The Honda CB300F has been updated. It can now run on flex-fuel. Is the motorcycle good in this iteration? We find out
Story: Ajit Menon M
Photography: Kalidas M
The government of India would like all the motorcycles and cars (barring the electric vehicles, of course) to run on ethanol-blended petrol. This would mean that the money we spend on fuel imports would decrease, so that we may spend it on other necessary things. The ethanol-blended petrol, known as E20, contains 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol and the goal is to eventually use E80, which would contain 80 per cent ethanol and 20 per cent petrol. Now, the normal engines we have cannot run on E20 because ethanol is very corrosive; you need special engines to run the mixture. The Honda CB300F Flex-Fuel, which is up to E85 compatible, is Honda’s latest offering in the market.
The Honda CB300F Flex-Fuel was released recently and the bike does not feature many visual changes. There is a green sticker on the tank with “Flex-Fuel” written in green on it. That is the only thing that sets this motorcycle apart from the existing CB300F. You get the same tank with a capacity of 14.1 litres, upside-down (USD) forks at the front, and a tiny instrument cluster. The cluster warns you when the side-stand is down and you also get dual trip meters. The round tachometer, which is rather small, is a major gripe. Also, like most Honda bikes, the positions of the horn and the indicator have been switched which could cause a bit of confusion to the rider.
Like most naked bikes, the Honda CB300F Flex-Fuel offers an upright and relaxed riding posture. The foot-pegs are directly beneath the rider and one can grip the tank while riding. The seat is comfortable but the pillion seat is small and not ideal. I am 5’ 9” and I could easily place both feet on the ground while on the motorcycle.
The engine is a 293.5-cc, oil-cooled, four-valve, SOHC, single-cylinder that produces 24.5 hp and 25.6 Nm of torque. This marks an increase of 0.5 hp and 0.9 Nm over the standard model. The engine feels relaxed while riding in the city and one can almost ride wherever one wishes to in third gear. It also feels very smooth while revving; just the way a Honda engine should. The suspension feels firm enough for all city rides.
The motorcycle sounds like a bargain when you consider the price. The Honda CB300F Flex-Fuel costs only Rs 1.70 lakh (ex-showroom), which is nearly Rs 50,000 less than the previous model. Compare this with the prices of other 250-cc bikes and you would feel that Honda are out to put them out of business.
If you are someone looking for a motorcycle in the 250-300 cc range to be put to use within the city, with an occasional highway ride thrown in, we would recommend this motorcycle.
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