What do you look for in a beginner sportbike? Is it low cost? Nimble handling? Or even just the superbike-like styling? Well, the 2020 Honda CBR300R is a small-displacement sportbike that touches on all counts. 1) It only costs a base MSRP of $4,699. 2) It weighs only 357 pounds and has a low 30.7-inch seat height leading to easy maneuverability and beginner approachability. And 3) it takes its styling from its bigger CBR-RR siblings.
Powered by the same 286cc single-cylinder engine as the naked CB300R and CB300F models, the CBR300R offers a user-friendly entry point into full-faired sportbike riding. The relatively low 30.7-inch seat height and nimble chassis make navigating dense traffic flow easy, while still offering enough sporting capability to conquer the twisties.
“My first bike was…” Many manufacturers want to fill in that blank with their entry-level bikes. This, in turn, loads on the competition in the faired sportbike category. Among the small Honda’s competition is the Suzuki GSX250R, Yamaha YZF-R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, and KTM RC 390.
No model updates were highlighted for 2020. The CBR300R is available in Matte Black Metallic and Grand Prix Red.