2015 CB300F & CBR300R: THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE ON TWO WHEELS?

I'm a massive motorcycle fan -- they've always interested me so every time I've bought a new bike I make sure I look after it well. I buy motorcycle covers, ride them regularly so the battery doesn't die, check on vulnerable parts of the bike, and keep to safe speeds on the road. I will be completely honest, when I was younger, and first got into riding motorcycles, I did have a bad accident. I was off work for weeks, had to spend all my time dealing with lawyers to get myself sorted and I thought at that point I would never ride again. However, I got back out there, took it at my own pace, and fell in love all over again. I learned how to handle the bike, and not be stupid like so many people do when they're younger. Fast forward to now, I have loads of experience with bikes and I'm just going to get something out of the way right now: The CB300F is probably the most fun motorcycle I never expected to enjoy. It has changed my life. Seriously. But first an introduction...

All new for 2015, the CB300F and CBR300R are both updated versions of the popular CBR250R that entered the market back in 2011. In the case of the CBR300R, the biggest update is contained within the engine, where the old single-cylinder 250cc engine's crankshaft and connecting rod have been replaced to give the little thumper an additional 37cc of displacement for a total of 286cc. According to Honda that increase is good for 17% more horsepower, or roughly 3 horsepower. Externally, the CBR300R also boasts a new set of fairings; trading the old VFR1200-lookalike setup of the old CBR250R for a set of plastics that borrows more heavily from the much more recognizable (and successful) line of CBR1000RR sportbikes. Conversely, the CB300F is an entirely "new" bike, insofar as it didn't actually exist prior to 2015 in North America... unless you crashed your CBR250R and stuck a dirt bike handlebar on it.

Now the CBR300R is, if we're honest, exactly what you expect it to be: An entry level bike built to get people down the road with minimal fanfare and even less cash outlay. With roughly 27 horsepower and 19 pound-feet of torque, it's not fast, but it is quick. The suspension and brakes are adequate and the new bodywork certainly helps it look a lot less like the baby bike it is; a real boon to alpha-male types that otherwise might find themselves swayed away from the friendly and easy-to-ride 300cc machines. As speeds increase, the little 300 finds its diminutive stride a wee bit short, and anything seriously over 110 kph starts to feel pretty daring... but that's usually illegal anyway, right?

And for the majority of the owners that will be attracted to the CBR300R, it will do the job it was designed to do, and it'll do it perfectly. Rewardingly smooth riding and good throttle control with corner speeds that'd embarrass many bigger bikes, the 300 is a great way for riders to learn the basics before advancing to something with more performance, and an even better way for experienced riders to reacquaint themselves with those foundation riding skills. When you've only got 27 horsepower on tap, you can't afford to be in the wrong gear any more than you can afford to bleed off too much speed before a corner. As a result, riding the CBR300R is a lesson in momentum; get it up to speed and work to keep it there with smooth inputs and well-chosen lines.

By comparison, the CB300F feels like a proper hooligan's bike... at least, as much of a hooligan's bike as a 286cc motorcycle ever could be! Although it shares the CBR300R's motor, controls, suspension, and frame, it feels like a whole other bike entirely due to the wide, upright handlebar and the amount of leverage it affords. Where the CBR300R would have us taking to the mountains to practice trail braking and body positions, the CB300F invited us to head into the city, where we could hammer on the brakes and dive into corners, using the torquey little single cylinder to "power" away. With so little weight, good brakes, and those huge bars, the CB300F is the absolute definition of tossable. No other bike we've ridden made us want to ride into parkades at midnight to turn laps, or turned a day's commute into properly engaging ride, and no other bike has given us so much of a sense of control at the same time as it let us explore the absolute limits of its ability.

So how has it changed my life? Well, shortly after begrudgingly handing the keys back to Honda's illustrious press fleet manager, I bought a Yamaha TTR-125L. Yes, a 125cc dirt bike. Why was that purchase inspired by the CB300F, you ask? Well, here in BC there's a club that races 125cc dirt bikes on go-kart tracks. Stick a set of street tires on the front and back, and you've got yourself a little sorta-supermoto and a riding experience that's not far off the experience aboard the CB300F. So, do I think these little baby bikes from Honda are good? You're damned right. If you are a lover of motorcycles and want one for yourself but don't have the funds, you can always check out sites like cleanharleys.com to trade in your existing one for the one you would love to have!

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