On January 10, 2023, I got the delivery of the Honda CB300F. Visited the Honda Big Wing showroom in Ahmedabad in the evening, finished all the formalities, and took possession of the brand-new Honda CB300F. Previously I have explained the discount being offered on this model, In Case You Missed The Massive Discount of Rs50,000 On Honda CB300F for more info. Without wasting much time let us start the Honda CB300F review, and ownership experience.
Honda CB300F Review: Looks, Design, And Build Quality
The Honda CB300F is positioned in the street fighter segment. The styling of this bike is on the aggressive side making it ready to take on any challenge. Click below to view the complete footage of the walk-around view of the Honda CB300F.
I got the bike in Mat Axis Grey Metallics color. The side profile looks quite stunning be it the tank shrouds with CB300F badging on it, the golden-colored front shock absorbers, or the small yet appealing exhaust muffler. Please note that I bought the seat cover that is offered as an accessory from the company for Rs 699/-.
From the front side as seen clearly the wider tyres, all LED headlamps, and the golden-colored front suspension from Showa brand, gives it a bold instance. The 150-section rear tyre, LED indicators, and exhaust muffler give the much-needed big bike look.
The quality of switch gears is also on the premium side. The engine kill button, hazard light button, navigation keys, and passing light button has been given the soft touch feel to make it on the premium side. The saree guard design removes the contemporary feel and puts the bike in a modern league.
Honda CB300F Instrument Cluster Explained
The instrument cluster comes with a negative display that hosts a list of features as mentioned below-
- Tachnomter
- Speedometer
- Gear Position Indicator
- Odometer
- Trip 1 and Trip 2
- Overall fuel consumption according to Odometer
- Average Fuel Consumption based on Trip 1 and Trip 2, is shown separately
- Battery Voltage Indicator
- Bluetooth Indicator
- Side Stand Cuttoff Indicator
- Clock
The key slot is positioned on the tank unlike on the instrument panel.
Honda CB300F Review: Technical Specifications
The technical specifications of the Honda CB300F are stated below for your ready reference.
| Engine Capacity | 293.52cc, 4 Valve Oil Cooled |
| Maximum Power | 24.4PS@7500rpm |
| Maximum Torque | 25.6Nm@5500rpm |
| Tyre Size | Front 110/70R17, Rear 150/60R17 |
| Safety Features | Dual-Channel ABS, Assist And Slipper Clutch, Traction Control |
| Brakes | 276mm Front Disc and 220mm Rear Disc |
| Other Features | Bluetooth Connectivity via Honda Sync App, USB Type C Port, All LED lights |
On paper, the Honda CB300F may not seem that impressive, as it happens to be the most underpowered 300cc motorcycle. But the Honda engineers have designed this bike, not for the track but rather as a daily commuter bike with adequate power and style. This bike surprised me with its performance and mileage figures. Stay tuned to the performance part of this review for more info.
Honda CB300F Review: Performance And Riding Dynamics
The riding position of this bike is an upright position with the handlebars set straight giving you a comfortable grip. The dual split seat matched with huge tank support makes you feel an inherent part of the bike. The ground clearance of 177mm mixed with a seat height of 789mm gives you enough confidence to ride over those potholes with ease.
TheCB300F is quite nimble and agile, the easy flickerability of this bike in those busy roads will surely make you memerized with its performance.
The best part of owning this bike is how easily you can flicker it in busy traffic situations. The low-end torque, combined with 150-section rear tyres gives you much-needed confidence while going down on your knees. You can ride this motorcycle on 6th gear at a speed as low as 50kmph and can pull easily up to 100kmph with a twist of throttle without any knocking sound coming from the engine.
In the 1st gear, this bike goes up to 20kmph, 30-35kmph in the 2nd gear, up to 45kmph in the 3rd gear, and 65-70kmph in the 4th gear, needless to mention regarding the 5th and 6th one. You can easily pull more in these gears but these are the figures which show the speed achieved with minimum effort. The top speed that I have been able to achieve on the Honda CB300F is 136kmph with still some room left for touching higher speeds. The sweet spot of this bike is pulling it from 50kmph to 100kmph, this is where you feel the raw power in your hands. If you are riding in city limits then this is the speed band where the majority of your ride is going to be and getting the maximum torque at this speed is certainly a splendid feel. Unlike other Honda Bikes, this bike has some vibrations, the moment you touch the speed of 100kmph the vibrations become very obvious in the handlebars. Although this bike produces quite less power as compared to other 300cc motorcycles still you get some vibrations from it.
During night rides the headlight throw was initially very high, so got it adjusted at my first service after which it is better. All LED headlamps do the job satisfactorily enough while riding in complete darkness, but when there is a vehicle coming from the front then this headlight struggles to keep the road illuminated.
Coming to the braking part, the front 276mm disc brake seems smaller on paper considering a 300cc bike, and the performance also could have been better. As soon as you apply the rear brakes combined with the front disc there you get the real bite.
The above is what are my initial impressions about the braking force of the Honda CB300F. The Nissin Calipers present on both discs do commendable work. It does not give you jerk while applying brakes which gives us a feeling that the brake is lacking the bite but when you look at the speedometer then you will be amazed to see how tactfully its braking system drags down the speed within the controlled limit. The Anti-Lock Braking System is always on and cannot be turned off unlike the traction control present in this bike.
Honda CB300F Review: Ownership Experience
As soon as I heard the news of the massive price cut on this bike I went to Honda Showroom and enquired about it, and they confirmed the same. So I got this bike at an on-road price of 2 Lacs rupees in Ahmedabad. Before buying this bike I was planning to go for the Yamaha FZ25, as it was matching my needs very well but the sudden price cut announced by Honda led me to change my mind. I even took a test ride of the Yamaha FZ25 but I was looking for a Racing Blue color which was not available at that time due to the plant being shut in December for annual closing and no pre-order of the Racing Blue color Yamaha FZ25 was given.
On January 10, 2023, I got the delivery of the Honda CB300F from the Honda Big Wing Ahmedabad showroom. Till now I have covered around 3000kms on the odometer. I have got the first servicing done. In the first service, they washed the bike, adjusted the chain slackness, and changed the engine oil including the oil filter. I purchased the bike’s seat cover available by the company at Rs 699. Overall my first service cost was Rs2726 including the accessory.zzz
Honda CB300F Review: Mileage
After having ridden the bike for around 3000kms the CB300F gave a mileage of 35kmpl. My riding condition is mostly on highways where there is no issue of stop-and-go traffic. Usually, when I ride my average speed lies anywhere between 60kmph to 90kmph, then also this bike gave me mileage of 35kmpl. This figure I have calculated it by filling the petrol tank at maximum capacity and riding it until the next refilling it to maximum capacity thereby calculating the mileage figures by dividing the kilometers done on the odometer by the total fuel refilled in the next filling.
The MID also has a mileage display on it and the figure that I got by manually calculating mileage was very close to the MID figure. I have observed that If I am riding my bike at a speed below 60kmph constantly at 5th gear, then the mileage figure in the MID goes up to 41kmpl which is very surprising for a bike in 300cc category.
Honda CB300F Review: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Agility due to less weight of the bike
- Strong Midrange pickup between 60kmph to 100kmph
- Straight riding position easing ride comfort on long tours
- A wider radial tyre section offers better road grip while leaning onto corners and braking hard
- Dual Channel ABS, Traction Control, Assist and Slipper Clutch adds to overall rider safety
- Low Maintenance Cost due to Oil-Cooled Engine
Cons:
- Comparatively low power in the 300cc category
- A suspension setup on the stiffer side offers better stability but is strictly not meant for off-roading
- The high price of the bike (except till the time discount continues)
- No Backlit Switches. Yes, indeed I was also surprised when I noticed it.
- Poor quality horn for such a stylish bike, at least dual horns should be offered
- The higher set footpegs may give you knee pain on long tours if you are 6ft or above because your legs get cramped
Honda CB300F Review: Verdict
This street fighter bike definitely does the job it is meant to do. Be it gliding through traffic, to overtaking a long vehicle instantaneously because of its punchy midrange torque this bike will never let you down. This bike is meant for people who are looking to upgrade to a 300cc motorcycle for daily commuting that has higher tank capacity, somewhat better mileage figures, and slightly more power on offer. If you are looking for outright power and top speed then you should consider other options available. If such is not the case for you then this bike is certainly the most value-for-money 300cc bike till the time Honda offers the Rs50,000 discount on the ex-showroom price of Rs 2,29,000/-.