Honda CB300F: 5 Things To Know About Honda’s Newest Streetfighter

Honda is looking to go after the 300cc streetfighter market with the new CB300F; It’s a space thus far dominated chiefly by KTM, Suzuki, and Bajaj. This is a highly competitive space that’s governed by two factors –  thrill and value for money. So does the new streetfighter deliver on those counts? Here are five things that will help you decide better.

Design:

Serving as the younger sibling to Honda’s revered CB500F sold overseas, the new CB300F wears the same brawny streetfighter look. Think of it as a upscaled Hornet 2.0, or a scaled-down CB500F; either way, its design is unmistakably Honda. Be it the headlight design, muscular fuel tank or the gold finished USD fork, the streetfighter surely commands a second glance.

Performance:

The CB300F gets an all-new 293cc, air-/oil-cooled single-cylinder engine that’s good for 24.47PS and 25.6Nm, and is mated to a six-speed gearbox. It also gets a slipper clutch and traction control system to offer sportier urban riding rather than outright performance. Despite the extra displacement, the power on offer is similar to that of a KTM 200 Duke or Bajaj Pulsar N250.

Underpinning and cycle parts:

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Honda is sticking to the diamond-type frame from the CB300R and the Hornet 2.0, suspended on a gold-finished USD fork and a 5-step preload-adjustable monoshock. Braking on the CB300F is handled by a 276mm front and 220mm rear disc, with dual channel ABS as standard. That said, the CB300 outshines the competition with its 153kg kerb weight, tall 177mm ground clearance and accessible 789mm seat height.

Features:

In terms of features, the Honda offers a few that its competition misses out on. It gets a large LCD instrument cluster which offers all the basic readouts and Bluetooth connectivity, voice control and type-C USB charging on the top variant. However, as with the Honda CB350 H’Ness, the Bluetooth functions can only be used via Bluetooth earphones and features like navigation aren't optimised to be used without it.

Price and Competition:

The Honda CB300F is being retailed in two variants and three colours. The base Deluxe variant will cost Rs 2,25,900 and the premium Deluxe Pro will set you back by Rs 2,28,900 (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). That makes a lot more expensive than its competition like the Suzuki Gixxer 250, KTM 200 Duke or Bajaj Pulsar N250 which boast an ex-showroom tag of Rs 1,92,100, Rs 1,91,693 and Rs 1,49,978, respectively . Hence, while the CB300F packs a few extra features, it fails to justify its premium in a segment that already offers good fun with great value.