[josephilip]

As a current owner of the CB350RS, I went through the same dilemma.
Test rode all the Royal Enfields and they were good. I loved the interceptor and it's raw power and smooth engine. But a couple of my friends have the re 650s and they warned me of the high maintenance cost and the lack of proper after sales support. It's almost as expensive as a diesel swift to ride around.

I liked the classic 350 but it was too expensive for what it was, especially the nice colours. And then the hunter came out. I test rode the hunter and it was such a fun small bike. It had enough power great sound and the lot. But the suspension was a bit stiff and the small size didn't suit me much.

Immediately after I test rode the hunter i jumped on to the CB350 as the BigWing showroom is next to RE showroom. Then i felt the difference. The brakes here miles better, clutch was lighter, suspension was better, better infotainment, more stable and a bit more refined engine. It was better than the RE350s in every way except for the tall gearing in the Honda's.

A couple months later i brought home an athletic blue metallic CB350RS and i love it. It's very easy to ride in city, gives good mileage if ridden calmly, sounds great and looks amazing. Now the CB350 highness is a lot more comfortable and has more features but the way RS looked with it's stubby tail and fat tyres just made my heart melt.

CB350 is a good choice. It's easy to ride around and should be a relatively hassle free experience. Anyway, just teat ride both of them and make a decision. You can't go wrong with either of them.

Leaving you with some pictures of my RS:

[IamYogi]

Hi

Just my 2cents, have you tried the TD of Dominar 400? My BIL had one and he used brag about it a lot. I've never driven it & may be you can take the TD and share your opinion. I personally didn't liked it, I mean who would design the botched look for the bike?

[joednazareth]

Take a minute to see this option.
https://kawasaki-india.com/bikes/w800/

[bhpmooney]

Originally Posted by arulpeem

I have been riding now for 40+ years and still actively riding.

Thank you for this and reinforcing views while I have my Himalayan in waiting .
In similar age group, absolutely agree that it's a heart decision.
You have to wait for the right one!

[rajeevsulu]

I bought a CB350 Highness 4 months back. I test rode the RE bikes like the Meteor, the Classic, et al and liked the CB350 for its refined engine. Later on when the hunter was launched, I test rode it to see whether I had jumped the gun without waiting for it. I hadn't. Do test ride your choice of bikes and then take a call.

[ramgkulkarni]

Thank you gentlemen for such lovely feedback. I am truly grateful for the generous amount of knowledge you good people have shared. Apologies for not getting back sooner as I was travelling the entire week.

Some updates from the previous weekend:
1. I went to Silicon honda right next to the RE showroom in RR nagar. First I went for the meteor test ride and then for CB350. I was instantly smitten by how smooth the bike was. It doesnt feel lethargic, doesnt feel too heavy nor does it feel diffcult to shift.
2. Plus there is literally no waiting period. Another plus thing is I stay very close to mysore road and the bigwing service center is like 1.5 kms away from me. Thats going to make things easy when it comes to servicing
3. But theres more! after waiting and getting confused on the decision, I took another test ride of the Meteor last night - a more longish TD. This was in really tough city conditions and on a bit of an open stretch. I immediately recognized the gearing and easy of ride position on the meteor.

I might want to do some bit of touring, thats still going to be marginal to the city riding I intend to do with this one. Interestingly the sales experience in RE Navarang showroom was impeccable. They helped me with multiple TD and explained which bike makes more sense based on my requirement. Really amazing people. They even gave me a few retro looking key chains. So sweet of them and I am sucker for a cool key chain.

There are multiple things going for the CB350
- Slipper Clutch
- LED headlights
- Great riding triangle
- Better mileage
- Simply a better overall package from fit and finish
Only things that goes against it is the tall gearing and the lack of service centers outside of main cities/metros. You can argue that there still is a significant lack of accessories support.

What goes well for Meteor
- Seating position
- New age J series engine
- Fit and finish is really good but not as good as CB
- RE service support and an opportunity to join the huge brethren
- Wife likes the Meteor seat better than the CB

I think I might go for the meteor after all.

There are still a few weeks before I pull the trigger. I am definitely looking forward to the Bajaj/Triump collab and also Kawasaki's options are way too out of budget. If i need to spend more then 3 lakhs, it makes little sense for me to put it on 2 wheels.

[joednazareth]

Originally Posted by ramgkulkarni

There are still a few weeks before I pull the trigger. I am definitely looking forward to the Bajaj/Triump collab and also Kawasaki's options are way too out of budget. If i need to spend more then 3 lakhs, it makes little sense for me to put it on 2 wheels.

Greeting to you.

I believe you have a Guju, phone a friend.
Why buy a house when you can rent one.

All the very best.

[ManneAtWheelz]

Originally Posted by ramgkulkarni

Other options:
- Honda H'ness CB350: need to test drive

Hi, request you to take a look here for more options, take your time, do test ride of all vehicles of your choice and go by your heart. Good luck!

[josephilip]

Originally Posted by ramgkulkarni

Thank you gentlemen for such lovely feedback. I am truly grateful for the generous amount of knowledge you good people have shared. Apologies for not getting back sooner as I was travelling the entire week.

The tall gearing is a genuine issue of the CB350's. Especially in the hilly areas where I live. I am pretty sure that the cb500X rear sprocket can fit in the CB350, but the difference is like 6 teet 41 for the 500X and 35 For the CB350. Ultimately, the meteor is more comfortable though. I really liked meteor, the only thing that stood in the way is the higher price and the lower trust I have in the RE service and their expected longevity.

Also the LED headlights on the CB is kinda useless. If you adjust it correctly, it's just average. I prefer good halogens over bad LEDs all day.

[surfatwork]

Originally Posted by ramgkulkarni

There are multiple things going for the CB350

What goes well for Meteor

I have a CB350 and have also ridden a friend's Meteor extensively.
- CB350 headlights are useless
- The high gearing is a pain in city traffic, until you get used to it. A few rides.
- The smoothness is amazing
- The suspension is way way better than the meteor. The meteor front suspension is too soft and the rear is very hard. Makes the bike buck like crazy over bumps.
- The seat and seating position on the meteor work well only for the first hour or so. After that, it's very very uncomfortable (rider and pillion both). Long rides (300+km) are a breeze on the Cb350, but on the meteor l inevitably get back pain and/or posterior pain. The Cb350 is much better in this respect too.
- The power delivery on the meteor is much more consistent - you can get into 5th at 40kmph and stay there all day. The Cb350 will make you work much more, but it's more rewarding.

[ramgkulkarni]

Guys - just wanted to update you all that I finally bit the bullet(pun intended) and bought the KTM adventure 390.

My brother has opened a new thread on the story.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ure-bikes.html (Twin brothers twinning with their 2 KTM 390 Adventure bikes)

Thank you all for your valuable feedback.