In its newest iteration, CB300R gets new colour schemes and a slightly updated powertrain with a new slipper-assist clutch
Honda CB300R made its maiden appearance at the India Bike Week in December 2021. It later went on sale in the country a few days ago. The neo-retro street naked bike has now made its debut in European markets in an updated avatar.
2022 CB300R has made a return to European markets after being off the shelves for over a year. The latest iteration of the sports cafe bike comes with subtle styling updates which enhances the bike’s look. The Japanese bikemaker has also made some functional improvements to the bike which give it a better feel while riding.
2022 Honda CB300R Styling
Honda has maintained the neo-retro design of CB300R which is the biggest USP of the motorcycle. It gets new colour options including a black on black paint which is similar to the Matte Steel Black shade offered in the India-spec model.
Mild updates like a black headlamp bezel and darker radiator cowls give the bike a fresh appeal. The exhaust canister has also been made slightly more angular than before.
The all-black theme with blacked-out running gear and internals accentuates the bike’s sporty appearance. In total, New 2022 CB300R will be offered in four colour options including Pearl Dusk Yellow and Matt Pearl Agile Blue (both new for 2022), Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic and Candy Chromosphere Red. Styling of the new CB300R is more in line with its bigger siblings CB650R and CB1000R.
In terms of features, CB300R gets an LED headlamp with a dual-bar setup, a thin LED taillight, LED turn indicators and a fully digital instrument console with a negative LCD display. Unfortunately, it misses out on any form of connectivity option, which is a big miss.
Hardware & Powertrain Specs
When it comes to hardware, the Europe-spec model is identical to its India-spec counterpart. The naked sports cafe is underpinned by a minimalist tubular and pressed steel diamond-style frame which is suspended on USD front forks and a 7-Step adjustable mono-shock sourced from Showa. The swingarm is manufactured from a steel plate and features an irregularly shaped cross-section.
This design offers high longitudinal rigidity, while also controlling torsion from wheel deflection. It also results in a very nimble kerb weight of 144kg. Braking duties are handled by a 296m disc brake clamped down by a Nissin 4-piston caliper and a 220mm disc with a single-piston caliper at the rear. The braking hardware is aided by a dual-channel ABS governed by IMU.
Powering 2022 CB300R is powered by a slightly updated 286cc, DOHC, 4-valve, liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine. This motor now kicks out 31.1 bhp at 9,000rpm and instead of 30.4 bhp at 8,000rpm cranked out by its predecessor. Torque figure remains identical at 27.5 Nm. This engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox which now benefits from an assisted slipper clutch for smoother and quicker gear shifts.
