When Kawasaki launched its new Ninja 300 we were very curious to see who will be the first manufacturer that will launch a counter attack.

It seems like Honda is the first rival that managed to develop a weapon that can go against the Ninja as they’ve announced their all new CBR300R - a compact middleweight sport bike that should have the potential to compete with success against the Ninja 300.

For the moment we don’t have too many details about the new Honda CBR300R but we can expect it to deliver a maximum output of around 30 HP and 25 Nm (ft-lbs) of torque. It could also be a bit lighter than the actual CBR250R, so in terms of performances, we can expect to see clear differences between the two models.

The new Honda CBR300R was presented at the 12th China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition and shows a completely fresh style that puts a lot of accent on aggressive lines.

At the press conference, Seiji Kuraishi, Chief Operating Officer for Honda's regional operations in China, made the following announcement:

"The motorcycle market in China, which is the largest in the world, has been increasingly diversifying in recent years, and the number of customers who enjoy motorcycles for recreation also is increasing. Against this backdrop, Honda will begin full-fledged business in the area of large-sized motorcycles which provide the joy of riding.

To be more precise, in 2014, Honda will open stores which will specialize in large-sized motorcycles in Shanghai and Beijing. During this exhibition, Honda is exhibiting the CBR500R, which will be the first model to be sold at the specialized stores.

Moreover, Honda is exhibiting the world premiere of the CBR300R, a global motorcycle model for which Honda is planning to begin production in Thailand in the future. The market introduction of this model in China will be discussed in the future.

For the motorcycle market in China, Honda will continue proposing products that offer the highest level of environmental performance, convenience, the joy of mobility and fun of riding."

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