Honda CB300R Neo Sports Cafe has been officially confirmed and bookings are open at select dealerships for Rs 5k. It will be priced a little below Rs 2.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Gurgaon) and will take on rivals in the 300cc two-wheeler segment.
Here’s a quick comparison of Honda CB300R with its rivals in the segment. Honda CB300R vs Bajaj Dominar vs BMW G310R vs KTM Duke 390 to understand which one is the most desirable bike in this segment.
Design & styling: Honda CB300R Neo Sports Cafe takes a modern approach to the classic roadster design and makes a dominating stance with its naked, sinewy profile. It is designed to be a head turner and engineered to transform daily commute into a thrilling experience. Key design features include rounded headlamps, tapered handlebar, all-LED lighting package, blacked-out hardware, steel swingarm and full-function LCD display. BMW G310R derives inspiration from S1000R and has the good looks associated with most BMW products. Bajaj Dominar 400 looks menacing and is sure to get your attention with its sculpted bodywork. KTM 390 Duke resembles a racing bike and looks mean with its aggressively styled LED headlight and sharp character lines.
Chassis: Honda CB300R Neo Sports Cafe features a lightweight yet strong chassis, which ensures a balance of power and handling. It is the lightest in its category with a kerb weight of 143 kg. Dimensions are 2012 mm (length), 802 mm (width), 1052 mm (height) and 1352 mm (wheelbase). Seat height is 799 mm and turning radius is 2.3 metres. BMW G310R measures 2,005 mm x 820 mm x 1,080 mm (LxWxH) and has a wheelbase of 1,374 mm. Seat height is 785 mm and kerb weight is 158.5 kg. Bajaj Dominar has beam type perimeter frame and measures 2156 X 813 X 1112 (L X W X H (mm)). Wheelbase is 1453 mm and kerb weight is 182 kg. KTM 390 Duke utilizes lightweight steel trellis frame and measures 2,002 mm (L) x 873 mm (W) x 1,267 mm (H). It has a wheelbase of 1,367 mm and kerb weight is 149 kg.
Suspension and braking: Honda CB300R Neo Sports Cafe has 41mm telescopic fork at the front with 130mm travel and swingarm suspension at the rear with 107mm travel. Braking system has dual-channel ABS with IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). Front wheels have 296mm floating disc with 4-piston calliper whereas rear wheels have 220mm disc with single piston calliper. BMW G310R has 41mm upside down forks at the front and monoshock with adjustable preload at the rear. The bike has dual-channel ABS and braking system comprises 300mm disc at the front and 240mm disc at the rear. Bajaj Dominar has 43mm telescopic forks at the front and multi-step adjustable gas-charged monoshock at the rear. Featuring dual-channel ABS, braking system comprises 320mm disc at the front and 230mm disc at the rear. KTM 390 Duke features 43mm WP open cartridge inverted forks at the front and preload adjustable WP monoshock at the rear. Braking is dual-channel ABS with 320mm disc at the front and 230mm disc at the rear.
Engine & transmission: Honda CB300R Neo Sports Cafe gets power from a compact 286cc DOHC 4valve liquid cooled single cylinder engine that delivers max power of 31 PS at 8,500 rpm and max torque of 27.5Nm at 7,500 rpm. Engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. BMW G310R has a 313cc single cylinder DOHC, liquid-cooled and fuel injected engine that delivers 34PS at 9500 rpm and 28Nm at 7500 rpm. Engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Bajaj Dominar 400 comes with a 373.3cc single cylinder Triple Spark DTS-i with liquid cooling and fuel injected engine that delivers 35PS at 8000 rpm and 35Nm at 6500 rpm. Engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with slipper clutch. KTM Duke 390 has 373.2cc single cylinder DOHC, liquid cooled and fuel injected engine that delivers 43.5PS at 9000 rpm and 37Nm at 7000 rpm. Engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with slipper clutch.
Price: Honda CB300R Neo Sports Cafe will be priced below Rs 2.5 lakh, somewhere close to KTM 390 Duke, which is priced at Rs 2.45 lakh. Bajaj Dominar 400 is the cheapest at Rs 1.63 lakh. But it will soon get an upgrade, and prices are expected to be increased to the range of Rs 1.8 lakhs. BMW G310R is the costliest among the four (Rs 2.99 lakh).
Which one should you buy? All four bikes have stylish design and stunning looks, so it’s difficult to say which one is the most attractive. If you are looking for value for money, your choice could be Dominar 400. If you want out and out performance, 390 Duke is for you. If brand name is your thing, then BMW G310R is for you. But if you are looking at refinement, reliability, quality, Honda CB300R is the perfect combination of style, power, performance, and everyday usability.
