We have been experiencing an influx of hipster-oriented products in the past few years. At first, it was only custom bike builders who would sell you a ‘hipster’ bike; but now, you can have one from a large-scale manufacturer, complete with a warranty. That motorcycle is called the HPS 300 and it’s made by FB Mondial — an Italian company with a storied past dating back to 1929 and one that came to an end in the late 1970s due to financial issues. The brand was resurrected in 2014 and it now focuses on small-capacity motorcycles that are made in China.
The HPS 300 isn’t trying to reproduce the original company’s rich racing DNA; its specialty lies elsewhere. The bike is here to offer something else, which should be apparent from its oh-so-unique design. It’s not just unique, though. It’s proportionate and, to my eyes, is one of the best-looking motorcycles under ₹5 lakh. Almost every piece on the bike appears as if it has had considerable thought gone into it. The headlight, for instance, is teardrop-shaped and not round, like on most retro motorcycles. The tank has just the right amount of bulk and the tail is chopped at just the right point. The large, spoked, 18-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear wheel also add to the bike’s character. Similarly, the short front-fender and side-mounted exhaust add to the scrambler-esque appeal. The view while riding is not that bad, either. In front of you is a handlebar that arches inward with retro balloon grips and bar-end mirrors at both ends. And there is the offset instrument cluster that is fully digital and heavily inspired from the one on the Ducati Scrambler. Step back, and you’ll catch a strange mix of scrambler, flat tracker and café racer in there — but somehow, the whole look works.
There were a few things that could use some work, however. For starters, the switchgear is cheap and flimsy, and some of the plastic bodywork near the tank doesn’t fit very well. The engine plumbing also looks a bit too industrial, especially on the left. Similarly, the use of different fastening hardware all over the motorcycle — like Phillips and Allen bolts in some places and very basic-looking bolts on others — give it a shed-built appearance. The lengthy belly pan adds to the overall design, but scrapes quite easily on big speed-breakers and the bike feels lower than the quoted ground clearance of 155mm.
Don’t let the pictures fool you into believing that the HPS 300 is a large motorcycle. The bike is surprisingly compact in the flesh, with a 785mm seat height and a 147kg kerb weight. I am about 6ft tall and I just about fit on the motorcycle. Individuals with a larger stature will find the ergonomics unpleasant, to say the least. The problem isn’t in the setting of the pulled-back handlebar, but in the uncomfortably high and rear-set foot pegs. The placement of the pegs is more extreme than a KTM, and given the small stature of the bike, cramps in the knees, hips and back aren’t very far off. The pegs themselves are also quite slippery; more than once, I found my right foot sliding off after a gear change.
Hipsters don’t mind their loud and brash petrol engines in the least. But the HPS 300 isn’t a fire-breathing beast. While the name might suggest otherwise, this motorcycle uses a 249cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC motor that comes paired to a 6-speed gearbox.
The engine, as with the rest of the bike, is made in China at the Piaggio-Zongshen facility. It makes 22.8hp at 9,000rpm and 22Nm of torque at 7,000rpm — and it is in this department that the HPS is the least impressive. The motor has a gruff feel to it, which is decently controlled at lower speeds, but gets harsh above 6,000rpm. However, its lack of refinement doesn’t mean the bike is a dud in the performance department. Our Vbox tests revealed a 0-100kph time of 11.82sec and we noticed a speedo-indicated top speed of 141kph, which admittedly did take a long time getting to. These numbers are decent, but are towards the slower end of the current 250cc crop.
While this isn’t a deal-breaker, it is important to note that the liquid-cooled engine also throws off considerable heat, which flows toward the rider’s left leg. Meanwhile, the right leg is advised to stay clear of the exhaust shield that flows by where your leg would meet the motorcycle — it can feel quite hot here.
What we liked is the well-balanced chassis. Front suspension is handled by a modern-looking USD fork, while the twin shocks at the rear keep with the retro vibe. Ride quality is slightly firm, and decently comfortable, but we noticed that the high-speed ride was a bit lumpy. The CST (Cheng Shin Tire) branded tyres were pleasantly impressive in terms of the levels of grip and composure they offered. But don’t let the blocky tread tempt you into going off-road — the bike just doesn’t have the ground clearance or riding position to indulge that whim. We also like the braking performance of the HPS. The four-piston caliper with a 280mm disc at the front and a single-piston caliper with a 220mm disc at the rear slows down the bike well.
Motoroyale has brought the HPS 300 to India as a CKD, and that makes it expensive. At ₹3.37 lakh (ex-showroom, India), the HPS 300 costs a good deal more than much more powerful and better-equipped bikes, like the newly-launched CB300R (₹2.41 lakh), BMW G 310 R (₹2.99 lakh), KTM 390 Duke (₹2.44 lakh) and the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (from ₹2.50 lakh). However, the HPS 300 does come with an air of exclusivity, since it is the only bike of its kind on sale in India — that is, until the KTM-powered hipster Husqvarnas arrive this year.