Hi all. Got out for a few hours on the 300 yesterday and thought I'd post some early thoughts and observations. Bear in mind that these are the humble observations of a learner rider with little comparative experience on other bikes, but I hope they'll answer some common questions for folks who might be considering a CBR300 as their next ride. Plus, we need to stimulate some conversation on here 
Firstly, the bike had plenty of torque to keep up with traffic in the lower (4000-6000 rpm) rev range, with a conservative amount of throttle applied. I was pleasantly surprised by this- I guess I was expecting to have to push it a lot harder than I did. She happily climbed the hills on the way home in the same sort of rev range with little effort (I live in the hills to the east of Perth- the climb is relatively steep and is a fair test of any low-powered vehicle).
Comfort was fine, 3 hours in the saddle didn't leave me with any back or shoulder pain. The seat design made it easy to slide forward towards the tank and ride in a more upright position every now and then to keep fresh.
Spent a bit of time on the highway at ~100 km/hr and she was revving at ~6000 rpm in 6th gear. Didn't sound laboured at all, and there was no significant vibration coming through the bike. Gave her a quick squirt to get a feel for overtaking ability at this speed and there was enough acceleration left to feel safe.
Considering how short the front screen is, wind buffeting (surprisingly) wasn't an issue at highway speeds. Leaning forward to streamline myself on the bike didn't feel any different, which tells me that the screen is doing its job well. I am only 5'10" though. I felt that travelling at this speed for any significant period of time wouldn't be an issue.
Fuel economy is yet to be determined, but at this stage it's looking pretty good. The front brakes are adequate (non-ABS model), the rear brakes are quite spongy but serviceable. The bike was a pleasure to manoeuvre through tight streets and traffic at low speeds. Also, I was surprised to note that the engine was loud enough to be heard at all speeds I rode at (without the benefit of ear plugs to drown out the whistling wind). Handy.
Does anybody want to add their thoughts?
Firstly, the bike had plenty of torque to keep up with traffic in the lower (4000-6000 rpm) rev range, with a conservative amount of throttle applied. I was pleasantly surprised by this- I guess I was expecting to have to push it a lot harder than I did. She happily climbed the hills on the way home in the same sort of rev range with little effort (I live in the hills to the east of Perth- the climb is relatively steep and is a fair test of any low-powered vehicle).
Comfort was fine, 3 hours in the saddle didn't leave me with any back or shoulder pain. The seat design made it easy to slide forward towards the tank and ride in a more upright position every now and then to keep fresh.
Spent a bit of time on the highway at ~100 km/hr and she was revving at ~6000 rpm in 6th gear. Didn't sound laboured at all, and there was no significant vibration coming through the bike. Gave her a quick squirt to get a feel for overtaking ability at this speed and there was enough acceleration left to feel safe.
Considering how short the front screen is, wind buffeting (surprisingly) wasn't an issue at highway speeds. Leaning forward to streamline myself on the bike didn't feel any different, which tells me that the screen is doing its job well. I am only 5'10" though. I felt that travelling at this speed for any significant period of time wouldn't be an issue.
Fuel economy is yet to be determined, but at this stage it's looking pretty good. The front brakes are adequate (non-ABS model), the rear brakes are quite spongy but serviceable. The bike was a pleasure to manoeuvre through tight streets and traffic at low speeds. Also, I was surprised to note that the engine was loud enough to be heard at all speeds I rode at (without the benefit of ear plugs to drown out the whistling wind). Handy.
Does anybody want to add their thoughts?
