SUBURBS AND BEYOND Getting out of the city , the CB makes more sense . Given half a chance the bike was awesome fun to throw around on some backroads up by Puhoi . The short wheelbase and relatively stiff suspension ( potholes are not forgiving ) meant it required little commitment to corner , and opening up the throttle and enjoying upper reaches of the rev range provided acceleration beyond anything LAMS machinery had offered so far . However , a quick jaunt on a bigger bike – my dad ’ s DR650 – did leave me wondering if the 286cc machine being good on the open road instead of suburban commutes is really worth it . After all , small and nimble is awesome in traffic and at the gas station , but a little underwhelming on a road trip – but size isn ’ t everything ... as my dad , Todd , says . Smaller riders will love the CB300R ’ s dimensions , and the bike also fit my 181cm frame exceedingly well , providing snug notches for my thighs to grip onto the tank . The seat is a little stiff , but plenty spacious ,
as is the pillion seat out back . My only petty complaint here was the lack of a helmet notch under the seat ; a helmet I ’ d grown attached to leaving behind . For a less petty complaint : the asymmetric , fat , and low exhaust may do it for some , but my right boot did find the exhaust more than once , and the few scuff marks it left were evidence that the materials weren ’ t prepared for boot either . If you ’ re into recording gas mileage or average speeds over trips , the dash supplies all of the options too , albeit behind some stiff buttons and a not very intuitive interface . The dash tells me the average gas mileage was a beautiful 3.0L / 100km over some 420 kilometres of riding – a hell of a lot better than my Toyota . And Auckland University offers a whole street ’ s worth of free communal motorcycle parking too , so savings weren ’ t limited to the local BP station .
THE CHASSIS As a package , the build quality seems pretty solid . The bike keeps its engine vibes to itself and , even opened up on the motorway , vibration
KIWI RIDER 31