Honda CB350 Review: 500km TEST|11 Videos Inside

Honda CB350 Review | By Syed Shiraz | Pictures: Archit Kishore

If I were to give you the Honda CB350 review in a line, I would say that “the Honda CB350 is the four-stroke RX-100 you’ve been waiting for!” Well, a much bigger RX-100, or you may even call it an RX-350, but not an RD350. The four-stroke RD350 isn’t coming, people, and though I have a lot to say on the subject, let’s just keep it for some other day. Right now, let’s get back to the Honda CB350.

The original CB350 from the late sixties was a parallel twin, and though a couple of my old friends did scoff at the idea of a single-cylinder CB350, I quickly reminded them that Honda made this motorcycle to compete with the single-cylinder motorcycles like the Jawas, RE Meteor 350, and Benelli Imperiale 400, and not with the RE 650 twins. Someday, the CB500 twin might enter that battle, but for now, let’s see whether this Honda is just another contender in the single-cylinder modern-retro space, or it packs in enough to worry all of them. Let’s find out.

Honda CB350 Review: Motorcycle Category/Classification

First things first: The Honda CB350 is NOT a cruiser. The Benelli Imperiale 400 is NOT a cruiser. The Jawas are NOT cruisers. The Royal Enfields are NOT cruisers as well. Yes, the Meteor 350 too isn’t a cruiser, but you may still call it one as it indeed has a few attributes of a traditional cruiser. The Avenger is the only proper single-cylinder cruiser in India. What makes it so? Well, wheelbase bigger than a Mumbai apartment, rake and trail lazier than a sloth, seat height lower than mainstream journalism, and foot controls placed further ahead than the most optimistic procrastinator you’ve ever met.

Okay, so what classification do the four aforementioned motorcycles come under, you ask? They are “Standards”. See, there are primarily three motorcycle-categories: Standard, Sport, and Cruiser. Then there are sub-categories like supersport, sport touring, bobber, chopper, modern retro, et al. The Imperiale 400, CB350, Jawa Classic, Jawa 42, and all Royal Enfields (except the Himalayan) are standards. Again, you may call the Meteor 350 a cruiser, but you can’t make that exception for any of the other motorcycles listed here. No, even if you get ape-handlebars on any of them. With that out of the way, let’s talk about the CB350’s design now.

Honda CB350 Review: Design

Google “1970 Honda CB350” and chances are that the first search result will be of a motorcycle wearing a similar dual-tone shade like the CB350 you’re seeing on this page right now. And then you’ll see the rest of the similarities—right from the mirrors, headlamp, taillamp, blinkers, seat, fenders, etc., to the chassis, engine, crankcase covers, and chainguard among other things.

Heck, even the shape of the badges on the side panels is not off the mark. That’s commendable, especially when you realize that the designers had to incorporate a dumb marketing idea for a nomenclature (read: “H’ness”) into the badge. Seriously Honda, why on earth could you not stick to your legendary “CB” moniker? What’s next? A Gold Wing Majestic edition? That would still fly though. But this motorcycle should have just been called the Honda CB350. Period.

So after you’ve taken in the similarities, you’ll start noticing the small dissimilarities as well, and you would appreciate them too. Well, most of them. For example, I prefer the absence of Honda’s Wing logo (the old bike had it) on the tank; there’s just the company name in simple lettering (the old bike had that as well) and that is exactly how it should be. You should either have the logo or the name, not both. So, great job there, Honda!

I also like how they have made the tank more muscular now, which, together with the shapely seat, takes the beauty quotient of this motorcycle up a couple of notches. And this bike has the chunkiest rear shock absorbers in the segment. Forget the segment—I can’t remember the last time I saw such beefy units on a motorcycle altogether!

However, I so wish that the new bike came with twin-pod instrumentation just like the old bike. Don’t get me wrong, the current unit looks perfect no matter what angle you view it from; there’s none of that emptiness you generally get to see on bikes with single pods on round headlights. It’s just that I would have loved to see the tacho needle dance on what is one of the most rev-happy motorcycles in the segment. Nevertheless, as I mentioned to a friend who also wanted to see a tachometer, your ears comprise the best device of registering the revs.

Also, like on the old bike, I also wanted to see a grab handle above the rear edge of the left side-panel. That would have made putting the bike on its main stand easier. It’s not difficult even now; it’s just that it would have been much easier than for shorter people who don’t have an Albatross rivaling wingspan.

Honda CB350 Review: Ergonomics and Build Quality

Swing a leg over and you immediately realize that this motorcycle feels so right! The reach to the handlebar is perfect and no one will need ‘bar risers ever. The seat height is 800 mm but it feels like 780-790 mm, which means that even shorter riders will be able to manage the CB350 easily.

What makes it further easier is the fact that this motorcycle feels light, like, say, not more than 140 kilograms! Therefore, taking it off the sidestand is a cinch, and so is manually pushing and pulling it into or out of a crowded parking spot. I must also mention that even when I first sat on the bike I didn’t have to look down to remove the side stand—your foot will find the stand retriever hook in one way of the leg without making you look like a novice. These little things should tell you the amount of thought that has gone into building this motorcycle. The only nitpick would be the swapped positions of the horn and indicator switches.

I had got accustomed to it by the second day though. Speaking of switchgear, the build quality is fantastic. In fact, the fit and finish and build quality of the whole bike is excellent. It feels premium. Also, nothing came off loose or rattled in this 500 km test. And the bike hadn’t even had its first service yet.

Honda CB350 Review: Rider-aids, Gizmos, and other features

The CB350 gets a slip-and-assist clutch, which means that the lever pull is light (that’s the “assist” part) and that the rear wheel won’t lock under aggressive downshifting (that’s the “slip” function working for you).

The motorcycle also gets traction control (a first-in-segment) and though you would never need it under normal circumstances because the power delivery is really smooth and non-threatening, it will keep newer riders from going down in trickier, low traction, conditions. It can be switched off, but you shouldn’t bother because it’s not intrusive in day-to-day riding. I had to find a stretch strewn with loose sand, and then I whacked the throttle open in first gear. The rear wheel spins and steps out with the bike still moving forward, but then the traction control intervenes just in time before the bike could throw you off.

Though not a fan of Bluetooth connectivity on motorcycles, I will have to admit that navigation systems do make your life easy. The Honda’s system is audio-only, which means you have to connect it to a Bluetooth headset. Now if I have a Bluetooth headset anyway, why would I download Honda’s ride app and then use the navigation feature when I could just use Google Maps more easily? I don’t know if I’m missing something here, but I found this feature to be pretty useless. The Meteor’s tripper display is a lot better in comparison. On the other hand, the Jawa and Benelli would require you to take the old fashioned way of asking people for directions, if you don’t want to remove your full gauntlets to take your phone out, that is.

Still, I must add that Benelli is the only one in this segment to get a tachometer. But it’s the Honda that has the most legible analog speedometer dial of them all. The speed digits and marks are white on black, and Honda has used a simple script that makes it easy on the eye even under varying ambient light.

The small LCD screen houses all the other information you’ll ever need from your motorcycle. There are two trip meters, a clock, battery voltmeter, gear position indicator, real-time and average fuel efficiency displays, and most importantly–a distance-to-empty display also know as a range indicator. The last three features are again a first in this segment. There’s also a C-type charging port, which is becoming the new standard in smartphones.

And so is an all-LED setup. Yes, the headlight, tail light, and indicators contain LEDs. Another novelty is that the front indicators, when not doing their primary job, work as DRLs right from the moment the ignition is switched on.

Oh, there are hazard lights as well, should you be needing them.

You should also be aware that the left side panel contains the battery along with the key to success, er, successfully open the seat. It’s called a hex wrench, also known as an Allen key. You would need that to open the seat that holds the tool kit, and also to open the right side panel where the first aid pouch is stashed. There’s also a helmet holder on the left grab rail below the pillion seat, which you should be using only when the bike is parked. Thank you.

Honda CB 350 Review: Engine Performance, Ride Quality, and Handling

I’ll try to keep this one short, I promise. Let me first just give you the numbers, then.

Honda CB350

0-60 km/h in 3.8 seconds
0-80 km/h in 6.4 seconds
0-100 km/h in 10.3 seconds
Top speed: 140 km/h
(power and torque: 21 PS at 5,500 rpm and 30 Nm at 3,000 rpm)

Here’s what I had clocked on each of its competitors:

Jawa 42 (BS4)

0-60 km/h in 4.2 seconds
0-80 km/h in 6.4 seconds
0-100 km/h in 9.8 seconds
Top Speed: 141 km/h
(power and torque: 26.5 PS and 27 Nm. Jawa doesn’t share the corresponding rpm figures)

RE Meteor 350

0-60 km/h in 4.1 seconds
0-80 km/h in 7.3 seconds
0-100 km/h in 12.5 seconds
Top Speed: 120 km/h
(power and torque: 20.5 PS at 6,100 rpm and 27 Nm at 4,000 rpm)

Benelli Imperiale 400 (BS4)

0-60 km/h in 4.6 seconds
0-80 km/h in 7.2 seconds
0-100 km/h in 11.9 seconds
Top Speed: 138 km/h
(power and torque: 21 PS at 6,000 rpm and 29 Nm at 3,500 rpm)

You can see that the CB350 is the quickest of the lot up to 60 km/h, despite the Jawa’s huge horsepower and weight advantage and a close-ratio (comparatively) six-speed gearbox. Even post 60 km/h, the Honda keeps the Jawa flustered not only in acceleration but in the top speed stakes as well. Mind you, this was a BS4 Jawa I tested. The BS6 bike could be slower.

All of that takes care of your bragging rights, but how is it to ride in the city, you ask?

Easy is the word, and that’s why the opening line of this story likens it to the RX-100. Like the two-stroker, the CB350 is also entertaining to ride fast, and it’s equally at ease when ridden slow, unlike, say, the KTMs which curse you at the rate of 2,000 rpm in stop-and-go traffic. The CB neither sounds impatient when you’re stuck in bad traffic, nor does it heat despite being air-cooled, and the light clutch keeps you sane as well. Honda says that “the air-cooling system of H’ness maintains highly dense air intake to improve efficiency and ensures favourable combustion in all rpm ranges by keeping the engine temperature within ideal range in all conditions.”

Then there’s a piston cooling jet, which, Honda says, “sprays the engine oil on sleeve and piston, which absorbs more heat, thereby improving engine’s thermal efficiency and leading to better fuel efficiency.” I have no reason to not believe them.

The gearbox is of course Honda-slick, though you need to provide a sure-footed dab on the heel-and-toe shifter to get a positive gearshift every time. Half-hearted prods would result in false neutrals. I must also add that finding neutral when you want to, is not at all a chore.

Let me quickly give you the lowest speeds in each gear from which you can pull cleanly without lugging the engine.

20 km/h in 2nd
30 km/h in 3rd
45 km/h in 4th
60 km/h in 5th

For perspective, here’s what the most tractable motorcycle in the segment, the Meteor 350, allows you to do:

20 km/h in 3rd
30 km/h in 4th
40 km/h in 5th

The RE is so darn tractable that I didn’t even notice what it does in the second gear! The crux is—in city traffic, on the CB (and also on the Jawa), you will always find yourself in a gear lower than your friend on the Meteor. Is that troublesome? Not at all! Honestly, you will always be finding an excuse to downshift on the CB350 just to hear that loud exhaust go BRAAAAAP! Seriously, I can’t fathom how this Honda managed to pass the noise regulations, but I ain’t complaining!

Still, if you hate changing gears, Honda makes another two-wheeler for you—it’s called the Activa. Buy that. And the CB350 rider will still beat you in filtering through traffic; the motorcycle feels that light and agile!

There’s also a great amount of steering lock available (best in segment), which is a boon in situations where you have to filter through the gaps between stationary cars to get ahead and occupy the first spot just before the STOP line. You do that so that you can accelerate away immediately on green from the always-on-phone absent-minded cagers. Guess what, this motorcycle is so beautifully balanced that you can do all that at pedestrian speeds with your feet up on the pegs!

And that agility will again bring a smile on your face when you take the bike on a twisty road. Despite the 19-inch front (the rear is 18-inch) and lazy steering geometry (27.3 degrees rake angle and 120 mm trail), the bike turns in with zilch effort and the best part is that this flickable nature has not come at the expense of straight-line stability.

It feels absolutely stable even at 140 km/h and you can maintain 110-120 km/h all day without much effort. Yes, there are almost zero vibrations at this point. There are hardly any even at 140, but that is not the speed you would achieve regularly, despite the fourth gear itself taking you past 130! It’s immaterial anyway, because people who buy any of the four motorcycles mentioned in this story are primarily looking at ‘stress-free’ highway riding, which all four motorcycles here do with aplomb. It’s just that on the Honda and the Benelli you would be able to maintain slightly higher speeds more comfortably than on the other two. You would also be surprised to learn that at 1441 mm, the CB350 has the longest wheelbase in the segment. Yes, longer than even the Benelli’s by an mm!

These four also share a peculiar trait as far as their suspension tune is concerned. The rear shocks are stiff on all, while the forks are way more considerate. As such there is not much that separates the four, but if I were asked to rank them with a gun to my head, the Meteor 350 would come on top; the CB350 and Imperiale 400 would hold hands on the second spot, while the Jawas would find themselves at the last spot.

The ranking would be a little different if you ask about pillion comfort. The CB350 is the clear winner here, followed closely by the Benelli and RE together at the second spot, whereas the Jawas won’t be even allowed to participate.

The scenario isn’t much different when it comes to ground clearance. The RE again sits at the top with 170 mm; CB has 166 mm; the Benelli and Jawas have 165 mm, but, strangely, while the Benelli didn’t graze its belly anywhere when I tested it, even with a pillion, the Jawas just can’t help but kiss every protrusion on the road, especially with a pillion. It makes me wonder whether the company is making incorrect claims, like they did with their cross-port technology. That said, the Jawas still are the best handling motorcycles in the segment after the CB350. The CB350’s tyre grip and brakes are also a notch better than everything else in the segment. It must be mentioned that it sports the biggest front rotor (310 mm) in its segment.

Honda CB350 Review: Fuel efficiency

This time Honda didn’t give me a full tank of fuel (they usually do), and the last bar of the fuel gauge started to blink halfway through my ride (the showroom is 80 km from my house). Next day, I filled the CB up and it took 13.92 liters of the unleaded. The last bar started to blink again after 458 km. Do the math and you’ll get 32.90 km/l. That’s phenomenal considering all the acceleration and top speed runs I did in those 458 km. And the bike hadn’t even had its first service. Therefore, after the first service, you may expect anything between 35-38 km/l in city traffic, and above 40 km/l on the highways.

The tank capacity claimed by Honda is 15 liters, and, ridden sanely, you can expect a range of 500 km before the last bar starts to blink. Honda says that happens when there are approximately 1.5 liters left in the tank. Just so you know, when I returned the bike my “Trip A” (458 was Trip B to calculate fuel efficiency) was 502 km. It will do over 50 km when the last bar starts to blink, but I won’t recommend you to test that if you want to keep your engine healthy.

Honda CB350 Review: Verdict

This is the best motorcycle of the lot, gentlemen. Go buy it even if the nearest Big Wing showroom is a thousand miles away. Yes, it’s worth it. And that’s saying something when all the other motorcycles in this segment are great too.

Honda CB350 vs RE Meteor 350 vs Jawa vs Benelli Imperiale 400: Price Comparison

Honda CB350 DLX Pro: Rs 1.92 lakh
RE Meteor 350 Supernova: 1.90 lakh
Jawa 42: Rs 1.77 lakh
Jawa Classic: Rs 1.86 lakh
Benelli Imperiale 400: 1.99 lakh

*Only top-end models listed. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.*

Honda CB350 Video Review