The Ninja was a near-mythical figure in the heartlands of middle -age Japan. Legends abounded of how the feared assassins could disappear into the dark of the night, only to show up unannounced after sometime to land a devastating, killing slash. Needless to say, the brand Ninja from Kawasaki has imbibed some of the ideals from the enigmatic killers that prowled ancient Japan. Throwing conventions and customs around for a toss, the Ninja series of bikes has charted its own path and carved a niche for itself. However, they got a taste of their own medicine from a Japanese counterpart, only recently.
If you have been following BikeAdvice, we have sniffed the upcoming bigger CBR when a presentation slideshot made way across the web. Details here.
But, almost like the eerie, mysterious surprise strike of the ancient rebels of Japan, Honda landed a blow out of nowhere when it announced the presentation of a new CBR300R sportbike for the China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition (CIMAMotor) in Chongqing, China. The exhibition is already underway, as it was slated from the 17th through 20th of October. After Kawasaki took the Ninja 250 a few notches higher with the Ninja 300 a few months back, the CBR300R seems a fitting retort.
But is it??
We aren’t really sure.
There have been no sneak-peeks into the official specifications of the bike. However, it is clear that the powerplant is larger than the existing one. Honda had pumped in a lot of investment into the designing of the powerplant of the CBR250R, hence speculations are rife that the new bike in question carries an overbore of the older bike’s engine. But let us remind that all these are speculations, and we have no confirmation on the details about the engine, including its power specs!We can only gleam a few details from the revealed pictures. The new CBR300R carries some parts from the older bike, like the shark-fin shaped tail-cowl and similar panels on the sporty full, front cowling. However, it now does more justice to the name “CBR”. Unlike the 250-cc sibling which was more of a Baby-VFR than a Baby-CBR, the just-announced 300-cc version sports its design cues and stays loyal to that. Instead of the Y-Shaped Headlamp, we now have twin-headlamps which carry inspiration from other models in the CBR lineup.
There is also the hint of a sharper theme to the design job, as evident from the wee-more pronounced edges around the fuel tank area. If the older, 250-cc version comprised of smooth, understated curves, the just-announced 300-cc sibling flaunts its raciness with aplomb. All we can say is that The Hot Just got Hotter!!
The CBR300R will be a true-blue global exponent of the Japanese behemoth called Honda, and it will be shipped to the far-flung corners of the world. At present, we have indications that this new model will be manufactured at the Japanese manufacturer’s Thailand-based facility. However, we aren’t aware if it will lead to the shelving of the CBR250R . We aren’t even sure if it will land on the Indian shores or not!!
But let us hope it does!! Keep tuned to us as we are scourging around for more details on the powerplant and its Indian-tryst.
Also Read: India Bound Honda CBR400 Details & Prices Revealed in Japan