[FueledbyFury]

"A Man is not old until regret takes the place of dreams"
-John Barrymore

Honda’s especially the classics have been the best motorcycles of all time. The debate on whether these bikes make sense or not has been forever, even though you may find yourself on either side of the fence. But you cannot deny the fact that Honda has managed to create a legacy of not just selling bikes but selling dreams. This is the story of the Honda CB 350 in Mat Marshal Green Metallic - a long-term dream of my dad that came to fruition.

Honda CB 350 Pros:

• Definitely a looker with an iconic classic retro design with minimal chrome elements.
• Build quality, fit and finish are the best in the segment.
• Honda's refined 348.36cc engine has a sweet linear power delivery for its highway cruising capabilities.
• The mileage figures don't burn a hole in your wallet.
• Honda service rates are so affordable, it's as if they've declared war on expensive repairs and launched a full-scale invasion of savings.
• Large riders will appreciate the roomier ergonomics for long-distance touring.

Honda CB 350 Cons:

• Service interval of 6 months/5000km will make you well known at the SVC.
• Low-end torque is not adequate, which is reflected with a lag of 0.5 seconds.
• Headlights are not the best, throw is wide thus the intensity is a bit off track.
• The small digital infotainment cluster is cluttered with info as it's hard to read at a glance.

[FueledbyFury]

For about two decades my dad has been fond of Royal Enfields and has always wanted to own one. Ever since I had grown to understand things in life, I remember every time my dad saw a Royal Enfield on the streets he used to point at them and say to me "This is the bike". He owned a Suzuki Max 100 back then and I never understood his obsession with the Royal Enfield. But being the man of the house, there were a lot of important things to think and worry about (Medical expenses, school fees, monthly bills and all) than an expensive toy that gives you nothing but joy. Years passed, and responsibilities came after others the long-lost extravagant dream was not even close to being a priority until when he reignited his dream when I turned 18. With a quick TR, the vibrations in RE were a concerning factor for my dad to bite the bullet. I turned down the dream of owning an RE as he was working in a distant region and only comes hometown on a weekly basis. Now that my dad will retire on March 24' at this point in life the long-awaited dream of my dad has come into reality. Below is how a Royal Enfield fan was hooked by the classic retro design with Honda reliability.

With the help of Bhpians the bikes needed to be TR were shortlisted and below were the observations.

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!

[FueledbyFury]

BigWing Muvatupuzha is the nearest one to my place and the SE was very hospitable and explained the specifications, and accessories of the bike. While entering the showroom the most eye catchy thing is the history of Honda Motorcycles from the 50's.

The Evolution of Honda!

They offered a test ride of the CB 350 multiple times and we were satisfied with their approach. After the test ride, the magic sauce hit my dad with the feeling of "This is the Bike!" Now, it was only a question of what color to pick. Honda's offering was with five color schemes and my dad focused only on matt colors as he was not much of a fan of glossy schemes.
The options were :
Mat Marshal Green Metallic
Mat Dune Brown
Mat Crust Metallic

The advertisements were filled with the posters of CB 350 in Mat Dune Brown but the color scheme doesn't appeal in real life. This goes the same with the Mat Crust Metallic and we strike it off. There wasn't any display piece of CB 350 in Mat Marshal Green Metallic and with the experience with the Dune Brown, we were in a dilemma whether to book the bike. Finally, we went for it and the instincts were too good to be true. It was a looker when it arrived in the showroom the following week.

Honda CB 350 comes with 2.15 lakh (ex-showroom) for DLX and 2.18 lakh(ex-showroom) for DLX Pro Honda offers DLX and DLX Pro varients for CB 350 which only comes with a price difference of 3K. DLX Pro comes with Bluetooth connectivity (Honda Smartphone Voice Control system), a chrome element in the headlight cover, body-colored fenders, and a brown seat color. While DLX doesn't have any connectivity features, silver paint scheme in the headlight covers, and both blacked fenders and seat.

We have gone for CB 350 DLX Pro in Mat Marshal Green Metallic for 2.70 Lakh OTR price with special discounts of 12.8k

Miles to go before I sleep.

[FueledbyFury]

Design and styling

Simply delicious!

The Honda classic design is clear in every aspect even though you see a huge chunk of inspiration from the competitor. When you walk around the bike you should appreciate the level of detail put into making it. The bike is extremely proportioned and well-built stands offer a big bike feel as compared with its siblings. Honda CB 350 weighs 187Kg which sits on par with the competition in the market with a reasonable seat height of 800 mm. It comes with a ground clearance of 165 mm which is good for usual broken roads and the 15.2L fuel tank capacity helps to reduce fueling stops during long-distance touring. The body dimensions are here as below:

It is difficult to differentiate CB 350 from its sibling (Highness) at a glance as the major update is given to the rear fender and it catches the eye. The front indicator lamp also functions as a DRL which helps to convey it's a bike at night. The stock guardrails don't give much protection to the rear portion of the bike. Highness is much peppier and has an identity to the sound of the exhaust while CB 350 is primarily for sedate driving, with mile-munching capabilities with room for ergonomics. The exhaust note of CB 350 is mild in comparison with the siblings.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Best in the segment with the build quality. Every component is built up to the cost and has a finer level of detailing in all areas. The maneuverability of the switch gears comes with the competitors. Wiring is organized standardly and no other visual elements of wiring are in plain sight. There is a little bit of crowded dressing of wire in the handlebar region which is not a deal breaker.

Features and Instrumentations

The bike comes with all the basic features, Dual channel ABS, Assist slipper clutch, Emergency stop signal (ESS), and traction control. It does not come with any riding modes but has a switchable traction control(Either being in ON or OFF). The switch gear comes with immaculate quality as with the typical Honda. The only throw-off is the integrated kill switch and start, which I am personally not a fan of. The instrument cluster shows the important data which can be toggled through two trip meters, real-time FE, average FE, distance to empty(DTE), and battery voltage.

There is always a miss of a tachometer in the cluster and it would be much more appealing if they had gone with the twin dial setup. With the analogue semi-digital setup honda has incorporated Bluetooth connectivity (Honda Smartphone Voice Control system) which works seamlessly with the help of toggle switches.

The fuel tank capacity is 15.2 litres and assuming fuel efficiency is in the spectrum of 36 – 38km/l, this should be good for about 480 – 520 km before the bike requires a refill. Slightly frugal highway riding might help it nudge closer to the 42 km/l mark.

Wheels & Tyres

The bike comes with a 7-spoke black alloy which tremendously enhances the aesthetic. The front wheel is equipped with 100/90-19M/C 57H and disc brakes of 310 mm. The rear comes with 130/70-18M/C 63H with disc brakes of 240 mm. With the initial miles of 1500km, I am satisfied with the performance of the tires, and have adequate braking in all road conditions.

Front tire section

Rear tire section

Tire pressure information

Ergonimics and Comfort

The bike comes with a seat height of 800 mm with a roomier seat for the rider that helps in mile munching and touring capabilities. The riding posture is upright and doesn't give strain to any shoulder muscles or lower back. The kerb weight is 187 Kg which feels balanced throughout the bike, once it starts moving it's quite agile in city traffic. There are no stock wind protection visors available but they do come with good after-market options.

Rider and pillion seats

[FueledbyFury]

Riding the Honda CB 350

Country roads!

The engine remains the same as its siblings with slight tuning to meet the dynamics of the bike. It comes with a 4-stroke, 348.36cc, SI engine which produces a max engine output of 15.5kW @5500 rpm and max torque of 29.4 Nm @ 3000 rpm. The bore stroke ratio is 70 mm X 90.519 mm producing a linear torque curve with a compression ratio of 9.5:1 from the engine. There is a small lag in the lower rpm, it can be removed by replacing the stock air filter (experts say so). With the specs on the sheet, it is truly a highway mile muncher, by delivering adequate torque, and the engine is not stressed out in higher RPMs. The bike comes with a transmission having the clutch type of Multiplate Wet Clutch with a 5-gear system. Most of the city riding is with 3rd and 4th gears whereas the 5th gear is strictly for cruising. It has a Half Duplex Cradle frame front Honda with telescopic front suspension and Twin hydraulic rear suspension. The suspension comfort is rightly in the middle of not being too tight and soft, offering moderate comfort in usual unpaved roads.

Looks good in chrome!

Front with DRL headlights and Indicators

The motorcycle is equipped with dual-channel ABS. The brakes are from Nissin and offer good adequate braking.

It's pretty Big!

It comes with an integrated Ignition and start switch which I'm not a fan of. It comes with pretty good quality switches.

The up-down arrows help fiddle through the instrument cluster. ENT and backward switches are used when one is paired with Bluetooth connectivity. And then comes a typical Honda indicator and horn switches!

I hope this ownership review assists at least one forum member or reader in making an informed decision and shortlisting or possibly eliminating, the Honda CB 350 from his/her shopping list. I have planned to do a long-term ownership with the steed.

So why wait, let's start the journey.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Aluminium]

Congratulations on the purchase. Had a similar experience with Bingwing Muvattupuzha. Went there with a friend while in college and they gave us test rides for all bikes even though they had no reason to do so. I am completely sold on the CB350 RS without all the chrome to maintain. (And looks better in my opinion.) But waiting for a better day to make the purchase.

I taught my cousin to ride on a highness and I've took another 350 RS on some spirited trips. Didn't disappoint for either purpose. The aforementioned Highness is giving north of 40 kmpl for my cousin. One time it held a consistence 48kmpl and I was banging my head on the wall because my 110cc scooter was making me spend a 100 for every 35 kms it puttered through. Honda knows how to make a bike. Wishing you a peaceful ownership experience and an exciting riding experience with the bike. Cheers.

[RunGaDa]

Congratulations and a bit of nostalgia when you quoted your Dad and his likings. It unknowingly allowed me to recollect the story of my uncle, my Dad’s younger brother, who wanted to buy a bullet in the late 80s but was short of a few thousand rupees. He bought Rajdoot 175 instead.
It’s very true what you said. Family responsibility comes first.
Wishing you a pleasant and safe long term ownership with your CB 350.
Cheers!

[PreludeSH]

Congrats on your new CB 350. I was always wondering how there are no reviews on TBHP on this. When I had a look at this in the showroom, although it tries to follow RE Classic in design, its a much cleaner and refined look. You would wish if RE could EVER build something this clean and classy.

[e46]

Nice review. Good to see, you bought your Dad a CB350, he must have been happy and satisfied with the bike.

A lil unrelated topic:

Would so love to see, own and hear the CB400 Super 4! Just a 50cc difference, but makes a whole world of difference. They still make it for the domestic markets, not sure about Indonesia/ EU. I know, sub 600 4 mills are pricey, but hey Kawasaki got their 4R, so why not consider it here?

I think middle weight bikes are the way to go ahead, and nothing beats the sound of these bikes.

Hope Honda is listening! <wishful thinking>

[Aditya]

Exceptional, unbiased & detailed ownership reviews of bikes have started going to our homepage reviews box. It's the ultimate stamp of trust from Team-BHP (as a platform) because lakhs of visitors every month check out reviews from there & make purchase decisions.

Your review has also been included here. Thank you so much for sharing .

[RunGaDa]

Originally Posted by e46

Would so love to see, own and hear the CB400 Super 4!

Absolutely, I would take it even if they get a cafe racer design. The rumble is nothing I had heard of (in my trip to the US). Would love it in India.

[SithDefender]

This brings back memories of when I test rode the Highness & the RS version multiple times. Jotting down some pros & cons as I recall them. Pls note that these are purely my own views, and not meant to disrespect anyone else.

Pros
1. Extremely lightweight to maneuver in tight traffic conditions.
2. The featherlight clutch is a joy to use in daily rides.
3. This is a bike for all age groups. The user-friendly nature and compact dimensions coupled with easy steering means even seniors can handle it with ease. I have heard many people who returned to biking after taking a break of decades.

Cons
1. For me, I felt the bike was happiest between gears 1-4. The last gear felt rather tall. The overall gearing also felt too close.
2. This is controversial, but I just didn't feel a connection with it, especially for a 350cc motorcycle. Remember how some folks used to sell off their CBR250R's because they were just too dependable and too boring ? I felt that way with the H'ness.
3. Looks - I would have appreciated a different take on the retro styling, even with one of Honda's own classic designs of yore. In the current CB 350 design, it resembles a certain manufacturer way too closely. Of course, looks are subjective and this is purely my own view.

[FueledbyFury]

Originally Posted by Aluminium

Congratulations on the purchase. Had a similar experience with Bingwing Muvattupuzha. Went there with a friend while in college and they gave us test rides for all bikes even though they had no reason to do so.
The aforementioned Highness is giving north of 40 kmpl for my cousin. One time it held a consistence 48kmpl and I was banging my head on the wall because my 110cc scooter was making me spend a 100 for every 35 kms it puttered through.

Thanks, Aluminium. Always surprised by the welcoming attitude of Bigwing Muvattupuzha. It is one of the reasons for booking from them, even though I have an equal distance to the Aluva showroom. I am also currently facing the same issue with my scooter, having about 35kmpl, and to mention it's an old Honda.

Originally Posted by RunGaDa

Congratulations and a bit of nostalgia when you quoted your Dad and his likings. It unknowingly allowed me to recollect the story of my uncle, my Dad’s younger brother, who wanted to buy a bullet in the late 80s but was short of a few thousand rupees. He bought Rajdoot 175 instead.
It’s very true what you said. Family responsibility comes first.
Wishing you a pleasant and safe long term ownership with your CB 350.
Cheers!

Thanks, RunGaDa. Loved your uncle's story and his passion for biking in 80's.

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Congrats on your new CB 350. I was always wondering how there are no reviews on TBHP on this. When I had a look at this in the showroom, although it tries to follow RE Classic in design, its a much cleaner and refined look. You would wish if RE could EVER build something this clean and classy.

Thanks, PreludeSH. I have always looked for a proper review of this motorcycle on the internet, but I haven't found any quality reviews as most of them considered it comes with its sibling characters. That was one of the main reasons to pen down the thread.

Originally Posted by e46

Nice review. Good to see, you bought your Dad a CB350, he must have been happy and satisfied with the bike.

A lil unrelated topic:

Would so love to see, own and hear the CB400 Super 4! Just a 50cc difference, but makes a whole world of difference. They still make it for the domestic markets, not sure about Indonesia/ EU. I know, sub 600 4 mills are pricey, but hey Kawasaki got their 4R, so why not consider it here?

I think middle weight bikes are the way to go ahead, and nothing beats the sound of these bikes.

Hope Honda is listening! <wishful thinking>

Thanks, e46. Always loved the timeless design of CB400 SF4. It's quite sad as Honda is not very concentrated in the Indian market. Hoping for more models soon Honda.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by FueledbyFury

"A Man is not old until regret takes the place of dreams"
-John Barrymore

Honda’s especially the classics have been the best motorcycles of all time. The debate on whether these bikes make sense or not has been forever, even though you may find yourself on either side of the fence. But you cannot deny the fact that Honda has managed to create a legacy of not just selling bikes but selling dreams. This is the story of the Honda CB 350 in Mat Marshal Green Metallic - a long-term dream of my dad that came to fruition.

Congratulations on your new purchase. Did your dad try the new Bullet with the J series engine? does it also have vibrations? In my opinion, even the new Bullet looks way better than the classic CB350, Highness was much better in design. I am not able to digest this classic design theme from Honda. I own the original CB350 Twin and it's still a beauty to behold.