Lightweight, affordable, and very capable, the CB300R is a popular entry-level ride

Honda buffs up its is lineup for MY22 with the freshly-tweaked CB300R naked-sport machine. Fairly high-tech for a beginner's bike, the new-gen rocks stock lean-sensitive ABS protection with new Showa stems and a slipper-type clutch for extra insurance for the rear contact patch. In addition, this little CB receives Honda's BNG treatment with new paint and graphics.

Power for the CB300R comes from a liquid-cooled thumper with a 76 mm bore and 63 mm stroke for a total displacement of 286 cc and a middling compression ratio at 10.7-to-1. A 38 mm throttle body feeds the plant with a tuned straight-through intake tract that limits intake velocity loss due to drag for a slight boost to the volumetric efficiency.

A dual overhead cam times the four-valve head with roller-rocker arm actuation and shim-type valve-lash adjustment. Down low, a counter-balancer helps tune out some of the vibes from the mill to deliver smooth power – within reason, of course, it Neo-Sports Café still a one-lunger after all.

The juice flows through a new slipper-type clutch that adds some insurance for the rear contact patch and delivers a light and smooth feel at the lever. A six-speed gearbox crunches the ratios with a tough, chain-type final drive.

For power numbers, the ponies top out at 8,500 rpm with 30.7 horsepower, while peak torque at 7,500 rpm is 20.2 pounds o' grunt on tap. With the final drive ratio in top gear, the CB300R's top speed is right around 100 mph. To protect that output, the factory uses low-friction components that could also arguably lead to lower fuel costs over the long run.

Honda's lower mid-range CB300R adheres to the is design. It adds café-tastic features with a modern twist to separate it from the old standard/naked-sport look.

A molded, spoiler-type front fender leads the way and shunts the wind around the inner fork tube. The cyclops headlight makes another crucial historical connection, and it splits the night through the power of the LED projector for good two-way visibility. A low-profile LCD instrument screen built into the top of the headlight can leave the front end looking clean. It really be cleaner though if it had hang-down bar-end mirrors instead of those standoffs, but at least they're fairly short.

The LED front turn signals mounted just above the can are out of harm's way. I reckon that's an important feature on what is bound to be an entry-level rider's bike. You won't be wiping out the blinkers Neo-Sports Café you drop it in the parking lot or at a stop.

The 2.7-gallon fuel tank has a strong flange shape that leaves room for body English and comes to a narrow junction with the frame and seat. Combined with the 31.5-inch seat height, it's safe to say that this bike will be friendly to riders with shorter inseams.

Like to share the fun with a friend? Honda has you covered with a stock pillion pad, grab rails and fold-up footpegs. A teensy-weensy LED taillight rides in the tip of the tail while the rest of the gear in the rear mounts to the mudguard assembly. A swingarm-mount hugger completes the rear-wheel fling containment.

The new underpinnings on the CB300R rely on the strength of the tubular-steel members and steel, pressed-plate structures. These make up the framing and swingarm-pivot bosses with the engine used as a stressed member to complete the assembly.

It comes tuned with the appropriate amount of lateral flexion for good cornering feedback and behavior alongside stiff fore-and-aft rigidity. More pressed steel plating makes up the engineered, yoke-style swingarm that's tuned for cornering.

This may seem like a small thing, but since it's meant to be a trainer bike, ostensibly for riders looking to work their way up into bigger machines. Swingarm flex is something which new riders should go ahead and make friends with, 'cause it's going to be much more important to them down the road.

The steering head and triple tree set a rake angle of 24.7 degrees with 3.7 inches of trail, both deep in the nimble territory over a short 53.3-inch wheelbase. It's the low, 317-pound wet weight and 49.6-percent front/50.4-percent rear balance that really makes it eager in the corners and oh so flickable. It's just the thing for you nascent pegdraggers out there.

Also new for this year, the USD Showa forks rock the SFF-BP features with a strong, 41 mm inner fork tube and a plush 5.1 inches of suspension travel. A Pro-Link mono-shock arrangement takes care of the rear end with a 4.2-inch stroke to soak up the abuse, but the obligatory spring-preload adjuster is the only suspension tweak. That said, the shock has a progressive response to bumps to provide a ride that's superior to plain vanilla hardware.

This is a light bike, so the single front brake is plenty to keep things under control. A four-bore Nissin anchor bites a 296 mm front disc, while out back, a single-pot binder and 220 mm disc take care of business. A Combined ABS feature, rare at this displacement, delivers interlocking-brake performance for extra stability. This is just the thing for a new rider, though I still advocate for learning how to ride a non-ABS bike, 'cause stuff happens.

The 2022 Honda CB300R has a starting sticker of $4,949 MSRP. While the factory touts all this new paint, it looks like for this year, Matte Pearl Blue is still the only color available in the U.S. market. If you're looking for a used CB300R for sale, prices are comparable to the CB300F that went out a few years ago.

Yamaha provides some homegrown competition for Honda's CB300R with its MT-03 hyper-naked sportbike.

The Tuning Fork Company runs with more blackout than the Honda but ruins the look with garish turquoise wheels that look more like an afterthought. Aesthetics aside, Yamaha keeps bodywork to a minimum with only a vestigial belly pan and intake scoops that form the shoulders at the front end. This adds to the overall weight of 373 pounds soaking wet, well above the feather-light CB-R for a difference you can feel.

LED lighting is a constant across the board, same with the cyclops headlight, but the Yamaha's front forks are a tad frail with their 37 mm inner-tube diameter. ABS is also a common thread, but again Yamaha slips with no answer to the Combined Brake features on the Red Rider platform.

Yammie gets some back with a displacement advantage at 321 cc, and the factory converts this to a definite power advantage with 41 ponies and 21.8 pounds o' grunt against Honda's 30.7/20.2 power figures. The MT-03 comes with a standard clutch instead of a slipper-type unit. It's good to learn how to use an old-school clutch, but it's also good to make sure that riders on their first bike can keep it dirty-side down long enough to learn the rest of the skillset.

Yamaha lets loose of its “Dark Side” machine for $4,799. This keeps the market pressure up on the smaller-displacement CB300R.

“I'm still a fan of the is look, even if there's plenty of room for more café-ification like a bullet fairing or maybe a tail cover. That said, I consider this to be a right and proper trainer for new sports riders. It has just enough safety stuff without becoming overbearing or overly complicated to operate.”

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “As it's intended, the CB300R is a nice entry-level bike for beginner riders, but it's also fun commuter for riders of any experience level. In areas with tiered licensing, it's a step-up bike, but in our market it's a small displacement bike that has enough oomph for the interstate roadways where you have to keep up with traffic and still have a little roll-on left in reserve.”

TJ got an early start from his father and other family members who owned and rode motorcycles, and by helping with various mechanical repairs throughout childhood. That planted a seed that grew into a well-rounded appreciation of all things mechanical, and eventually, into a formal education of same. Though primarily a Harley rider, he has an appreciation for all sorts of bikes and doesn’t discriminate against any particular brand or region of origin. He currently holds an Associate’s degree in applied mechanical science from his time at the M.M.I.