The commute can be a drag – and we don’t mean in the ‘exciting, rev and get to the finish line’ way. It’s mostly stop-go traffic, narrow spaces, and if you’re out of luck, probably well over 90 degrees ambient temperature. A big, heavy tourer or full-size ADV would be the exact opposite of what you’d want to deal with in these times.
What you’d want is the two-wheeled equivalent of a gnat. Small enough to inspire confidence to dive into gaps, powerful enough to zip through them before they shut. Of course, with the constant acceleration and braking, you’d want it to be light and efficient, too. There are a number of bikes that could be the right choice, but the one we like is a simple and effective naked bike. As a bonus, it can also put a smile on your face!
The Honda CB300R Is The Urban Bike That Nails Agility, Efficiency, And Stress-Free Riding
The CB300R is Honda’s smallest capacity liquid-cooled model. This is a single-cylinder engine, housed inside a trellis frame. So you can be assured it has the ‘agility’ part down cold. The thumper engine and light weight also mean good efficiency, and the fact that it is a Honda means you have peace of mind about its reliability and ownership costs. It is a bonus that it looks like a smaller version of the CB650R, with the Neo Sports Café design language.
Honda CB300R Price: $4,499
The asking price for the CB300R is quite reasonable. Its price of nearly $4,500 is also quite unbeatable, because there aren’t any competitors with single-cylinder engines. Whatever is there (the Triumph Speed 400, for instance) sells over $5,000. Honda has also given it a basic feature set, which has no doubt helped keep the price appealing.
Honda CB300R Engine
The CB300R runs a familiar 286 cc single-cylinder mill with liquid cooling, PGM-FI, an iridium spark plug, and a DOHC, four valve head. It shares it with the CRF300L, CRF300L Rally, and Rebel 300 E-Clutch. The figures stand at 31 horsepower at 9,000 RPM and 20.2 pound-feet at 7,750 RPM. This uses a relatively relaxed 10.7:1 compression ratio, so despite its slightly undersquare design, it has a good torque spread.
A six-speed gearbox with an assist and slipper clutch is present. The E-Clutch technology from the Rebel 300 hasn’t made its way yet to the CB300R, but we are sure it very well could at some point soon. The throttle is an old-fashioned cable-actuated one, and there is no traction control. We firmly believe you don’t need it, either.
10 Perfect Lightweight Motorcycles For New Riders In 2025
The lightest motorcycle on this list weighs just 282 pounds and is a capable dual-sport.
Honda CB300R Chassis
The CB300R has a diamond frame, which we commonly know as a trellis frame, with the engine as a stressed member. This ties up with Showa SFF-BP inverted forks, combined with a Pro-Link single rear shock with five-step preload adjustment. There is a decent 5.1 inches of travel available at the front, and 5.2 inches at the rear.
17-inch alloy wheels with tubeless tires are the obvious choice for a motorcycle like this, but a surprise is the choice of radial tires for a motorcycle as small as this. The brakes consist of a 296 mm front disc paired with a radial Nissin four-piston fixed caliper and a 220 mm rear disc with a single piston caliper. ABS is standard and not switchable.
Honda CB300R Dimensions
This is a tiny motorcycle: it is 79.4 inches long, with a wheelbase of just 53.3 inches. The seat height is 31.7 inches, enabling a ground clearance of 5.9 inches. All this while, the headlining figure is its 316-pound curb weight. This is with a full tank of fuel! For instance, the nearest competitor with a similar engine and chassis, the Triumph Speed 400, weighs 375 pounds wet!
Honda CB300R Features
The CB300R doesn’t do features, to be honest. It has a reverse LCD instrument cluster that gives you all the necessary information, and it doesn’t have Bluetooth. Only two colors are on offer. The difference between the two is that the yellow one has a bright yellow fuel tank and front fender, the front forks are gold, the vertical tank shrouds are gray, and the wheels are dull gold. Whereas, the black gets the all-black treatment.
10 New Lightweight Motorcycles That Redefine Agility In 2025
The lightest motorcycle on this list is also the most affordable full-sized road-legal motorcycle of 2025.
Honda CB300R Competition
You’d think there would be a lot of competition in the segment, and you’d be right. But you’d be wrong in thinking that the other could come close to the Honda in price. The KTM 390 Duke dominates the segment, and it has the highest price as well. It is a similar case with the Kawasaki Z500 ($5,699) and the Triumph Speed 400 ($5,595). One might still see value in spending the extra money, considering the extra performance, great styling, and the ‘European’ attraction. However, its console is even more retro than the Honda!
The Yamaha MT-03 is priced within touching distance, at $4,999, and it does have a twin-cylinder engine. It also makes the most horsepower under $5,000 and can reach 100 miles per hour thanks to its high-revving engine. So if that’s the way you roll, it can be the one for you. It is the one that matches up the closest with the CB and offers Bluetooth connectivity with its LCD instrumentation.
There is also the Benelli 302S at $400 more than the Honda and the QJMotor SRK400 at $300 more. They also run parallel twins, but are unique because they are parallel twins with a 360-degree firing order. That’s why they sound a lot like an inline four, but make less power and have to haul much more weight around. These are Chinese bikes with barely any service support here, though.
Honda CB300R Vs Yamaha MT-03
|
Model |
Honda CB300R |
Yamaha MT-03 |
|
Price |
$4,499 |
$4,999 |
|
Engine |
Single cylinder |
180° I2 |
|
Displacement |
286 cc |
321 cc |
|
Power |
31 HP @ 9,000 RPM |
41.4 HP @ 10,750 RPM |
|
Torque |
20.2 LB-FT @ 7,750 RPM |
21.8 LB-FT @ 9,000 RPM |
|
Curb Weight |
316 pounds (wet) |
373 pounds (wet) |
Source: Honda Powersports