[nutcracker]

Just got a call from Big Wing Ghaziabad that they're organizing a breakfast gettogether and ride this coming Sunday starting 8 AM. I think I'll be going.

[darkLightning]

Had the opportunity to check CB350 in person a few days ago over the new year vacation.
I am currently located in Bhopal [Madhya Pradesh] and at the time of CB350's launch there were no BigWing dealerships located here (closest one was 300 km away).

Now Honda website is listing BGS Honda as BigWing dealership in Bhopal and I came across their CB350 promotion stall while in a mall.

Turns out the BigWing showroom is under construction and will be completed by March end. They are currently using their regular Honda dealership to deliver and service CB350.

Since it was a promotion stall turning on ignition was not allowed so all I could check was the stance and feel of bike while sitting on it. What I will say is

Pros -

1. It's big, especially the tank. (I am 6'2", can flat foot every bike I have sat on till now even on main stand but this was first bike where I was not flat footed while bike was on main stand)
2. Feels comfortable and no ergonomic flaw is immediately apparent.
3. Mrs tried the pillion seat in both ways (sideways and regular) and there is enough space, flat seat helps here.
4. It's a looker from every direction.

Cons -

No cons immediately apparent.

I booked a test drive and was told that TD guys will come with DLX Pro variant next day at my home. Enquired about accessories and they were not having much idea.

No-one came with TD vehicle and I was also not really interested in purchasing through regular dealership so didn't bother much.

3 days ago I got a call from BGS Honda enquiring when I am planning to buy the bike. I asked whatever happened to the test drive and from poor lady's apologetic tone I could sense that I am not the only one who is still waiting for TD

I intend to buy CB350/500 but I am in no hurry (This bike is here to stay for sure) I will wait till the BigWing dealership in Bhopal gets a bit more matured.

[drrajasaravanan]

Hi,
Still waiting on the deliver of CB350 which was assure to be delivered on 20th of Jan. One another fella got his bike who had actually booked couple of day after me. When I spoke to the SA at kun Honda the blue version is getting delayed from the factory and has assured me of getting it done by this weekend. I am in two minds to cancel the booking. Damn frustrating with the way KUN honda is handling this. I hope other places have better luck.

[Jo-G]

Seems Honda is launching another "premium" bike on 16th February 2021. Not sure if is going to be another 350 or 500. Cruiser or Cafe racer. The picture being teased looks more of a cafe racer types. Whatever it is, they need to do a lot more with their pathetic (but cash rich) dealers who dont care for anything related to "customer" services. More bikes, more competition, coupled with good customer servicing dealers would have been ideal.

[nutcracker]

JKM Big Wing Honda, Ghaziabad organised a Sunday ride for CB350 owners along with breakfast. Here are some pictures. It was a fun get-together and feels good to part of the CB350 owners community.

[texmonster]

A tastefully done custom paint job and decals on CB350

https://youtu.be/YAYsDw4oYm8

[nasirkaka]

My apartment friend who is recently got the CB350 complained of some oil leak from under the bike. He is finished his first service, and this oil leak issue is only after first service. I had a look at the bike this morning and there was a small patch of oil on the floor. The chain was totally dry, so definitely nothing to do with lube. The oil was clean and mostly clear, so definitely engine oil. On checking the underside of the engine base, it was all wet with oil.
Has any one else faces a similar issue. I suspect this to be lapse at first service. Could be a loose bolt, some cut o ring/ leaks in gasket, etc. My friend is not technically into bikes and bought into honda mainly for peaceful ownership from such niggles. Was sort of disspointed. Lets see what the service station has to say.

[WinniedPo]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Has any one else faces a similar issue. I suspect this to be lapse at first service. Could be a loose bolt, some cut o ring/ leaks in gasket, etc. My friend is not technically into bikes and bought into honda mainly for peaceful ownership from such niggles. Was sort of disspointed. Lets see what the service station has to say.

If you scroll back a few pages in this same thread, there's a post by neil.jericho on 10th January about the same issue faced by someone else.

It doesn't seem to be happening to a lot of people though, as Sebring mentioned in another post. It's quite possible it's just an issue which happened during service, something not properly tightened maybe. Hopefully the service center is able to sort out the issue.

[R.G]

I read in the thread about RE Meteor that the online booking gets priority treatment than a booking done at a dealer .

Is there any such way with the Honda CB350 booking ? I was trying to get a date of delivery for my booking on January 25th , to which the SA mentioned that it will definitely be after 90 days or may be more. He mentioned that the customers will be given the bike based on a priority list that the dealership keeps. I enquired about the list and what is the current one delivered from that list and how fast the list is moving . He said it is confidential .

I asked him if the idea is to pay the money and sit at home hoping the dealership would contact me back when it happens ? He didn't answer that question anyways. Not having a transparent seniority list means the delivery of the bike is on the discretion of the dealership irrespective of the order of booking.

Now my question is , will it make a difference if an online booking is done ? Is there a way to get in touch with Honda to get a reference number for my booking and track it. Not in any hurry , but the lack for transparency is bit disheartening.

[drrajasaravanan]

Originally Posted by R.G

Now my question is , will it make a difference if an online booking is done ? Is there a way to get in touch with Honda to get a reference number for my booking and track it. Not in any hurry , but the lack for transparency is bit disheartening.

Hi,
I had booked on Dec 23rd and was assured of delivery by KUN honda, Chennai on or before Jan 23rd. Did not happen. Went to the show room last week of Jan and I saw the list of priorities colour coded and in order as per the date of booking and my sheet was promptly pulled out from somewhere in the middle and cross checked by the SA. According to them my name is on the top and since its blue colour there is some.delay and it will be sorted before Feb 4th.
To my frustration I met one person who had booked after me and got delivery and the way KUN honda is handling things is not inspiring. I got a call today that I can expect the bike around 10th of Feb. I don't think I will proceed with KUN as they are very poorly organised and the big wing experience is not confidence inspiring. I noticed few other things which is prompting me not to proceed with KUN Honda. I don't think you will have a reference number or tracking options and have to take the word of the sales team. I would say 6weeks is approximate estimation. Good luck, hope you have better luck than me.

[Jo-G]

Originally Posted by R.G

Now my question is , will it make a difference if an online booking is done ? Is there a way to get in touch with Honda to get a reference number for my booking and track it. Not in any hurry , but the lack for transparency is bit disheartening.

The way it is currently happening at Honda is entirely on the dealer, probably you may get a priority booking at the dealer. I booked mine in October, since then, I have called Honda and dealership (Kochi) many times, Honda (everytime) asks you every details of yours for couple of minutes and at the end will tell you to contact the dealer. If you call the dealership, they just consider you as a window shopper and not really interested to sell you the bike since it is online booking, they will try and find reasons (probably since they would have already sold your booked bike to some of their preferred customers). So, it is entirely left to the dealerships and their financial power to order and get as many bikes possible rather than following any standard procedures of transparency in dispatching/alloting bikes in order of priority or booking.

I have not got my bike yet, January 3rd week, I had gone to pay up but it did not happen for stupid reasons, thankfully I have decided not to take it from that dealership and wait until some other decent dealership comes up in the vicinity or try some other bike that may come up.

[R.G]

Originally Posted by Jo-G

The way it is currently happening at Honda is entirely on the dealer, probably you may get a priority booking at the dealer. I booked mine in October

Not getting delivery of your bike even after the booking done on last October is something really not acceptable. I already feel the frustration after 10 days without a track on my booking. Hope someone from Honda is reading your forum posts and resolve the issue for you.

I would expect a more permium customer experience from BigWing , which per me is the sole purpose of such a dealership. This is not like Classic Legends where they had to setup everything ground up , Honda is an established player . Anyways , if the new CL350 and the scrambler comes out in the mean time and RE could deliver the bookings on time , Honda would feel the heat. But then , Meteor has got a 5 months booking per the new thread.

With the new models introduced wouldn't Honda and RE find it hard to meet the demand ?

[Jo-G]

Originally Posted by R.G

I already feel the frustration after 10 days without a track on my booking. Hope someone from Honda is reading

HONDA doesn't have time to read any stories at the moment since the demand is more than supply. They will/may read later when there is enough supply in their factory or stockyard which they are already trying to mitigate by making few other bikes with the same platform (launching something on Feb 16th). We have embraced different "marks" of Ambassadors by slightly changing the "front grills" for decades.

Originally Posted by R.G

I would expect a more permium customer experience from BigWing , which per me is the sole purpose of such a dealership.

Me too, their normal showrooms/dealers selling Activas, Yuga, Unicorn, etc. is 1000 times more premium and better than the Bigwing outlet (at least at Kochi) Lost all respect for Honda which I had before for their products (which is still left) and their stringent due diligence to appoint a dealer and their good/efficient monitoring of their existing dealerships outside India.

This can be a case study for future management students.

[nutcracker]

Situation is a little different here at the Ghaziabad Big Wing Dealership.

They have CB350 available in all colours, ready for delivery. I had made a booking with the Gurgaon dealership, paid them an advance, but got no word for 3 weeks. Later I found out about the Ghaziabad dealership and they had my colour choice ready for pickup on immediate basis.

Last week, went there to get my CB350 serviced. The service centre is location above the dealership. I was overwhelmed to see atleast 20 brand new CB350 lying around, waiting to be sold. That, plus some 7-8 vehicles at the showroom. Who knows they have a warehouse where they keep more stock.

[drrajasaravanan]

Originally Posted by Jo-G

Me too, their normal showrooms/dealers selling Activas, Yuga, Unicorn, etc. is 1000 times more premium and better than the Bigwing outlet (at least at Kochi) Lost all respect for Honda which I had before for their products (which is still left) and their stringent due diligence to appoint a dealer and their good/efficient monitoring of their existing dealerships outside India.
This can be a case study for future management students.

Hi
Have to agree with your point of view. After all the assurance from KUN Honda in Chennai went there today and was told they have allotted the bike and asked me to pay. Told them I will pay only after PDI. Their response is Sir this is Honda and you would have to trust the brand. I don't have anything against Honda but I don't trust KUN honda dealership at all, especially after seeing another owner cribbing about paint chipping away. The manager has assured me that the bike will be ready for PDI tomorrow morning and if its not there I will cancel the booking. If sales is so poorly organized I shudder to think about service.

Originally Posted by nutcracker

Situation is a little different here at the Ghaziabad Big Wing Dealership.
They have CB350 available in all colours, ready for delivery. I had made a booking with the Gurgaon dealership, paid them an advance, but got no word for 3 weeks. Later I found out about the Ghaziabad dealership and they had my colour choice ready for pickup on immediate basis.
.

This so true with another Honda outlet in Chennai called SVM Honda. When I got in touch with them they had all the colours and the variants for PDI and delivery. Plus they have been managing big wing lot longer than KUN honda. Tomorrow will take a call. Honestly the whole big wing strategy sucks big time and there is nothing premium about the bike or the dealership.
Cheers.