Honda Quietly Slashed the Price of Its Most Approachable (and Affordable) Street Bike

I just wish this sweet little entry-level motorcycle had been around, at this price, when I started riding.

Close-up of a black Honda motorcycle engine and exhaust system with visible frame and footrest.

Add Gear Patrol as a Preferred Source on Google

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published April 21, 2026

·

Updated April 21, 2026

If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

A funny thing happened while I was poking around Honda’s “Bonus Bucks” offers page, which advertises a bunch of discounts, typically on previous model year bikes.

I noticed they’re offering $650 off the $5,149 2025 CB300R, so I looked up the 2026 edition to see how that might stack up.

Matte black Honda CB300R motorcycle parked on a road with green hills in the background. — The computer-generated background is totally fake but the CB300R’s deal is very real.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the shiny new CB300R costs just $4,499, which means the discount simply brings the 2025 bike in line with the significantly reduced price of the 2026 one.

Which means arguably the perfect entry-level street bike can be had for nearly 13 percent less than you would have paid at this time last year.

Beginners welcome

I started out riding a 2014 Triumph Bonneville T-100, which I love to this day, but had this bike (which launched in 2018) been around then, at this price, I would have had to at least think twice.

Matte black Honda CB300R motorcycle with dual disc brakes and a single exhaust on a gray background. — The CB300R boasts uncommonly high street fighter style for something so affordable and approachable.

Not only does the CB300R boast sweeter street fighter style than some bikes twice its price, but also it nicely blends big boy bike features with ample entry-level approachability.

Let’s start with the 286cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, which makes a claimed 31 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 20.3 lb-ft of torque at 8,000 rpm.

Yellow and black Honda CG 300R motorcycle with bronze wheels on a gray background. — Though not crazy powerful, the engine is just right for the city, and for welcoming newer riders to real motorcycling.

That’s not blowing anyone’s hair back but it can rip and zip the city, two-lane country roads and the occasional highway, while the real deal six-speed gearbox promises if you can shift this, you can ride anything.

Approachability is boosted by the engaged yet upright riding position, 31.6-inch seat height and 316-pound curb weight, which keep things comfortable, nimble and manageable.

Close-up of the front section of a black Honda CB300R motorcycle showing the front wheel, suspension, and engine details. — With 5.1 inches of suspension travel, the 41mm upside-down fork never met a pothole it couldn’t ride out.

Meanwhile the inverted fork and Pro-Link rear shock (both of which offer more than five inches of travel), plus standard ABS help to suck up the bumps and forgive your mistakes.

Despite the Costco price, the CB300R has some high-tech wrinkles too. All-around LED lighting helps you see and be seen, while a streamlined full-function LCD display keeps key metrics including RPMs, speed, current gear position and fuel level in easy view.

Motorcycle handlebar with digital dashboard displaying speed, gear, and indicator lights, above a gray fuel tank. — With a sharp futuristic look, the modern LCD screen provides all the essential data without becoming distracting.

That’s at least a small step up from my beloved Bonnie, which has no gas gauge at all but rather a handy light that comes on when you’re down to your last gallon.

Availability and pricing

The 2026 Honda CB300R is available now starting at $4,499.

Yellow Honda CB300R motorcycle side view with black seat and bronze front forks.

2026 Honda CB300R

Starts at $4,499

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.