Sold my Honda CB350 Highness & bought the CB300R: Initial impressions

The Himalayan 450 felt much heavier than my CB350 despite being about 15kgs heavier. Didn't think a higher center of mass could make that much of a difference.

BHPian t3rm1n80r recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I took delivery of my 2024 CB300R about ten days ago and have done about 1100 kms on it. I've been thinking of penning down the initial impressions and the comparison of the CB300R with my CB350 H'Ness before I get used to the new machine and forget about the nuances.

So, why the CB300R?

My Requirements:

1. A relatively softer suspension. I've done close to 17,000 kms in 10 months on my HNess. Its suspension is a bit too stiff for my liking when I'm riding without a pillion which accounts for 95% of my use cases.
2. Ability to do short ~350kms 1-day rides.
3. Quicker 0-100 as compared to my CB350 H'Ness. And the ability to make quick overtakes at high speeds which the CB350 lacks.
4. High availability and high reliability. A fill it, shut it, forget machine that takes me to places anytime it's asked from it. Except for the days when it's in the ASC waiting for the parts which I don't intend find out the hard way.

Motorcycles considered and eliminated from my list:

• Dominar 400: It's a very good highway machine, but the handlebar buzz made my fingertips numb after a 15-minute test ride. Also, a few Facebook Dominar groups have at least one post a day of breakdown or leakages.

• New Duke 390: Adjustable suspension was one of the key features for which I considered it. Test ride motorcycles weren't available in showrooms back in Nov 2023. Also, I didn't want to risk having to beta-test the new 399cc engine.

• Apache RR310: Rider ergonomics felt very comfortable. The seating posture felt more natural than the CBR250R. But the vibrations made me feel uneasy. Also, faired motorcycles are not my thing due the amount of unwanted attention they attract.

• Himalayan 450: Felt much heavier than my CB350 despite being about 15kgs heavier. Didn't think a higher center of mass could make that much of a difference. Handlebar vibrations made sure I couldn't relax despite the amazing suspension. Again, didn't want to beta-test the new 450cc liquid-cooled engine. I didn't feel confident about taking the motorcycle on my solo rides either due to the tubed tyres.

• CB500X/NX500: The motorcycle instantly felt very light despite it having a similar weight to that of the Himalayan 450. Unfortunately, test rides were not available as of Jan 2024 in the BigWing nearest me. I had booked it along with CB300R back in Dec 2023 in the hopes that this would be locally manufactured and would be available under 6L OTR. Advice from a few of our TBHP members on the NX500 thread helped make the decision much easier. I still have my eyes on it and will consider it after a few years if Honda localizes it with price correction and decent parts availability.

Comparison with the CB350 HNess:

Things I liked:

• Non-metallic tank and fenders: Significantly fewer worries about scratches.
• Compliant suspension for my weight. The stock setting is the second softest setting.
• Headlamp: High beam throw is better.
• Front brake: It has good stopping power but the feel is better in H'Ness.
• The acceleration

Things I miss:

• Digital display console buttons: There were multiple instances where I wanted to quickly glance through the average fuel economy but felt frustrated when my left thumb muscle memory was not able to find the buttons on the left handlebar.
• Pillion grab-rails: I knew what I was getting into while buying the motorcycle, but the absence of proper grab rails or the aftermarket options thereof suck.
• The engine's smoothness: Before the first service, the 300Rs engine felt smooth till 3000rpm. Above that there was a mild hum on the handlebar till 4000rpm and post 4000rpm vibrations used to start creeping in which used to get uncomfortable post 5000rpm. After the first service, the vibrations have shifted about 1500rpm ahead. I've heard many reviewers say that the CB300R has the smoothest engine in its segment. Maybe I'm being nitpicky here having spoiled by the CB350s engine smoothness. Will change the engine oil at 2500 kms and see if there is any improvement.
• Less windblast: Somehow there is higher windblast on the CB300R. Windblast at 80kmph feels similar to the one at 100kmph on the CB350. Maybe because of the slightly forward-leaning posture?

Things I'm not sure about:

• The weight and handling: I'm not sure what to feel about it. On the one hand, the city rideability has become very easy. Under 4000rpm it feels and sounds like a scooter and then punches you with the strong linear midrange once you open the throttle. But on the other hand, throwing it around in the twisties isn't as fun as I had imagined it to be. On the HNess, high-speed cornering felt like a proper task and gave a sense of accomplishment, whereas it's effortless on the CB300R. One would have to do higher speeds on a set of corners to achieve the same level of satisfaction on the CB300R as one would feel on the CB350. This makes it more riskier. A drawback that I see of having less weight is that I'm gonna lose my core strength much quicker

• Full tank range: Till now I've had to refill the CB300R every day at least once or every 150-200 kms whichever comes earlier. It's returning about ~33kmpl both in the city and out on the highway. The CB350 used to show 500 kms+ range on a full tank and 600 kms+ when ridden very sanely. But on the CB300R, I've got to be much more fuel-conscious due to the quite limited range.

• The ground clearance: The CB300R has a ground clearance of ~155mm as compared to ~165mm on the HNess. The CB300R hasn't scraped on any speedbreakers till now, but its capabilities are yet to be seen.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.