Exclusive: Honda H'Ness CB 350 Platform Could See More Models Being Developed

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's latest launch was the H'Ness CB 350 could be the first of many models on the same platform. The company's president, MD and CEO, Atsushi Ogata, who took over the reins on May 1, 2020 spoke to Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, editor-in-chief, carandbike in a freewheeling discussion and revealed more details on this. As a response to a question asked, Ogata San said that "Hornet 2.0 is a platform, so is the new H'Ness. We are discussing what kind of models to develop from these platforms. But you will get to see, sooner or later."

Also Read: Honda H'Ness CB 350 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 1.85 Lakh

(The engine features a counter balancer, so it should be smooth and refined)

Although, Ogata San did not mention what kind of motorcycles could be launched, based on the H'Ness platform in future. The H'Ness CB 350 gets a 348 cc single-cylinder engine which makes 20.78 bhp at 5,500 rpm and the peak torque output is rated at 30 Nm at 3,000 rpm. The engine is paired to a 5-speed gearbox.

Also Read: Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Rivals; Specifications Comparison

(The Honda H'Ness CB 350 has distinctive retro appeal, in line with the 1960s and 1970s Honda CB models)

The H'Ness CB 350 is a retro-styled roadster aimed squarely at Royal Enfield's 350 cc motorcycles, in the 350-500 cc segment. Like Royal Enfield, Honda's game plan could see the company introducing multiple models in the segment with different styling. Modern classic motorcycles too are seeing increased demand and there is a possibility of Honda introducing maybe a 350 cc scrambler or something similar in the coming years.

Also Read: Honda H'Ness CB 350; All You Need To Know

(The Honda H'Ness CB 350 DLX Pro variant gets dual tone colours, dual horn and the Smartphone Voice Control System)

But if Honda is serious about competing with Royal Enfield in this segment, it would do better to sell the Honda H'Ness CB 350 and later models via regular Honda showrooms and not the BigWing premium bike showrooms as those have limited reach. The Honda H'Ness CB 350 DLX variant is priced at Rs. 1.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Gurugram). The CB 350 DLX Pro is priced at Rs. 1.90 lakh (ex-showroom, Gurugram). The DLX Pro variant gets dual-tone colours, dual horns finished in chrome, and the Honda Smartphone Voice Activated System which offers Bluetooth connectivity through a dedicated mobile app and allows riders to toggle between features such as navigation, music playback, phone calls, incoming messages and more through buttons on the left handlebar, and when paired to the rider's helmet mounted headset system.