceleration (0-60kmh < 3 secs. 0-100kmh < 7 secs.)
2. Brakes equipped with a 3-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU)
3. Design, the round headlamp invokes a retro charm while the USD forks (Showa 41mm), LEDs, ABS balance the modern-retro theme very well.
4. Unique, being brought in via the CKD route only a limited number of units were sold. (< 1k units pan India.)
5. Agility, one of the best torque, power/w ratios in class.
6. Nifty features like a clock, lap timer, fuel mileage display.

Things you may not like:
1. Chain noise, although this can be fixed by replacing the stock aluminium sprocket & chain with a ss one. I’d not recommend it due to warranty issues.
2. Unavailability of spares, I have written to Honda premium care & got a prompt assurance they are working on stream lining it, many users are still suffering.
3. Plastic tank cover, panels & grab rails. Makes it feel cheap to touch, can’t use a magnetic tank bag.
4. No Gear-shift indicator.
5. No protection from wind blast, speed > 120kmh feel less safe. No crash bars.
6. Misses useful features like a phone charging outlet, tool kit etc. Hard to access battery. (Tank must be removed to access battery.)


Other considerations: The KTM Duke 390, BMW G310R, RE 650 GT.
While the D390’s performance and choice of power parts took my heart, my brain didn’t prefer the neon orange nor the design language match my style. RE 650 GT was also thrown in the mix because, budget mei hai toh why not?
The VFM factor made me have a look, even though I liked the design & paint scheme on the ‘Dr Mayhem’ variant, the ergonomics & power delivery was a big turn off.
Dozen’s of youtube reviews, articles and team-bhp threads later the winner had been zeroed upon.


Booking process: After sifting through a ton of OLX/Quikr ads for months and a couple failed negotiations later, I found the ideal match. A march 2020 registered Matte Black Honda CB300R with less than 1300kms on the ODO. Posted by the owner himself, in scratch less, pristine condition with no mods except for an after-market windscreen, motorbike was stock with service records. 2 free services, one and a half year of warranty remaining. The cherry on the cake was the license plate digits, which happened to be of my choice. Within my same RTO office. Talk about co-incidences.
A match made in heaven.

Price: While the on-road price paid by the previous owner was north of 2.75 big ones as per the invoice, I was able to negotiate a mutually workable deal at a fair price.

[Matrix888]

Extended warranty & Accessories: On my second visit to the service centre after the purchase, I bought the 3year extended warranty package worth 2k offered by Yash, the service manager at Honda Bigwing Andheri.


Also, I had ordered Sw-motech crash bars worth Rs. 12,900/- from ‘Big-bad-bikes’ webstore, which were promptly delivered. Got those installed on the same day. Finally some peace of mind.


Engine specs: 286cc single-cylinder, DOHC 4-valve, liquid cooled engine, a slightly bored up version of the one in the CBR250R.

Features: The nimbleness & flick-ability through traffic are my favourites, while the niggle that bothers me is a hot air blast passing near my left toe, while adjusting my left foot a bit solves the problem, this one can cause burns if proper riding footwear is not worn.

- The ABS has been a life saver so many times that I have lost the count, the IMU works effortlessly. No jerks/stiffness on the levers just a progressive natural feel that works, once you get the hang of it. As per my knowledge, the inertial measurement unit is a 3-axis (pitch, yaw, roll) from Bosch.

I love the overall design aesthetic of the motorbike, appears to be chiselled in an artistic way from the round headlamp to the sharp creases of the fuel tank. Not to forget the tasteful, contrasting colour scheme of Black, Silver & Grey. Matte-Axis-Grey-Metallic, as Honda likes to call it. Out of the two available options in India, I preferred this one over the red. Honda offers a Matte blue version, which unfortunately is not sold in India as of now. (US, Canada & UK have it.)


I use my motorbike primarily as a leisure tool, to get away from the city chaos and take a few short 40-50km rides to nearby escapades whenever I feel like, mostly couple of times a week. I plan to share my travel diaries.


The cluster is a negative LCD which is fairly visible even under direct sunlight, every time you turn on the key the display greets you with a brief ‘lets ride’ message. Makes my day every time I catch it. The bike has faced the harshness of Mumbai rains, no water seepage or any electrical failures have occurred yet. Fingers crossed.

[Matrix888]

At the time of writing this review, I have completed around 4500kms on the ODO, since September last year.


Riding Gear: Armoured jacket and leather gloves from RE. Steelbird Air Helmet.

[Matrix888]

The build quality of parts is average, the choice of materials used doesn't feel premium. Fit is neat, still some room for improvement in the quality of panels, paint & plastics which is the norm in the segment competition. (BMW, KTM)

I feel this is since it’s made in Honda Thailand factory which is oriented & developed for the Asian markets keeping tighter budgets in mind. As compared to say Honda Japan, whose target is the western markets. Overall, I am satisfied but not overwhelmed.

Wheels: 17” alloys gripped with Michelin Pilot street radial rubber 110/70 front, 150/60 rear. No complaints.

Switchgear: As compared to most motorbikes sold in India, the switch gear quality is above par, I like the ride by cable throttle, as a preference over ride by wire so it works for me. While my dad's Bajaj pulsar 150 has back-lit switches, Honda has chosen to give that one a miss! (Priorities, coughs kill switch)


Visibility is decent & mirrors work well. Slight buzz upon start, which fades as you pick speed. One small niggle that may need getting a bit used to is the swapped Horn and Indicator switches.


Headlamp: The show stopper!

The headlamp throw is decent for the city, high beam can illuminate sign boards a km away. The spread is barely adequate, if considering riding on not so well-lit roads, aux lamps might be considered.

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Engine performance (city): Slow speed drivability needs some time to get used to, because of the extremely short gearing. Once you get the hang of it, the bike moves like a scalpel through traffic.

Engine performance (highway): Here’s where it comes to life, to fully expand its wings. In-gear acceleration is phenomenal, it can over-take most Indian cars with ease at 80-120kmh. Some car owners like to bully bike riders, drop a gear and disappear! Only to catch them in the rear-view mirror.

Exhaust: The exhaust note may feel dull to those expecting symphonies, I prefer it less loud as it fits in with the sleeper vibe. Although when pushed hard and the machine is hot, the note becomes very crisp & throaty but not overly loud, only audible to the rider. Appropriately tamed would be the right words.

Gearshift: The Gears slot in crisply & there are rarely any false neutrals. Clutch is weighted & takes some effort to operate. Lack of slipper clutch is felt.

Suspension: The bike is stiffly sprung, holds great composure especially while facing bumps at high speed. A good balance between sporty & well damped. The bike feels as if it’s on rails while cornering. Kudos to the 41mm Showa forks!

Fuel tank & mileage: City 25 kmpl, Highway 34 kmpl. Tank capacity is 10 litres & range in one full tank varies between 240 to 300kms as per driving style.


NVH: Sporty not buzzy, raw not harsh. Free revving yet roars when pushed!

Riding position: A good balance of comfort & sport. Seats are wide, Pillion should be comfortable if they are not very tall or heavily built. Foot pegs are centre set. The handle bar requires a slight lean.

- Seat height is around 810mm, shouldn’t be a problem to flatfoot for the average Indian adult.

- Horn is meek & borrowed over from the Activa probably. Does the job!

- The turning radius is low, bike is eager to manoeuvre through tight gaps.

- Wet weight < 150 kgs, Honda has done an unremarkable job in this department. (A Pulsar 150 also weighs the same, but has half the oomph!)

- Due to the centre-set foot pegs, saddling is easy if you’re considering off roads. Off-road suitable tires may be considered as the stock ones are home at tarmac.

[Matrix888]

Like most middle-class families, for long I had to share my Father's vehicles. After being independent for a couple years, I decided to go ahead with my dream bike in 2020 and rewarded myself a pre-worshipped Honda CB300R for my 24th birthday! To say I am loving it, would be an understatement..

[Matrix888]

Today is special, as it was one of my first long trips. Guess where to? Of-course it was the team-bhp birthday meet at Mapro garden, Lonavala. My usual adventures are shorter, from where I stay Lonavala’s around 80kms (160km total trip.) I couldn’t click pictures at the event, here are a few moments from the beautiful journey!


Location: Karjat-Neral road (Old Highway.)


The whole journey was filled with scenic & mesmerising landscape. It was hard for me to not stop & admire even if it meant reaching late.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Bismaya]

Wasn't expecting the CB300R to be short geared since most Honda bikes above 160cc segment (Hornet, xBlade, Hornet 2.0) are tall geared and a bit of a hassle for city riding and at times good low end.

None the less, great complication.

[Sudarshan42]

Congrats on your new ride! The CB300R is a great alternative to the lurid orange we're used to seeing on the roads. When Honda brings it back, they'll have to price it sensibly thanks to the price correction seen by the BMW 310 twins, which make for decent value.

Totally with you on the RE650 decision- it's in budget, but there are some fundamental issues with the bike (ergonomics, weight) that prevent me from going for it. Such a pity, a fine product otherwise in almost all respects.

[klgiridhar]

Congratulations! Wish you loads of happiness and fun-filled miles with your black beauty

I was also eagerly looking forward to this bike, and had almost same impressions about Duke being too frantic for me and Interceptor having flawed ergonomics, but sadly Honda hasn't launched a BS6 version yet

[Matrix888]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan42

Congrats on your new ride! The CB300R is a great alternative to the lurid orange we're used to seeing on the roads. When Honda brings it back, they'll have to price it sensibly thanks to the price correction seen by the BMW 310 twins
Totally with you on the RE650 decision

Thank you so much! After the jaw-dropper from BMW I expect a price cut aswell, there were also talks about localisation.

Originally Posted by Bismaya

Wasn't expecting the CB300R to be short geared since most Honda bikes above 160cc segment (Hornet, xBlade, Hornet 2.0) are tall geared .

It is very short geared, perfect for track/twisties.

Originally Posted by klgiridhar

Congratulations! Wish you loads of happiness and fun-filled miles with your black beauty

Thank you so much!


Also, I'd like to thank the Mods for sharing my first review on the team-bhp home page, truly means a lot to me!

[sainyamk95]

A crisp write-up and some great pics, I enjoyed reading about your time with this sweet little machine. I didn't know you were so close to posting this up when we met two days back

Wish you years of happy riding and looking forward to read your travel diaries!

[Matrix888]

Originally Posted by sainyamk95

A crisp write-up and some great pics, I enjoyed reading about your time with this sweet little machine. I didn't know you were so close to posting this up when we met two days back

Wish you years of happy riding and looking forward to read your travel diaries!

Hello Sainyam, so glad to see you here! It was really nice meeting you, look forward to posting them whenever possible. Cheers!

[aabhimanyu04]

Great buy! It was fun reading your post

I always wondered ( since the launch of this bike):

1. How much more value this ~50CC bigger bike is over the 1L cheaper CBR250 with a bigger tank range\capacity and a proven bulletproof reliability.

2. If this bike would have made more sense with a twin cylinder setup ( I am being greedy here)

3. How comfy is the pillion seat on long rides, it appears SMALL in the pictures.

4. If it looks small on taller riders ( 6ft plus)