[skr]

Continuing on from my thread (Modifying the Honda CB300R to be a decent tourer | Food for thought) from about a year back, having now used the Honda CB300R for nearly 3 years, the odo reading around 31,500 km at the time of writing, and including a crash test to boot(!) I thought it would be good to follow up with a long-term user review of the motorcycle, with special focus on its touring capabilities (don't trust the internet, you can), which will also cover most of my accessories, set up and small review of them.

I'll try to provide some solutions to the enigma of doing long rides with a pillion on a small motorcycle (using the review as a first hand example), while being realistic with expectations. I've added a few general insights and advice regarding touring as well. But please take note, nothing written here should be treated as 'advice' or 'recommendation' in any way, but merely ideas I personally found useful. This is my first attempt at a detailed motorcycle review here, so take only the good stuff and forgive and forget anything that sounds "meh".

Apologies for little contextual details that have made this article even longer than expected, but without context, why and what suits me is tricky to communicate. So, please bear with me.

About myself: Born and brought up in Calcutta, posted in Dehradun since 2016. At present I live here with my wife (hello to all from her) and pet mouse, PingPong (hello to all from him too!).

My first attempt at riding scooters was in early 2016, and moving to a Tier-II City later the same year, I soon realised with helmetless schoolkids flying around in Classic 350s to Activas (kudos to those parents!), that a personal two-wheeler was almost mandatory. Since my first purchase (without even a licence in at the time) in June/ July 2017, I have used 3 vehicles in all. Here is a list
1. Honda NAVI (Jun/Jul, 2017- Aug, 2020, ~10,600 km)
2. Yamaha FZ-S v3.0 (Aug, 2020-Jul, 2022, ~18,600 km)
3. Honda CB300R (Jul, 2022- Present, ~31,450 km*)
All the machines are lovely in their own way, and I am fond of all of them.

Unusual scenario: An administrative decision in 2020 meant that my office was shifted to the outskirts of the city, shooting the residence-office distance from 1.2 km to 20.2 km. A straight 20x jump! Severe lack of public transport connectivity to these forested outskirts meant that nearly EVERY individual in the office was forced to own their rides, and kind of compelled into being riders/ drivers, ladies and gents alike. 100% of the office population owning personal vehicles and all of them riding / driving distances of at least 20 km which goes upto 50-60 km for many. In other words, learning to ride/drive is not a choice, but an absolute necessity since 2020. The period between 2021 to 2023 was incredibly frustrating with road construction works at their peak all around the city, which made travelling and the traffic an absolute nightmare.

Some of the stretches through the forest are picturesque and absolutely gorgeous. Popular internet sites recommend the route as a weekend/breakfast getaway around Dehradun. As the road construction works are now largely complete, the volume of vehicles and brutal accidents have also gone up exponentially through the years, to a point now where it is nearly an everyday matter now. In addition, being an elephant corridor, animal crossings, while not a frequent sight, is an omnipresent possibility, giving one occassional views of elephant herds strolling around non-chalantly chomping on trees, or the occassional fox jogging around casually.

USE: As mentioned above, a longish daily office commute (20+20=40 km) in the outskirts of Dehradun that offers a combination of road conditions. First half (within the city): patches of huge traffic load from around the 9:30 am mark and invariably in the evening, alongwith normal city roads; and Second half (outskirts of city): Completely through a part of the Rajaji National Park. Includes clean, straight stretches followed by a stretch of around 3-4 km of twisties. The entire highway is, however, devoid of any divider, meaning rogue cars, bikes, buses even trucks changing lanes at speeds of upto 100-120 kmph and vehicles taking U-turns in the middle of a high speed stretch without indicators are about an everyday deal. Keeping focus at all times and being ready to swiftly switch to gravel at high speeds at the last second is a necessary life-skill to possess.

Really long road trips are also a part of my work. Taking the motorcycle keeps life simple and saves the nauseating, excruciating long hours of public transport (no rail/air connectivity, remember). It also adds to the fun of being able to explore all the places around for the period of my stay (around 4-5 months a year). Coupled with the fact that my wife & I also enjoy breakfast rides to aimless to short/ long rides to weekend trips, regular two-up rides were added to my portfolio of solo trips after marriage. So, my journeys have been mostly through the mountains, which brings with it all of what one would normally expect to encounter in Himalayan terrain. The brutal winters, stream crossings, innumerable twisties, wildlife, ghat sections, landslides, good roads, bad roads, terrible roads, narrow roads, forested roads, scary roads, etc.

THE PROTAGONIST: A gem of an engine- smooth, linear, nimble, lightweight, sharp, scalpel like through the corners, eager, fast enough (for civilized society) and yet neutral, forgiving and never overwhelming. Looks small yet feels fairly muscular once on board. Gearing is short, so it could be occassionally slightly jittery in low speeds and low gears (e.g. cold mornings, after idle days), but that's barely noticeable.

Top speed specs are not my priority, and neither do breakneck speeds fascinate me, but boy this thing can go! Wind blast will start taking its toll past 120-130 mark, but I can myself attest to having reached up to 153 kmph (for a couple of seconds, just to test out how fast I can dare to pull it). 160-165 should be attainable, but anything beyond 110-15 is best left for track days.

The best thing about the Honda is perhaps the quality of it being flexible and forgiving enough to suit every riding style.
Go cruising? Yes!
Go fast? Oh Yes!
Go slow? Not an issue!
Corners? Yum!
Spirited ride? Absolutely!
Slow cruise and enjoy the scenery around? Why not?
Forgot to switch gear? Fine, I'll let the engine warn you if it gets too bad...

Weight was an overwhelmingly important factor in my selection of the CB300R at the time of purchase. Considering my strength of a fly, and knowing the kind of commutes and terrains that I would need to tackle, big, heavy motorcycles were a strict no, no. While I would like to believe I am equipped to handle larger motorcycles now, but the virtues of light weightedness (at least always the feeling of one), sharpness and flickability cannot be stressed enough. Indian roads are treacherous, and blinding fast reflexes from both rider and bike become necessary, no matter how cautious one is. The scalpel like reflexes have saved me not just from rogue traffic, but sudden animal intrusions and other unexpected obstructions. Cornering on the bike is a real joy, which makes taking on the twisties immensely enjoyable. The combination of sharpness and forgivingness shining like a guiding star.

The gearshifts are slick and smooth, and work like a charm. Regular chain maintenance is required due to the open chain, especially during the monsoons. The brakes are also delightful- sharp, smooth and forgiving. Throttle response is crisp & linear, and you'll find yourself in 3rd gear quickly, which is when all the fun starts surging in. This is not to say lower gears are not smooth, but the sweet spot appears at 3rd gear from around 2500-3000 rpm and continues till about 7500-8000 rpm (rough guess, correct me other users if I am wrong with the figures) with vibrations barely noticeable. Beyond this are the realm of blinding speeds that I have rarely attained, and this article isn't about the motorcycle's racing abilities, so I'll skip anything on that. Staying in 2nd gear is quite easy, just in case going down to 1st is annoying everytime. I've even made stop-starts in 3rd gear (casual error) multiple times, and hardly ever remember stalling.

Ground clearance on paper is a deceptive 151 mm, which suggests the sump guard should be taking a regular beating in the smallest potholes. On the contrary, the rare hits to the sump guard are mostly down to my errors (most often the invisible-till last potholes). It has taken me nearly till the mouth of glaciers and gone over landslides and lunar-style crevasses, and glided over pools of water reaching till my feet. Remember, nearly the entirety of its 31,500 km is through the Himalayas, so kilometres should be interpreted with caution and appropriate multiplying factors should accordingly taken into account.

In summary, forget the number 151 mm. It is good enough to tackle most of what the roads can offer. It will comfortably handle mild offroads and dirt-tracks and get you through easily. Standing on the footpegs is also fairly easy, although I do this only sparingly, mainly to relieve bum-sore and over deep potholes. But if tackling these are a priority, I'll let your common sense and practicality decide on the choice of your motorcycle.

FUEL TANK: Small, 9.8L! Little bummer, should have been at least a couple of liters more, but then again, never stranded due to lack of fuel, and additional jerrycans have not been required till date.

Long term mileage is around 32.5-33 kmpl. Could be stretched to around 34-35 without the additional accessories.


SAFETY GEAR: For the last year or so, I have made wearing complete gear an everyday habit, and not just on long trips (Always wore gear on them), something I should have started long time back. Neither the north Indian summer with its share of loo and the rainy seasons are ideal for full-blown gear, but the habit of putting on gear in the morning helps getting into motorcycle-mode mentally a few minutes earlier than usual.

Wearing gear will garner eyeballs, light sarcasm,etc. all of which one has to learn to ignore. It is unfortunate that the general notion still seems to be that riding gear is manufactured exclusively for YouTube vloggers (the chhapri type). Whether I am a 'rider' (synonym for vlogger, although everyone riding a two wheeler is technically one) or vlogger is a common question, proving clearly that the chhapri attitude is the 'only' one known to an average Indian, which is alarming to say the least.

Traffic rules are a discretionary matter in Uttarakhand, where the pillion is not even expected to wear a helmet. Even for the rider, fines are imposed only a few days of the year. Basically, the general perception seems to be that helmets are purchased to avoid challans, and not to save the head. Naturally, the traffic conditions are getting worse everyday. With road-networks getting better, the small, peaceful city is turning into one of chaos with an unsustainable load especially on weekends. For reference, weekends used to be my 'practice' days when starting out with scooters, as the roads would be nice and empty. Post COVID, going to the city centre on weekends sometimes reaches to the point of trauma. An efficient, strict traffic management system and general education on traffic rules is badly required here.



TORSO: Rynox Air-GT3 (no chest guard), purchased in late 2020 before I started doing long trips on the Yamaha. I added a DSG-Bionic armour last year (chest protection included) to beat the summer heat, which has relegated the Rynox to occassional use.

LEGS & FEET: Rynox Bastion knee guards for office commutes, while for long trips and when travelling with wife, I use the Rynox Advento pants. My wife uses a BBG 10 year anniversary edition jacket and the same Rynox Bastion kneeguards, freed up due to me using the Advento. For shoes, I used an Alpinestars Sektor (customer-returned product from LRL motors), which is starting to fall apart with intense use over a year. I also have a Shima Strato Boots, which I use for occassional office rides (e.g. when the Sektor was wet), and recently started doing long trips on that.

The Sektor has been used for what looks like one last 300 km ride, just a few days back. Perhaps I would have liked more durability, but considering the abuse the Sektor took over the year, I can't really complain of its quality. The damage is mainly in the front part of the left pair. It's got me through a fair share of the Himalayas with little trouble, if ever..so all in all, good shoes.

The Strato Boots feel large initially, but concealed beneath jeans (regular fit preferably), it works as a fine office boot without standing out too much visually. Takes a little time getting used to the maneuvering, especially for the uninitiated. But the size never makes them uncomfortable in any way. Can easily be used with more fashionable clothing, and walking is also fairly easy for a motorcycle boot, in fact even comfortable once it starts breaking in. The Atop lacing makes it easy taking it on and off during the summers at the office table, offering peace of mind. Fine boots, full stop.

CRASH TEST: Recently had a crash while doing a post-300 km trip. Entered into an unexpectedly clayey corner at slightly higher speed (around 45 kmph probably). The corner was similar to the ones before, wide, and allowing entry at a decent speed, but the clayey patch being dryish on the surface visibly did not stand out enough to slow me down. I realised I had to slow down too only after the wheels were onto the slippery clay, and like a novice, tried the front brake to slow down. Although it wasn't a slamming panic brake, the front wheel nonetheless skidded off, and a few seconds of whisky hands later, I found myself sliding through the tarmac, the bike sliding further ahead, sparks flying out from the crash guard, before coming to a stop around 10-15 metres ahead of where I ended up. Escaped with just a torn jacket, a slight tear on the pant, and an impact/abrasion injury to the inner side of the left knee. No cuts, lacerations and (hopefully) no broken bones thankfully. Touching or slightly pressing the knee was quite painful for the first couple of months which has largely subsided now. Strangely, the injury did not hamper my movements, as I could walk around and even run normally. Touch or pressure on the spot was the only thing that hurt.

The riding gears did their job, and I cannot complain of the injury, which could have been way, way worse. Imagine making the equivalent slits to the knee and elbow.

SW-Motech crash guard did it's job brilliantly. The costly things finally proving their worth big time. Scratches on the left handlebar, and a slight damage to the pillion footrest support were the damages sustained. No replace-worthy damages to the bike. Thank God!

My reaction to the crash was extraordinary by my standards. Very annoyed by the error, I simply got up, hurled a few choice words at myself, lifted my fallen friend, hopped onto it and simply continued onto the remaining 150 km-odd. With no cars around for that duration, public embarrassment was avoided. I had no rush of adrenaline or panic, just a sense of intense irritation for having made the mess.





RIDER & PILLION: My wife and I contribute a sum total of around 115 kgs to the Earth, and a combined height of around 127-28 inches (5'7" rider and 5'0"-5'1" pillion). This is important to note, as we do have the advantage of being relatively less fatigued by the apparently cafe-racer style (doesn't feel that way at all once on board) than normal. Moreover, with time, habit, practice, coordination and miles under the belt, have become even more comfortable. The height, weight factor is important, and this is perhaps the biggest reason why not all bikes will suit everyone. With our respective heights and weights, I haven't had to adjust the preload, as they continue to be in the stock setting since day 1. Plain and obvious truth here is that a tall/ heavy pillion will not find this comfortable over long hours. Preload adjustment may help slightly, but not too sure of that too. The crouched pillion obviously isn't going to be a sofa or a bean bag, but with time, patience, correct technique, wearing correct gear and willing to be at peace with the fact that a few aches, pains and frustrations will be part of the learning process should make it easier.

My idea here is to change the perception that a 'small motorcycle' cannot tour, not to say it is easy. If handling a big, heavy bike everyday and potentially 'everywhere' (note this word) isn't an issue, you probably wouldn't have come this far into a non-sense article about touring and CB300R anyway.


Touring Techniques



HEAD: Interchanging between LS2 MX-701 (Carbon) and MT-Blade 2. Wife uses MT Hummer.

HANDS: Viaterra Grid and Korda Adventure interchangeably. No gloves for wifey yet.

PILLION: My wife is a superb pillion- super attentive and frequently communicative of nearly every slight movement when needed (we don't use BT headsets as of yet). With time, we have worked out that the pillion mimicking the rider's body movements work best. I've got to appreciate her for making my job way easier than it should have been.

With a pillion on board, trying to be absolutely spot on with the throttle to ensure zero jerky movements should be the main focus every second. Trying to avoid bumping helmets over all sorts of traffic and distances is a great exercise for this. A simple and basic concept on the surface, but the stepped seat, full face helmets and the not so much space in between makes things interesting. Indian traffic always spices things up, so it's a good challenge to give oneself. Jerky movements keep adding to micro-fatigue as hours tick by.

SIDE NOTE: ALWAYS consider bumping helmets as the Rider's mistake, even when it is not (most often they are though, even when you think it isn't). Unnecessary annoyance over small bumps will add to micro-stress, reducing ride capacity. It is tough for the pillion too on a small motorcycle, so just be considerate. It is unavoidable (Indian roads will make sure it is), but certainly minimizable beyond belief with practice.

CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION: Communication and agreement is half the battle won. It will develop with practice and learning each other's habits. Synchronisation will get better with time.

ACHILLES HEEL: Packing our luggage for 2-3 day trips has proven to be our Achilles heel repeatedly. After considerable thought, poor packing, lessons from novice mistakes, better understanding of the motorcycle-pillion-luggage dynamics scenario and considerable discussions with my wife, I recently purchased a 32L GIVI Top box (with backrest) and took a few test runs, putting it through a little bit of hell, having notched up around a 1000 km in just over a week. This includes 4 longish rides ranging between 6-11 hours, including two 150 km rides with a pillion including a few absolutely treacherous patches, and two post-300 km trips solo.

Surprisingly, according to my wife (pillion feedback after two long test trips), the top box made her feel more 'comfortable' and 'secure' knowing exactly how much space she has to move around, despite not even needing to use the back rest even after 7-8 hours on the saddle, despite all the crouching all day. I personally felt the added weight at the back somehow made going into the corners of the countless twisties slightly easier, probably due to more bite from the rear brakes. This is not a recommendation (too early to conclude), but to get relieved off the horrible stress of finding ways to mount soft luggage on the top rack while keeping it comfortable for the pillion is huge for me. Sagging and the overall jumbled mess of bungees and fasteners are beasts I just could not tame.

GRIP & BODY POSTURE: Using the banana grip on the handlebar reduces fatigue on arms and shoulders and a slight forward bend of the back helps alleviate the pothole jerks, while rev-matching really helps avoid micro jerky movements. Nicely gripping the knees and feet with the bike instantly makes it feel as light as a bicycle. Riding pants prevent skidding around the seat, which takes fatigue resistance up by a few notches. Overall, being nice, relaxed and yet secure is important.

The key goal to every little exercise is to reduce fatigue over long hours on the saddle. Since Reduced fatigue=extended ride time=lesser breaks needed=more miles crunched comfortably.

CONCLUSION: Interestingly, I travelled to even further interiors of Uttarakhand (upto the Nepal border) with the Yamaha (solo) at a time when the roads were being widened. What I mean to harp on through this entire note is, even a 150cc is enough to cover an entire hilly state and its share of challenging roads. My techniques were full of fault, but it got me through all the same (grateful to the Yamaha for that). Basically, one can tour 90% of the places on just about any bike. Particular motorcycles may not always look like a practical choice, especially going by internet reviews. But just how much even the simplest, 'small' motorcycles can do when explored is beyond fascinating to learn.

For the more challenging adventures, ensure that your riding skills and heart are bigger than the size of your motorcycle.

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures, nearly all of which are taken within the last 3 months or so. Cheers!

[skr]

Hey @rtech (Rehaan) for the wonderful edit. It brought to my attention a crucial detail regarding the crash guards and safety, which had completely escaped my notice. As I had selected the pictures rather randomly, I hadn't noted some finer details, which are so clear to me now after the edit. I'll include a rather negative tone as added insights, to make sure my views are clear, and no facts and figures are withheld for those uninitiated with the importance of safety.

Originally Posted by skr

SW-Motech crash guard did it's job brilliantly. The costly things finally proving their worth big time...No replace-worthy damages to the bike. Thank God!

In the 2nd picture following the paragraph on Conclusion, the effects of the crash are noticeable. The scratches on the crash guards are clear, and so are the ones on the left handlebar. The right side pictures can be used as reference for the undamaged view.

The crash guards have been an integral part of the motorcycle from nearly the beginning. They were 'expensive', but I had taken a gamble on a small, barely noticeable, yet well-engineered product. The researched articles on crash/engine/leg guards (the cheaper, badly designed ones specially)were pretty damning, which had made me extremely sceptical about using them. However, SW-Motech's culture of research on the detailed crash-dynamics for every individual motorcycle had impressed me and was a big factor for the decision. On this note, here's a Trivia.

TRIVIA: Engine crash guards are supposed to guard the engine in case of a crash! The legs are supposed to be protected by riding pants and boots, not the crash guards! Fascinating, isn't it?

I wonder how many live crash test reports are available on crash guards, but here I am providing you one (hoping and praying for no reason to do one ever again). As you can see, no damages were even sustained on the auxiliary lights, which are mounted on the crash guards themselves! Left Mirror was also scratched but not broken or damaged otherwise. The Zana pillion footrest (left) was deformed by the impact, likely permanently, but a little bit of hammering out at the service center makes it barely noticeable visually, and has not made any perceptible difference to the pillion. The plastic body panels, side panels, levers, rider's footpeg all escaped unscathed. Basically, it took the major brunt of the crash, and with sparks flying out as it through the tarmac, it was literally, albeit briefly, on fire (remember riding and sliding along at 40-45 kmph are two separate beasts!). Not adding note or two on the crash guards seemed nothing less than a crime! SW-Motech, more power and love to you guys!

As you can also see, I am still continuing to use the crash guards, with no distortion or compromise of structural integrity apparent. A little touch up and a paint job should bring it back to its former glory visually. In fact, I am still relying on them to do the job (God forbid), should they be called for again.

The knuckle guards (Barkbusters copy) have also been crucial in genuinely saving my knuckles and the levers (the damages are visible in the pictures) on a couple of occassions. But at this point, I've already written a very long note and added more to that. So, I'll just leave the story for another day and another time. The important thing is that they, too did a fantastic job, despite being 'copies'.

Hence, quality accessories are important. They may appear expensive, and I keep chirping on the economy not because of my love for it, but to impress on the fact that there are no two ways about it. Personally, the majority of my big budget financial decisions were in assuring safety and comfort on a motorcycle, which meant suitable planning and at times, bold but necessary decisions. Being mentally prepared for the expenses may make the blow easier to take. But for serious, responsible motorcycling, they are inevitable.

As is clear from the note, each and every individual safety accessory and riding gear played their own part in ensuring that I live to write this review in one piece.

By searching online, you can total up to how much all my accessories cost. If it appears a LOT, think with the perspective that any ONE of those parts missing could have potentially caused a life-changing, crippling, or even fatal outcome to human or machine alike. Imagine paying bills for those, which might not even be due to the motorcyclist's error! Not to mention the physical and psychological trauma to boot. Safety gear does not 'guarantee' safety and certainly does not permit one to be an idiot on the road. It does nothing but give a 1% better chance of survival, and should be viewed as nothing more than that.

Take time to build a usable collection of safety equipment, and the one time investments will serve for years. Once a collection is built, though, periodical repairs, upgrades, etc. become an easier and manageable propositions for the burnt pockets.

Motorcycles, beyond their storied adventures and identities as lifestyle products, are also the stoic workhorses that enable folk to earn their bread, and enjoy the occassional evening coffee-and-chatter rides. But even the greatest motorcyclist in the world isn't immune to split second errors, so completely relying on riding skills alone to save one even when things go south may not be the wisest option.

Knowing one's means, limitations, requirements and how high safety ranks in the list of priorities is a matter of great soul-searching. So, good luck and happy motorcycling!

[aston_martyr]

Great review and genuine experience log.
Quick question though - What kinda windshield is that? Does it help at all with the windblast being a naked bike? Any buffeting towards the helmet etc...

[skr]

Originally Posted by aston_martyr

Quick question though - What kinda windshield is that? Does it help at all with the windblast being a naked bike? Any buffeting towards the helmet etc...

Hi @aston_martyr for the positive feedback! I'll try to answer all your questions, although it is a little tricky to pass a direct judgement on the windshield!

It's a GIVI windshield. Honestly, the protection against proper windblast is perceptible only if you are totally tucked in and just peaking over it at high speeds (post 110-120 kmph range,considering normal to slightly windy conditions) . I guess it also adds some protection to the instrument console.

I also discovered that it can can be used for the clip-like Go-Pro mount, which is useful to record videos a windshield (sort of a dashcam) view. Additionally, I guess 3rd party extensions could be clipped on to it for added protection.

The fit and finish is of good quality, and it quietly adds to the aesthetics. Has survived all the crashes, impacts (not directly on it, though), and toppling overs since mid-2023. So, there's no harm in adding one, especially if you don't mind the exorbitant price to make your motorcycle that 0.1% better! However, preferably avoid extended sun visor peaks (remove them if possible, like I have done) on the helmet as the wind will be deflected right on to the peak, making your head move around like a bobblehead toy.

To sum up, I personally like it, but would advice to not expect it to be a life-saving solution against windblast, due to (as have rightly pointed out) it "being a naked bike". It does 'a job' nonetheless, perhaps even more than I can perceive of with my limited experience of motorcycles.