Honda CB 300R

Some bikes just hit the sweet spot—light weight, plenty of power, precise handling—and a fun factor that’s off the charts. Plus, they just look right, too. That’s what the Honda CB300R is all about. Since it’s not a full-fairing sportbike, you get to see all its delicious engine and chassis hardware. We call the look Neo-Sports Café, but you’re just going to call it the perfect bike for the way you ride. And it even comes with anti-lock brakes for life’s unexpected situations. Add it all up, and you’ll see that the 2021 CB300R ABS is a genius choice.

Promising performance and lifestyle in equal parts, the CB300R ABS naked bike returns for 2021 featuring Honda’s Neo-Sports Café design in its most lightweight representation. Boasting good power and minimal unsprung weight, it delivers responsive, precise handling and excellent braking performance, thanks in part to standard two-channel ABS with an IMU. The minimalist style centralizes weight for optimum chassis feel, performance and balance, while attitude is expressed through exposed, blacked-out hardware and dramatic cutaway tail. The ultimate lightweight sport-naked machine, the CB300R ABS boasts many of the premium features found on its larger-capacity siblings.

DESIGN
Styling is a deliberate reduction, putting the machine’s blacked-out hardware on display. It’s also brutally neat and brings a hard-edged attitude to the lightweight naked-bike scene. The cutaway tail unit is barely there, though it supports separate rider and passenger seats plus the nylon rear mudguard mount. Rider and passenger foot-peg hangers are aluminum.

A lightweight, full-function LCD instrument display is thin and provides simple readouts for speed, engine rpm, fuel level and shift light, with warning lights arrayed across the top. Full LED lighting—including turn indicators—adds a premium feel and contributes to optimum mass centralization. The headlight uses a dual-bar light signature—upper for low beam and lower for high beam—and the taillight is the thinnest ever mounted on a Honda motorcycle.

Family genes abound, as the fuel tank also shares the same basic motif as the CB1000R.

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
The CB300R’s frame – which helps underpin its minimalist style and is drawn on the same Neo-Sports Café aesthetic as the CB1000R – is constructed from high-tensile steel tubing and pressed steel, with the steel pivot plate separated from the main frame. Through this design, the main frame between the head and seat rail is free from the stress applied to the rear wheel, which enabled each piece to be optimized in terms of strength and profile, primarily through the use of thin steel pipe and steel sheet. While offering optimized strength, the main frame is also light.

The swingarm offers similar rigidity and performance benefits, with increased thickness at the cross member but tapered wall thickness toward the hollow rear axle for ideal flexibility. Lightweight aluminum wheels share the same design as those in the rest of the CB lineup, aiding the bike’s nimble handling characteristics.

A 41 mm inverted fork with compliant damping and supple spring rate is pared to a single shock offering seven-step spring-preload adjustment. A 49.6/50.4 front/rear weight bias provides a positive feel for front-end grip and easy steering, which is also helped by the low, 317 pound wet weight and compact 53.3 inch wheelbase. Seat height is 31.5 inches.

Stopping power comes courtesy of a 296 mm floating front brake rotor paired with a radial-mount Nissin four-piston caliper, and 220 mm rear disc matched to a single-piston caliper. Both brakes are modulated by two-channel ABS that works through an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to give precise front-to-rear distribution of ABS operation, depending on vehicle behavior. Dunlop radial tires – a 150/60R-17 at the rear and a 110/70R-17 at the front – are standard.

To help achieve nimble handling, parts near the vehicle’s periphery have been designed to be lightweight, while many of the heavier components (including the engine, muffler, rear shock, battery and ABS modules) are laid out to provide an ideal center of gravity.

ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN

The CB300R’s compact 286cc DOHC four-valve, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine (shared with the CBR300R) is a diminutive jewel that has won many fans for its free-revving, responsive nature. And while that free-spinning character can get the adrenaline pumping as revs rise, the engine also works well in real-world road-riding conditions, both around town and out on the highway.

Bore and stroke are set at 76 x 63 mm, with a compression ratio of 10.7:1. PGM-FI fuel injection with 38 mm throttle bore and a refined, straight-shot intake path delivers crisp throttle response across the rev range. The exhaust is underslung, and its dual-chamber muffler exits on the right side; reduced air resistance contributes to an ultra-linear throttle response.

The engine is also designed with the minimum number of moving parts. Details like low-friction piston rings, high-density core radiator and iridium spark plug help increase fuel efficiency. Thanks in part to the weight-saving measures and the new intake layout, initial acceleration is exciting for all riders.

A RETRO RENEGADE
There’s no concealing its raw temperament.
It’s an aggressive, bold new look that contrasts brushed alloy radiator shrouds with a blacked-out engine and an underslung, upswept exhaust. The all-new steel tubular frame and stout-looking, 41mm upside down front forks, provide agile handling as well as character. On the lighter side, headlight, taillight and indicators are all LED; this bike is made to be seen and stand out everywhere.

BARE ESSENTIALS

The CB300R is fun, economical, easy to ride and maintain.
It’s an ideal machine for young riders to step up to, or for those looking to increase their experience and confidence on two wheels. The tough looks are not a shallow impression; the emphasis – like the CB1000R – is on metal. It’s a hard little character that can take on the city backstreets, as well as stretch its legs out on the open roads. What more do you need?