Honda CB350RS

Had been a dream since a long finally I bought my bike yesterday, the showroom was 100 km away. I had a good ride yesterday cruising easily between 80-100 km/hr on my way back. I really loved it the torque and the rumbling sound from the silencer and also had many head turn around taking a glimpse of my bike.

About the Reviewer

I purchased this bike 10 days ago that too after cancelling by booking of Hunter 350 and I'm glad I did that because this bike is a beast in each category be it the fiery looks, the solid build quality, the comfort while riding, performance anything. Even though it is 180 kgs it feels very light while riding, best bike for city riding for this price I must say. Just go for it you won't regret a cent.(Go for the Rebel Red color it's just a delight to watch)

About the Reviewer

So I’m a 23-year-old corporate employee who always had a dream of getting my first bike. The main purpose was daily commuting + occasional trips. Initially, I was more inclined towards the Triumph Speed 400, but when I saw the Scrambler 400X was only ~25k more, I felt it was worth spending extra.
Back in May, I started taking test rides of multiple bikes: CB350RS, Triumph Speed 400, Scrambler 400X, Guerrilla 450, and even a few others. Me and my cousin (who was also planning to get a bike) were hopping around bike showrooms across the city almost every weekend.
My plan was to get the bike around my birthday in June, but due to dilemmas and other reasons, I postponed it to Dussehra. Meanwhile, my cousin went on a trip across Karnataka–TN borders using the Classic 350 and Himalayan 450, and he was set on the Himalayan. He checked other options like the Yezdi Adventure and Suzuki V-Strom too (the V-Strom felt very underpowered, almost like a Unicorn). He finally ordered the Himalayan in June, which got delayed by 2 months.
Till then, we both kept exploring — I tried the Xpulse, Harley 440X, and some Jawa/Yezdi models. Jawa 42 and Yezdi Roadster gave good first impressions but I wasn’t confident in their service/spares, so I ruled them out.
My test rides:
Honda CB350RS (first ride): My very first test ride. In traffic, it felt okay-ish, smooth but nothing that instantly clicked.
Triumph T4: Bad brakes, didn’t appeal.
Speed 400: Really good, torquey, well-balanced.
Scrambler 400X: Similar but a bit harder to flat foot. I’m 5’9”, so manageable.
Guerrilla 450: Felt like it was flying in 2nd gear, fun torque but very hard in the city + weight balance wasn’t on point.
Himalayan 450: Overkill for me, way too heavy.
Meteor: Good but heavy.
Out of all, the Triumphs felt like all-rounders — powerful, good suspension, fun to ride. But then I gave the CB another chance on an empty road (not traffic). OMG, it changed my perspective completely. Smooth engine, great low-end torque, and under 80 kmph performance felt almost on par with the Scrambler.
By July, I had narrowed it down to only CB350RS vs Scrambler 400X. CB was ~2.6–2.7L, Scrambler ~3.38L. My heart said Scrambler, pocket said CB. I felt the Scrambler was worth the extra 60–70k, but then GST 2.0 hit — making Scrambler ~3.6L and CB ~2.4L. With Telangana's road tax hike (12% → 18%), prices got even worse,(4l triumph and 2.6l cb350rs) though Andhra Pradesh prices remained the same. So decided what ever the bike i choose to purchase it in A.P.
I almost booked the Scrambler (3.34L pre-GST) but everywhere it was sold out, only one black display piece left. I wanted red/white. Felt sad but practical — paying 3.6L didn’t feel worth it for my mostly city + occasional highway usage.
So I shifted to Honda. CB300R wasn’t available, so CB350RS it was. On Sept 23 (Panchami), I booked the Maroon CB350RS (looked best without the neon). Price came to 2.37L with knuckle guards (~2.5k). Got corporate discount (5k) + extra 3k off for full payment without loan.
Plot twist: Right before delivery, Bajaj announced they’d bear the GST hike for Triumph. Made me reconsider again since my Honda booking was refundable. Watched tons of videos, wrote pros/cons journals. Triumph had better suspension + 40 bhp power, but also heating issues, low mileage (22–25), and taller seat height (835 mm, taller than Himalayan).
Considering most of my riding is city + occasional highway, CB made more sense. Finally, on Sept 26, I took delivery of my CB350RS.
First impressions after 3 days(did 150 kms):
Super refined engine — smooth at any RPM.
City riding: You never feel the need for more power.
Highway: Cruises like butter.
Compared it side-by-side with my colleague’s Scrambler 400X — Triumph definitely has better mid/top end, but Honda’s refinement wins for me.
Tall gearing was new to me but I love it now — can do ~40 kmph in 1st gear. This makes the bike feel relaxed and contributes to better mileage.
Suspension and top-end power are weaker than Triumph, but not a dealbreaker.
Overall, I feel like the CB350RS is the perfect match for my riding style — relaxed, smooth, refined, reliable, and more than enough for city + cruising.
This was my journey — funny that the first bike I test rode is the one I ended up buying after checking out nearly 10 others. No regrets at all till now

About the Reviewer

Pros
The Honda CB350RS has a retro-modern design, a comfortable and refined engine, and responsive brakes. It also boasts features like a large fuel tank, a comfortable riding position, and good fuel efficiency, making it suitable for long rides.
Cons:
Pricey compared to rivals,
Only 2 service centers in Mumbai western suburbs in Andheri & Mira Road,
Also, parts availability is limited.
took AMC from Andheri service center & it's almost been 2 months, I am waiting for a call from them for shock absorbers & rear brake pads.

About the Reviewer

Bike performance on hilly roads is unsatisfactory with a lot of power lag.
Especially with a pillion, it's a thumbs down 👎 choice...
So sad Honda.....re bikes perform well than this piece of shit.
Check the performance of this bike with a pillion on up slopes for about 1- 2 km.
You will get the results for your decision.....

About the Reviewer

Unfortunately, I chose this bike for the temptation of a maximum speed of 150 kmph, later I found 5th gear was not at all satisfactory. I asked the Honda service team about the 5th gear issue but they failed to rectify it. The bike speed of 4th gear is 70-90 kmph else 5th gear is just 80-100kmph. But our App shows 150kmph, it's really hurt

About the Reviewer