[ValkyrieAB]

Hello All!
Well, I went ahead an did it! I got my CB350 RS on the 26th of September 2022. Suffice to say, I'm happy!
A little history about my bike ownership:
1) First bike was a Hero Honda Karizma R - owned that for 5 years and out about 60k kms on it.
2) Was without a bike for about 5 years and then bought an R15 v3. Ran it for 3 years (2019-2022). Due to covid, a short office commute and the fact that my tired old back just wouldn't get used to the riding position, I didn't put many miles on it. I wanted something to re-ignite my biking passion and go for longer rides so decided to buy something more comfortable.

I looked at the usual suspects, RE, Jawa/Yezdi and the Honda (CB350/ CB300R).
My crietria was the following:
1. Comfort: Decent riding position, compliant suspension, light weight
2. Power: Not a power fiend. Just wanted something that could cut through traffic effectively and cruise at about 100 kmph effortlessly.
3. Reliability: I cannot be bothered with small niggles. They drive me nuts. I wanted the fill it, shut it, forget it life.
4. Ease of Use: Light Clutch (I live in Bangalore), smooth & light gearshifts.
5. Pillion Comfort: My wife loves going on rides and her comfort was key.


How I arrived at the CB350 RS was the following:

1. RE: First elimination was the vibrations. I've always bought Japanese bikes and I cannot live with vibrations. They've improved them tremendously with the new J series engine but haven't eliminated them. Classic & Meteor also eliminated due to heavy clutch(lighter than previous versions but still heavy) & heavy weight. The Hunter 350 seemed to solve the weight problem and looks stunning, but the clutch is still a little heavy and the RE reliability is still something that bothers me. The new bikes are significantly better but still have small niggling issues that crop up (have friends who own new gen REs).
2. Jawa/ Yezdi: The only one I really like the looks of was the Bobber, but I need a pillion seat. Looks are important to me - If you don't turn back and look at the bike before walking away, you've made the wrong choice.
3. Honda: Perfect Compromise. Decent power, smooth, refined, looks stunning, reliable (already on the market for > 2years). There are cons that I'll discuss further, but overall the package is hard to beat.

A few images from the purchase day and my recent trip to Nandi Hills with the wife.












I've completed about 450 kms as I'm writing this and I'll try to sum up my initial impressions with the positives & negatives and also give a good overview of the accessories I've installed. I found that accessories was an area that lacked comprehensive info on the internet (at least collated in one place).

Positives:
1. The Engine: Supremely refined, amazing exhaust note, good power.
2. Handling: Lovely light handling (belies its weight), good grip, easy to navigate heavy BLR traffic, very easy to pull a U-Turn on even with a pillion (the handle turns quite a bit which helps)
3. Comfort: The suspension isn't very soft but has good damping. Some deep potholes can be a little jarring but the suspension doesn't bounce after encountering it (something I felt was missing on the REs, but they handled the initial impact better). Softer bumps and potholes are dismissed without fuss. I prefer this setup but it's a personal choice. The damping gives a very stable feel when you encounter rough patches at high speed. Seats aren't great TBH. RE seats are better (Classic & Meteor not the Hunter). There is numbness after an hour or so and I'm looking to remedy that with some air cushion seat attachments.

Negatives:
1. Gearbox: Annoying is how I'd put it. At slow speeds you need to be in first or second. My Karizma R was a stick-it-in-third-and-forget-it sort of bike. The REs offer similar ease in third as well. This bike lacks that due to poor ratio selection. On the highway 4th works well and 5th is only an option once you know you have an open road and wont need to decelerate.
2. Lack of foresight in some aspects: Mud. Mud. Mud. In the accessories section I'll describe the THREE mud prevention installations I've had to make just to ensure none of it comes onto the rider, pillion or make its way to some of the electronics. Side panel for storage needs allen key to open which can be found on the other side panel which opens with the key. Stupid design/cost control choice. Seat held on by only one bolt and it shakes if you jiggle it. Why? No idea. Glow-worms for headlights. Been mocked by my friend with a 5 year old Classic 350. "LED headlamps!" as he clutched his sides from the laughter induced pain.

The positives however fall right into place with what i expect from my bike and while the negatives are annoying, I can either eliminate them with the help of after-market Gods or learn to live with them (Gearbox )

Coming to the accessories!

1. The fight against Mud! The bike doesn't come with any usable mud guards so you need to get them installed separately. Thankfully my Honda BigWing showroom (BigWing North Bangalore) offers some during purchase.
I bought the two mudguards needed at the rear from them. That being the rear-inner mudguard & the tyre hugger. They installed them pre-delivery. I provided them with a Carbon racing front mudguard which they also installed free of charge before handing over the bike (it was installed with screws which involved drilling into the front fender - another option is installing it with 3M adhesive tape which doesn't last long).


You can see how much dirt gets collected around that rear-internal mud-guard. All that would have sprayed onto some of the electrical components behind it if not installed.


Provided by Honda themselves as an accessory. Nothing to write home about. It's flimsy but does the job.


Purchased from Carbon Racing. A MUST-HAVE if you love your trousers. Also installed by Honda (sent it to them 2 days prior to delivery)

2. Crash Guard: Part of dealer accessory. Looks good and comes with sliders.



3. Lights: The lights are weak at best. Alignment helps (Factory alignment seems to low), but it leaves a lot to be desired on the highway both in terms of spread & throw. Installed Maddog Scout Aux Lights (bought the whole kit incl. mounts, harness (non-pro model) and switch (also non-pro model). Works quite well and provides enough illumination.



4. Rear Grab-rail and Backrest: On the test ride my wife felt uncomfortable and she had nothing to hold on to and hard acceleration made her feel vulnerable. Scouted a few grab-rail and back rest combos and settled on this one from AutoPappa out of Kerala. Most grab-rails need the OG ones to be removed leaving a gaping hole. These can be installed with the originals in place and look much tidier. Also the height and size of the backrest looks proportional (some looked hideous - they were too tall, backrest too high, grabrail too ugly etc). Again, installed by Honda free of charge pre-delivery.



5. Fly Screen & Seat Cover: Both part of Honda dealer accessory list and installed by them. Fly screen is primarily for looks, doesn't help with the wind a whole lot. The seat covers add a little extra padding and also protect the originals that came with the bike (a faux alcantara-esqe fabric that doesn't seem like it'll hold up well to wear & tear and water).






6. Carbon Racing Handlebar Risers: I bought the straight ones (inclined ones need the cables to be re-routed). They add about an inch in height and I think it makes quite a lot of difference to the posture. The original setup brought in a slight bend in the back (I'm 5'10") but these solve that problem. Some minor clutch play adjustment was needed but nothing major.

Hope this helps out other folks in their endeavor to either buy the bike or set it up post purchase!
I'll try to add other thoughts/ updates as and when they happen!


Cheers
Valkyrie!

[pugram]

@ValkyrieAB - A nice concise write up with the relevant details.

On the handle bar - Do you have a before and after pic, to compare. I am 5' 6" and maybe the OE bar will do. I know a test ride will answer this but just checking your opinion.

Also you have not mentioned the mileage you are getting. Kitna deta hai? :-)

I am also a fence sitter, as usual, with varied requirements. Heart wants a twin cylinder but brain is bent on practicality. However pillion comfort is an important requirement. Looks like most of the bikes are having like 1 1/2 seats only. For my office commute I currently ride a Bajaj Platina 110 in which myself and my colleague (Both of us averaging around 75kgs each), with our Laptop bags on the back are able to sit comfortably. The distance is around 10kms only and easily doable by bike. Do you think we can manage the same scenario on the 350RS ?

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by ValkyrieAB

I went ahead a did it! I got my CB350 RS on the 26th of September 2022.

Congratulations and all the best ValkyrieAB, wish you a happy ownership!

The blue colour looks amazing in pictures and seems to have different hues in different lighting conditions. The first picture you posted, it seems like a deep electric blue and others it seems lighter in comparison. What’s the official name of this colour? Very good and practical choice of assessories overall. Visually I find the crash bar to be a size larger compared to the bike.

Please do continue to post your journey on the bike as the kilometres pile on with pictures showing off the beautiful blue.

Cheers

[ValkyrieAB]

Originally Posted by pugram

@ValkyrieAB - A nice concise write up with the relevant details.

Thanks bud!

Originally Posted by pugram

On the handle bar - Do you have a before and after pic, to compare. I am 5' 6" and maybe the OE bar will do. I know a test ride will answer this but just checking your opinion.

The picture you see with me on the bike, is actually a before picture. I got the risers installed this week. I can try to get a similar picture one of these days to show the difference in posture
As for my opinion, the original setup keeps your arms straight and the back slightly bent. I'm 5'10" and if I'm facing this, you would too. BTW the posture on the Highness is slightly better than the RS to start off with so you can look into that model as well. The risers make a discernable difference on my bike and work even better on the Highness.

Originally Posted by pugram

Also you have not mentioned the mileage you are getting. Kitna deta hai? :-)

I started off getting about 31 kmpl in the first few days. Slowly it has increased to 34-35 kmpl. This is however the figure displayed on the MID. I will be testing it out tank-full to tank-full but only post first service and 1000 kms on the odo. It's pointless to do it before that as the engine is still getting bedded in.

Originally Posted by pugram

I am also a fence sitter, as usual, with varied requirements. Heart wants a twin cylinder but brain is bent on practicality. However pillion comfort is an important requirement. Looks like most of the bikes are having like 1 1/2 seats only. For my office commute I currently ride a Bajaj Platina 110 in which myself and my colleague (Both of us averaging around 75kgs each), with our Laptop bags on the back are able to sit comfortably. The distance is around 10kms only and easily doable by bike. Do you think we can manage the same scenario on the 350RS ?

If pillion comfort is a key requirement, the REs are better. However, that doesn't mean that the Honda is bad. After I installed the backrest, my wife is quite comfortable. I realized through speaking to her that the discomfort is because the pillion is not able to judge where they need to be seated to be safe. Once you add the backrest, it becomes a much better and secure place to sit.
The seat itself is a tad firm but if its too soft it becomes and issue in itself. The seat covers have helped but I am going to go for air cushion seats for sure. The butt numbness is a problem even RE riders and pillions face.

As for going for a twin, honestly, I did too. The reasons I didn't are as follows:
1. Cost. If I get my passion to ride back again (died after the R15 v3 ownership) I will invest that extra money for a twin. For now I didn't want my exposure to be too high.
2. Heat. Those RE engines get quite hot from what i hear. And being in BLR I'm gonna be stuck in traffic most of the time.
3. Weight. The Interceptor is > 200 kgs. Might not sound like a lot but it will make its presence felt in traffic (again BLR, so I have to keep it in mind) and especially when you're moving the bike with your arms (parking lots etc).


Hope this helps!

[chandrda]

Nice ride, looks Dashing in Blue. Wishing you many happy miles

Good review and covers many practical usage.

I have been sitting on fence for last one year and not able to makeup my mind to purchase Honda CB350. I am worried that I might not be able to utilize the bike as much as I think for various reason

Regards

[ValkyrieAB]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Congratulations and all the best ValkyrieAB, wish you a happy ownership!

Thanks a ton!

Originally Posted by Cyborg

The blue colour looks amazing in pictures and seems to have different hues in different lighting conditions. The first picture you posted, it seems like a deep electric blue and others it seems lighter in comparison. What’s the official name of this colour?

The color is called "Athletic Blue - Metallic".
It's a gorgeous color. I visited the showroom and I actually fell in love with the black and yellow. After 3 visits, it just suddenly stopped exciting me. The Blue suddenly just drew me to it. What also helped was that it was my wife's favorite of all three. Also black is so much harder to maintain. The Red is also quite good, but my R15 was red so I didn't want to repeat it.
Yes the color changes hues based on lighting - the first picture was under white streetlights and the rest are under direct sunlight. The paint also has metallic flakes in it which makes it sparkle. I'm loving it!

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Very good and practical choice of assessories overall. Visually I find the crash bar to be a size larger compared to the bike.

Thanks. I saw that info was a little scattered and thought it would help folks make their decisions if it was all at one place. Accessories like the risers and the backrest can actually swing the decision in favor of the bike for some folks.
About the crash guard, yes my initial impressions also suggested that it's a tad big, but I realized that my handlebar actually extends a bit further than the crash guard. This helps me make sure I don't bump into stuff while cutting through traffic, if handlebar can get through, the crash guard can too!

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Please do continue to post your journey on the bike as the kilometers pile on with pictures showing off the beautiful blue.

Cheers

I intend to! Thanks for your support.
I'm using this as a way to write more as well as that aspect of my life has been lost. I'm going to use this as a starting point
Just had one question: I'm new to the forum. If say, I wanted to post the first service experience and the feel of the bike post service, should I start a new thread, edit the current review and add to it, or post it in replies?

[ValkyrieAB]

Originally Posted by chandrda

Nice ride, looks Dashing in Blue. Wishing you many happy miles

Good review and covers many practical usage.

I have been sitting on fence for last one year and not able to makeup my mind to purchase Honda CB350. I am worried that I might not be able to utilize the bike as much as I think for various reason

Regards

Thanks a ton!

Yes, buying a vehicle is like throwing money into a pit - the asset will never grow, only decline. Only and only if it adds practicality (saves you office commute time) or provides you happiness that nothing else would (weekend bike rides with a partner or friends) is the investment worth it
Just my opinion.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by ValkyrieAB

Just had one question. I'm new to the forum. If say, I wanted to post the first service experience and the feel of the bike post service, should I start a new thread, edit the current review and add to it, or post it in replies?

You can post any and every update to your bike ownership in replies to this thread.

Cheers

[ValkyrieAB]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

You can post any and every update to your bike ownership in replies to this thread.

Cheers

Thanks @Cyborg. I'll update once I've ridden through the running-in period.

[rajeevsulu]

Congratulations on the 350 RS. I got my Highness 350 anniversary edition in matt green a couple of months ago. What made me go away from the RS was it's back seat. I also liked the matt green color of the anniversary edition. The bike is brilliant but for its tall gearing. I just run it in 4 th till I see 90 on the speedo. I am 6 4 in height and weigh 90 kgs. Handling the bike is no big trouble for me. Enjoy your experience and keep updating here. That is something I failed to do.
Cheers

[ValkyrieAB]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Congratulations on the 350 RS. I got my Highness 350 anniversary edition in matt green a couple of months ago. What made me go away from the RS was it's back seat. I also liked the matt green color of the anniversary edition.

Thanks Rajeev! Oh the matt green is gorgeous especially with the brown seat!
As for the RS seat, the dealer actually measured the two single piece seats and the RS was actually slightly longer than the H'ness. But the split seat on the H'ness will definitely be more comfortable. I liked the H'ness but the rear was something that I wasn't very fond of.

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

The bike is brilliant but for its tall gearing. I just run it in 4 th till I see 90 on the speedo. I am 6 4 in height and weigh 90 kgs. Handling the bike is no big trouble for me. Enjoy your experience and keep updating here. That is something I failed to do.
Cheers

Exactly. You need to be in 4th to get up to 90 or even 100. Then move over to 5th if the road is clear. I don't bother moving to 5th if there's traffic up ahead coz overtaking in 5th is nigh impossible.

[caveman969]

Great review mate, congratulations on the new ride.

My requirements also align with yours quite a bit. Confused if I should go for the Honda or wait for the new RE 650s.

One question I have is if pillion comfort was important to you why get the RS instead of the Hness? The anniversary edition especially has great pillion seats. Was it just a form over function decision?

[ValkyrieAB]

Originally Posted by caveman969

Great review mate, congratulations on the new ride.

Thanks mate!

Originally Posted by caveman969

My requirements also align with yours quite a bit. Confused if I should go for the Honda or wait for the new RE 650s.

They're two different beasts. If you riding is going to be majorly in a city, and a crowded city at that, CB350 for life. Light, maneuverable, smooth, doesn't overheat.

If you're looking for a highway partner, definitely a twin. All those factors don't matter on the highway.

Originally Posted by caveman969

One question I have is if pillion comfort was important to you why get the RS instead of the Hness? The anniversary edition especially has great pillion seats. Was it just a form over function decision?

Mostly vanity. The RS just looks so good. The highness looks good most of the way from front to back, but the rear for me is a letdown. Also I've always liked scramblers more than classic looking bikes.

[ValkyrieAB]

Update Post First Service

So I had the following requests/ issues which I communicated to the service supervisor:

1. Clutch feel post handlebar risers was a little compromised. It was slightly harder and the bite point was too shallow. It made first gear creeping a little difficult. Supervisor mentioned that with risers that was normal after riser installation but he'd look into it.
2. Mirror Replacement with mirrors from CB300R. The ones on the CB300F looked better to me, but he advised the 300R mirrors since they had better FoV - he'd done it before.
3. Horn Replacement with the Highness dual horn setup. Replacement is a misnomer. Basically it was the addition of the low frequency horn unit from the Highness and keeping the original high frequency one to make the dual horn setup. Supervisor had done it before and agreed.
4. Headlight Alignment was too low. Again, a problem he'd seen before and said that he'd align it higher.
5. General First Service work - Oil change, Oil Filter Change, Chain Lubrication and a few other checks.


Overall Experience:

Good and smooth. The Supervisor was very communicative and listened with patience. He was cordial and instilled confidence.
Turn around time was quick, gave the bike at 3 pm and ready at 6 pm.
Bike was washed well.

Now for the feedback on the works they completed:

1. Clutch is now PERFECT. The clutch cable actually goes through a bracket near the frame and they re-routed it. Now I understand how much harder my clutch had become because now it's feather light with perfect bite. Loving it.
2. Mirrors from the CB300R work really well! Good FoV and they look okay-ish. The stock ones look better, but these don't look offensive. I'm ok with that.
3. Horn sounds so much louder and better! Definitely a recommended upgrade for all!
4. Headlight seems better, I checked in the parking garage which is dimly lit but a night ride will confirm the outcome.
5. General Service outcome: Bike seems smoother. I suspect chain lubrication is a major factor (have been riding in Bangalore rains all this while). Gearshifts also seem smoother but that might have something to do with the clutch setting (?).

Overall it was a good experience and I'm looking forward to my second ride to Nandi Hills with my pals tomorrow. I'll get a better feel for the bike on the longer ride.

Cheers!
ValkyrieAB

[rajeevsulu]

Precisely what I experienced after my first service. I have done 3000 kms now in 3 months. The lights are very average. Your aux lights will help you more. Their service turnaround time is phenomenal. I got mine done in 2 hours while you sip a coffee the showroom provides. Please make sure you clean and lube your chain every 700-800 kms, especially, Bangalore weather. Cheers!