Why Is No One Buying This Honda? » MotorOctane

Only a handful of bikes become popular in the industry, while some other, more capable ones remain a name on the list. Some popular bikes, such as the Mahindra Mojo, Yamaha FZ25, Honda CBR 250R and Triumph Daytona 675, have already succumbed. In the list, there lies one Japanese bike, which, despite being the best in the segment, is wholly ignored.
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Most Underrated Bike – Honda CB300R

Honda first launched the CB300R in India back in 2019 at an ex-showroom price of Rs 2.83 Lakh. It carried such a hefty price tag as Honda brought the bike through the CBU route. At the same time, one of India’s favourite powerful bikes, the Duke 390, was priced at Rs 3 Lakh (on-road, Mumbai). So, the Honda CB300R was overlooked by many. Even though it offers an enthralling performance and a great power-to-weight ratio, the Honda was ignored for a long time. 

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Honda’s CB300R from 2019 offered great build quality and fit and finish levels. The engine was smooth, powerful and refined, and the bike weighed just 143kgs. Due to its premium pricing, the mighty Japanese naked bike was overlooked. Plus, the CB300R was only sold in Honda BigWing showrooms, which had a limited reach, thereby making the model suffer more.

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More Updates, Lesser Sales!

To grab more attention, Honda brought in the updated CB300R in 2022.  However, with the new update, the price went even higher, at Rs 3.31 Lakh (ex-showroom). So, it was even more unlikely that people would choose this bike, as the Duke 390 was more affordable than the Honda. After these updates, this was one of the best-looking bikes on sale, with a reliable engine and great handling. 

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In 2023, Honda finally lowered the price of the CB300R by almost Rs 40,000 to bring it in line with its rivals. This price cut was made possible by Honda’s decision to locally manufacture the CB300R. But many people still choose other bikes. Why? The main reason behind it is the lack of Honda BigWing dealerships, by which many didn’t get even to test ride the bike.

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Worth Buying?

But is this Honda bike really worth the penny? The CB300R features a 286cc engine that produces 30.7bhp and 27.5Nm of torque, paired with a 6-speed gearbox. At just 146kgs, it is extremely agile and offers a fun riding experience. One can tour on this bike. However, the tiny 9.5-litre fuel tank will result in more refueling stops than usual. The suspension is on the stiffer side, but the damping is quite good, and there are no complaints about the ride quality. 

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Following the recent GST 2.0 reforms, the Honda CB300R offers great value-for-money, priced at just Rs 2.57 Lakh (on-road, Mumbai). However, due to the scarcity of Honda BigWing dealerships, very few people actually know about this bike. If more people could experience this bike firsthand, the CB300R would likely gain more popularity and attract a wider range of buyers.