Honda announces CBR300R for the USA

Post by **jrsjr** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 3:18 pm

According to this article from Motorcycle Daily, Honda officially announced the CBR300R for the USA market. The non-ABS bike is $4399 and the ABS version is $4899. Whew!

jrstone · Post by **jrstone** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 5:25 pm

Well... that's interesting. I like it a lot. I have really been considering getting a CBR 250... but I must ALSO have a scooter. I am conflicted. I'd love to have a motorcycle for longer rides (over 200 miles), but I think I might just be better off trading up to a larger displacement scooter. I'd probably be happy with a 300cc Vespa or a BV350. Not sure I have room in my garage for 2 cars, 2 scooters, and a motorcycle (probably 2 motorcycles eventually because my wife will want one too).

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 5:30 pm

If it's still a single cylinder I would opt for the Ninja300 ahead of the Honda.

Anthonyf953 · Post by **Anthonyf953** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 5:30 pm

I love the look, and the price tag puts it about $600 cheaper than the Ninja 300. Doesn't have as much power as the Ninja though. I was hoping to get a bike this summer but I may have to wait now and compare them side by side.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:39 pm

jrstone wrote: conflicted. I'd love to have a motorcycle for longer rides (over 200 miles),

Opinions may vary, but for that purpose, you will not likely want this kind of bike. Even with a much bigger engine, the seats are like sitting on a 2x4. They're meant to be comfy in a crouched, athletic position at max speed, not sitting up.

jrstone · Post by **jrstone** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:18 pm

Yeah, I had thought of that. But the seating position on the CBR250 seems to be a bit more upright than most "sport bikes." Actually, I would prefer the CB500x, because I would probably be happier with it and not feel like I'm going to outgrow it and it looks a little less... juvenile.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 4:50 am

nice price, should sell some

that said it makes me want to wait for the Yamaha R3

wheelbender6 · Post by **wheelbender6** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 7:05 pm

I think it just depends on how you ride. If your commute is mostly freeway, the Ninja will likely work best. If you still ride a lot of surface streets, the Honda should probably work better.
The thing I like best about the intro of the CBR 300 is that the price of used Ninja 250s and CBR 250s will likely drop significantly.

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:35 pm

JHScoot wrote:nice price, should sell some

that said it makes me want to wait for the Yamaha R3

The Yama is going to be a twin and will be able to hang with the Ninja. Honda needs to step it up from that single. I do like the styling on the Honda though.

wheelbender6 · Post by **wheelbender6** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 1:00 am

I hadn't seen the Yamaha R3 before. Nice bike.
[

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:51 am

KrispyKreme wrote:
JHScoot wrote:nice price, should sell some

that said it makes me want to wait for the Yamaha R3

The Yama is going to be a twin and will be able to hang with the Ninja. Honda needs to step it up from that single. I do like the styling on the Honda though.

yup, we'll see where Honda goes with it. i mean a single in a sport bike, even a small sport bike, might be a tough sell in the face of two cylinder, hi rev competition

that said what Honda has going for it is.....HONDA, most likely. fuel economy, reliable, looks good, nice price to be sure. and brand loyalty. i think a lot of riders of small bikes are new riders, too. so the Honda could be appealing to some, if not many

but yeah, the Honda "upgrade" to 300cc seems sort of gimmicky, imo. "well lets bore it out and sell the 250 as a 300," it seems to be? is it the same engine?

does Buddy 150 do a whole lot better then Buddy 125? well, you get the picture...

wheelbender6 wrote:I hadn't seen the Yamaha R3 before. Nice bike.

you know wheelbender i do believe that bike is the Yamaha R125 sold in other markets? i think THIS is the coming R3. i think? and if so, even better!!

woo-hoo found this pic on the R3 forums

http://www.r3-forums.com/forum/289-yama ... aunch.html

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 5:17 pm

^^^^^That's an R6 (probably) with R3 photoshopped on it. GP style muffler, dual front disks, USD forks, the list goes on..........you couldn't sell that bike in the pic for under $12K.

This is what you really want anyway: http://www.ktm.com/supersport/rc-390/hi ... 5nh9KIuLSg

and it's a single cylinder .............. yeah.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:19 am

^ ugh! i thought that bike looked sort of substantial! wishful thinking and tired eyes combine for disappointment

i do like that KTM, though. good stuff. and if the other bike posted is in fact the R3, good enough i suppose.

wheelbender6 · Post by **wheelbender6** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:09 am

Buddy Love - Is the RC 390 sold in the states? I had always hoped we would get the Duke 390 here.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:47 am

wheelbender6 wrote:Buddy Love - Is the RC 390 sold in the states? I had always hoped we would get the Duke 390 here.

From what I've read and the KTM dealers I've talked to, they are begging for both the Duke and the RC 390 to be brought to the states. And....KTM is close to making a decision. If they do show up it won't be until 2015, at the earliest. I know 4 people (and myself possibly) that would give their KTM dealer a down payment right now for the RC. Just the rumor that KTM was bringing them over here were making people go nuts.

One thing interesting in this segment is the continual creep of the displacement on these bikes. From 250 to 300 to 390 to 400? It's a weird thing. For me, I would like them to stay around 300cc but improve the brakes, suspension, and other components. And that would probably drop weight as well. But for some reason the manufacturers always opt for more power and speed when the competition starts selling more units. Just make the bike better, not faster. If I wanted faster, I would have bought a 600 supersport to begin with.

I have a blast almost every time I take the wife's Ninjette out for a maintenance ride.

brianwheelies · Post by **brianwheelies** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 5:45 am

Sweet Photoshop but no R3.

That is one of the better looking designs I have seen in a while. Maybe it is a future model based on the FZ-07 as it looks like a twin.

JHScoot wrote:
KrispyKreme wrote:
JHScoot wrote:nice price, should sell some

that said it makes me want to wait for the Yamaha R3

The Yama is going to be a twin and will be able to hang with the Ninja. Honda needs to step it up from that single. I do like the styling on the Honda though.
yup, we'll see where Honda goes with it. i mean a single in a sport bike, even a small sport bike, might be a tough sell in the face of two cylinder, hi rev competition

that said what Honda has going for it is.....HONDA, most likely. fuel economy, reliable, looks good, nice price to be sure. and brand loyalty. i think a lot of riders of small bikes are new riders, too. so the Honda could be appealing to some, if not many

but yeah, the Honda "upgrade" to 300cc seems sort of gimmicky, imo. "well lets bore it out and sell the 250 as a 300," it seems to be? is it the same engine?

does Buddy 150 do a whole lot better then Buddy 125? well, you get the picture...

wheelbender6 wrote:I hadn't seen the Yamaha R3 before. Nice bike.
you know wheelbender i do believe that bike is the Yamaha R125 sold in other markets? i think THIS is the coming R3. i think? and if so, even better!!

woo-hoo found this pic on the R3 forums

http://www.r3-forums.com/forum/289-yama ... aunch.html

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 5:37 pm

Hmm. So hard to choose.

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:10 am

I say naked streetfighter all the way. No need for hundreds of dollars worth of paint and plastic that gets wrecked in a 2MPH driveway drop.

I miss my '05 Honda Hornet 599. Not sure why I ever sold it, other than the fact that I never had time to ride it... Oh well, I guess it gives me one more reason to get a mid 70's BMW R75/6 to make into a cafe' bike like I have been itching to do for the past ten years...

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:18 am

ok screw the "R" version. look what Honda announced today!! lose the R and get NAKED!

its a qt to be sure, and sure to delight many a scooter rider "moving up" a peg or two

what a smart little bike

Post by **jrsjr** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:06 am

The price is certainly right at $3999, but there's no ABS option on the "F" model.

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 3:02 am

thatvwbusguy wrote:I say naked streetfighter all the way. No need for hundreds of dollars worth of paint and plastic that gets wrecked in a 2MPH driveway drop.

I miss my '05 Honda Hornet 599. Not sure why I ever sold it, other than the fact that I never had time to ride it... Oh well, I guess it gives me one more reason to get a mid 70's BMW R75/6 to make into a cafe' bike like I have been itching to do for the past ten years...

My dad let me ride his 1983 Honda Nighthawk 650. I was 15 and we had a LONG private road. I scared myself a bit(good thing), and really felt great going 130 on pavement.

This was the bike in the same color.

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 6:26 am

two cylinders