Honda’s unique Neo Sports Café family, joining the CB1000R, CB650R and CB125R
The new 22YM CB300R joins its siblings, the CB1000R, CB650R and CB125R in Honda’s unique Neo Sports Café naked line up.
Honda’s new lightweight superstar – tipping the scales at just 144kg wet – features a free-revving, EURO5-compliant DOHC 4V 286cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine that produces 22.9kW peak power and 27.5Nm torque. The addition of an assist/slipper clutch allows smooth shifts and manages rear wheel ‘hop’ on rapid downshifting and hard braking.
The frame mixes pressed and tubular steel for a tuned rigidity balance that gives great feedback to the rider. And, just like its larger siblings, the CB300R now features SFF-BP USD forks with 41mm diameter that offer increased feel, bump absorption and control. The front radial-mounted 4-piston caliper, hubless floating disc, IMU-controlled ABS and radial tyres add to the specification, as do a tapered steel handlebar, updated LCD instrument display and full LED lighting.
Honda’s Neo Sports Café range reinterprets the café racer for the modern day, with ‘Mechanical Art’ key words in a design language originating in Honda’s R&D base in Rome. With beautiful engineering, classic touches and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, it’s a concept that draws a firm line of attitude and style around each model.
King of the Neo Sports Café range is the CB1000R. Updated most recently for 21YM, it features minimalist, purposeful ‘hunched forward’ styling and an exciting Fireblade-derived engine. The CB1000R Black Edition amplifies the aggressive outlook even further, complementing the lines with a hand-crafted ‘custom’ look, thanks to the Deep Graphite Black paint scheme and black headlight bezel, fly-screen, fork stanchions, radiator shrouds, airbox covers, exhaust and muffler details.
The CB650R, which for 22YM sees the introduction of the new Sword Silver Metallic colour scheme, continues the desirability of the range and offers a lively, four-cylinder middleweight choice. For those starting out, the CB125R (which gained a new DOHC 4V engine and SFF-BP forks for in 21YM) is a truly original first riding option.
The 22YM CB300R will be available in new Pearl Dusk Yellow and Mat Pearl Agile Blue colour schemes, alongside the Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic and Candy Chromosphere Red.
