Honda CB 350 RS

The Honda Company launched the modern classic Honda CB 350 RS on 16th February 2021 and the inspiration of its design was taken from the H'Ness CB 350. The “RS” stands for “Race/Rally/Road Sport”. Its ground clearance of 168 mm and wheelbase of 1441 mm makes the scooter better equipped for broken roads. The bike is offered in three variants- DLX, DLX Pro and DLX Pro Dual Tone. The ex-showroom price of the bike ranges between Rs. 2.14 - 2.17 Lakh. It has a 4 Stroke, SI petrol Engine with a fuel capacity of 15 litres. The scooter comes with a chain drive. It generates a maximum power of 21.07 PS @ 5500 rpm and a peak torque of 30 Nm @ 3000 rpm. The Honda CB 350 RS has a battery life of 12V 6.0 Ah. The mileage offered is 35 kmpl and a Multiplate Wet Clutch. The scooter has a wider seat that offers utmost comfort in long rides.

How is the design of Honda CB 350 RS?

RS stands for “Rally/Race/Road Sport” in the automobile world. The classic models of CB have a longstanding heritage. There is a simple and plain CB350RS badge on the side panels. The yellow colour variant makes the bike look longer because of its pinstripe design. The all-new Honda CB 350 RS looks like CB 1000 R with its upswept exhaust canister and stubby tail. Some of the key features of Honda CB 350 RS are Pass light, trip meter count, digital trip meter, engine kill switch, clock, pillion grabrail and seat, low battery indicator, low oil indicator, fuel gauge, tachometer, speedometer semi-digital, gear indicator, and fuel warning indicator.

How does the Honda CB 350 RS ride?

Honda CB 350 RS has block pattern tyres and a taller profile because of the extra 2 mm ground clearance. The well-patterned tyres are ideal for broken roads, muddy and gravely pathways but their performance gets limited as it moves to higher lean angles. You need to be more careful when applying brakes on slippery terrain. The scooter offers ABS with a dual-channel and a traction control system that is switchable. Like the H’ness, CB 350 RS gets a slip and assist clutch for safety reasons. It also has traction control that prevents sliding and hopping off the wheel at the rear. The chassis and suspension setup is the same as the H’ness that makes the ride supple. The RS comes with a toe shifter 5-speed gearbox. The seat has undergone a slight change with its revised rider geometry and repositioned handlebar and pegs. The CB 350 feels more agile and lighter in city conditions. It is easy to wiggle through traffic on this bike. The suspension set-up ensures smooth movement over potholes and ruts. The wide tyres offer a good grip and a comfortable overall riding experience. 

How comfortable is Honda CB 350 RS?

The bike has a ribbed pattern and a wider seat that gives long-distance comfort. The comfort level offered by the RS is better than the Honda H’ness. Some of the best comfort features offered by CB 350 RS are 

• The half-duplex steel pipe cradle gives a soft-steering feel.
• The allocated load in the front lowers the position of the engine. It great impacts the maneuverability, handling and riding feel of the bike.

How’s the tech?

The Honda CB 350 RS comes with smartphone connectivity but USB charging is unavailable. The instrument cluster is the same as the H’ness with an analogue speedometer, digital odometer, trip meter, time, fuel and gear position indicator. The instrument cluster also displays average mileage, real-time mileage and distance to empty. There is also a hazard warning switch for emergency stops. Other rider hand features are switchable traction control or selectable torque control with assist and slipper clutch and ABS dual-channel. Some other tech features of Honda CB 350 RS are fuel injection, digital CDI, multi-plate wet clutch, air cooling system, chain drive transmission and more. 

How’s the mileage of Honda CB 350 RS?

The engine is similar to that of H’ness and has a cruising spot ranging between 100-110 kmph. With some clamour and reluctance, the engine speed can go past 130 kmph. The Honda CB 350 RS has excellent fuel economy and is ideal for city rides. The highway range of RS is 400 km. The engine is smooth in its performance and offers quick rev build-up. The RS is a city bike because of its ability to trail around effortlessly.   

The mileage is as follows:

• City fuel economy- 30.21 kmpl
• Overall fuel economy- 40.64 kmpl
• Highway fuel economy- 47.94 kmpl

How is the performance of Honda CB 350 RS?

The Honda CB 350 RS is equipped with several performance-assist features like assist slipper clutch, roaring exhaust note, Honda selectable torque control, and main shaft coaxial balancer. The RS has a single-cylinder and air-cooled PGM-FI engine with an engine displacement of 348.36 cc. The bike generates a peak torque of 30Nm and a maximum power of 20.8 bhp. The RS has a fuel tank capacity of 15-litres and comes with a 5-speed gearbox.

Is the Honda CB 350 RS a good value?

Honda CB 350 RS is a good value for money as it is loaded with several impressive features like:

• Dual Tone Paint
• Scrambler Inspired Design
• Full LED Lighting
• Assist Slipper Clutch
• Analog-Digital Meter
• Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC)
• Dual Channel ABS and Dual Disc Brakes
• Engine Start/Stop Switch
• Honda Smartphone Voice Control System (HSVCS)
• Digital-Analog Instrument Console
• Side Stand along with Engine Inhibitor
• Hazard Light Switch
• 7 Y-Shaped Alloy Wheels
• Wider Rear with Patterned Design tyre