In India, it's called CB350 H'ness. I've been using one for three years now, touring extensively including travels to Ladakh where the passes are regularly above 13000ft. It's not fast, but you don't need to be too fast on Indian roads anyways. Keep it between 85-95kmph and it will cause no fatigue while returning 40+kmpl. With a 15 litre tank, that gives be 500+km range. I've done upto 800km in a day.
So i have couple honest questions to ask. How good is the build quality? Does it have any faulty that need to be fix in its early years? And did the bike have any faulty that made it break down on the street? If yes how often is it? The CB350 have just been imported into my country, and the netizen are quite divide about it. Not ill feeling, but they say India manufacturing is as bad as China; they turned their back right after they see where the engine manufactured from; Honda cant sell these in India so they import them here etc etc... Knowing my country netizen's toxicity, i'm really skeptical about these claims. I love the look of this bike, and the CB350 RS, or the new Triumph Scrambler 400 and looking forward to upgrade to one of these in future. I've just buy a GPX bike from Thailand and its fuel reader failed right after coming out from retailer, and they say Thailand manufacturers were better. Hope to know your further review
@@johncehna601 Price-point and build quality are arguably more important than just nation of manufacture. People said the same thing about bikes coming out of Thailand not that long ago, and now they're holding them up as a shining example of success. BMW and other brands have sourced engines out of China for a long while.
Those are designed along the lines of a stalking felid that's ready to pounce, it's not about being "not ugly" or "acquired taste", it's about sending a psychological message of power, it's about changing your mood subliminally every time you set eyes on it, but ofc Honda will never go all the way like KTM would....
Oh man, I wish this bike was sold in my country. It's perfect for what I want out of a bike; a relaxed riding experience and a classic look! And it's a Honda!
I am an owner of Honda CB350 HNESS( HONDA CB350 is made in India and sold in Japan as GB350) , I purchased it in 2020 (one of the first 5 bikes of mumbai), the bike was specifically made to Rival the RE CLassic 350. 4 yrs gone and 20k kms done , overall bike's Refinement and smoothness is still intact, very reliable , agile bike. Clutch is super light , and gearbox is smooth shifting. Bike is slightly faster than RE Classic 350 and gives you better mileage due to tall gearing. The only problem is that Bike 's gears are very tall , if u r going at 5 kph and shift to 2nd and raise the throttle , the bike will knock and may even stall , if u r going at 20 and shift to 3rd same thing will happen, unlike the RE 350 which can be throttled at any gear despite at low speed. Meaning that u will have to shift more in CB350. But due to quick shifting gearbox and super light clutch it doesn't bother me at all. There are overall 3 variants of these bikes available here (CB350 , CB350 RS , CB350 HNESS). Hope we don't get the same gearbox in the CB350 ADV.
So i have couple honest questions to ask. How good is the build quality? Does it have any faulty that need to be fix in its early years? And did the bike have any faulty that made it break down on the street? If yes how often is it? The CB350 have just been imported into my country, and the netizen are quite divide about it. Not ill feeling, but they say India manufacturing is as bad as China; they turned their back right after they see where the engine manufactured from; Honda cant sell these in India so they import them here etc etc... Knowing my country netizen's toxicity, i'm really skeptical about these claims. I love the look of this bike, and the CB350 RS, or the new Triumph Scrambler 400 and looking forward to upgrade to one of these in future. I've just buy a GPX bike from Thailand and its fuel reader failed right after coming out from retailer, and they say Thailand manufacturers were better. Hope to know your further review
@@johncehna601 The CB350 is made in India whereas the GB350 sold here in. Australia is made in Japan. I had zero problems and the fit and finish of the bike is excellent.
Just got one of these in Brisbane, first real bike I've owned, mines pretty much run in now at about 700kms, depending on the shoes I'm wearing the heel toe shifter is great fun, If I'm wearing boots I love the heel shifter! It has a real solid, quality feel, the engine sound is fantastic and when it's low(ish) on fuel you can get some nice backfiring after a good rev. I'm excited to order a tail tidy from japan to give it a bit more of a scrambler look and do all the servicing and maintanence myself, yeah its not amazingly powerful, but for getting around the city and out to some swimming holes its a dream. My only negative would be the 5th gear is underwhelming, once you are up at around 80/90kms and swap to 5th you don't get any more power, just the ability to cruise a little more comfortably, so I can understand why there is no 6th gear. Will have this bike for many years to come! thanks for the vid
Wicked, great to hear you're enjoying it! I figured no sixth gear may have been because the bike would struggle to pull a sixth overdrive gear, after fifth got so flat. I tried to really ring out fourth to get the most of it.
@ I don’t care about ABS. None of my classic Harleys have it either, and it doesn’t make me feel unsafe not having it. But I believe ABS is mandatory on new bikes here in the EU…?
I have a Gixxer 1000 and a Mv Agusta Rivale, 5 months ago, I got myself a CB350 RS, and it is amazing. It is pure comfort and a lot of fun to just cruise around and use as a daily motorcycle.
Well, it is now coming to the UK. I have been riding motorcycles since 1968 and am an old codger. My BMW and Guzzi days are over, the buggers put on 5KG every time I have a birthday. I bought a RE 350 a couple of years ago but sold it as the UK importer at the time seemed to think that making spare parts available was beneath them. The new Honda will take sales from RE by the thousand ,the bike is perfect for us old gits although I would like a chrome exhaust , it does have fork gaiters in the UK. Great video, many thanks for posting it. Cheers from Cornwall. I will buy you a few beers ( St Austell Proper Job) should you find yourself here in God's chosen land.
i feel like it fits nicely with royal enfields 350 range. better quality than the meteor, which is reflected in price. maybe not as nice looking as the classic 350. but it combines the modern design of the meteor, and the classic 350’s old school elegance. whilst keeping that honda feel to it. personally i think the classic 350 is better overall, but as you say, the addition of the traction control was a great decision, and the hondas engine casings are stunning. the spedo is pretty bad if im perfectly honest. singular clocks like that are so hard to nail, so i appreciate the solid attempt
I own a pristine and rare 1986 Honda GB-400 TT mark 2 that was privately imported to Australia by its owner back in the early 90’s from New Zealand that were lucky to get a handful that were sold new there, my mark 2 version was Hondas factory Cafe Racer and was the granddaddy of retro back in the eighties that represented the TT races on the Isle of Man back in the 1960’s and was the model with the factory fairing and cowl seat, interesting that the new Model has the same designation “GB” as mine was Hondas salutation to the TT and GB stood for “Great Britain” my bike is a 400 single, 5 speed clip on style bars, rear sets, twin clocks, fairing, cowl style seat alloy DID rims, plenty of chrome bits, metal everything like side covers to chrome chain guard, it still looks like a new bike that has travelled minimal klm’s in its near 40 year history and even though it’s started and all its rotables cycled thru on occasions it has not been properly ridden for just over twenty years and is fully dry stored but it is on historic rego and thank god that’s relatively cheap!
I own this bike and it's called CB350 Highness here in my country. They offer chrome package which has rear and front fenders in chrome. And its such an attention grabbing bike. The paint scheme i have is black with silver stripes which is similar to its elder sibling cb1100rs. Overall really handsome and good performing bike.
I own two 1973 Honda cb350 twins when new they were rated at 36HP I test drove one of these and the Triumph speed 400 which had the get up and go and reminded me more of the 73 Honda then the GB350, which was a plodder. I brought the Speed 400.
Hey from Sydney. Picked up a GB350 in early Jan and loving it so far. You didn't mention the heel toe shifter, people seem quite divided on it, I'm personally a fan.
To be honest I totally forgot about it once I set off on the bike, even though it was pointed out to me. I can't see anything to complain about though, if I can ride the bike totally forgetting it's there! I know recently I rode an R 18 Roctane, and you had no choice but to use the heel shifter due to the lack of clearance for toe shifts.
Dude if youve got this bike for awhile, would love to see more content on it! Its not released here in nz yet but surely if you guys get it, we'll get it too 🙏
Hi, great review, I'm hoping that Honda will bring this bike to the UK market, at 8,000aud that works out at £4,129, if they do bring it here & sell it at that price, I think it will sell well, most 125cc bikes here are around the £4.500 mark, I would prefer a gloss finish on the paint myself, I also don't understand why they have fitted a 19" wheel on the front, all of my bikes have got equal size wheels front & rear.
Yep that price point makes for a very attractive option. Can't argue about the gloss, as it does stand out more, and seems a bit more resistant to damage. Hard to say with the wheel/tyre sizes. I'd guess it's a little more casual and relaxed in the handling department as the an advantage of that choice, where dual 17 inchers is a bit more modern.
Should have a written review up soon at MCNews.com.au, and a video will follow. The Speed 400 is $1K more comparing ride-away prices, but there's definitely a big performance difference between the two.
Good review... At 7.16 you mention Inverted Forks??? I don't think so... I also read this in some Honda website... Perhaps they originally intended to use inverted forks but as you can see, it didn't really happen... I read somewhere that the GB 350 uses Showa for their front forks, and that would explain why they are of good quality... Got 2000 km so far and loved every minute of it... Getting an average of 40km per litre... I'm so glad Honda decided to bring the GB to Australia as well. If they did also bring the GB 350 S it would have been great...
You ended with comparing it with the RE350 classic/HNTR. I think that this one feels a bit lighter and also quicker. Now they introduced it also for Europe. Who knows how it will sell, but for sure it is an interesting bike. Will see. Does it come with a center stand?
It’s going to be the new custom king, will take over from the Yamaha SR400, I would have brought a SR400 but having no electric start on them rules out the Yamaha for me. The old GB250 and GB400 have been in demand as grey imports into Australia but that industry dried up 15 years ago, parts are impossible to source too. The GB350 will be on my shopping list shortly to be the bike to reintroduce riding for my wife after a 15 year break from riding.
Yep, I reckon these being that bit more affordable than the SR400 was will be a win, alongside the electric start. It seems like a smart move to take advantage of that demand for the old bikes, but obviously new and knowing parts will be available.
Summer in Oz, winter here in SoCal, rainy and cold. I'm surprised, I had my doubts about the GB350. Before my Vitpilen 401 my previous bike was a CB300R, 312 lbs wet and a lot more power than the GB350 from 286cc.
I’d love to see the GB350 S model in Australia, better styling and colour selections, the matte blue / black being offered initially do nothing for me.
Could be a future addition, depending how these go. I think they've really nailed the price to make these very attractive, alongside the whole package.
They are also planning an adventure and a scrambler based on this engine and they look suspiciously close to the old RE 411 models. This onencompetes against the classic 350 too.
The Speed 400 definitely has a lot more performance on offer. If I was doing higher speed riding, or more freeway I think it's the obvious choice between those two. If the type of riding you normally do isn't that fast, then it might not be a worry at all.
I think its a winner, compared to the triumph 400 speed which lets face it will be a rust bucket in 5 years made in the baja. Nice to see its not chartered out to china
Yep, it is nice to see manufacturing in the brand's country of origin. I was surprised how good those new 400s look though, but it's always hard to tell how new bikes last long term, especially commuter/beginner machines, which don't tend to get babied.
I thought so, without testing them back to back. It's a little more refined than the RE, still a nice exhaust note, where I can see some people liking that more mechanical vibe on the RE where you're more aware there's moving parts in the engine doing their stuff.
I am considering buying one. I do need to keep up the the flow of traffic at 100km or the trucks have to overtake ( not fun). Did you find once it got to 100km it could stay there?
This will struggle to match on the Royal Enfields for looks. There is no mention of the power and torque figures so it’s probably safe to assume it won’t match the new Triumph 400 in performance. The Triumph 400 also has a 6 speed gearbox.
Styling is always subjective, but I think these are a match for the Royal Enfield 350s. RE have a little more flair on their retro styling, where I think Honda are a bit more down-stated but probably take the win on build quality from what I've seen. I wouldn't really put the GB350 or the RE 350s in the same class as the new Triumph 400s though. The 350s are very old school engines with the basics of modern tech for quality of life. The 400s are much sportier, more modern and run higher overall specifications, despite the classic styling. There's probably some overlap, but I think they'll attract vastly different riders.
I’ve looked over a few Royal Enfield bikes only a few years old, even the Continental GT. The parts just dont stay looking new for long, the engine still looks good on most of them but it’s the small parts that rust and fade badly. This new Honda will still look great in years to come. And when you sell will hold its value. For comparison, look at the Yamaha SR400, they look great and hold value better than any Royal Enfield or other budget brand bike.
Harder sell in the US I think, where performance and bigger capacity is more important. I think the success of the RE 350s (and the previous 500s) was a bit of a surprise here in Australia.
I think they're aiming to beat Royal Enfield at their own game, so fairly low performance is part of the offering/expectation. Be interesting to see their 500 in a similar style though, for those with more focus on performance, but who like the look.
Excellent, well thought out, comprehensive review - thanks. If I might make one suggestion, perhaps you ought to go through it and count how many times you say 'nice'. A professional reviewer should be able to steer clear of endlessly repeating the same adjective :-)
This was a great review HOWEVER you didn't show us what the bike sounded like when talking about the exhaust or the actual sound. Well reviewed nonetheless.
More attractive than the Royal Enfield 350s. The S model is even nicer. Made in Japan makes a difference. My SCR950 was made there. The GB is a bit too slow for me, I think. I'll stick to the 390 as my second bike. And I'm sure you'll stick to your 401. Just out of interest, have you ever ridden an SR400? Regards, Nick
That will definitely be the sticking point for some riders. It reminds me quite a bit of the SR400 when they rereleased it, not quite as strong in the engine, but probably not a huge deal in it in some ways.
@@tombombadilofficial My mistake. Good build quality, though. I have a 390 Duke Mk2 as my second bike. That was made in India. The build quality is stunning.
I was told these are made in Japan, and turned up at the dealers in crates stating as such. The ones sold in India seem to be made locally from what I've read, but most of these style of bikes sell for significantly less in India, so that's probably necessary to compete there. I foolishly didn't take a picture of the VIN to confirm. @@tombombadilofficial
I'm testing out the Triumphs later today, but I think this will be the more sedate of the two machines by a long shot, ideal for a rider who wants something a bit more relaxed and more about the character!
I was pleasantly surprised by the torque. Maybe not blown away, and there is a little bit of a powerband to keep the bike on the boil and get the most out of the engine if you're accelerating hard and trying to reach a high(er) speed. But overall good torque from down low. You can't be too lazy on the gearbox though if you want acceleration on demand.
Aussie dollar isn't worth much! Plus our prices are generally ride away or out the door pricing, which isn't the case everywhere. I've seen some riders in US pay almost as much as us in USD out the door, and the exchange is 3 AUD to 2 USD! Granted I've also seen US riders get some crazy better prices too.
Hornet is a fair bit more than that. $8K (GB350) versus almost $14K for the Hornet. I'd be inclined to go the Hornet though if I was after a performance mid-capacity, I think it's very good value there and puts the older 650s in the shade.
Highness 350 looks better, Rs 350 has its charm . But cb 350 also seems nice but the uncanny resemblance to an already existing bike , it's a let down.
Nope, just double checked with Honda, as I was second guessing myself. The '24s are made in Japan, and aren't the same as the Indian spec CB H'Ness model.
I contacted Honda directly and they said it's made in Japan, as this question came up a lot. The Kumamoto Plant was also reported as producing them a year or two ago. I'll take a look at the VIN next time I see one to double check. @@christoph_fer
Hi guys! There’s some confusion between the model variants but here’s some insights on Honda’s 350cc series. H’ness CB350 (India) / GB350 (Japan) CB350RS (India) / GB350S (Japan) CB350 (India) / GB350C (Japan) Honda BigWing India just released the CB350 in 2023 and the Japanese variant, GB350C, will be on Japanese shores in June 2024.
Is there by any chance you faced handle bar shake from 60 to 80 kmph speed. As this is an issue that PPL are facing. Here in India . Do you feel that Honda is using their 1960s strategy to Kill Royal Enfield. The last standing unchanged British bike.
Tiny bit of vibes through the 'bars but no handlebar shake or tank slapper style behaviour that I experienced between 60-100 km/h, even pushing a little higher. This bike definitely looks like they've got their sights set on competing with Royal Enfield in this category.
I used to have a CB 350 back in the 70s - it was a twin closely based on the Triumph 3 TA, the bike the Honda replaced in my case. Thought it was really tough, when a cement mixer truck backed over it, well that gave it no chance. Looks v cool, enjoy yours, but avoid construction sites
Honda India calls it a CB350 H'ness. They also sell a variant of this motorcycle called CB350 that looks like a Royal Enfield classic 350. It's got bigger old fashioned metal mudguards and exhaust pipes, fork covers, split seats and more chrome. It looks more like a 1950s british motorcycle compared to the GB350/CB350 H'ness. You can see it in this review➡ ua-cam.com/video/LUG9QsR3TYY/v-deo.html
Nah it got very flat around 90 km/h and the freeways are 110 km/h around there. I try and avoid them on bikes that don't comfortably reach the speed limit, although I realise some people don't mind that limitation at all. Had my testing seen me reach 110 a bit more easily elsewhere I'd have given it a go.
Yea I'm not sure it's really necessary but seems to be the big thing in Europe these days, with everything coming with it. I guess maybe for icy conditions?
Love basic simplicity and this bike with all its electronic whizzbangery does not fit in. My old girl, 72 CB 250, was more powerful out of the showroom. She's probably lost a few ponies in the 50 years of her life but she'd still be above the 20 of this thing.
Looks very much like the old K series which i do like, but honestly Kris, you'd think that in 50 years Honda would find a way to make a 350 that is more powerful than a 250.
In India there are 3 variants of this bike . Cb 350 , Cb350 rs and cb 350 h'ness . Although hness and rs look unique , the plain cb350 looks plain copy of re classic with even the paint scheme copied . Honda shouldn't have done it thouh and should have stick with their uniqueness. The gb350 looks like cb350 hness
Yea, it's not really a bike that's focused on top speed. There's no doubt they could have fitted a more powerful engine, but I think a lot of the character would have been lost.
Finally Honda, you woke up from your design sleep, I thought you had fired your designers ! Ok, they have the Cub 125 but ruined it with keyless start and a not so nice analogue display, the original was far nicer but it's analogue so better than TFT. I have been so sick of Honda's stick bug shape sport and sport tourer bikes and ugly as shit TFT screens, you just can't get more boring than a NC750x or pretty much most modern Honda or other Bikes. Triumph have the gorgeous Bonneville, now the Speed 400, Royal Enfield, well, they don't make boring looking bikes do they ? Royal Enfield have the Classic 650 coming lovely bike but shame on the TFT navigation display, it was not needed and completely out of character, I just don't get who can make these decisions ? An analogue fuel gauge in it's place would have been far better ! Kawasaki still have the W800 and the Z650 RS. Any other modern retros I'm missing ? But well done Honda, I hope the GB350s is the beginning of more gorgeous bikes to come hopefully with more power and the least amount of electronics and no digital screens at all ? think Bonneville T100 !
In India, it's called CB350 H'ness. I've been using one for three years now, touring extensively including travels to Ladakh where the passes are regularly above 13000ft.
It's not fast, but you don't need to be too fast on Indian roads anyways. Keep it between 85-95kmph and it will cause no fatigue while returning 40+kmpl. With a 15 litre tank, that gives be 500+km range. I've done upto 800km in a day.
That's a decent day in the saddle of one of these!
they should give better tires for hness like gb350
Just stop with these nonsense expectations. They pay twice the price you pay in India@@kushalkumar-jk1sh
So i have couple honest questions to ask. How good is the build quality? Does it have any faulty that need to be fix in its early years? And did the bike have any faulty that made it break down on the street? If yes how often is it? The CB350 have just been imported into my country, and the netizen are quite divide about it. Not ill feeling, but they say India manufacturing is as bad as China; they turned their back right after they see where the engine manufactured from; Honda cant sell these in India so they import them here etc etc... Knowing my country netizen's toxicity, i'm really skeptical about these claims. I love the look of this bike, and the CB350 RS, or the new Triumph Scrambler 400 and looking forward to upgrade to one of these in future. I've just buy a GPX bike from Thailand and its fuel reader failed right after coming out from retailer, and they say Thailand manufacturers were better. Hope to know your further review
@@johncehna601 Price-point and build quality are arguably more important than just nation of manufacture. People said the same thing about bikes coming out of Thailand not that long ago, and now they're holding them up as a shining example of success. BMW and other brands have sourced engines out of China for a long while.
I will never understand why they didn’t make the cb500f look like that instead
Yea that would be wicked!
100%
THANK YOU CHRIST I FEEL LIKE IM TAKING CRAZY PILLS. Yes we like retro style just give it a real modern engine
Those are designed along the lines of a stalking felid that's ready to pounce, it's not about being "not ugly" or "acquired taste", it's about sending a psychological message of power, it's about changing your mood subliminally every time you set eyes on it, but ofc Honda will never go all the way like KTM would....
Because it shares a frame with other bikes so it could never look like this
Oh man, I wish this bike was sold in my country. It's perfect for what I want out of a bike; a relaxed riding experience and a classic look! And it's a Honda!
Yep it's a great package!
The 350S looks even cooler! Is that variant available in Australia?
@@8man_01 Not at the moment!
I am an owner of Honda CB350 HNESS( HONDA CB350 is made in India and sold in Japan as GB350) , I purchased it in 2020 (one of the first 5 bikes of mumbai), the bike was specifically made to Rival the RE CLassic 350.
4 yrs gone and 20k kms done , overall bike's Refinement and smoothness is still intact, very reliable , agile bike. Clutch is super light , and gearbox is smooth shifting. Bike is slightly faster than RE Classic 350 and gives you better mileage due to tall gearing.
The only problem is that Bike 's gears are very tall , if u r going at 5 kph and shift to 2nd and raise the throttle , the bike will knock and may even stall , if u r going at 20 and shift to 3rd same thing will happen, unlike the RE 350 which can be throttled at any gear despite at low speed. Meaning that u will have to shift more in CB350. But due to quick shifting gearbox and super light clutch it doesn't bother me at all. There are overall 3 variants of these bikes available here (CB350 , CB350 RS , CB350 HNESS).
Hope we don't get the same gearbox in the CB350 ADV.
So i have couple honest questions to ask. How good is the build quality? Does it have any faulty that need to be fix in its early years? And did the bike have any faulty that made it break down on the street? If yes how often is it? The CB350 have just been imported into my country, and the netizen are quite divide about it. Not ill feeling, but they say India manufacturing is as bad as China; they turned their back right after they see where the engine manufactured from; Honda cant sell these in India so they import them here etc etc... Knowing my country netizen's toxicity, i'm really skeptical about these claims. I love the look of this bike, and the CB350 RS, or the new Triumph Scrambler 400 and looking forward to upgrade to one of these in future. I've just buy a GPX bike from Thailand and its fuel reader failed right after coming out from retailer, and they say Thailand manufacturers were better. Hope to know your further review
@@johncehna601 The CB350 is made in India whereas the GB350 sold here in. Australia is made in Japan. I had zero problems and the fit and finish of the bike is excellent.
did u face any wobbling issues as others are claiming on youtube?
Under powerful at 350cc. Top speed only 140
@@thomas-elThe GB 350 even sold in Japan is exported from India .
Just got one of these in Brisbane, first real bike I've owned, mines pretty much run in now at about 700kms, depending on the shoes I'm wearing the heel toe shifter is great fun, If I'm wearing boots I love the heel shifter! It has a real solid, quality feel, the engine sound is fantastic and when it's low(ish) on fuel you can get some nice backfiring after a good rev. I'm excited to order a tail tidy from japan to give it a bit more of a scrambler look and do all the servicing and maintanence myself, yeah its not amazingly powerful, but for getting around the city and out to some swimming holes its a dream. My only negative would be the 5th gear is underwhelming, once you are up at around 80/90kms and swap to 5th you don't get any more power, just the ability to cruise a little more comfortably, so I can understand why there is no 6th gear. Will have this bike for many years to come! thanks for the vid
Wicked, great to hear you're enjoying it!
I figured no sixth gear may have been because the bike would struggle to pull a sixth overdrive gear, after fifth got so flat. I tried to really ring out fourth to get the most of it.
i wish they would bring this bike to the US. Such a lovely machine.
Fingers crossed!
no way 😂😂
I wish they’d bring this bike to Europe. I like the offerings from RE but would choose a Honda every day of the week.
Same for here in the United States, I've been toying with buying a RE. If this was here I'd buy it no question
Good news! Honda is bringing it to Europe next year, as it was presented on the EICMA lately.
Apparently it is now coming to Europe, but if it has no ABS, the Himalayan with it's ABS is better value for money.
@ I don’t care about ABS. None of my classic Harleys have it either, and it doesn’t make me feel unsafe not having it. But I believe ABS is mandatory on new bikes here in the EU…?
ITS COMING TO EUROPE MY FRIENDS 100% WHAT PRICE U BEILIVE ITS GONE BE???😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
I have a Gixxer 1000 and a Mv Agusta Rivale, 5 months ago, I got myself a CB350 RS, and it is amazing. It is pure comfort and a lot of fun to just cruise around and use as a daily motorcycle.
They're a cool little machine right!
One of Hondas best looking bikes…🎉
I would love this bike in all its details as a 650. Its beautiful.
Well, it is now coming to the UK. I have been riding motorcycles since 1968 and am an old codger. My BMW and Guzzi days are over, the buggers put on 5KG every time I have a birthday.
I bought a RE 350 a couple of years ago but sold it as the UK importer at the time seemed to think that making spare parts available was beneath them.
The new Honda will take sales from RE by the thousand ,the bike is perfect for us old gits although I would like a chrome exhaust , it does have fork gaiters in the UK.
Great video, many thanks for posting it. Cheers from Cornwall. I will buy you a few beers ( St Austell Proper Job) should you find yourself here in God's chosen land.
i feel like it fits nicely with royal enfields 350 range. better quality than the meteor, which is reflected in price. maybe not as nice looking as the classic 350. but it combines the modern design of the meteor, and the classic 350’s old school elegance. whilst keeping that honda feel to it. personally i think the classic 350 is better overall, but as you say, the addition of the traction control was a great decision, and the hondas engine casings are stunning. the spedo is pretty bad if im perfectly honest. singular clocks like that are so hard to nail, so i appreciate the solid attempt
@@Preetishh couldn’t agree more, makes the tension in my head release when i look at it
Beautiful machine + a reliable work horse ❤️🔥❤️🔥🔥🔥‼️‼️🌟🌟🌟🌟
I own a pristine and rare 1986 Honda GB-400 TT mark 2 that was privately imported to Australia by its owner back in the early 90’s from New Zealand that were lucky to get a handful that were sold new there, my mark 2 version was Hondas factory Cafe Racer and was the granddaddy of retro back in the eighties that represented the TT races on the Isle of Man back in the 1960’s and was the model with the factory fairing and cowl seat, interesting that the new Model has the same designation “GB” as mine was Hondas salutation to the TT and GB stood for “Great Britain” my bike is a 400 single, 5 speed clip on style bars, rear sets, twin clocks, fairing, cowl style seat alloy DID rims, plenty of chrome bits, metal everything like side covers to chrome chain guard, it still looks like a new bike that has travelled minimal klm’s in its near 40 year history and even though it’s started and all its rotables cycled thru on occasions it has not been properly ridden for just over twenty years and is fully dry stored but it is on historic rego and thank god that’s relatively cheap!
That sounds like quite the collectable!
Looks like the classic 500 four style wise , very nice
I own this bike and it's called CB350 Highness here in my country. They offer chrome package which has rear and front fenders in chrome. And its such an attention grabbing bike. The paint scheme i have is black with silver stripes which is similar to its elder sibling cb1100rs. Overall really handsome and good performing bike.
Would look great with the chrome fenders!
I own two 1973 Honda cb350 twins when new they were rated at 36HP I test drove one of these and the Triumph speed 400 which had the get up and go and reminded me more of the 73 Honda then the GB350, which was a plodder. I brought the Speed 400.
Love it ❤great review mate, cheers from Adelaide 😊
Thanks!!
Hey from Sydney. Picked up a GB350 in early Jan and loving it so far. You didn't mention the heel toe shifter, people seem quite divided on it, I'm personally a fan.
To be honest I totally forgot about it once I set off on the bike, even though it was pointed out to me. I can't see anything to complain about though, if I can ride the bike totally forgetting it's there!
I know recently I rode an R 18 Roctane, and you had no choice but to use the heel shifter due to the lack of clearance for toe shifts.
Thank you Journo. Much appreciated.
Dude if youve got this bike for awhile, would love to see more content on it! Its not released here in nz yet but surely if you guys get it, we'll get it too 🙏
I just had it for the day unfortunately...
Hi, great review, I'm hoping that Honda will bring this bike to the UK market, at 8,000aud that works out at £4,129, if they do bring it here & sell it at that price, I think it will sell well, most 125cc bikes here are around the £4.500 mark, I would prefer a gloss finish on the paint myself, I also don't understand why they have fitted a 19" wheel on the front, all of my bikes have got equal size wheels front & rear.
Yep that price point makes for a very attractive option. Can't argue about the gloss, as it does stand out more, and seems a bit more resistant to damage. Hard to say with the wheel/tyre sizes. I'd guess it's a little more casual and relaxed in the handling department as the an advantage of that choice, where dual 17 inchers is a bit more modern.
Hi, Honda going to bring GB350S according to the latest news 🤞
That's with the tax (GST) at 10%. UK's VAT is more than that.
It's very exciting to have this motorcycle!
Beautiful machine + a reliable work horse 🤌❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥‼️🌟🌟
Love the build quality and classic look. The triumph speed 400 is same price and has more power. Keen to see your review on the latter.
Should have a written review up soon at MCNews.com.au, and a video will follow. The Speed 400 is $1K more comparing ride-away prices, but there's definitely a big performance difference between the two.
True the triumph has better performance. But the GB 350 is much simpler, much more classic, less maintenance and better gas mileage.
Good review... At 7.16 you mention Inverted Forks??? I don't think so... I also read this in some Honda website... Perhaps they originally intended to use inverted forks but as you can see, it didn't really happen...
I read somewhere that the GB 350 uses Showa for their front forks, and that would explain why they are of good quality...
Got 2000 km so far and loved every minute of it... Getting an average of 40km per litre... I'm so glad Honda decided to bring the GB to Australia as well. If they did also bring the GB 350 S it would have been great...
Yep good catch, they definitely didn't on this one! I was impressed by the suspension and ride though. Seemed well tuned for me at 75 kg.
You ended with comparing it with the RE350 classic/HNTR. I think that this one feels a bit lighter and also quicker. Now they introduced it also for Europe. Who knows how it will sell, but for sure it is an interesting bike. Will see. Does it come with a center stand?
It’s going to be the new custom king, will take over from the Yamaha SR400, I would have brought a SR400 but having no electric start on them rules out the Yamaha for me.
The old GB250 and GB400 have been in demand as grey imports into Australia but that industry dried up 15 years ago, parts are impossible to source too.
The GB350 will be on my shopping list shortly to be the bike to reintroduce riding for my wife after a 15 year break from riding.
Yep, I reckon these being that bit more affordable than the SR400 was will be a win, alongside the electric start. It seems like a smart move to take advantage of that demand for the old bikes, but obviously new and knowing parts will be available.
Wish this was in the USA!
I have this bike awesome love this
Summer in Oz, winter here in SoCal, rainy and cold. I'm surprised, I had my doubts about the GB350. Before my Vitpilen 401 my previous bike was a CB300R, 312 lbs wet and a lot more power than the GB350 from 286cc.
I was very pleasantly surprised by what Honda are offering, a very different package to the 401s but still very cool.
@@MotoJournoKris Cheers Kris!
Nice video mate and nice to see Australian contents on you tube.
By the way where was that twisty road.
That's the old road just north of Sydney. Same road Pie in the Sky is on.
I’d love to see the GB350 S model in Australia, better styling and colour selections, the matte blue / black being offered initially do nothing for me.
Could be a future addition, depending how these go. I think they've really nailed the price to make these very attractive, alongside the whole package.
I’m hanging on in the hope that the GB350S lands in Aus!@@MotoJournoKris
They are also planning an adventure and a scrambler based on this engine and they look suspiciously close to the old RE 411 models. This onencompetes against the classic 350 too.
I guess it makes sense to spin off a few models. Although looking at the Himalayan/Scram by RE, there people seem to appreciate a bit more power.
Nice style. Would look even better with spoke wheels.
Great looking machine - can it hold reasonable freeway speeds IE can it stay ahead of the B Doubles ?
You're pushing things at highway speeds from what I saw, although the bike may free up a little with more mileage, as it was super new.
Bring this bewty in Europe asap😢
Trying to decide between this and Speed 400.. shld I be concerned about Honda being underpowered in comparison?
The Speed 400 definitely has a lot more performance on offer. If I was doing higher speed riding, or more freeway I think it's the obvious choice between those two. If the type of riding you normally do isn't that fast, then it might not be a worry at all.
I think its a winner, compared to the triumph 400 speed which lets face it will be a rust bucket in 5 years made in the baja. Nice to see its not chartered out to china
Yep, it is nice to see manufacturing in the brand's country of origin. I was surprised how good those new 400s look though, but it's always hard to tell how new bikes last long term, especially commuter/beginner machines, which don't tend to get babied.
Lovely!
Nice transportation:) ❤
Yeah but does it look, feel and have the pleasant grunt right off idle like the Enfield Classic?
I thought so, without testing them back to back. It's a little more refined than the RE, still a nice exhaust note, where I can see some people liking that more mechanical vibe on the RE where you're more aware there's moving parts in the engine doing their stuff.
It might have been exported from Japan..this is why it is called GB 350.. otherwise from India it should be called CB 350...
Chuck a flat slide carburettor on it and you'd double your fun.
Be cool to see what people could get performance wise with some mods, that's for sure.
Honda must produce a similiar engine with a capacity of the 500cc
I am considering buying one. I do need to keep up the the flow of traffic at 100km or the trucks have to overtake ( not fun). Did you find once it got to 100km it could stay there?
Sorry for the late reply, it shouldn't be an issue at 100 km/h, with a bit to spare.
This will struggle to match on the Royal Enfields for looks. There is no mention of the power and torque figures so it’s probably safe to assume it won’t match the new Triumph 400 in performance. The Triumph 400 also has a 6 speed gearbox.
Styling is always subjective, but I think these are a match for the Royal Enfield 350s. RE have a little more flair on their retro styling, where I think Honda are a bit more down-stated but probably take the win on build quality from what I've seen.
I wouldn't really put the GB350 or the RE 350s in the same class as the new Triumph 400s though. The 350s are very old school engines with the basics of modern tech for quality of life. The 400s are much sportier, more modern and run higher overall specifications, despite the classic styling. There's probably some overlap, but I think they'll attract vastly different riders.
I’ve looked over a few Royal Enfield bikes only a few years old, even the Continental GT. The parts just dont stay looking new for long, the engine still looks good on most of them but it’s the small parts that rust and fade badly.
This new Honda will still look great in years to come. And when you sell will hold its value.
For comparison, look at the Yamaha SR400, they look great and hold value better than any Royal Enfield or other budget brand bike.
Anyone know why they don’t sell these in the states? This is my dream bike but unfortunately they don’t sell them here.
US doesn't get some of the smaller capacity/lower performance options often, it may just come down to that.
Something we will never see in the US thankfully we have the new Triumph Speed 400
Harder sell in the US I think, where performance and bigger capacity is more important. I think the success of the RE 350s (and the previous 500s) was a bit of a surprise here in Australia.
@@MotoJournoKris I think its because a lot of people are like me. Would never buy a bike that looks like a jetski. Pre 1980 had it right.
Honda definitely nailed the looks of it , but it would have been nice to have more power and a nicer engine
I think they're aiming to beat Royal Enfield at their own game, so fairly low performance is part of the offering/expectation. Be interesting to see their 500 in a similar style though, for those with more focus on performance, but who like the look.
Excellent, well thought out, comprehensive review - thanks. If I might make one suggestion, perhaps you ought to go through it and count how many times you say 'nice'. A professional reviewer should be able to steer clear of endlessly repeating the same adjective :-)
Not enough time in front of the camera unfortunately to squash all my terrible habits. Working on it though.
This was a great review HOWEVER you didn't show us what the bike sounded like when talking about the exhaust or the actual sound. Well reviewed nonetheless.
Yea I gotta get better at remembering to record it!
More attractive than the Royal Enfield 350s. The S model is even nicer. Made in Japan makes a difference. My SCR950 was made there. The GB is a bit too slow for me, I think. I'll stick to the 390 as my second bike. And I'm sure you'll stick to your 401. Just out of interest, have you ever ridden an SR400? Regards, Nick
That will definitely be the sticking point for some riders. It reminds me quite a bit of the SR400 when they rereleased it, not quite as strong in the engine, but probably not a huge deal in it in some ways.
These are made in India. LMAO.
@@tombombadilofficial My mistake. Good build quality, though. I have a 390 Duke Mk2 as my second bike. That was made in India. The build quality is stunning.
I was told these are made in Japan, and turned up at the dealers in crates stating as such. The ones sold in India seem to be made locally from what I've read, but most of these style of bikes sell for significantly less in India, so that's probably necessary to compete there. I foolishly didn't take a picture of the VIN to confirm. @@tombombadilofficial
My sister is currently deciding between this and the triumph scrambler 400. Any thoughts on that?
I'm testing out the Triumphs later today, but I think this will be the more sedate of the two machines by a long shot, ideal for a rider who wants something a bit more relaxed and more about the character!
Which one GB 350. /. Royal Enfield 350 classic.
Did you feel getting 30nm torque at 3000 rpm for real?
I was pleasantly surprised by the torque. Maybe not blown away, and there is a little bit of a powerband to keep the bike on the boil and get the most out of the engine if you're accelerating hard and trying to reach a high(er) speed. But overall good torque from down low. You can't be too lazy on the gearbox though if you want acceleration on demand.
Doe it pass emissions down under? 🏍
Yea, must do, I don't think they'd be able to sell it otherwise!
Hi why didn't you show the left side of the bike
Normally end up with less left side shots, so they're just less likely to end up in the final cut!
AUD 8000? 😶. Australian prices seem high
Aussie dollar isn't worth much! Plus our prices are generally ride away or out the door pricing, which isn't the case everywhere. I've seen some riders in US pay almost as much as us in USD out the door, and the exchange is 3 AUD to 2 USD! Granted I've also seen US riders get some crazy better prices too.
Dont know man, for 2000 aud more i can get a new cb750 hornet
Hornet is a fair bit more than that. $8K (GB350) versus almost $14K for the Hornet. I'd be inclined to go the Hornet though if I was after a performance mid-capacity, I think it's very good value there and puts the older 650s in the shade.
What tyres are used in this machine?
Are you sure it is made in Japan?
Yep, double checked with Honda Motorcycles Australia as I had so many people asking.
Highness 350 looks better, Rs 350 has its charm .
But cb 350 also seems nice but the uncanny resemblance to an already existing bike , it's a let down.
It’s actually made in India… which is near Japan.😉 Don’t understand why they didn’t keep the CB350 name 🤔
Nope, just double checked with Honda, as I was second guessing myself. The '24s are made in Japan, and aren't the same as the Indian spec CB H'Ness model.
@@MotoJournoKris it is not the Indian spec H'ness but the GB models very well could be exported from India.
I contacted Honda directly and they said it's made in Japan, as this question came up a lot. The Kumamoto Plant was also reported as producing them a year or two ago. I'll take a look at the VIN next time I see one to double check. @@christoph_fer
GB was always their retro bikes. Remember the GB250 and 400 cafe?
The VIN on my GB350 begins with “J”. Hence made in Japan.
Hi guys! There’s some confusion between the model variants but here’s some insights on Honda’s 350cc series.
H’ness CB350 (India) / GB350 (Japan)
CB350RS (India) / GB350S (Japan)
CB350 (India) / GB350C (Japan)
Honda BigWing India just released the CB350 in 2023 and the Japanese variant, GB350C, will be on Japanese shores in June 2024.
I live in Singapore and I own a 2022 H’ness CB350 through parallel import. A definite decent modern classic bike!
Important to remember this isn't just the Indian made H'ness with a new name.
Is there by any chance you faced handle bar shake from 60 to 80 kmph speed. As this is an issue that PPL are facing. Here in India .
Do you feel that Honda is using their 1960s strategy to Kill Royal Enfield. The last standing unchanged British bike.
Tiny bit of vibes through the 'bars but no handlebar shake or tank slapper style behaviour that I experienced between 60-100 km/h, even pushing a little higher.
This bike definitely looks like they've got their sights set on competing with Royal Enfield in this category.
Bu motorsiklet türkiyeye gelmeli😢
I used to have a CB 350 back in the 70s - it was a twin closely based on the Triumph 3 TA, the bike the Honda replaced in my case. Thought it was really tough, when a cement mixer truck backed over it, well that gave it no chance. Looks v cool, enjoy yours, but avoid construction sites
Yea, not much would survive that!
Honda India calls it a CB350 H'ness. They also sell a variant of this motorcycle called CB350 that looks like a Royal Enfield classic 350. It's got bigger old fashioned metal mudguards and exhaust pipes, fork covers, split seats and more chrome. It looks more like a 1950s british motorcycle compared to the GB350/CB350 H'ness. You can see it in this review➡ ua-cam.com/video/LUG9QsR3TYY/v-deo.html
Yep the H'ness is the Indian made version.
Did you take it on the freeway at all?
Nah it got very flat around 90 km/h and the freeways are 110 km/h around there. I try and avoid them on bikes that don't comfortably reach the speed limit, although I realise some people don't mind that limitation at all. Had my testing seen me reach 110 a bit more easily elsewhere I'd have given it a go.
Looks great but still 6hp less than the Honda CB250RS I owned in the eighties………
honda is manufacturing this in India for the world
No. As stated, these are built in Japan. There's Indian made variants.
Traction Control??? with 20 hp ? !
Yea I'm not sure it's really necessary but seems to be the big thing in Europe these days, with everything coming with it. I guess maybe for icy conditions?
Love basic simplicity and this bike with all its electronic whizzbangery does not fit in. My old girl, 72 CB 250, was more powerful out of the showroom. She's probably lost a few ponies in the 50 years of her life but she'd still be above the 20 of this thing.
Fair enough. I think they're more aimed at those not too concerned with performance and who want a classic bike, but the ease of a modern machine.
Looks very much like the old K series which i do like, but honestly Kris, you'd think that in 50 years Honda would find a way to make a 350 that is more powerful than a 250.
@@11metrecbpropagationsoutha29 Very true, 30 hp is a nice point performance wise.
GB350 is 180 kg wet weight with only 20hp, plus 6000 kilometers service intervals make it bad. Just get CB300!
If only the cb300 looked like the gb350 😁
If you're worried about performance, this isn't the bike for you.
and why these are not in USA market ? look at the build and material quality ! RE is trash in front of this
Not sure on that one! Does seem the ideal competitor to Royal Enfield's offerings.
Hey a Royal Enfield clone.
Haha, I don't think with Honda's history they'd need to copy Royal Enfield to launch a classic 350.
In India there are 3 variants of this bike . Cb 350 , Cb350 rs and cb 350 h'ness .
Although hness and rs look unique , the plain cb350 looks plain copy of re classic with even the paint scheme copied . Honda shouldn't have done it thouh and should have stick with their uniqueness.
The gb350 looks like cb350 hness
The top speed is mediocre! 140 😢
Yea, it's not really a bike that's focused on top speed. There's no doubt they could have fitted a more powerful engine, but I think a lot of the character would have been lost.
Sorry, but classic 350 looks much better.
Fair enough, gotta buy the bike you like the look of!
Finally Honda, you woke up from your design sleep, I thought you had fired your designers ! Ok, they have the Cub 125 but ruined it with keyless start and a not so nice analogue display, the original was far nicer but it's analogue so better than TFT.
I have been so sick of Honda's stick bug shape sport and sport tourer bikes and ugly as shit TFT screens, you just can't get more boring than a NC750x or pretty much most modern Honda or other Bikes.
Triumph have the gorgeous Bonneville, now the Speed 400,
Royal Enfield, well, they don't make boring looking bikes do they ? Royal Enfield have the Classic 650 coming lovely bike but shame on the TFT navigation display, it was not needed and completely out of character, I just don't get who can make these decisions ? An analogue fuel gauge in it's place would have been far better !
Kawasaki still have the W800 and the Z650 RS.
Any other modern retros I'm missing ?
But well done Honda, I hope the GB350s is the beginning of more gorgeous bikes to come hopefully with more power and the least amount of electronics and no digital screens at all ? think Bonneville T100 !
No
India it’s hinges name😂
?
In India it is called hiness cb350
Ohhhh gotcha!@@shihaskn6889
Way over priced. Not for me. Lemay