Shootout: Honda CB300R Vs KTM Duke 390
Shootout No. 232
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 3,05,231/- (KTM Duke 390), Rs. 2,83,155/- (Honda CB300R)
Streetfighter naked motorcycles are lightweight maniacs suitable for everyone
KTM kickstarted the affordable performance motorcycle segment in India with their Duke series. The KTM Duke 200 came as a proper competitor to the Honda CBR250R but the CBR was faster and more reliable. KTM later introduced the Duke 390 at the price tag of the CBR250R and the 390 produced a lot more power compared to the fully-faired Honda. Honda recently launched the CB300R which should compete with the KTM Duke 250 but with a hefty price tag it actually competes with the Duke 390!
Motor Quest: Since 2011, Honda had the CBR250R which was almost 2 lakh rupees. In 2013, KTM launched Duke 390 at the same price range which made more sense in terms of performance. Honda did not introduce any other bike as a challenger for the Duke 390 until 2019 where it launched the CB300R.
Taller Duke 390 looks edgy while the CB300R has a retro design with round headlamps
Styling – The KTM Duke 390 was first launched in 2013. Major styling changes were made in the year 2017, where it got LED headlamps, aggressive body panels, different tank design and different tail design. This resulted in the bike looking more like a younger version of the Super Duke! KTM did introduce a special white colour later but the design language stayed the same. The BS6 Duke 390 is already out in the market now but the major change for the 390 is only the new colour scheme and the addition of a quick-shifter. Here we have the sharp, edgy and aggressive designed BS4 Duke 390 being compared with the subtle, smooth and retro BS4 Honda CB300R. The Duke has a lot of graphics and colours while the CB300R has simple contrasting colours matching the minimal number of body panels.
Headlights, tail lights and indicators are LEDs on both these motorcycles
Design – a way to say what you are feeling without having to speak
To boost the sales, companies these days try to replicate their litre-class bike designs into the smaller segments. So is the case for the CB300R too. It has clean & simple lines with a modern retro design and blacked-out engine. The retro circular headlamp design with LED setup looks beautiful even in the daylight. The Honda does look very proportionate to its cycle parts and yet it is quite small in dimensions. The colour scheme on the CB300R looks very subtle while the Duke just shouts orange all over. The styling and design cues on the Duke 390 are very millennial and aggressive while that on the Honda are mature and retro with a modern touch.
KTM has the best instrument cluster in its class
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – Without a shred of doubt, the KTM Duke 390’s instrument cluster is better than anything else in the market. The Honda CB300R uses an all-digital full LCD panel which lacks few features like gear position indicator, distance to empty and side stand indicator. The Duke 390 uses a colour TFT display which offers a variety of information. A smartphone can also be connected to it via Bluetooth which offers notifications for calls and has a music playback interface. It even displays battery voltage indicator which is quite helpful in the long run.
CB300R’s instrument cluster lacks few features and has a darker LCD
Switchgear quality on the Honda is a tad better than that on the KTM
Both bikes offer tachometer, speedometer, trip meters, fuel indicator, time, average speed and fuel economy details. However, the information displayed on the CB300R is more robust and one has to switch through it to see all the information. But KTM makes up for it, by offering all information at once. It also gets back-lit switches which the CB300R misses out and has 4 extra buttons on the left switchgear to control the multifunctional display. The horn and indicator button positions are swapped on Honda CB300R, so it takes some time getting used to.
Duke 390 has a 30 mm higher seat height than the CB300R
Ergonomics – The KTM Duke 390 and Honda CB300R have an upright seating posture. While both the motorcycles also have a handlebar setup, the ergonomic triangle is quite different. The footpegs on the KTM are slightly rear-set while that on the Honda are centre-set. With a seat height difference of over 30 mm, you sit higher on the Duke 390 while the CB300R is quite comfortable and accessible for shorter riders. The Duke actually has more space for the rider as well as the pillion but the seat cushioning on both the motorcycles isn’t suited for comfort. Both the motorcycles get a split-seat setup while the seat is even harder on the CB300R as compared to the Duke. Grab-rails for the pillion are the best on the Duke 390 while the CB300R gets an integrated unit.
The Duke 390 has more power and torque with punchy top-end
Performance – The Duke 390 has been dominating the Indian market ever since its debut back in 2013. It offers a lot of bang for your buck, for the kind of performance it delivers. The 373cc motor produces 43 BHP and 37 Nm of torque in a lightweight package of just 163 kgs, which is maddening. The Duke hits the ton from nought right under 6 seconds while the slipper-clutch works like a gem too. We have always been a fan of the high-compression high-revving motor but the refinement isn’t the best when compared to the Japanese motor. Both the powerplants in comparison here are liquid-cooled but the Duke dissipates more heat as compared to the Honda CB300R. The Honda, on the other hand, has a smaller block of 286cc, resulting in less power and torque figures at 30 BHP and 27 Nm. It also has a better tune to suit the low-end in the rev range compared to the Duke 390.
The CB300R has a better low-end grunt and feels lively in the mid-range
CB300R does have an exhilarating motor but not as much as the Duke 390
Thus, it is easier to ride the CB300R in city traffic with a calmer and more refined engine. The throttle response on both the motorcycles is quick but the CB300R feels a lot more responsive than the Duke. It is, however, slower than Duke 390 with 0-100 km/hr timing of around 7 seconds. Both the motorcycles get a 6-speed gearbox but the CB300R misses out on a slipper-clutch. While both redline close to 10,000 RPM, the exhaust note of the CB300R is a lot more pleasing than the Duke 390. One can expect similar mileage figures from both the motorcycles, which is between 26-30 km/l but the CB300R has a 3-litre smaller fuel tank than the Duke giving it a lesser riding range.
KTM Duke 390 is heavier by 16 kgs than the Honda CB300R
Riding Dynamics – The difference in the ergonomic triangle is quite a bit but the seating and riding posture is similar on both the motorcycles. Taller riders will definitely feel cramped on the CB300R but won’t be disappointed as the tank shrouds leave enough room to lock the knees. Both the motorcycles are equipped with stiffly sprung USD forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear. The Honda, however, has a slight softness in comparison to the KTM on the rear suspension making it suitable for bad roads. The CB300R is still more agile than the Duke 390 as it weighs 16 kgs lighter and has a smaller wheelbase too. The CB300R tips into corners just as well as the Duke 390 even after having a diamond frame which is subpar as compared to KTM’s split-trellis frame.
The suspension is stiffly sprung on both the motorcycles
The CB300R is agile and fun while the Duke 390 is exhilarating and fast
The Duke does have better straight-line stability and can achieve a higher top-speed too but the windblast spoils the fun on both the motorcycles. Equipped with dual-channel ABS, both the motorcycles have great braking feedback but the petal disc setup on the Honda with a sharper initial bite leads away. The front disc size may be smaller but the braking feedback is more confidence-inspiring on the CB300R. The Duke, however, makes up with a switchable ABS option which the Honda misses out on. Both the motorcycles get similar tyre sizes but Duke comes stock with Metzeler tyres which have better grip while the CB300R gets Michelins which have a better tyre life.
Both bikes are stable at triple-digit speeds
Verdict – The Honda CB300R is a brilliant motorcycle with phenomenal build quality and it being a Honda everything goes really well in its favour. It is a very practical and spirited naked machine which comes as an attractive package but the CKD route makes it quite costly. At just Rs. 20,000/- more, the KTM Duke 390 has a lot more hardware on offer while being a sharper and a better performing motorcycle too. Being made in India, the cost of after-sales service is also more effective on the KTM then the CKD-routed Honda. So as the verdict goes, it does make a lot of sense to get the Duke 390 unless you are a Honda fanboy.
KTM offers better performance at the same price as Honda
Further Reading –
KTM Duke 390 Review
KTM Duke 390 Video Review
Honda CB300R Review
Honda CB300R Video Review