They say you don’t miss what you haven’t experienced, and that motto kept me satisfied for so long on my Splendor
BHPian itisravi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hello BHPians, I took delivery of the OBD-2 variant of the CB300F DLX PRO last weekend. This is my second motorcycle purchase. My first bike was the Hero-Honda Splendor Plus which I bought around 2004/2005 timeframe for commuting to work after getting my first job. It was a reliable work horse that served me very well until I disposed it off recently. I was hence on the lookout for a new bike and the plan was to buy a ‘fun to ride’ bike not exceeding 200 cc. The intended usage was mostly for city duties when taking the car out was an overkill/ burden (thanks to the traffic and parking hassles in Bangalore) and some highway runs to the umpteen one-day scenic destinations around Bangalore which I have not explored much. I rented/test-rode the following bikes last year and honestly, I loved all of them for what they offered. The bikes were not in the best of condition and the rides were mostly about assessing the ergonomics and ease of handling and not so much the technical specs. For context, I’m in my early 40’s, a little over 5’6″ tall and weigh under 70 KGs with a somewhat lean build, thanks to my bicycling hobby.
Hero Xpulse 200:
Rented bike ridden for ~ 135 KMs. I have no plans of off-roading with my bike but I wanted to experience the famed plush suspension that this bike offers on Bangalore roads. And I was not disappointed one bit. Glides over speed breakers and potholes like nobody’s business and the tall-bike feeling was love. I was almost able to flat foot it on plains but when the terrain got steep, I had to plan my stops carefully which made me a bit apprehensive. Parking in tight spaces was a problem and I had difficulty backing it out even when getting off the bike and pushing it back manually. If 160 KGs requires this much effort, I wonder how I would have felt on heavier bikes. Potential punctures due to tube tyres was another concern, although I must admit I only had one or two punctures over the years on my Splendor Plus. The torque was plenty to do swift overtakes in the city. Saddling was fun too. The seat width was too narrow for my sit bones and after an hour, I started feeling the pain on my bottom. Yes the seat can be widened aftermarket but the bike frame itself does not offer much support underneath and I believe any added cushion would lose its compliance after sometime, needing periodic replacement. It would also increase the seat height even further making handling more challenging for my height.
Yamaha MT-15:
Rented bike ridden for ~90 KMs. Refined engine with dual nature and fantastic mileage. Thanks to its low kerb weight of 139 KGs, the bike is so flickable and nimble that I had a lot of fun filtering through traffic. It is as effortless to ride as a Splendor while packing a punch. It pulls well as long as there is no pillion (probably why Yamaha made the pillion seat the size of a spread-out human hand). Because of the typical street fighter style slanted seating, I kept sliding towards the tank during my rides. Suspension was stiff. Overall, a great single-rider bike let down only by the pricing and not so good build quality.
Yamaha R15 V4:
Rented bike ridden for ~130 KMs. The G.O.A.T. of 150 CC ‘superbikes’, always wanted to try out this machine. What a looker this beauty is – I felt like Jesse Mach from Street Hawk riding this through the roads. The main pain points (literally!) were my wrists because one cannot load the legs and hug the tank in bumper-to-bumper stop-and-go Bangalore traffic. If I had listened to my heart, this is the bike I would have ended up purchasing but thankfully, sanity prevailed because the fact is that this bike is definitely NOT a good choice for a single bike garage. Not to mention, accessories like top box rack and saddle stay will look out of place on it. I hear that the 2024 models have fixed the flimsy rear seat panel cum grab-handle (and replaced the golden USD with black coloured ones, ugh) but then the issues of radiator fan and relay conking off, Bluetooth battery drain, blown fuses etc. are becoming a little too common among the MT and R15 models. Such issues cannot be justified for the price premium that these Yamaha twins come at. But yeah, if I had to buy a 2nd bike from this list, the R15 in Intensity White colour would be it. If you are a sports bike enthusiast like me, you will enjoy the reliable engine, aerodynamic position, the smooth power delivery and gorgeous dash with its blinking shift-lights.
Honda CB300F:
Showroom test bike ridden for ~65 KMs. Not going to lie, this bike came into the picture only because of the revised pricing. The only complaint I kept hearing about this bike online was its vibrations but positive reports from BHPians @AutoIndian and @kurian_john prompted me to try it out anyway. And I am glad I did because I did not find the ride quality to be a deal breaker for me. The bike-fit is perfect for my height and has all the necessary modern day aids like dual channel abs, slipper clutch, traction control, USB-C (fast) charging port, Bluetooth & hazard lights (not that useful), 5 step adjustable rear suspension etc. The bike so torquey and puts a wide grin on your face when you twist the throttle. The front-end is not as light as the MT-15 but the performance is leaps and bounds ahead of it (obvious because of higher engine displacement but then we are talking about performance in relation to the price) even with a passenger, as is the fit and finish and the space for pillion. Gear shifts are super slick and arguably the best in this list of 4 bikes. The looks are not too loud and does not attract unnecessary attention in the parking lot unless you view it up close and observe the bulky 14 liter tank and the wide 150 section tyre. Net-net, this bike is now a practical VFM offering that is super fun in the city while being adept on the highways. I therefore decided to go ahead with the purchase. Also, a BigWing service center is Yulu’able distance from my home and I am hoping the bike gets better attention there when compared to the regular service centers of other brands servicing dozens of scooters and 100 cc commuters alongside.
Mentions for completeness: I also took around-the-block test rides of the Vstrom SX250 (tall and heavy for me and is primarily a highway mile muncher) and the CB300R (fun and expensive but much less practical compared to the 300F in terms of tank range and pillion seating).
Booking and delivery:
The experience at Honda BigWing Bangalore East, Indiranagar(VFM motors) was very good. Showroom exec Afrid Ali was cordial and prompt in answering queries, arranging test rides, organizing my PDI check at their yard, handling delivery etc. Booked the bike (Nov’23 lot) on the 1st of Jan ’24 and took delivery on the 7th of Jan post registration formalities. The pricing details:
- Ex-showroom price: ₹170,000
- Road tax & registration: ₹35,706
- Insurance (1 Year Zero Dep + 5 Years TP): ₹12,798
- OTR Price: ₹218,504
Optional:
- Extended warranty (total 6 years / 82,000 KMS): ₹3,799
- Roadside Assist (for 1 year): ₹1,999
- Total: ₹224,302
I’ve done around 200 KMs so far, keeping it under 80 KMPH and 5000 rpm. Can’t wait for the first service completion to open it and put the bike through its paces! My only prayer is that I don’t end up in a situation that requires replacing cycle parts that are not consumables and not available off-the-shelf. Hoping to pen down a detailed ownership report after spending due time with the bike. Honda have interestingly launched a Sahara 300 ADV in the South American market based on the current CB300F (Twister) engine.
They say you don’t miss what you haven’t experienced, and that motto kept me satisfied for so long on my Splendor that I’m sure the power and torque on the 300F will have me happy for the foreseeable future. So there you have it folks, the story of my step-leap from 8 BHP to 24 BHP. Leaving you with a picture from the delivery day (Note: the stains on the mat are not from my bike):
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