[FueledbyFury]

Hi Fellow Bhpians,

All this classic bike scenario started during my first year of college. My dad has been a fan of modern retro motorcycles and during the initial periods of my college days he opted for me to take a Royal Enfield Standard 350, on the other side I'm not very keen on this modern classic bike thing. But during that time I opted to use Suzuki Max 100 owned by my dad for local and college runs. Even if I had bought one, it would be mainly used by me as my dad comes to our hometown on weekends as he is working in a distant place. Also, I'm not particularly eager to spend my parent's money on the desire for motorcycles even though I have been a follower of ADV's. I have planned to own an ADV in 2-3 years. It can wait.

Coming to 2024, my dad will lead his retirement life from March onwards and the dream of owning a classic motorcycle re-ignited. Looking at today's market offering my dad has fallen in love with the new Honda CB 350 DLX Pro in Mat Marshal Green Metallic color. I hope some dreams will follow us no matter what.

Taking a closer look at Honda CB 350 Classic, I have understood that its just looks alike with Royal Enfield but the ride is day and night apart. The Honda CB 350 classic has a kerb weight of 187Kg which is 6 kilos greater than it's twin Highness. I have ridden both back to back for 4km and here are my observations.

• Initially in the first glance, seeing the highness alongside we knew how actually CB 350 is much bigger in all aspects. Surely an head turner in roads.

• The difference between deluxe and deluxe pro model is only 3K which additionally offers Bluetooth connectivity, chrome elements in headlight, coffee brown seats and a mudguard with same body colour( In deluxe models it came
  black as default)

• The engine is much refined and offers good low end torque, one can comfortably ride through the city in 3rd gear.

• The seats in CB 350 makes the whole ride different, it provides comfort orient split seat for rider and pillion. Also the upright relaxed riding posture adds upto it.

• It is a comfortable highway cruiser in 80-100Kmph range and the refined engine reduces fatigue and reduces frequent breaks for the rider.

• Highness is much more agile in city traffic and easier to handle due to its smaller size as compared to CB 350.

• At standstill CB 350 needs some efforts to move around, but when it starts running it goes with the flow. Bigger size of the bike make it difficult for sharp U turns in the city and agility in city traffic.

I need opinions from Bhpians on this motorcycle as not much information from owners is published on the internet.
Feel free to opt for any alternatives.







Pics : Honda Bigwing Gallery

[that_sedate_guy]

Originally Posted by FueledbyFury

Initially in the first glance, seeing the highness alongside we knew how actually CB 350 is much bigger
I need opinions from Bhpians on this motorcycle as not much information from owners is published on the internet.
Feel free to opt for any alternatives.

You have most of the points outlined here itself. On paper, the difference of size between the Hness and the CB350 is not huge but the real life perceptive scale definitely changes by a huge margin

The modern purely classic category does not have a strong presence. Matching the words, one might suggest the RE classic but it's bulky and with that arrives the same challenges faced by the CB350

The hunt for agility gives up some riding comfort. This is the case with most bikes. Since your dad's the one who's going to ride it, I'd say pick comfort.

Unless the bike is going to be thrown into corners, you can pick the CB350 without sweating. Engine performance wise, both bikes are nearly similar as well.

You can tryout the Triumph Scrambler 400x. Which is also interestingly a shared powertrain sibling to the Speed 400. Granted it's also equally heavy but all these bikes show their heft only when parked. Otherwise they're easy to handle

I've also heard about the HD x440 which is a mixed bag. To me, it's just another bike without any specific head turning looks but is well built. Other users have said that it's a well made bike but lacks an element of passion

The new J series Bullet 350 may also be worth a test ride of you haven't tried it. Smooth, silent and properly styled modern retro.

What're your thoughts on all these?

[Pythonic]

Be careful in choosing 180+ kg bikes . My dad bought a H’ness when he was 50, the first lot after prebooking it. After 6 months he just dumped it on me as a graduation gift, the sly fellow. He found it hard to manage it daily, and my dad’s a stout 5’11’ guy with 0 health issues.

With this in mind I would suggest you to choose h’ness or cb 350 rs which can be easier to handle. Consider the triumph 400 twins but they may not have the presence or looks and I believe jawa offerings also have the same weight range but they don’t have the looks and presence of H’ness which is rivalled only by RE.

I would also look at kawasaki’s w175 as it’s much lighter at 130ish kgs. Congrats on retirement to your dad.

[shancz]

Your intent to hold off your ADV dreams for yourself is admirable and how it should be

Retros, in order, for a test ride :
- Classic/Bullet 350 : RE service strengths, highly rated J series engine,
- Meteor 350 : a different experience might/might not work for you and since you mentioned the HDX 440
- Honda CB 350 Classic/H'Ness : all that you've mentioned but spares availability has been a concern for some
- HDX 440 : Apart from some quality issues and Hero service situation at your location, its a good motorcycle. Engine has been spoken highly of.
- Triumph Speed 400X : I doubt its power delivery matches your expectations

Take a test ride of all, see what you like riding in your conditions and get that. Just ve mindful of the issues mentioned as they might/might not be valid at your location especially service related.

PS : You means Your Dad and You in that order

[aargee]

Talking more from a stance of age:

For a fit Father {subjective, but still, assuming to do a brisk walk everyday or can take 2-3 floors by steps} AND Has been riding all these years & will do so until the age of retirement AND Still interested riding a motorcycle {regardless of the style} AND The traffic conditions permits then = CB 350 or Triumph 400 eyes closed than Jawa or RE. If there're any other classics, simply avoid them for the trouble free ownership
My assumption: Triumph & Honda Bigwing ASC are not far from your home in EKM

Some practical Deterrent points to consider:
1. Except daily errands, there ísn't much use for vehicles past certain age for most folks at that age
2. And for errands, a scooter is more viable than a motorcycle & even for errands there're Zepto {hopefully they revive} & Dunzo these days & to commute there's Uber & Ola {otherwise good old autorickshaw}
3. Most people {except bikers} aren't interested riding a motorcycle after certain age & prefer comfort, safety & convenience over interest
4. Unless the motorcycle isn't going to be used for atleast 5000 Km a year {assuming 15 Km a day for 300 days}, its not yielding a full value
5. The insurance & service costs are going to cost nearly to the cost of fuel and not to mention the vehicle itself gets deteriorated in the garage than the regular wear & tear by riding

Some practical Exceptions to consider hoping your Father is one among them:
1. Opt for a light weight motorcycle than a heavy one is likely to dissuade from riding altogether
2. An used Rx {still a classic but a rare find} will tick most boxes as it's light weight, a classic blast from past, easy to service {hard to find parts though}, great quality & doesn't need to be serviced often & still many can be found in Kerala
3. Most folks prefer staying at home rather than venturing an adventure, including errands; from that POV a trip to fuel station or ASC can be avoided with the convenience of an EV scooter

Note: My stance is neutral & by no means I persuade or dissuade from buying what your Father or you want; I only request to consider the above points before spending your money, even if the cost of the motorcycle is 0.01% of your annual income pls

[adi.mariner]

I have got the Honda Hness in October and have ridden it around 700 kms and all of it inside the City. The bike feels heavy when stationary but once moving it is very easy to handle. The clutch action is very soft and helps a lot during bumper to bumper traffic. Headlights can be improved. The riding position is more comfortable compared to the RS which is more aggressive. Take test rides of all the bikes and then go for the one which suits you. Spares availablity isn't a concern in Pune atleast where there are 2 BigWing Dealers..

[dj_666]

Kawasaki W175.


Pros:
1. Light weight, flickable
2. No fuss mechanicals, EFI
3. Torquey engine + 5 speed G/Box, linear power delivery
4. Globally proven reliability
5. Now, has a variant with alloys+tubeless

Cons:
1. Image - will not offer you the 'status' and 'size' of an RE/CB350
2. No rear disc
3. Relatively less VFM
4. Service network

Amongst cons, only #4 affects ownership, the other three cons being buying considerations.

Originally Posted by Pythonic

Be careful in choosing 180+ kg bikes . My dad bought a H’ness when he was 50, the first lot after prebooking it. After 6 months he just dumped it on me as a graduation gift, the sly fellow. He found it hard to manage it daily, and my dad’s a stout 5’11’ guy with 0 health issues.

I would also look at kawasaki’s w175 as it’s much lighter at 130ish kgs. Congrats on retirement to your dad.

Ditto.
Dad proudly has a CB350 in the garage but it has clocked less than 5000kms in 2 years.
He prefers the scooter due to ease of parking in tight spaces.

Considering the Kawi to replace the Honda.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Pythonic

Be careful in choosing 180+ kg bikes

Agree on this part. OP could let his father ride the short listed bikes a bit (may be hire for few days) before doing a purchase. Suddenly moving up to a 180kg bike may not be easy. The real experience will be after the initial enthusiasm dies down. A Kawasaki 175 could actually be a good balance between handling, and exclusivity.

[ajay0612]

He already likes CB350. There is no reason to change that, as it perhaps is going to be his last bike.

[jaganm]

I'm about the same age and have 0 issues with the Highness, I haven't seen the CB350 in person but I am sure it will not be a huge difference. The only area where it sometimes is a problem is when I need to take it out of parking and the road is a bit inclined on the upward direction. In such cases I get off and try to push it back and occasionally may ask a passer by to lend a hand. In some situations, I also try to park it in reverse so I can just put it in gear and ride it away.

While on the move, the weight disappears and you should have 0 problems.

[FueledbyFury]

Originally Posted by that_sedate_guy

You can tryout the Triumph Scrambler 400x. Which is also interestingly a shared powertrain sibling to the Speed 400. Granted it's also equally heavy but all these bikes show their heft only when parked. Otherwise they're easy to handle

The new J series Bullet 350 may also be worth a test ride of you haven't tried it. Smooth, silent and properly styled modern retro.

What're your thoughts on all these?

Thanks for the reply. I will convince my dad to take a long TR of the above-mentioned motorcycles. He haven't ridden the new J series 350 and looking forward to that in the coming days.

Originally Posted by Pythonic

Be careful in choosing 180+ kg bikes :). My dad bought a H’ness when he was 50, the first lot after prebooking it. After 6 months he just dumped it on me as a graduation gift, the sly fellow. He found it hard to manage it daily, and my dad’s a stout 5’11’ guy with 0 health issues.

I have conveyed the above scenario to him. Currently, we have driven a long TR of the CB 350 and after a few kilometers through the city, he said that the motorcycle is manageable with 180 kilos through the dense traffic we have driven through.

Originally Posted by shancz

Retros, in order, for a test ride :
- Classic/Bullet 350 : RE service strengths, highly rated J series engine,
- Meteor 350 : a different experience might/might not work for you and since you mentioned the HDX 440
- Honda CB 350 Classic/H'Ness : all that you've mentioned but spares availability has been a concern for some
- HDX 440 : Apart from some quality issues and Hero service situation at your location, its a good motorcycle. Engine has been spoken highly of.
- Triumph Speed 400X : I doubt its power delivery matches your expectations

Yeah, my dad is looking forward to TR these models, the entire modern classic segment, and will be updating views on the motorcycles.

Originally Posted by aargee

Talking more from a stance of age:
For a fit Father {subjective, but still, assuming to do a brisk walk everyday or can take 2-3 floors by steps} AND Has been riding all these years & will do so until the age of retirement AND Still interested riding a motorcycle {regardless of the style} AND The traffic conditions permits then = CB 350 or Triumph 400 eyes closed than Jawa or RE. If there're any other classics, simply avoid them for the trouble free ownership
My assumption: Triumph & Honda Bigwing ASC are not far from your home in EKM

Thanks for the reply. While talking from the stance of age, he has friends in a similar age group who are driving these bikes, ensuring they have said that it is quite manageable.
One of the key points in choosing a Honda was based on the reliability of the engine and the Triumph twins are reporting good feedback and service quality around here.

Originally Posted by dj_666

Kawasaki W175.

Considering the Kawi to replace the Honda.

Originally Posted by condor

Agree on this part. OP could let his father ride the short listed bikes a bit (may be hire for few days) before doing a purchase. Suddenly moving up to a 180kg bike may not be easy. The real experience will be after the initial enthusiasm dies down. A Kawasaki 175 could actually be a good balance between handling, and exclusivity.

Originally Posted by jaganm

I'm about the same age and have 0 issues with the Highness, I haven't seen the CB350 in person but I am sure it will not be a huge difference. The only area where it sometimes is a problem is when I need to take it out of parking and the road is a bit inclined on the upward direction. In such cases I get off and try to push it back and occasionally may ask a passer by to lend a hand. In some situations, I also try to park it in reverse so I can just put it in gear and ride it away.

While on the move, the weight disappears and you should have 0 problems.

ASS is a bit far away, that's the main reason we have removed Kawasaki from our list. I will be updating the thread once the TR of the mentioned motorcycle is done.
Thankyou all.

[Karthik1100]

Considering your dad's age i would suggest to go with a motorcycle with below points
1. Lesser weight
2. Reliability
3. Safety ( Dual Channel ABS )
4. Least service centre visits
5. Comfortable seating position
6. Best in class suspension
7. Least vibration
8. More torque( helps in lesser gear shifts)

Motorcycle to consider
Speed 400
Hunter 350/450
CB50 h'ness

[animat126]

Please check the Honda CB300R as well. It has retro looks and is much lighter. With the recent price drop, it is good value for money.

[FueledbyFury]

Post Test Ride Observations

PS: Observation from my dad after the back-to-back test rides of the below bikes.

Honda Highness CB 350: Agile, easy to maneuver in city traffic, good posture, good build quality, and a sweet-sounding exhaust.

RE Hunter 350: Agile, compact bike, upright posture, hard clutch, small vibrations at lower rpms (drove it after riding Honda), and there was always room for improvement for RE.

Triumph Speed 400: good torque and power figures, slightly leaned, street-friendly, good posture, and excellent build.

Triumph 400x: Height issues(tip-toeing), a bit larger turning radius, and need to take a wide U-turn in roads which he finds a bit difficult for city rides.

Honda CB 350: Torque engine, good seating comfort, adequate power, upright riding posture, exhaust not sweet as highness and offers good build quality.

Dad always preferred a bike having a good amount of torque and power figure for sedate driving, seating comfort, upright posture, and a big bike feel that must be reliable.

As I have stated previously Honda CB 350 won the heart of my dad with the launch itself and it's still strong. Thank you to Bhpians for mentioning the weight of the motorcycle and the issues related to the aspect of age. He found the weight of the motorcycle to be quite balanced and was easy to maneuver in the city on our 2nd test ride just as with the highness.

Finally, it always comes down to the preference of the rider and he chose the Honda CB 350!

[hardihoodchaser]

I have got the New RE BULLET Black Gold (top variant) in October,2023 and will strongly recommend you to take a test drive of it.

• It has retained the proper "bullet-raja" feel
• Its more comfortable with the new seat
• Though it misses out the features like smartphone voice control system but the digi-analogue provides enough information while retaining retro aesthetics.
• The Black Gold color looks dope , will attach some photos
• The exhaust is just love. RE has done something in it giving it a sweet bassy thump and a lot of little backfire crackles during intial riding period. Even one of my friend who has installed illegal freeflow dolphin exhaust on his meteor350 was impressed and suggested me not to remove the original exhaust.
• The round taillight may not be pleasing for some from close look but trust me it matches the classic vibe when you will look it from some distant while moving on the road.
• Talking about the weight (195 Kg), there's not much problem if your father is ok with the honda 180 kgs. Earlier me and my father also find a little bit difficulty in taking sharp turns but get used to it. Though the weight is a typical bullet character.

Here are some photos