2015–2020 · Supersport · Buyer's Guide
City Light, Highway Capable
The CBR300R takes the supersport shape seriously and the supersport arms race not at all. One liquid-cooled 286 cc single, 31 hp at 8,500 rpm, 20 lb-ft at 7,250 rpm, a six-speed box and a chain. That's the whole story on paper, and it's enough, because 357 lb wet with a 54.3 in wheelbase and a 30.7 in seat turns those numbers into something you can actually use. Full fairing, clip-on posture, a proper 296 mm front disc. It reads like a scaled sportbike rather than a beginner's compromise, and it rides that way too.
On the road it rewards the rider who wants to learn a corner properly instead of overpowering it. You carry speed, you brake late, you hold a tight line, and nothing about the bike punishes you for getting it slightly wrong. It settles down at highway pace and it runs cheap: fuel, tires, chains, all of it. The honest caveat is the equipment list. There is no six-axis IMU, no lean-sensitive traction control, and ABS was an option rather than standard fitment. Check the box on the bike you're buying, because you can't add it later.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 31 hp (23 kW) @ 8,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 20 lb-ft (27 Nm) @ 7,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 286 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 296 mm |
| Front tire | 110/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 140/70-17 |
| Wheelbase | 54.3 in (1380 mm) |
| Seat height | 30.7 in (780 mm) |
| Wet weight | 357 lb (162 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.4 gal (13.0 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
The first thing you notice is how little of the bike there is between your knees. It's narrow, and the tank lets you tuck properly behind the screen without folding yourself in half. The bars are low enough to feel like a sportbike and high enough that your wrists survive an hour of surface streets. The single sends a steady, thin buzz through the pegs above about 6,000 rpm, more texture than nuisance, and it fades once you're settled at cruise. Sound is workmanlike rather than theatrical. The bike moves under you with almost no effort, so leaning it is a matter of thinking about it. That lightness makes it feel busier than a big bike over broken pavement, and you read the road surface through the seat more than you'd expect. Traffic gaps that look marginal turn out not to be.
Crankshaft bearing retainer failure (recall)
A manufacturing defect in the crankshaft can cause the connecting rod bearing retainer plating to wear prematurely, leading to corrosion and potential engine stall. Honda recalled all 2015–2016 models (NHTSA 16V-528) to replace the crankshaft assembly. Symptoms include abnormal noise, sudden power loss, and inability to restart.
Where this Honda CBR 300 R pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CBR 300 R is actually built for.
On Angeles Crest this bike makes you faster the honest way, by teaching lines instead of covering mistakes with power. You'll get out-dragged on the straights and you won't care much.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
For the Dragon and Cherohala, low weight and clear front-end feel matter more than horsepower. This is a skill bike, and it will show you exactly where your technique ends.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
It's light, cheap to run, and steady on the highway slog out of Austin. But 3.4 gal and a small single ask you to plan Hill Country distances rather than just ride them.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2011–2013
The Rider You Learn On
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Honda CBR 300 R. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
