Long-term review of my Honda CB300R | With insights on safety & touring on small motorcycles

Join Date: Aug 2023

Location: Dehradun

Posts: 9

Thanked: 35 Times

Continuing connected from my thread from astir a twelvemonth backmost (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...TUwOTcuMC4wLjA (Modifying the Honda CB300R to beryllium a decent tourer | Food for thought).), having present utilized the Honda CB300R for astir 3 years, the odo speechmaking astir 31,500 km astatine the clip of writing, and including a clang trial to boot(!) I thought it would beryllium bully to travel up with a semipermanent idiosyncratic reappraisal of the motorcycle, with peculiar absorption connected its touring capabilities (don't spot the internet, you can), which volition besides screen astir of my accessories, acceptable up and tiny reappraisal of them. I'll effort to supply immoderate solutions to the enigma of doing agelong rides with a pillion connected a tiny motorcycle (using the reappraisal arsenic a archetypal manus example), portion being realistic with expectations. I've added a fewer wide insights and proposal regarding touring arsenic well. But delight instrumentality note, thing written present should beryllium treated arsenic 'advice' oregon 'recommendation' successful immoderate way, but simply ideas I personally recovered useful. This is my archetypal effort astatine a elaborate motorcycle reappraisal here, truthful instrumentality lone the bully worldly and forgive and hide thing that sounds "meh".

Apologies for small contextual details that person made this nonfiction adjacent longer than expected, but without context, wherefore and what suits maine is tricky to communicate. So, delight carnivore with me.

About myself: Born and brought up successful Calcutta, posted successful Dehradun since 2016. At contiguous I unrecorded present with my woman (hello to each from her) and favored mouse, PingPong (hello to each from him too!).

My archetypal effort astatine riding scooters was successful aboriginal 2016, and moving to a Tier-II City aboriginal the aforesaid year, I soon realised with helmetless schoolkids flying astir successful Classic 350s to Activas (kudos to those parents!), that a idiosyncratic two-wheeler was astir mandatory. Since my archetypal acquisition (without adjacent a licence successful astatine the time) successful June/ July 2017, I person utilized 3 vehicles successful all. Here is simply 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 beauteous successful their ain way, and I americium fond of each of them.

Unusual scenario: An administrative determination successful 2020 meant that my bureau was shifted to the outskirts of the city, shooting the residence-office region from 1.2 km to 20.2 km. A consecutive 20x jump! Severe deficiency of nationalist transport connectivity to these forested outskirts meant that astir EVERY idiosyncratic successful the bureau was forced to ain their rides, and benignant of compelled into being riders/ drivers, ladies and gents alike. 100% of the bureau colonisation owning idiosyncratic vehicles and each of them riding / driving distances of astatine slightest 20 km which goes upto 50-60 km for many. In different words, learning to ride/drive is not a choice, but an implicit necessity since 2020. The play betwixt 2021 to 2023 was incredibly frustrating with roadworthy operation works astatine their highest each astir the city, which made travelling and the postulation an implicit nightmare.

Some of the stretches done the wood are picturesque and perfectly gorgeous. Popular net sites urge the way arsenic a weekend/breakfast getaway astir Dehradun. As the roadworthy operation works are present mostly complete, the measurement of vehicles and brutal accidents person besides gone up exponentially done the years, to a constituent present wherever it is astir an mundane substance now. In addition, being an elephant corridor, carnal crossings, portion not a predominant sight, is an omnipresent possibility, giving 1 occassional views of elephant herds strolling astir non-chalantly chomping connected trees, oregon the occassional fox jogging astir casually.

USE: As mentioned above, a longish regular bureau commute (20+20=40 km) successful the outskirts of Dehradun that offers a operation of roadworthy conditions. First fractional (within the city): patches of immense postulation load from astir the 9:30 americium people and invariably successful the evening, alongwith mean metropolis roads; and Second fractional (outskirts of city): Completely done a portion of the Rajaji National Park. Includes clean, consecutive stretches followed by a agelong of astir 3-4 km of twisties. The full road is, however, devoid of immoderate divider, meaning rogue cars, bikes, buses adjacent trucks changing lanes astatine speeds of upto 100-120 kmph and vehicles taking U-turns successful the mediate of a precocious velocity agelong without indicators are astir an mundane deal. Keeping absorption astatine each times and being acceptable to swiftly power to gravel astatine precocious speeds astatine the past 2nd is simply a indispensable life-skill to possess.

Really agelong roadworthy trips are besides a portion of my work. Taking the motorcycle keeps beingness elemental and saves the nauseating, excruciating agelong hours of nationalist transport (no rail/air connectivity, remember). It besides adds to the amusive of being capable to research each the places astir for the play of my enactment (around 4-5 months a year). Coupled with the information that my woman & I besides bask meal rides to aimless to short/ agelong rides to play trips, regular two-up rides were added to my portfolio of solo trips aft marriage. So, my journeys person been mostly done the mountains, which brings with it each of what 1 would usually expect to brushwood successful Himalayan terrain. The brutal winters, watercourse crossings, innumerable twisties, wildlife, ghat sections, landslides, bully roads, atrocious roads, unspeakable roads, constrictive roads, forested roads, scary roads, etc.

THE PROTAGONIST: A gem of an engine- smooth, linear, nimble, lightweight, sharp, scalpel similar done the corners, eager, accelerated capable (for civilized society) and yet neutral, forgiving and ne'er overwhelming. Looks tiny yet feels reasonably muscular erstwhile connected board. Gearing is short, truthful it could beryllium occassionally somewhat jittery successful debased speeds and debased gears (e.g. acold mornings, aft idle days), but that's hardly noticeable.

Top velocity specs are not my priority, and neither bash breakneck speeds fascinate me, but lad this happening tin go! Wind blast volition commencement taking its toll past 120-130 mark, but I tin myself attest to having reached up to 153 kmph (for a mates of seconds, conscionable to trial retired however accelerated I tin situation to propulsion it). 160-165 should beryllium attainable, but thing beyond 110-15 is champion near for way days.

The champion happening astir the Honda is possibly the prime of it being flexible and forgiving capable to suit each riding style.
Go cruising? Yes!
Go fast? Oh Yes!
Go slow? Not an issue!
Corners? Yum!
Spirited ride? Absolutely!
Slow cruise and bask the scenery around? Why not?
Forgot to power gear? Fine, I'll fto the motor pass you if it gets excessively bad...

Weight was an overwhelmingly important origin successful my enactment of the CB300R astatine the clip of purchase. Considering my spot of a fly, and knowing the benignant of commutes and terrains that I would request to tackle, big, dense motorcycles were a strict no, no. While I would similar to judge I americium equipped to grip larger motorcycles now, but the virtues of airy weightedness (at slightest ever the feeling of one), sharpness and flickability cannot beryllium stressed enough. Indian roads are treacherous, and blinding accelerated reflexes from some rider and motorcycle go necessary, nary substance however cautious 1 is. The scalpel similar reflexes person saved maine not conscionable from rogue traffic, but abrupt carnal intrusions and different unexpected obstructions. Cornering connected the motorcycle is simply a existent joy, which makes taking connected the twisties immensely enjoyable. The operation of sharpness and forgivingness shining similar a guiding star.

The gearshifts are slick and smooth, and enactment similar a charm. Regular concatenation attraction is required owed to the unfastened chain, particularly during the monsoons. The brakes are besides delightful- sharp, creaseless and forgiving. Throttle effect is crisp & linear, and you'll find yourself successful 3rd cogwheel quickly, which is erstwhile each the amusive starts surging in. This is not to accidental little gears are not smooth, but the saccharine spot appears astatine 3rd cogwheel from astir 2500-3000 rpm and continues till astir 7500-8000 rpm (rough guess, close maine different users if I americium incorrect with the figures) with vibrations hardly noticeable. Beyond this are the realm of blinding speeds that I person seldom attained, and this nonfiction isn't astir the motorcycle's racing abilities, truthful I'll skip thing connected that. Staying successful 2nd cogwheel is rather easy, conscionable successful lawsuit going down to 1st is annoying everytime. I've adjacent made stop-starts successful 3rd cogwheel (casual error) aggregate times, and hardly ever retrieve stalling.

Ground clearance connected insubstantial is simply a deceptive 151 mm, which suggests the sump defender should beryllium taking a regular beating successful the smallest potholes. On the contrary, the uncommon hits to the sump defender are mostly down to my errors (most often the invisible-till past potholes). It has taken maine astir till the rima of glaciers and gone implicit landslides and lunar-style crevasses, and glided implicit pools of h2o reaching till my feet. Remember, astir the entirety of its 31,500 km is done the Himalayas, truthful kilometres should beryllium interpreted with caution and due multiplying factors should accordingly taken into account.

In summary, hide the fig 151 mm. It is bully capable to tackle astir of what the roads tin offer. It volition comfortably grip mild offroads and dirt-tracks and get you done easily. Standing connected the footpegs is besides reasonably easy, though I bash this lone sparingly, chiefly to relieve bum-sore and implicit heavy potholes. But if tackling these are a priority, I'll fto your communal consciousness and practicality determine connected the prime of your motorcycle.

FUEL TANK: Small, 9.8L! Little bummer, should person been astatine slightest a mates of liters more, but past again, ne'er stranded owed to deficiency of fuel, and further jerrycans person not been required till date.

Long word mileage is astir 32.5-33 kmpl. Could beryllium stretched to astir 34-35 without the further accessories.

SAFETY GEAR: For the past twelvemonth oregon so, I person made wearing implicit cogwheel an mundane habit, and not conscionable connected agelong trips (Always wore cogwheel connected them), thing I should person started agelong clip back. Neither the northbound Indian summertime with its stock of loo and the rainy seasons are perfect for full-blown gear, but the wont of putting connected cogwheel successful the greeting helps getting into motorcycle-mode mentally a fewer minutes earlier than usual.

Wearing cogwheel volition garner eyeballs, airy sarcasm,etc. each of which 1 has to larn to ignore. It is unfortunate that the wide conception inactive seems to beryllium that riding cogwheel is manufactured exclusively for YouTube vloggers (the chhapri type). Whether I americium a 'rider' (synonym for vlogger, though everyone riding a 2 wheeler is technically one) oregon vlogger is simply a communal question, proving intelligibly that the chhapri cognition is the 'only' 1 known to an mean Indian, which is alarming to accidental the least.

Traffic rules are a discretionary substance successful Uttarakhand, wherever the pillion is not adjacent expected to deterioration a helmet. Even for the rider, fines are imposed lone a fewer days of the year. Basically, the wide cognition seems to beryllium that helmets are purchased to debar challans, and not to prevention the head. Naturally, the postulation conditions are getting worse everyday. With road-networks getting better, the small, peaceful metropolis is turning into 1 of chaos with an unsustainable load particularly connected weekends. For reference, weekends utilized to beryllium my 'practice' days erstwhile starting retired with scooters, arsenic the roads would beryllium bully and empty. Post COVID, going to the metropolis centre connected weekends sometimes reaches to the constituent of trauma. An efficient, strict postulation absorption strategy and wide acquisition connected postulation rules is severely required here.

TORSO: Rynox Air-GT3 (no thorax guard), purchased successful precocious 2020 earlier I started doing agelong trips connected the Yamaha. I added a DSG-Bionic armour past twelvemonth (chest extortion included) to bushed the summertime heat, which has relegated the Rynox to occassional use.

LEGS & FEET: Rynox Bastion genu guards for bureau commutes, portion for agelong trips and erstwhile travelling with wife, I usage the Rynox Advento pants. My woman uses a BBG 10 twelvemonth day variation overgarment and the aforesaid Rynox Bastion kneeguards, freed up owed to maine utilizing the Advento. For shoes, I utilized an Alpinestars Sektor (customer-returned merchandise from LRL motors), which is starting to autumn isolated with aggravated usage implicit a year. I besides person a Shima Strato Boots, which I usage for occassional bureau rides (e.g. erstwhile the Sektor was wet), and precocious started doing agelong trips connected that.

The Sektor has been utilized for what looks similar 1 past 300 km ride, conscionable a fewer days back. Perhaps I would person liked much durability, but considering the maltreatment the Sektor took implicit the year, I can't truly kick of its quality. The harm is chiefly successful the beforehand portion of the near pair. It's got maine done a just stock of the Himalayas with small trouble, if ever..so each successful all, bully shoes.

The Strato Boots consciousness ample initially, but concealed beneath jeans (regular acceptable preferably), it works arsenic a good bureau footwear without lasting retired excessively overmuch visually. Takes a small clip getting utilized to the maneuvering, particularly for the uninitiated. But the size ne'er makes them uncomfortable successful immoderate way. Can easy beryllium utilized with much fashionable clothing, and walking is besides reasonably casual for a motorcycle boot, successful information adjacent comfy erstwhile it starts breaking in. The Atop lacing makes it casual taking it connected and disconnected during the summers astatine the bureau table, offering bid of mind. Fine boots, afloat stop.

CRASH TEST: Recently had a clang portion doing a post-300 km trip. Entered into an unexpectedly clayey country astatine somewhat higher velocity (around 45 kmph probably). The country was akin to the ones before, wide, and allowing introduction astatine a decent speed, but the clayey spot being dryish connected the aboveground visibly did not basal retired capable to dilatory maine down. I realised I had to dilatory down excessively lone aft the wheels were onto the slippery clay, and similar a novice, tried the beforehand brake to dilatory down. Although it wasn't a slamming panic brake, the beforehand instrumentality nevertheless skidded off, and a fewer seconds of whisky hands later, I recovered myself sliding done the tarmac, the motorcycle sliding further ahead, sparks flying retired from the clang guard, earlier coming to a halt astir 10-15 metres up of wherever I ended up. Escaped with conscionable a torn jacket, a flimsy teardrop connected the pant, and an impact/abrasion wounded to the interior broadside of the near knee. No cuts, lacerations and (hopefully) nary breached bones thankfully. Touching oregon somewhat pressing the genu was rather achy for the archetypal mates of months which has mostly subsided now. Strangely, the wounded did not hamper my movements, arsenic I could locomotion astir and adjacent tally normally. Touch oregon unit connected the spot was the lone happening that hurt.

The riding gears did their job, and I cannot kick of the injury, which could person been way, mode worse. Imagine making the equivalent slits to the genu and elbow.

SW-Motech clang defender did it's occupation brilliantly. The costly things yet proving their worthy large time. Scratches connected the near handlebar, and a flimsy harm to the pillion footrest enactment were the damages sustained. No replace-worthy damages to the bike. Thank God!

My absorption to the clang was bonzer by my standards. Very annoyed by the error, I simply got up, hurled a fewer prime words astatine myself, lifted my fallen friend, hopped onto it and simply continued onto the remaining 150 km-odd. With nary cars astir for that duration, nationalist embarrassment was avoided. I had nary unreserved of adrenaline oregon panic, conscionable a consciousness of aggravated irritation for having made the mess.

RIDER & PILLION: My woman and I lend a sum full of astir 115 kgs to the Earth, and a combined tallness of astir 127-28 inches (5'7" rider and 5'0"-5'1" pillion). This is important to note, arsenic we bash person the vantage of being comparatively little fatigued by the seemingly cafe-racer benignant (doesn't consciousness that mode astatine each erstwhile connected board) than normal. Moreover, with time, habit, practice, coordination and miles nether the belt, person go adjacent much comfortable. The height, value origin is important, and this is possibly the biggest crushed wherefore not each bikes volition suit everyone. With our respective heights and weights, I haven't had to set the preload, arsenic they proceed to beryllium successful the banal mounting since time 1. Plain and evident information present is that a tall/ dense pillion volition not find this comfy implicit agelong hours. Preload accommodation whitethorn assistance slightly, but not excessively definite of that too. The crouched pillion evidently isn't going to beryllium a sofa oregon a legume bag, but with time, patience, close technique, wearing close cogwheel and consenting to beryllium astatine bid with the information that a fewer aches, pains and frustrations volition beryllium portion of the learning process should marque it easier.

My thought present is to alteration the cognition that a 'small motorcycle' cannot tour, not to accidental it is easy. If handling a big, dense motorcycle mundane and perchance 'everywhere' (note this word) isn't an issue, you astir apt wouldn't person travel this acold into a non-sense nonfiction astir touring and CB300R anyway.

Touring Techniques

HEAD: Interchanging betwixt 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 woman is simply a superb pillion- ace attentive and often communicative of astir each flimsy question erstwhile needed (we don't usage BT headsets arsenic of yet). With time, we person worked retired that the pillion mimicking the rider's assemblage movements enactment best. I've got to admit her for making my occupation mode easier than it should person been.

With a pillion connected board, trying to beryllium perfectly spot connected with the throttle to guarantee zero jerky movements should beryllium the main absorption each second. Trying to debar bumping helmets implicit each sorts of postulation and distances is simply a large workout for this. A elemental and basal conception connected the surface, but the stepped seat, afloat look helmets and the not truthful overmuch abstraction successful betwixt makes things interesting. Indian postulation ever spices things up, truthful it's a bully situation to springiness oneself. Jerky movements support adding to micro-fatigue arsenic hours tick by.

SIDE NOTE: ALWAYS see bumping helmets arsenic the Rider's mistake, adjacent erstwhile it is not (most often they are though, adjacent erstwhile you deliberation it isn't). Unnecessary annoyance implicit tiny bumps volition adhd to micro-stress, reducing thrust capacity. It is pugnacious for the pillion excessively connected a tiny motorcycle, truthful conscionable beryllium considerate. It is unavoidable (Indian roads volition marque definite it is), but surely minimizable beyond content with practice.

CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION: Communication and statement is fractional the conflict won. It volition make with signifier and learning each other's habits. Synchronisation volition get amended with time.

ACHILLES HEEL: Packing our luggage for 2-3 time trips has proven to beryllium our Achilles bottommost repeatedly. After sizeable thought, mediocre packing, lessons from novice mistakes, amended knowing of the motorcycle-pillion-luggage dynamics script and sizeable discussions with my wife, I precocious purchased a 32L GIVI Top container (with backrest) and took a fewer trial runs, putting it done a small spot of hell, having notched up astir a 1000 km successful conscionable implicit a week. This includes 4 longish rides ranging betwixt 6-11 hours, including 2 150 km rides with a pillion including a fewer perfectly treacherous patches, and 2 post-300 km trips solo.

Surprisingly, according to my woman (pillion feedback aft 2 agelong trial trips), the apical container made her consciousness much 'comfortable' and 'secure' knowing precisely however overmuch abstraction she has to determination around, contempt not adjacent needing to usage the backmost remainder adjacent aft 7-8 hours connected the saddle, contempt each the crouching each day. I personally felt the added value astatine the backmost someway made going into the corners of the countless twisties somewhat easier, astir apt owed to much wound from the rear brakes. This is not a proposal (too aboriginal to conclude), but to get relieved disconnected the horrible accent of uncovering ways to equine brushed luggage connected the apical rack portion keeping it comfy for the pillion is immense for me. Sagging and the wide jumbled messiness of bungees and fasteners are beasts I conscionable could not tame.

GRIP & BODY POSTURE: Using the banana grip connected the handlebar reduces fatigue connected arms and shoulders and a flimsy guardant crook of the backmost helps alleviate the pothole jerks, portion rev-matching truly helps debar micro jerky movements. Nicely gripping the knees and feet with the motorcycle instantly makes it consciousness arsenic airy arsenic a bicycle. Riding pants forestall skidding astir the seat, which takes fatigue absorption up by a fewer notches. Overall, being nice, relaxed and yet unafraid is important.

The cardinal extremity to each small workout is to trim fatigue implicit agelong hours connected the saddle. Since Reduced fatigue=extended thrust time=lesser breaks needed=more miles crunched comfortably.

CONCLUSION: Interestingly, I travelled to adjacent further interiors of Uttarakhand (upto the Nepal border) with the Yamaha (solo) astatine a clip erstwhile the roads were being widened. What I mean to harp connected done this full enactment is, adjacent a 150cc is capable to screen an full hilly authorities and its stock of challenging roads. My techniques were afloat of fault, but it got maine done each the aforesaid (grateful to the Yamaha for that). Basically, 1 tin circuit 90% of the places connected conscionable astir immoderate bike. Particular motorcycles whitethorn not ever look similar a applicable choice, particularly going by net reviews. But conscionable however overmuch adjacent the simplest, 'small' motorcycles tin bash erstwhile explored is beyond fascinating to learn.

For the much challenging adventures, guarantee that your riding skills and bosom are bigger than the size of your motorcycle.

I anticipation everyone enjoys the pictures, astir each of which are taken wrong the past 3 months oregon so. Cheers!