Just because the CB300 can do nearly 100MPH stock, doesn't mean it's good enough for interstate.
Good enough for short trips, yes, and for Florida it would be good enough (upto 90MPH on interstates, without any wind).

I wonder if bike companies like Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda know this, and purposely avoid this category, to make us spend more money on an upgrade, or if they all are so much into growing their 250cc line into 350cc bikes, with their heads so much into the competition race, that they forget about what USAdians really need on the roads?

There as another whole world beyond the USA and the interstate network where the CB/R300 is an ideal size. For example in Australia and New Zealand the speed limit is 110kph and 100kph respectively and the majority of roading is single lane each way.
Not that I've got an inferiority complex or anything :laugh:

 

Same where I live Kiwi.. 110 KMH max legal speed.

I think the Manufactures are really going to step up their small (displacement) bike line up. I recently read that for every Litre (1000cc) bike sold.. two 250/300 series bikes are sold. The Companies can not ignore that IMO.

 

In the UK Motorways and Duel Carrageways the speed limit is 70MPH. 60MPH on Single Roads (A&B) roads. Built up areas sign posted at either 40 or 30MPH. In Brighton. East Sussex where the looney green party are, they have reduced some main roads to 20mph with Bl*dy speed cameras everywhere.

 

Kiwi, you may not know that in the province of Nova Scotia (CDNHONDAR's place) the speed limit was actually 100 kph, but the constant high winds were pushing the vehicles over the speed limit, so they raised it.

Here in the province of Ontario the speed limit is 100 kph on major highways. However, 80% of the roads have 80 kph speed limit. Sweet spot for the CB300.

 

Kiwi, you may not know that in the province of Nova Scotia (CDNHONDAR's place) the speed limit was actually 100 kph, but the constant high winds were pushing the vehicles over the speed limit, so they raised it.

Bet they weren't breaking the speed limit punching into that wind!

We're having our blowy spring season down here at the moment, I'm a bit over it. Doesn't make for enjoyable motorcycling.

 

Large stretch of our island highway north of Parksville is 120 km/hr. speed limit, which means 150 on my particular bike. I definitely agree that although these bikes can bump down the highway pretty good a bigger bike is needed to enjoy higher speeds with confidence. (to **** with a windscreen)

 

The official speed limit on Interstates in Florida is 60MPH, but there are places where 70MPH is posted (on the I75 in the Everglades).

When 60MPH is the speed limit, people over here go 75-80MPH, bikes go 80-85MPH, and it'd get you 90MPH to get pulled over for a ticket.
If the speed is posted 70MPH, some cars go beyond 100MPH when they can (no police in sight), but mostly keep it between 80 and 85MPH. Bikes easily do 85-90MPH.

I wouldn't say 80kph is the sweet spot for a 300cc; more likely the sweet spot for a 125cc.

My Rebel 250 (with 234cc engine) does ride great at 40MPH 3k RPM, but it also does at 75MPH, 6k RPM.

 

I remember back in 97 I went to Dallas with my son to see the Cowboys play the Redskins at thanksgiving. We stayed in Arlington on hwy184 and got pulled over by the fuzz for doing 105 in the mustang I hired. He was more interested in where we came from, but did say about the speed limit and suggested I slowed down a bit. He also said us brits drive like we are on race tracks

 

@MeeLee "I wouldn't say 80kph is the sweet spot for a 300cc; more likely the sweet spot for a 125cc."

Well, I think that at 80 kph the engine burbles happily and quietly. At 100 kph it's getting more noisy and over 110 kph the noise
sounds obnoxious to my ears. Though I agree that in the 6th at 100 or 110 kph the RPMs are just in the meaty power band.

 

This is the perfect example why I upgear almost all my bikes. The stock gear of a CB300F is 14/36, and if I could, I would have installed a 15/29 t.
With that setup, you'd be riding that same bike happily upto 105kph, and start hearing noise from 130kph, and the bike will sound obnoxious to you around 140-145kph.

 

The posts in this thread were moved from the Triumph Street Triple thread, as they are unrelated to that discussion.

 

The CBR works very well here in Thailand. Small and nippy enough to get through Bangkok traffic and enough power to hold 120kph outside Bangkok. Talking about cruising speeds of 90mph here is irrelevant as the roads are so changeable.

 

I think, power is mainly a sales/marketing issue.
KTM has a 390 with 48hp, matching the German small motorcycle License limit. The next larger KTM bike is the 690 with 75hp.
Honda's 500 has also 48hp, so it is not a good idea to offer another bike coming to close to the 500 performance.