The Honda CB300R is all set to make a comeback to the Indian market, this time as a locally assembled motorcycle. The bike was shown at India Bike Week 2021 last month, with a few changes compared to the BS4 version (brought in as a CKD). Notable additions include a slipper clutch, a new golden finish on the fork tubes and MRF tyres in place of the earlier Michelins.
Now, the CB300R’s type approval documents have surfaced, with some interesting information. While the BS4 bike’s 286cc single-cylinder engine produced 30.45hp at 8,000rpm, the BS6 version will manage 31.1hp, but at a higher 9,000rpm.
The 2022 motorcycle will have to comply with stricter emission regulations, so it’s quite likely that Honda has tinkered with the state of tune to try and retain as much performance as possible. This is especially important since rivals like the BMW G 310 R and KTM 390 Duke produce 34hp and 43hp respectively.
Whether these changes have made the performance less usable than before is something we should be able to find out soon, as the bike is slated to launch this month. Interestingly, the document also shows that the wheelbase has gone up slightly, from 1,344mm to 1,352mm. It’s unclear whether this has anything to do with the localisation, since the new figure is the same as the bike currently sold in international markets.
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