[manojsolanki87]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

Sorry to hear about that. Rusting in Delhi is rare. Especially with the lack of monsoons rains, it's even more strange and clearly a manufacturing issue.
What has been the response from Honda? Isn't this one of those issues that any warranty should cover?

They know that it's an issue. And the service center has no answer for this. The service centres are overburdened and ill occupied to handle the number of bikes sold.

I see. Actually, I always understood that the firmer the seat the better it is for long hours. In fact, the old RE standard seats used to be pretty good too.


When you say negative, do you mean that the ache/pain becomes unbearable for you, or just that it's a bit tiresome than what it would be on a softer seat?

That's a subjective issue. But i literally feel pain riding it for long hours. Not uncomfortable, but pain.

Can you share your experience with the cost of ownership? Any replacements done?
Do you feel the paid service costs are on the higher side? Say, when compared to previous or other bikes you've owned.

I have owned pulsar and gixxer before this. The cost of ownership is well in budget. Spare costs are also not that high except the light units which owing to being led units are costly to replace.
But the brake pads are really poor. People have had to replace them in even 5k on new bikes. I sold gixxer with odo 16k with original pads.
But to sum it up, I would say its a good and practical bike.

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by parrymx5

I have gone with the CB350 on the yamuna - agra - purvanchal expressway to and fro, in that trip, I was around 100 Km/h on average and 120 Km/h on a 50 km odd stretch. I did not test the wobble at those speeds after taking my hand off, but at lower 70-80 Km/h speeds, I did not have any wobbles.

This suggests it's not a serious issue, or something to worry about much. You said earlier that the bike was also loaded, so it may come up only when you take hands off the handlebar.
In any case I don't plan to sustain more than 90 kmph with a pillion and luggage, so I should be okay.

Yes, it can hold 40 kmph in 4th although it will complain below that and it can definitely hold up to 25kmph in 3rd as far as I can recall.

Not bad at all.

For any prospective buyers, people who have the CB on the radar, here are a few common points that I would like to give. Some points may be repeated from my above posts but I would like to save people the effort of finding my other post in this thread

Thanks for the effort! Maybe there should be threads on common issues where everyone contributes. That way one can just look at common issues and get a well-rounded summary : )

The gearing - Its quite tall and can hold gears at a wide range of speeds, the 5th will usually be used on the highways since it is an overdrive gear ( here if the cog spins one time then the wheel too will spin slightly more than one time ), this is used for holding speeds and improving efficiency. I have got over 45 Km/L over a stretch of 200 kilometers of smooth highways at 90 kmph.

That is superb. I would be happy with getting 45 kmpl at that speed, and that's something I'll keep in mind as I finalise my decision. I wonder if RE or the other 350 cc bikes get such figures.

The lowest speed for engaging the 5th maybe around 75 kmph. Treat this as a 4-speed in the city. 3 rd gear is the best gear. This trait might be a deal-breaker for some folks, To check on this be sure to test ride the bike extensively and then decide if you like this configuration of gearing or not. If not then check out the classic(if you haven't already)

That's a great way of describing the riding experience. I see the bike gets a lot of flak for gearing, but going by what you just said, I wonder if that is not actually an advantage. I mean, I don't mind piddling around on the Splendour or a commuter with its easy 4 gears. If I get 35 kmpl in the city with the CB 350, then that's not bad at all.

Brakes - the brakes are good, front end has a concise biting point although I have never faced a panic situation where they were needed, they feel quite good. the rear brake, like most cruisers is strictly average. You will wear out your brakes quickly if you typically use them a lot (acceleration-deceleration without engine braking) on a bike this heavy (CB, classic, Meteor).

Ah, maybe that's what's behind the super quick brake pad wear we've heard of. But if that's the case it should happen even more with the REs. Hmm.

Instrumentation and lighting - Mix of analog and digital, in spite of being compact, the digital cluster is intuitive and easy to read. I am satisfied with the LED lights in the night but I would rate them as average.

I am not sure if they're legal, but do you use aftermarket lights?

Reliability - This bike will probably outlast you if you care for it. It will start every day, it will do Leh- Ladakh (for existing owners - get your ECU updated before you start off to leh).

Yes, but if the rust doesn't get to it first. Come on, Honda!

That's all I had in my mind.
Regards
Parry

Useful summary, thanks!

Originally Posted by manojsolanki87

They know that it's an issue. And the service center has no answer for this. The service centres are overburdened and ill occupied to handle the number of bikes sold.

Well, in a way it's good and shows the bike is selling much above their expectations. Once more, I have to say Yamaha would do well to understand this nature of the Indian market where we still want these classic, practical, and comfortable bikes.
I can only hope that they have already taken remedial action and improved the quality of their finishing, paints etc.

I have owned pulsar and gixxer before this. The cost of ownership is well in budget. Spare costs are also not that high except the light units which owing to being led units are costly to replace.
But the brake pads are really poor. People have had to replace them in even 5k on new bikes. I sold gixxer with odo 16k with original pads.
But to sum it up, I would say its a good and practical bike.

How was your service experience with Suzuki? The other bike I am considering is the V Strom SX 250.

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[parrymx5]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

Ah, maybe that's what's behind the super quick brake pad wear we've heard of. But if that's the case it should happen even more with the REs. Hmm.

It can be possible that Honda has miscalculated the rear brake usage and therefore this has resulted in faster rear brake pad wear? The only thing which the honda guys with my braking have done is basic cleaning. When there is debris or brake dust on the disk there is a hissing sound, maybe that's what people were complaining about? (correct me if im wrong, since id like to know the reason).

I am not sure if they're legal, but do you use aftermarket lights?

No, I'm on the Stock lighting setup, I might change the headlight to a more powerful one when I plan to go on a long north east tour, but I have no qualms about the headlight in the city or on highways if the speed is below 70kmph.

As far as my knowledge goes you can use auxilary lights provided they are at a lower height than your headlights and you must have a cover for them when they are not in use.

[manojsolanki87]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

How was your service experience with Suzuki? The other bike I am considering is the V Strom SX 250.

Service experience with suzuki was not good as well. Basic parts were not available. Suzuki product are really good but not the after sales.
The review of sx250 is not out yet. But only shortfall as of now that is known is less travel suspension that won't make it off road friendly.

[tchsvy]

Regarding tall gearing, Youtuber Strell put it perfectly, instead of treating the CB as a cruiser ala RE Classic, consider it as a commuter, the gearing makes sense and will be easier to adjust to.

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by parrymx5

It can be possible that Honda has miscalculated the rear brake usage and therefore this has resulted in faster rear brake pad wear? The only thing which the honda guys with my braking have done is basic cleaning. When there is debris or brake dust on the disk there is a hissing sound, maybe that's what people were complaining about? (correct me if im wrong, since id like to know the reason).

That's quite possible. I have no idea about the development times involved. It's quite possible that they were rushing to come up with a competitor to RE. Such a design as you guess is easy to make.

No, I'm on the Stock lighting setup, I might change the headlight to a more powerful one when I plan to go on a long north east tour, but I have no qualms about the headlight in the city or on highways if the speed is below 70kmph.

Well, in general, it's likely not a good idea to be going above that speed in the dark : ) That means the lights should be mostly fine.

As far as my knowledge goes you can use auxilary lights provided they are at a lower height than your headlights and you must have a cover for them when they are not in use.

Thanks, this helps.

[Peri_patetic99]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

Hi all, I am returning to motorcycles after a gap of several years, and I am looking to benefit from your experience as I finalise my choice.

So far, I quite like the CB 350 H’ness.

Hi @2wheelsvaga,

I own a cb350 dlx pro model and I've covered around 6k kms so far.

1. Engine has good torque in mid- and top- end, low end is practically non existent. But tall gear ratios help in giving good FE, I get about 38 kmpl consistently, with 50% highway and 50% city driving.
If your use case is only for highways, maintaining a speed of around 70-90 kmph in 5th gear, you will easily achieve 45-50 kmpl.

2. Personally, I feel that it picks up from 65 in the 5th gear without much fuss, but it's definitely not as tractable as the RE's, which can go as low as 40 in the 5th gear. Then again, you're getting better performance once you leave the low end of revs. 4th gear can be engaged from 45 and upwards, below which it hesitates a bit. 3rd gear is good from 30-60 and 2nd is 20ish- 50. Sometimes the taller gearing can irritate in city traffic, but it's not that big of an issue.
Performance does become a bit sluggish with pillion, but nothing concerning.

3. Contrary to popular opinion, in my experience the front brake isn't as good and offers progressive bite instead of stopping immediately. I feel rear brake is good and has good stopping power, both should be used in tandem with engine braking for best braking performance. I've also recently replaced the brake pads at 5.4k kms in the second free service, so that's something that might be a bit worrisome. Also, have had issues on broken roads( quite a few in Bangalore) where the front brake lever has lost feedback ( happened 3-4 times).
Overall, braking could've been better, but it's not that bad.

4. Check the rear brake pedal position; I have found it to be little uncomfortable for my right ankle on long rides, it should've been a bit more outward-set.

5. clutch is super smooth and very light, slip and assist clutch is a nice-to-have.

6. Torque control works well indeed; I have seen it jump in in situations where traction is less. It's definitely not a gimmick and very useful( for me, at least) in rainy and slippery conditions.

7. Front headlight throw is okayish for city use with low-beam, high beam makes things a bit better. But for night-time highway rides, would definitely suggest going for auxiliary lamps.

8. Bike is a looker and has great road presence; the sweet exhaust note makes it even better. More and more properly designed accessories are becoming available in the market for highness and RS.

9. Handlebar raiser(not OEM accessory) is super useful and gives a comfortable riding position- that paired along with the comfy split seat, makes long rides a breeze. Would recommend to install a windscreen too, wind blast is quite a bit above 80 kmph.
OEM Mudguards are decent and cover most of the mud splash underneath the body.

10. Haven't had any rusting or paint issues till now, but some users have reported it.

11. Suspension is the right mix of firm and supple; paired with MRF zappers, gives good cornering confidence. My usual type pressure is 29psi for the front and 33psi for the rear; ride quality is good on broken roads too.

12. Have had a decent experience with bigwing lavelle road and Mekhi circle till now, no complaints there. Especially in a city like Bengaluru, which has 3 service centers and 3 bigwing outlets.

Would I buy another bike in this price range, given the opportunity?
No, because it's an extremely well-rounded experience and for people that enjoy cruiser/roadster type motorcycles(like me), I wouldn't exchange it even for the newer RE's.
In the common man's words, "yeh Honda ki bullet hai"

[groom]

From Bangalore area - service is good, they have pick up and drop as well and that helps me.

No quality issues in my bike. The bike consistently returns me an avg of 34kmpl. I have run now for 4000kms from almost 2yrs ( near launch bike).

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by Peri_patetic99

1. Engine has good torque in mid- and top- end, low end is practically non existent. But tall gear ratios help in giving good FE, I get about 38 kmpl consistently, with 50% highway and 50% city driving.
If your use case is only for highways, maintaining a speed of around 70-90 kmph in 5th gear, you will easily achieve 45-50 kmpl.

That's a quite satisfactory figure. Yes, the idea is to stay between 80-90 kmph of good roads. Of course, the pillion and saddle bags will add weight, but going by what you say 40 kmpl should still be achievable. That's still a good figure.

2. Personally, I feel that it picks up from 65 in the 5th gear without much fuss, but it's definitely not as tractable as the RE's, which can go as low as 40 in the 5th gear. Then again, you're getting better performance once you leave the low end of revs. 4th gear can be engaged from 45 and upwards, below which it hesitates a bit. 3rd gear is good from 30-60 and 2nd is 20ish- 50. Sometimes the taller gearing can irritate in city traffic, but it's not that big of an issue.
Performance does become a bit sluggish with pillion, but nothing concerning.

That sounds pretty decent for city riding. One could shift to 2nd @ 15/20 kmph, 3rd @ 30, and 4th @45. It actually comes across as a 4-gear regular commuter bike, which is not a bad thing at all.
In fact, I wonder how the 6-gear SX 250 fares with its shorter gear ratios.

I've also recently replaced the brake pads at 5.4k kms in the second free service, so that's something that might be a bit worrisome. Also, have had issues on broken roads( quite a few in Bangalore) where the front brake lever has lost feedback ( happened 3-4 times).
Overall, braking could've been better, but it's not that bad.

Yeah, these are the quality issues I've been hearing about more often than I would like. I guess one just has to take a chance.
Btw, would you recommend replacing the brake pads with ones from non-Honda companies. I think someone used pads from Bajaj. That would bring down costs. Of course, the safety shouldn't get compromised in the process.

4. Check the rear brake pedal position; I have found it to be little uncomfortable for my right ankle on long rides, it should've been a bit more outward-set.

Can't be as bad as those sporty ones : ) People with large feet end up with sharp angles between their shins and feet. That makes for so much strain. It's good for sports bikes, but on roadsters and tourers, it's downright uncomfortable.

5. clutch is super smooth and very light, slip and assist clutch is a nice-to-have.

Did you go into the mountains/hills? Doesn't the slipper clutch take away from the efficiency of engine braking when you're going downhill?

6. Torque control works well indeed; I have seen it jump in in situations where traction is less. It's definitely not a gimmick and very useful( for me, at least) in rainy and slippery conditions.

I think that's a great feature, even if it's a basic implementation. Many new riders will greatly benefit from it. Honda seems to be the only one providing the feature at this price point.

9. Handlebar raiser(not OEM accessory) is super useful and gives a comfortable riding position- that paired along with the comfy split seat, makes long rides a breeze.

Do you also have long distance riding experience with the regular seat? Is the split seat significantly more comfortable with long hours in the saddle?

Would I buy another bike in this price range, given the opportunity?
No, because it's an extremely well-rounded experience and for people that enjoy cruiser/roadster type motorcycles(like me), I wouldn't exchange it even for the newer RE's.
In the common man's words, "yeh Honda ki bullet hai"

Haha. Well said! I am trying to take adventure bikes seriously, but there's something about the comfort, simplicity, and classic feel to a roadster/tourer combo : )

Originally Posted by groom

From Bangalore area - service is good, they have pick up and drop as well and that helps me.

No quality issues in my bike. The bike consistently returns me an avg of 34kmpl. I have run now for 4000kms from almost 2yrs ( near launch bike).

That's a decent FE figure. Do you mostly ride on the highways? What speeds do you ride at?

[Sebring]

A biker needs one roadster/tourer and an ADV in the garage . My SMURFY, the Honda CB 350 is from the first batch and there is no rust or any issues. If you want pictures from any specific area/spots I can post them here. In Mumbai you can't save ANY bike from the 'brown monster' but if your location is Delhi, should be fine. It's an extremely competent bike and I love it to bits. The VSTROM 250 is doing duty on the roads less traveled, and am putting it through the paces. But, whatever the bike I just wash and wipe it after every ride so it stays pristine

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

there's something about the comfort, simplicity, and classic feel to a roadster/tourer combo

[mufeez1234]

I am a layman in the biking world but one question absolutely baffles me in this RE vs Hness debate.

Why doesnt Jawa Perak compete with these two?

[Sebring]

Perak is a niche product. To be honest, have seen ONLY ONE on the Mysuru highway

Originally Posted by mufeez1234

I am a layman in the biking world but one question absolutely baffles me in this RE vs Hness debate. Why doesnt Jawa Perak compete with these two?

[mufeez1234]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Perak is a niche product. To be honest, have seen ONLY ONE on the Mysuru highway

What are its capabilities vis-a-vis RE and the Hness?

[tchsvy]

Perak is more suited for solo sunday coffee rides, and isn't exactly a tourer. The Jawa 42 and Jawa Classic can be put into the same bracket as the RE Classic and the CB, the initial delivery fiasco and the QC issues made the potential customers look elsewhere.

[NSK123]

I had evaluated CB 350, CB 350 RS, Meteor 350, Yezdi Roadster, Adventure & Scrambler and finally bought Yezdi roadster. To me CB 350 air cooled, 5 gears with tall gearing and having not much of pickup at higher speed was not ok. On Roadster while there are cribs about ugly weld joints, with few months of ownership and two long rides, I can confidently say this bike is excellent for long rides and no cost cutting anywhere and has been put together well. Obviously it may not be as smooth as CB 350 engine.