Keeway K300 R Road Test Review: Deserves Your Attention?

For our generation, finding the right partner isn’t that difficult, is it? For most of us, ‘Love at first sight’ doesn’t happen when you actually see the person, but on screens. We have the “privilege” of seeing the person in their best, and our shot for getting that right swipe is a short bio filled with the coolest interests and latest lingo. My journey with the Keeway K300 R was something similar. 

The moment I laid my eyes on the Keeway K300 R, I knew I had to know it better. Its gleaming eyes were encaptivating, and the face had this mysterious aura of a woman that knew what she wanted and how to get it. Everything from its fascia, to the muscular tank and the chiseled tail section, gave an impression that it knew its purpose – SPEED. Go fast around the track, lap after lap, and test its and the rider’s  limits. So, like on any dating app, I was floored by the appearance, enough to not look the other way and check out the bio.

And that had me intrigued further. A liquid-cooled engine, USD fork, disc brakes at both ends, riding modes and dual-channel ABS – it has everything to make things racy. But then, its 27.5PS and 25Nm is not what I had expected from a 292cc single-cylinder engine. It’s alright though, perhaps this bike is more than what the short bio on the website says. Time for the first meeting.

It’s rare to get along like Bonnie and Clyde from the first date, and with the Keeway K300 R, it was just that. The moment I sat on the motorcycle, it was welcoming. Its clip-on bars and rear-set footpegs didn’t require me to be in that race-tuck position, nor was it too compact for my 5’11 frame. For shorter riders too, the 780mm seat height makes everything easier.  And it just got better from here.

The moment our “conversation” began, the Keeway’s bio that had me doubting it, just faded away. Yes, the TVS Apache RR 310, BMW G 310 RR or even the KTM RC 200’s bios have a better story to tell, but in reality, the Keeway’s too was an interesting one.

For a bike that’s meant for canyon and track dates, it floors you with its everyday usability. Its welcoming ergonomics are complemented by an equally friendly engine that doesn’t mind crawling through the rush hour traffic and doesn’t demand much. In fact, it took those little steps to make my mundane commutes cheerful with its light clutch, and tractability, allowing me to calmly make my way back home.

And though track time was something we couldn’t go for, we hit the nearest canyons to see whether the K300 R truly is what it portrays in the picture, or was it just catfishing. Thankfully, it was the former. This supersport’s lightweight 165kg kerb weight and the short 1360mm wheelbase meant it could change directions swiftly. Aiding it was the suspension and the CST tyres, with which I could truly explore the bike’s potential. So far, it had everything that urged me to take that leap of long-term commitment.

But then, as I spent more time, there were more things in the bio that didn’t fit well in the real world. For starters, the brakes. As much as I loved pushing and hustling the motorcycle, it was a bit unnerving when it came to dropping the pace. Little feedback from the lever and the nosy ABS robbed me of the trust in the brakes.

Furthermore, the riding modes were deceptive. There was no change in the throttle response or in the performance. And finally the ground clearance. Its measly 135mm ground clearance meant one wrong move over a speed bump and I ended up scraping the bike’s belly.

This made me look further to understand the K300 R even better. Yes, I loved the looks, I had a fun date with it and I wouldn’t mind more dates. But a long-term commitment? Well, it doesn't look like I’ll make that leap.

As much as I loved spending time with the Keeway K300 R, I didn’t feel I could rely on it like I have for the last eight years on my KTM RC 200. Even though I enjoyed pushing the Keeway’s limits, I was scared because I didn’t know if it would slow down when I wanted it to. And just like most people of this generation, I was afraid if this one would stick around or one day just vanish, like MV Agusta, FB Mondial, SWM and UM Motorcycles have in recent years.

For less than Rs 2.99 lakh (ex-showroom)that the Keeway demands, I have the option to either go with the KTM RC 200 that almost matches its performance, or get the TVS Apache RR 310 and gift it the BTO goodies to make it even more sportier. Either way, I would be in a long-term commitment that would keep me happy and satisfied.