HONDA CB300R (2018-on) Review

Usually lightweight bikes can feel skittish at speed, but the CB is remarkably assured in bends. The Showa forks are non-adjustable, but seem to respond well to undulations and the Dunlop Sportmax tyres offer good grip levels.

The shock is a touch soft, but you can dial in some extra preload (there are five steps) to improve its support. In town the little Honda is extremely agile and feels light and easy to throw around.

Brake hard and the front dips as the forks compress and then sits at this point

It’s a lovely bike to ride and also nice and roomy for taller riders. Compared to basic ABS systems found on 125cc bikes, the CB’s IMU-linked system is certainly a step ahead.

Brake hard and the front dips as the forks compress and then sits at this point as the ABS system modulates the pressure between the front and rear calipers in accordance to the IMU’s readings.

It’s a clever system and it takes a very firm tug of the front to get the ABS activating in the dry. Compared to the basic ABS systems found on 125cc bikes, it’s certainly a step ahead.

Taken from the Honda CBR300R, the 286cc single is surprisingly punchy. Its performance is certainly helped by the bike’s light 143kg weight, but it still has an impressive turn of pace. It will happily cruise at an indicated 75mph, but for 50-60mph overtakes you do need to drop from top to fifth.

The fuel injection system is spot on and despite a day of constant thrashing, it still averaged economy figures of over 60mpg. The gearbox is a bit poor when it comes to multiple downshifts, but this is its only real blight and the single’s vibrations are pleasingly minimal. Downhill, you can hit a tantalising 99mph…

The CB300R is built in Thailand, but while its chassis and styling are new, the motor is taken from the CBR300R and as such is a tried and tested unit. Reliability shouldn’t be an issue.

At £4429 the CB300R is cheaper than the KTM 390 Duke, but it is less powerful and lacks a TFT dash or the option of connectivity. The Honda is also cheaper than the BMW G310R, which is again more powerful and has better optional extras.

It’s more expensive than the budget Kawasaki Z250SL, but feels a more substantial machine. With a claimed 85mpg (MCN managed mid-60 figures when riding hard) the CB300R is frugal on fuel and can be had on a PCP plan for just £59 a month after a £968.41 deposit.

You get an LCD dash, but annoyingly it lacks a gear indicator, although there is a fuel gauge and mpg indicator. The combined brakes have an ABS system that is linked to an IMU that modulates the brake pressure between the front and rear calipers to keep the bike’s pitching controlled under hard braking.

Lights are LED all around and there are some nice styling details. On a side note, there is an annoying bar in the fuel filler stopping you inserting the pump’s nozzle fully.