Honda CB300F and CB500F

Two naked base motorcycles at once. I went to Honda ride event to try these two. It was very windy ride and while doing 70 km one way through backroads and highway I was thinking about what I need in new motorcycle. On the back road I noticed how comfortable I am on my current one. No matter what, I spend a lot of time riding or rather commuting. This makes sitting and riding comfort very hard felt or squeezed subject. Backroads are relaxed on speed, twisty and bumpy. Some stretches have long cracks hardly covered with blackish goo. Riding over them, make me wish more settled and planted ride. Some sturdiness and ability to eat these things and burp less. It comes with better tires and better suspension. 

Highway is totally different. I feel acutely the lack of power in my current motorcycle. Also wind gusts give me a nudges I don’t like. Don’t like, not fear them. It easy if your bike is heavier and more powerful.

Also you can do more than 100 km/h against wind.

By the way it all was met in Yamaha Z07. With some bonuses.

Rode was done at Kitchener-Waterloo Honda. It sells solely Honda bikes as a name suggests. Massive bunch of motorcycles was parked in front of dealership. Contrary to rather intimate Yamaha ride.

On the side dealership rolled out two of their prized restoration projects: first generation Honda gold wing and first 6 cylinder bike Honda CBX 1000! 

CBX1000 and Gold Wing 1100

They looked like it 1981 and roads are ruled by ford Mustangs which best CBX only by 20-30 HP. As you can imagine these bikes felt like SR71 blackbird compared to Cessna back then. 

3 out of 6

 They still look sharp and special today. I really like graphics and ease of instrumentation. I admire engineering of this productive growing Japan. Country which said we going to build best no matter what and these bikes are manifestation of this hard work! These are very respectful and admired bikes in my eyes.

I booked ride on CBR500, CB300F and CB500F. Reasoning? Last year I identified these as target bikes to buy. It was on the paper combination of performance/value for me. 300F seem to be very reasonable priced and it has cheap insurance rates. 500F seem to be more than enough for anything unless you want to be 3 seconds quick to 100. CBR is the same but has fairing and it can help with higher speeds on the highway. It all about numbers and value. I tried to seat on these bikes in dealership and liked them.

It never came to actual buying last year.

Personally I dig naked bikes, so i started with tow of them. CB300F 

 

Honda CB300F

was the first one and CB500F was second.

 

Honda CB500F

 After riding these two I did not tried CBR500.

Instrumentation is digital as of today trend. Most readable part is the speed. It big numerical value in front of you. Tachometer is usual bar with small readout foot print. I don’t like these but you can’t avoid them. You get clock (very useful), fuel gauge (very useful!!!) and bunch of usual warning lights. Honda did not bothered to include gear readout just regular green neutral light. It may be not the deal breaker, but both Yamaha and Suzuki indeed provide you with gear number in front of you. In not a big deal, just a notion.

Seating position is somehow between super sport and classic. Your legs are not stretched or straight, your legs are behind you. Not as sharp as it was on Yamaha R3, but further than it was on FZ07 or Suzuki SV650. Weight is on your hands. Since you leaning forward you supporting your weight and after riding for 35 minutes I felt uncomfortable. It really put these bikes off the list for me. FZ07, R3 felt relaxed. Suzuki SV 650 gave small reminder to your hands, but nothing capital. Not the Honda. Seat is basic but good. Quality of bars and handles, switches is again cost saving, but ok. It not premium, and to support that pin holding front brake on CB500F already started to rust and orangey-brown trail was “leaking” from it.

Ride: suspension is firm and can handle. CB500F has definitely more to it and can handle much better. It feels on higher speeds and during downshifting. It planted, it fast in the corners, and nothing dramatic happened on bumps. Both bikes handled side winds much better than my own. However 500 bike excelled bit more due to better shocks. Shocks are not really premium and adjustable, but suitable for both high speed and beaten city roads maneuvering. CB300 gave wiggling of rear wheel on downshifting. In the same corner CB500 did not wiggle at all.

Acceleration is adequate in the city for CB300 and somehow lacking on freeway speed. I mean you accelerate but on par with the cars. 6-th speed is solely for steady cursing and 5-th gear won’t help you to accelerate. 4-th was the way to go but against the wind it was not quick enough. 3d gear is too low for freeway. CB500 is genuinely quick. It can almost keep up with the big bikes and on a freeway. 6 th gear is also for cruising, but you can pass on 5-th and 4-th gives you solid kick.

Gearbox on both bikes is the best gearbox I tested on the bikes. There is only positive feeling about both bikes.

Brakes are also solid on both bikes. CB500F has better brakes and felt confident in any type of driving: city or freeway. CB300F was not as sharp on freeway, however it probably also due to difference in tire size.

Sound… it quiet and later after 7000 RPM it rather calling for aftermarket parts somehow in a loud and unpleasant voice of disturbed cat.

Bottom line?

CB300F: I can live with it. If it bought for 3600$ last year model it actually very impressive bargain. Bike is one rank above my current one and can give me all I need for commute to work part, but it will not be sufficient in anything else. Also I felt uncomfortable and it erases it from the list instantly. Would I recommend it for a discount price? 100% yes. If it what you need for learning / commuting and you on the budget.  This one is probably the best bike you can get.  It not great, but it can do it all.

CB500F is better bike, it can do it all, but it lucks character. It is beginner bike and commuter. CB500F is capable of doing freeways and backroads. It stylish naked bike with fantastic brakes and the best gearbox. However it cost short of 7000 at 6800$ or 6200$ last year discounted before taxes and fees. Yamaha FZ07 is 7299$ and it much better bike in every department. This makes it hard to recommend 500F, unless you locked dead on to buy Honda.

None of these bikes left great feeling or memory i will cherish. It all numbers.

Even numbers not in favor of Honda.