Honda CB300R Vs KTM 390 Duke: Photo Gallery

Does the CB300R have what it takes to go head-on with the 390 Duke? Here’s a detailed shot-by-shot comparison of the two bikes

Even though the sub-Rs 3 lakh 300-400cc segment doesn’t have a lot of options, it is one of the most popular ones in India right now. The KTM 390 Duke is, in fact, the one which started this craze. However, Honda has now entered this segment with the CB300R, which is Rs 6,000 more affordable than the Austrian hooligan. And in case you’re confused about which one to pick, here’s an in-depth shot by shot comparison of both motorcycles. 

In terms of styling, while Honda has used a retro approach for the CB300R, KTM being KTM, has given the 390 Duke a sharp design inspired from the 1290 Super Duke.

Both bikes get LED headlights. And while the KTM’s headlamp has sharp, modern design, the Honda’s classic round headlight is in line with the brand’s Neo Sports Cafe design language.

The CB300R gets a smaller fuel tank (10-litre) compared to the KTM 390 Duke (13.4-litre). So, if you are going on a road trip on the CB300R, you might have to stop for fuel quite often.

As tested, the CB300R returns a fuel economy of 39.84kmpl (city), while the KTM 390 Duke returns just 25.7kmpl (city).

The TFT screen on the KTM 390 Duke is by far one of the best in the business. Not only does it display more information than the CB300R, but it looks attractive as well. 

To make it easy for the rider to use the different features available on the TFT screen, there are buttons on the left side of the handlebar, which are pretty tactile to use. However, on the CB300R’s left-hand side switchgear, the position of the horn and indicator switches are interchanged and will require some getting used to.

Both motorcycles feature a split-seat setup, but the slightly bigger surface area on the 390 Duke and a softer cushioning give it an edge over the CB300R. 

At 799mm, the seat height on the CB300R is 31mm lower than the 390 Duke. So shorter riders will find it easy to hop onto the CB300R. 

The CB300R is powered by a 286cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor that pumps out 30.4PS and 27.5Nm of torque. On the other hand, the 390 Duke’s 373.3cc motor churns out 13PS and 9.5Nm more than the CB300R.

With almost 44PS on tap, the KTM doesn’t break a sweat to reach 100kmph in 5.98 seconds and is 1.4 seconds quicker than the CB300R. 

The CB300R features a tubular steel frame, whereas the KTM 390 Duke gets a trellis frame.

At 149kg, the 390 Duke is one of the lightest naked motorcycles in its segment and is just 2kg heavier than the CB300R. 

Both motorcycles feature top-spec suspension components. But the KTM, with its WP 43mm open cartridge USD fork and WP rear monoshock, has a slight edge over the Honda’s 41mm non-adjustable USD fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock setup.

The tyre sizes, at 110/70-R17 (front) and 150/60-R17 (rear), is identical on both the motorcycles.

On the braking front, the KTM 390 Duke is slightly ahead of the baby CB. The KTM 390 Duke (320mm-front and 230mm-rear) features bigger discs compared to the Honda (296mm-front and 220mm-rear). As per our tests, the 390 Duke covered 48.38m before coming to a halt from 100kmph, whereas the CB300R did the same test in 51.07m.

Both motorcycles get dual-channel ABS. But where the baby CB gets IMU-based ABS unit, the KTM 390 Duke's 'SuperMoto' mode lets you switch off the rear ABS.

The Honda CB300R gets a conventional box-type swingarm, while the 390 Duke gets a more cast aluminium unit.