New Honda CB300R arrives

Honda are calling the 2019-spec CB300R “all-new” and thanks to the application of the ‘neo sports café’ styling seen on the litre-class version, it certainly looks new.

The new CB300R features the same distinctive headlight treatment, bare-metal radiator trim, highly-sculpted fuel tank, blackout engine and black mudguards of the bigger bike, but adds its own touches, like a belly fairing and all-black exhaust header and silencer. The LAMS-legal naked misses out on the swingarm-mounted numberplate holder of the CB1000R, instead making do with a conventional tail-mounted bracket that somewhat compromises the styling.

Under that styling, there’s a conventional trellis-type frame that combines tubular and pressed steel sections, with pressed steel also used for the swingarm. Honda says this delivers rigidity without excess weight: listed wet weight is 143kg – almost 20kg lighter than the current CB300F naked.

Suspension consists of a 41mm USD fork and monoshock rear with 5-step preload adjustment, while the seat height is 799mm. The CB300R’s 286cc DOHC 4-valve engine is largely the same as the liquid-cooled single-cylinder unit used in the CB300F, with a 76 x 63mm bore x stroke, and a 10.7:1 compression ratio. Said to be tuned for “real world” riding, the engine delivers 23.1kW and 27.5Nm.

A 6-speed gearbox, 10-litre fuel tank and 17-inch alloy wheels are other features, while the braking consists of a 296mm single front disc with radial-mount 4-piston caliper and a 220mm rear disc with single caliper. A 2-channel ABS system, with an advanced IMU for more precise front/rear brakeforce distribution, is standard.

Other modern touches include LCD instrumentation, rubber-mounted handlebars for comfort and LED lighting front and rear. Available in a choice of Graphite Black, Matte Axis Grey metallic or Candy Chromosphere Red, the MY19 CB300R is priced from $5,999 (excl. ORCs). See your Honda dealer for details.