Keeway K300N Road Test Review: Performance, Mileage, Price & More

Beauty is subjective. Attraction at first sight can happen, but not always. And the Keeway K300N at first glance wasn’t a jaw-dropping encounter, but it caught me giving it a second look. Today, I can say, I like it enough to want one, but there are some things holding me back.  And this review is about how I slowly fell in love with a one-night stand.

The life of an auto journalist is a strange one. In this profession, we test many motorcycles annually, and not every bike will leave a mark. Last year, I was in the Himalayas falling in love with the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special followed by a year-long lull. This year, I find myself having my heart strings tugged at by this plucky little 300cc streetfighter.

It’s slim, compact, sharp yet muscular, like the KTM Dukes; it looks fresh, yet familiar. Weirdly enough, it looks like a scaled-down fusion of the Yamaha MT-09 and YZF-R1 with an odd looking headlight, one that’s always a little in-your-face, like Saif Ali Khan’s nose. Then there’s the instrument cluster which looks tacky like something bought off AliExpress. Even the buttons on the switch cubes aren’t ergonomically friendly. My thumb was perpetually looking for the horn button and indicator switch.

But, I learnt to look beyond it because once I experienced the engine on this motorcycle, the first thing I found myself doing after a ride was look at it with an idiotic grin. The engine on the K300N is a 292.4cc, liquid-cooled single-cylinder motor. But the power it makes is less than what you’d expect from a 300cc mill. And it knows that – it’s not pretending to be bigger than it is on the road and I appreciate that honesty. It feels like a sprightly 200-250cc on the go…

Acceleration Test:

…and it will because internationally, this bike also retails as the CFMoto 300NK which makes roughly the same power and torque as the K300N. All 27.8PS and 25Nm from the K300N are made available nicely for you to enjoy across its slick six-speed gearbox. The K300N is a reasonably tractable motorcycle for urban use and the clutch action is super light.

Roll-on Acceleration Test:

Fuel Efficiency Test:

Be it crawling through traffic at 30kmph or holding triple digit speeds on the highway, it did not have me working the gearbox a lot. The fueling is crisp and the bike moves enthusiastically from a crawl when you ring the throttle. That said, the performance comes with a more than respectable fuel efficiency for a sporty 300cc bike. However, like on any high-strung streetfighter, the vibes kick in after 7000rpm. Mild like on current generation KTM 390s, it’s buzziest on the handlebar and fuel tank, while the pegs and seat soak up the vibes better.

But you learn to look past that too, because of the way it handles. The wheelbase is a compact 1360mm, which means directional changes, be it splitting lanes or cutting traffic, is swift. The trellis frame of the K300N really comes into action when you start hustling the bike at higher speeds around corners. It holds its composure while egging you to push just a bit harder. All seems well in the saddle except for the handlebar. It’s awkward to grip, like a limp handshake. If I were to get the bike, that's the first thing I'd swap out. 

The next thing to go in the bin are the brakes. My old man used to say, “only go as fast as you can brake without soiling your pants”, and the brakes on the K300N are like sprinting with your shoelaces untied. It feels and is almost as bad at braking as the Royal Enfield Himalayan. There is absolutely no bite and the ABS feels excessively in control which robs this bike of its fun. Better braking hardware will put you at ease about exploiting the engine and I’m finding it very hard to overlook this bit.

Braking Test:

What did come as a surprise was the suspension setup. It soaks rough edges and undulations well, allowing me to carry a decent pace over such terrain. It is only when you encounter the sharp, small bumps, like a rumble strip or an Indian bridge connector, where the rear tends to show off its firm edge. 

Tyres

The ground clearance may be a reasonable 150mm, but the USD fork and monoshock do a good job of not bottoming out. Working super hard with the suspension are the CST tyres, never heard of ‘em before, but my lord… the grip, phenomenal! Lean into corners, it will hold up. For this level of performance, manufacturers will offer MRF tyres, which are adequate but the CSTs offer grip for the sportier stuff. Making the K300N more lively.

When you only have a week with a motorcycle, you’re not seeking commitment, you’re looking for chemistry. And with the Keeway K300N I found that. Like on any blind date, it was a bit awkward at first, then slowly, you learn to groove. A week together and there are bits I really like, some I love and a few I absolutely hate, but the time spent together was truly special. 

At Rs 2.65 lakh, it costs more than a KTM 250 Duke and is less powerful too. If I was looking for commitment, KTM offers so much more - many dealerships, robust service and spares network, known hardware and community. But it lacks the spunk, something the K300N is full of. But given the brand is new and still finding its own, it’s hard for me to commit just yet. But the heart wants to, so bad!