The upcoming Honda CB300R was spotted in India for
the first time. Honda seems to have been busy creating a promotional video for
the CB300R when the motorcycle was photographed. The mandatory saree guard was
not seen on the CB300R although the front number plate, with DL registration,
confirmed that the bike was indeed spotted in India. The spy photographs also
reveal that the India-spec CB300R will use Michelin Pilot Street Radial tyres.
The motorcycle will arrive in the country via the
CKD route and yet carry a competitive price tag. Honda had announced earlier in
this month that the CB300R would come below the INR 2.5 lakh price range. For
comparison, the Made-in-India BMW G 310 R cost INR 2.99 lakh (ex-showroom
Delhi). The direct threat to the CB300R is the KTM 390 Duke that retails for
INR 2.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and carries better performance numbers. The
Indo-Austrian motorcycle also packs more features than the Honda as it comes
equipped with a ride-by-wire throttle and a Bluetooth enabled instrument
console.
The Honda CB300R uses a 286cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC,
single cylinder fuel-injected motor that put out 30.9 bhp of power at 8,500 rpm
and 27.5 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. In comparison, the KTM 390 Duke’s
373.2cc liquid-cooled, single cylinder engine makes 42 bhp of power at 9,000
rpm and 37 Nm of peak torque at 7,000 rpm.
Bookings for the CB300R have commenced at Honda Super Bike stores for
a token amount of INR 5,000 while the deliveries would begin after the India
launch that is scheduled to take place on February 8, 2019.
