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-   -   Queries about Honda CB350 quality issues, Big Wing and RSA (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/252127-queries-about-honda-cb350-quality-issues-big-wing-rsa.html)

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.

I will mainly use the motorcycle for touring, with occasional use in the city. I will mostly ride with a pillion. Comfortable seating for both is important. I will use saddle bags/tank bag but no top bag. Cruising speeds will be less than 90 kmph, and I plan to cover at most 350 km per day. There will be considerable riding in the Himalayas/western ghats. So far, I quite like the CB 350 H’ness.

My questions are mainly on the CB 350. Does anyone know how quickly the Big Wing network will expand in the coming year or two? Do you have experience with Honda RSA, and does it provide prompt service?

I saw some videos on the ownership experience. Overall, everyone seems happy, but there seem to be quality issues too. Riders talk about rusting (especially in coastal areas), electrical wiring issues, premature brake pad wear, and a handlebar wobble at higher speeds on a fully saddled motorcycle. There also seem to be issues with some of the Tata supplied batteries. I get the impression that Honda was rushed with this release and haven’t paid attention to QC. Are these one-off issues, or more widespread?

Finally, I am happy to hear your suggestions if you feel I will be better off with another motorcycle. I am a Yamaha fan, but sadly they don’t have a Classic 350/CB 350 counterpart. I also considered the FZ 25, but feel it’s front peg is too rear set for a tall person like me. The new V Strom SX 250 looks good, but I am yet to test ride it. The lack of near visibility owing to that high windshield does not appeal. If you think, I should look at these two again, do let me know. Thanks!

Hi, Congratulations and Welcome to Team BHP.

Well I don’t have CB350 but I evaluated it before buying RE350 Classic Dark Stealth last December. The reason I dropped CB350 primarily because it had only 1 showroom and 1 service center across Pune. And on contrary RE sales service is spread across the city. Rather then travelling 20 Kms for service, i go 2 kms and get it done in 2 hours.

The other aspect is Classic reborn is very different from earlier generations in positive way. No vibrations and niggles. Well I have ridden it only 2k kms in last 6 months and mine are also highway rides and western ghats.

I would also recommend you to evaluate Himalayan if not done already, it’s way better highway cruiser offering better comfort and ergonomics.

Yes, that's certainly a valid consideration. I am hoping Honda will have an overall greater reliability, and I won't need to make many trips to the service centre : ) My experience with RE was never great. I feel I'll end up needing to visit the service centre more often.
I also don't mind longer trips, but I do want to get a sense of how fast the Big Wing network is going to expand.
I did TD it some years ago, and overall it was nice. But it was clear to me that I wouldn't want to handle it in city. The 21" front also made it too unweildy for my taste. Besides, I have been watching the every-increasing weight of RE with some alarm. This one is nearly 200 kg, while I am sure 180 kg is the max I want to go with. The other advantage with the CB is the sorted out COG, which makes it feel nimbler than what its weight would suggest.

Hello,

I have a CB 350, almost owned it for 18 months. I also had similar requirements like yours.

I was aware of some rusting issues but later found out that these were one off cases. I have not experienced or heard about any electrical, braking issue. Regarding the wobbling issue... It's simple physics unbalanced weight will create unbalanced forces. I have gone on a 1600 KM round trip rides with a pillion and luggage (saddlebags) and did not face any wobbling issue.

Regarding other bikes, you MUST test ride other bikes to have a clearer view. You should test ride both the v-strom and the fz. You can also test ride the new classic and the Himalayan. Having said that I am not confident about a pillion on long tours on the fz and have no idea about the v Strom.

I did not go with RE due to pathetic dealership experience and super long waiting periods but I did like the Himalayan and the new classic (after recently trying it out). Do note that both of them can have small niggles intermittently.

Fortunately, I have no experience with Honda RSA yet, but I had a good experience with Delhi and gurugram dealership and service centres.

This might be not what you directly asked but, as a side note on engine and gearbox characteristics between the Honda and RE. The Honda likes to be revved has better top and mid range than the classic, while the classic surges ahead in low revs. You require more frequent gear changes in the Honda(in the cites) although you won't complain too much of you like to be engaged since the clutch is lighter. But the 3rd gear on the CB is like can go from 30-90 km/h and I mainly use this during city missions.,Still the classic is more tractable. The Honda is nimbler in the city without being unstable on the highways. The Enfield has better service coverage although the Honda is less likely to give up on you. The 5th cog in the Honda is strictly an overdrive gear and is best suited for holding speeds and munching miles with efficiency.
But after the initial issues (if any) the Enfield will be as fun as the Honda.

I would have suggested to take a look at the x-pulse since it is a wonderful bike but I think it would feel dangerously underpowered with a pillion and saddlebags/panniers.

You should also try out the Dominar 400, it is hands down the most value for money bike in this price range in my opinion.

Test ride a lot of bikes and go with what your heart says don't read into the specs too much, it's a waste of time.

(Do excuse my mistakes, if I have made any)

Regards
Parry:cool:

2wheelsvaga, welcome to the forum! Perhaps you should consider a few options that are better suited to your requirements
- Royal Enfield Himalayan (rugged + plethora of accessories + Royal Enfield's wide service network)
- Bajaj Dominar 400 (solid tourer)
- Suzuki VStrom 250 (WIDE pillion seat + reliable 250 engine + low cost of ownership)

That high windshield on the VStrom 250 doesnt cause any issues with near visibility. Just dont ask me how I know that....

I dont mean to say that the CB350 is a bad bike. Its a very good offering from Honda. There are so many well engineered bikes out there. Some will suit your needs, a lot better than the others.

I am about to get myself a CB 350 and one look at the title made me nervous :) If pillion comfort is a must for you then look elsewhere. I have been a pillion on a RS which is supposed to have a better seat than the CB, and it wasn't a pleasant experience to say the least. The FZ is a street fighter and is better suited for the concrete jungle, and as you are not comfortable going with RE products, I would suggest you to checkout the V-SX, from the initial ride videos out on the social media platforms, it looks like a well put together bike and if you aren't into serious offroading, the baby Versys will be fit for your requirements. Happy hunting.

Incorrect. RS has more aggressive pillion seating, compared to the regular CB350.

Also, the Anniversary edition comes standard with split seating, and pillion get a couple of CMs more seating space.


I have a week old CB350, the anniversary edition. The Matte Green with black wheels looks stunning! And lo-behold, four of them got delivered on that day.

One of the bike turned out to be very problematic. This is from Lavelle road Bigwing, in Bangalore. All of these bikes manufactured on May 2022.

I have completed 500+ kms so far. On all kind of roads, city traffic, highways, Nandi hills etc. Have not faced any issue, thus far.

Buttttt.... for one spot of rust! And it is present in a brand-new bike. Hence this rust thing, as noted by you, has nothing to do with the coastal area and such. I must have missed this during PDI! :Frustrati

The bike rides like a dream. Very agile even in city traffic. The 180kg kerb weight is not felt while riding.

As noted earlier, for what is supposed to be long stroke torquey engine, the tall gearing kind of spoils the fun. The low end is nonexistent. Its starts to pull after a noticeable initial hesitancy. Clutch is very light and gear change is a non-issue. And you got to be quick to downshift if you are in hurry.

Apart from this, the suspension is bit on the harder side. Please watch out for that.

My understanding is most of the social media reported issues are valid. CB350 seems to be unlike a Japanese product, on the quality front.

I would still recommend CB 350, only after a stringent PDI.

My cb350 has done 11k+.Here is my experience

Negatives:
1.Rusting and paint chipping is a present and real issue, and there is no solution to it.
2.Seat is on harder side and that makes a negative impact for long trips.
3. The 5th gear is useless.
4.The bike is not comfortable going past 100.The engine screeches like hell.

Positives:
1.The clutch is very light that helps in city traffic.
2.Its a reliable product. I have done the baddest roads possible on this bike, and it just keeps asking for more.
3.Overall,its a VFM bike for city and long touring but could have been better.

It's good to hear that. It's hard for me to comment on such issues because I don't have any large scale data with me. But I still thought I should check with riders. I hope others also chime in and confirm your experiences.

Well, that's true. But I've never felt this with the motorcycles I rode at high speed. This includes low weight RX100 Yamahas, to the old Yezdi and Bullets.
I have to say I am a bit concerned about this. You wouldn't expect this from the leading manufacturer in the world. But it's encouraging to hear that you've had no issues so far.
Can you elaborate on that a bit? What is your riding style? Frenetic and high speed? Constant at 80-90 kmph? Or, at 110 kmph?
The wobble comes on once you take your hands off the handlebars. Did you try that too?

Yes, definitely. That's next on the cards. I was unable to TD the FZ and will go again. But it was obvious that there's a big difference in the look and feel of the bike when you see it in person.

That's sad about the FZ. Like so many others I am scratching my head thinking why Yamaha hasn't yet launched a nice Adv, or better still, an RE/CB competitor. I would have liked to get a Yam.

Frankly, once I heard of those awful 650 footpegs, I realised RE has a long way to go before you can put complete faith in them. The old REs chrome was top notch. It would fade gradually if you maintained it. With the Thunderbird, quality was already going down.
I can probably live with all this, but I baulk at the idea of riding these overweight machines. The old RE used to be 167 kg dry, I think. That was a great weight, heavy but not unwieldy.

I am glad you don't : ) Hopefully, someone can tell us more about it. I too hope to never have to use it, but given the paucity of dealerships, I do want to know what I am getting into before signing up for Honda.

Yeah, the RE gearing way always nice, and I found it a good combo for city and highway riding.
The Honda seems a bit strange but then this gearing likely gives the good FE.

So, let me ask you this. Can the Honda also hold 40 kmph in 4th? Or, will it jerk and stutter with no pull? And is it comfortable going a little below 30 kmph in 3rd, or is that the limit?

No Hero for me. Made someone get a good 'ol Splendour and was taken aback to see the mediocre quality of manufacturing. The bike wouldn't even track straight, right out of the showroom!

I've heard good things about both the 400 and 250. But don't quite trust Bajaj quality/service. Also, they seem to be unnecessarily heavy.

Well said! Using up a good amount of time on the internet, this has also been my conclusion. The bikes look and feel different in person, and the internet is full of on-paper comparisons, which are exhausting to go through.

Not at all. Quite useful : )

Thanks. For various reasons RE and Bajaj are not really under comparison for me. The V-SX 250 looks quite promising, especially in light of the reasons you highlight.

That's great. I often feel like I don't really need the windshield. It takes away from the immediacy of the road.


Sure, thanks!

Haha, sorry about that. I didn't mean to be alarmist, but I did feel the need to seek clarifications.

That's a bummer. Why do you say so? Is it that the foot peg position is too high and tucked back? Or, the seat area is too small?
I did see something about the split seats being longer and comfier. Maybe others can share their experiences with this seat.

Yes, I am looking forward to the TD and reviews of the V-SX 250. There's a lot that seems likeable about it.
No plans for the Versys. I don't feel like putting a lot of dough on a bigger bike.

I am confused now..
had talked to a few owners about the rust issue and they did not have it and I myself did the PDI thoroughly and fortunately have not encountered any rust.
Can you confirm if the rust in on the chrome or other painted parts.
If there is, then that can be a legitimate problem in affected bikes.

hello! good luck with your purchase!!
Isn't the highness the more comfortable one out of the two?
Although I have not personally used the split seat, I have heard it is better.

As you may have read, there are bikes with the rusting issue and I think I maybe wrong in calling them one off since 2 fellow BHPians have reported it in this thread.

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.



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.

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

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. 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)

The clutch - old school gear shifter to protect your precious shoes, the gearshifts have a good, solid feel and I rather quite enjoy it. The clutch is a slip and assist and feels very light.

The engine - feels very smooth, it has a rev-happy nature. The low end is a bit underwhelming when you consider that this is a long stoke under square but your disappointment will wash away higher up in the revs, the mid and top end is quite engaging and fun. This engine likes to be revved and you should experience that. It may be more comparable to the jawas rather than the enfields due to this characteristic.

The exhaust - The exhaust feels more like an enfield than the current classic/ meteor. Although I am curious what would it sound like had Honda decided to do it their own way. Good and accurate downshifts or decelerations are awarded with sweet-sounding burbles (not sure if that's what they are called).

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).

Rusting and paint chipping - This has been a widely discussed topic, I personally have not faced this issue. Do look more into this. I keep my bike clean and if you find any surface rust be sure to remove it. If people have faced this do report it so that others can make firm decision. Here too,

Seat Comfort - I am using the stock seats and have done long tours but after 1500 kilometers I found the rider seat quite comfortable as if the foam has been Run-In ??? Seat comfort is subjective and also depends on factors like fitness. Do note that the pillion seat is a bit hard and an upgrade to split seats or more foam at the back is recommended for long tours.

Suspension - I have made the rear suspension a bit firmer to suit my needs, the suspension at the front is nonadjustable and the rear has preload (5 stages if I recall correctly). I found the setup good and it soaks up bumps well without destabilizing. I have not experienced any wobbles on the bike and enjoyed the Himalayan twisties. One observation is that due to me making the rear one step stiffer, any sudden potholes are felt by the pillion but the rider is not affected. This might be the only legitimate complaint I have of this bike.

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.

Fit and finish - You know its a honda after using it, beware of the quirky indicator and switch placement(you'll need a week getting used to it).

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).

Dealership and Service experience - My purchase and service experience has been good both in Gurugram and Delhi. I have liked the approach that honda has taken to sort out problems. I remember the outrage and disappointment during the ECU/High altitude problem which was most probably due to the lack of high altitude roads in japan where the bikes have been tested, and the poor guys forgot about the fuel maps at high altitude :uncontrol . They were quick in their response and ironed out the issue promptly.

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

From what I have heard, the H'ness seat is a little bit on the softer side and wouldn't be comfortable on long rides, on the other hand the RS's seat is little bit firm. When I (5'11") rode pillion on the RS I had my knees up and it wasn't comfortable.

I have 2 two-wheelers with me right now, Access 125 and CBR 250R and I am looking to change that to a one bike garage due to some reasons. It is hard to part ways with the Ceeber but good thing is it will stay in the family and will be available for me whenever I like to ride her. So I am looking for something that I can ride in the city and on the highways. I zeroed on the CB after examining all the available options. I am yet to ride a CB with split seats though, and if it is any better then I will go with the anniversary edition.

You can get the split seat as an accessory, for about 3,500INR. See if it really makes sense to pay premium over the DLX, just for this reason.

I went for anniversary, as i didn't like the amount of bling!

I've read about the split seats being better for the pillion.
Have you ridden on the regular seat? How do you find the split seat on longer rides?

Strange. What issues did the bike have?
The CB 350 seems to be a one-off bike made with the RE in mind. Is the manufacture of the CB 350 outsourced in some way? Maybe that is the cause of such issues.

That's interesting. It also makes me think that this tendency will be exacerbated in coastal areas with months long monsoons.
Members please share your ownership experience.
Also, what do you plan to do about the rusted portions? Is there a long-term reliable solution?

I understand that it doesn't accelerate that fast. But won't the ability to keep going in the same gear be helpful in the mountains? On 2nd gear climbs, you could keep going all the way up. With 6 gear bikes such as the V-Strom SX one might need to shift at least once.
On a related note, I also wonder if this tall gearing has really made the CB 350 so fuel efficient. Figures I see suggest 35 kmpl which doesn't seem to be much of an improvement over the REs.

Hmm, that's not confidence inspiring, especially since we are talking of Honda. And let's not forget about the high altitude issues. It's like Honda forgot to tune it, thinking no one will take it to the mountains.
Maybe someone will get us the dirt on the manufacturing process. Perhaps this was kind of built to a price? I'd like to know more.

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?

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?

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.

Yes, less Chrome is always good and also I am digging both the colour options available in the anniversary edition. Black is not readily available here in Hyderabad though and one needs to book it in advance while matte green is readily available for delivery.

I own a CB350 since past 16 months. Ridden around 9000 kms.

So far, no rusting issues as such.

QC issues wise, I found the handlebar weights (the left side one) to be a little loose and manages to come out partially of its slot. Now I'm just used to pushing it back in every time I sit on the bike.

Regarding rusting, atleast visibly, I don't see any rusting. I am in Delhi, and many times my CB350 has been out parked in the rain.