The streetfighter is a dying breed. Their multi-purpose-ness and functional approach has been their undoing. Everybody now wants a motorcycle that’s purpose-built and suits their needs precisely. Honda, though, has gone against the trend, adding a second relatively less expensive 300cc to their portfolio. Where the R draws the CB650R, the F draws on the CB500F’s sharp modern aesthetic. We headed over to the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad to get our first taste of this new streetfighter to find out exactly what it offers.

This may be an unpopular opinion among my peers, but I honestly think that the CB300F is a really good-looking motorcycle. Its sharp yet minimal design draws on the CB500F for inspiration. Look closer and there are so many interesting details that catch the eye. The sharp sinewy indents on the tank, the short mudguard with neat aero-looking cutouts, the mesh side plate and even the stubby twin pipe end can on the exhaust, all of them are -- at least to me-- very aesthetically pleasing. But as the internet has unashamedly pointed out, it looks too much like the CB Hornet 2.0! Which it doesn’t. Not one single panel is shared. But from a distance, you’d think it was because they are both Honda streetfighters and there is going to be some design philosophy spill-over. I think the bigger problem is that they share very similar paint and livery layouts, and that makes them look similar at first glance.

The Honda does get all the right kit, the headlamps, tail-lamps and indicators are all LEDs. It gets 17-inch alloys shod in sticky MRF REV Z tyres, 110 section in the front and a nice chinky 150 section at the rear. The unique v-style alloy wheels in black add some finesse to the Fs presence. While buttons and wiring are amicable in terms of quality, there are some weld seams that really don’t live up to the standards we’ve come to expect from Honda Motorcycles.

The instruments too seem a little outdated in the present context, the negative LCD instruments module gets Bluetooth with navigation on the DLX Pro variant and is a standard display on the DLX. The thing is, it's hard to read under direct sun and it seems a tad out of place on a 2 lakh plus premium bike in 2022.

For the most part, the CB300F is focused on comfort. The widespread bars rise up from the forks are meet the rider almost upright. Pair that with mindset footpegs and a very long and comfortable 789mm seat and what you get is a motorcycle that’s very accessible and easy to get familiar with. The 153kg Honda, is suspended between a 37mm fork up front and a 5-step pre-load adjustable mono-shock up both from Showa. While the stock settings are on the stiffer side, 1-up and the light Honda does a good job of mitigating undulations and sharp bumps at low speeds. At higher speeds, the Honda will get unsettled easier on sharp bumps but it could be balanced out between the sharp rake and the relatively long wheelbase.

What I really like about the F is how much Honda has thought about the times when you want to dial in and tackle some twisties and explore the CB300F’s handling potential. And when it comes to quick, agile and sure-footed handling the Honda CB300F has it down, between the 153kg kerb weight, the stiff springs the 24.5-degree rake ensures the Honda is up there with the best. Add to that plenty of room on the seat to dial in, and well-placed recesses on the tank for your knees to grip onto and have a pretty fun motorcycle around corners. The long wide handlebars make for easy handling at low speeds too.

Braking comes from a pair of Nissin disc brakes and callipers, a 276mm disc up front and a 220mm disc at the back. Dual-channel ABS comes as standard and is not switchable. Braking is more than adequate for the 153kg Honda 1-up and inspires confidence. ABS feedback is a little strong but it’s not something you can’t learn to live with.

Powering it all is a brand new 293cc oil-cooled single that makes 23.8bhp and 25.6Nm of peak torque. Peak power comes in low at 7,500rpm and peak torque at 5,500rpm. And what that means is the meaty chunk of the performance is focused on the low to mid-range. Anything under 80kmph feels quick and zippy, but as you catch the tail end of the torque past 100kmph, the F does lose a large bit of momentum. Six gears do mitigate the problem a little, but anything above 120kmph has the engine feeling strained and out of breath. Which is the exact opposite of the peaky sort of performance that you get from the 286cc single on the R. It's an interesting spread and should make the F quite engaging to ride in the cities. On the highway, though, you may find yourself wishing for a few more horses higher up in the powerband. There are also considerable vibrations that slip in through the peg and at the bars, when you really push the motorcycle past the 7,000rpm mark, that seems very unbecoming of a Honda.

It also gets a switchable torque control, which seems like it may be good on slippery surfaces, but, as far as I could tell, on the road, its primary purpose seems to be to cut off the power when it thinks the bike is going to pop a wheelie.

Honestly, I think there’s a lot to love about the Honda CB300F. It's a nimble, accessible entry-level premium motorcycle and it does what it says on the box and more, effortlessly. I do feel though that had Honda not priced it at such a premium position they would have had a serious entry-level contender. That said, if you are willing to pay the premium, I get the feeling that the CB300F has a lot to offer for those looking to segue into the world of big streetfighter motorcycles.

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