[asmr]

Update - I planned to have a casual visit (not for TD) to the Bigwing that had a 4.8/5 stars about 7kms from my home. Just before the Honda store, I noticed a small Royal Enfield outlet. I have not noticed that on the map and so drove straight in.

The ambience was very "Royal Enfield", no mistake there. I was attended to promptly and the moment I said I am looking for a Meteor, they were like "sir, please give your license". I laughed and explained to them that I will come back for a TD this weekend and I just wanted to take a casual look.

Several Meteors, Classic 350s, one Hunter, Interceptor, SM650 inside the shop and lot of accessories and apparel. I looked through them quickly, and headed outside for the test vehicle. I asked for the key, sat on the bike and started it, revved it. Loved the sound! The seating was very comfortable, and even with one leg on the ground, I felt that the riding position was very ok for me, even with the front offset. Maybe because I have been so used to riding the Activa. The beast was heavy but didn't show when I moved it sitting on it. I made a mental note that this resets a few suppositions I had. Gathered some more details. Custom versions take 20 days or so, standard versions have a lead time of 20 to 30 days. Cost on road was close to Rs.2.5L. (I asked for the complete price list. Yet to receive it.)

I thanked the SA, shared my number with her, said I will return for the TD with my wife and headed out to the Bigwing.

Immediate feeling - disappointment. If I hadn't gone to the RE shop before, I might have felt differently. The premium shop looked like it had gone through a layoff and/or inventory clearance. There were like 4 or 5 bikes in there. SAs louning in seats meant for customers, receptionists busy with whatever they were doing. One person did ask after me and indicated a SA, who came to talk.

I mentioned I was here to look at a H'ness, he mentioned he had zero stock with a 45 day lead time and only one test vehicle was there, a matte grey combo DLXpro. Onroad cost was Rs.2.3L excluding insurance (Rs.13K quoted by dealer, I said I will take my own) but he mentioned this has a Rs.3000 (almost 1.2% of the OTR price) handling charges. I asked him what those were and he said something about RTO charges for premium bikes. I told him I haven't heard of any such thing and then he said the dealer charges that. I made a mental note of that. Have heard about illegal handling charges on cars and looks like it this outlet had it for bikes.

I asked for the key, sat on the H'ness and started it. It was less heavy (obviously) but I felt the leg position was awkward for me, maybe due to my height. I revved it, the sound was good, but having heard the meteor now at close range and with feel, 2 things - even in N gear, vibrations show at mid to high rev on the Meteor, judging by sound only, and on the H'ness, it begins to show only on the higher end. However, I thought the sound of the Meteor was more full bodied, and not rear ended (if that even makes sense for people here).

The SA also promptly sent the price breakdown on WhatsApp and, surprise, no handling charge mentioned. Ex-showroom price of Rs.2,06,208, Extended warranty (3+3) for Rs.3500 and RSA for Rs.2000, Road tax at Rs.17,447. Dealer insurance is at Rs.13,463, bringing the OTR price of a DLXpro to Rs. 242,618. They also don't have the newly introduced kits yet. I thanked the SA for their time, and rode back home.

So, this far, I am going to say Meteor just became a stronger contender in this race. I will post another update here after the TDs this weekend.

[itsMridul]

Originally Posted by asmr

….. waiting period on your Meteor? … Did you also enquire about waiting periods for the H'ness? If yes, please do share.

Two weeks for Meteor. Honda Bigwing also gave about similar waiting time for CB350.

[VRod_24]

Being a Meteor owner I am a bit biased towards it, but having said that one cannot take away from the fact that the meteor is a big step ahead for RE in terms of engine refinement. Add to that the seat comfort and the entire service network of RE. Honda CB350 is also a good bike but the reason why I personally didn't go for it, is for the fact that I didn't like the way the bike felt while riding, it kinda felt ordinary, no offence to any CB350 owners.
So it's really down to the rider how he/she feels while riding it, you may get tons of advise and suggestions from owners of both the bike's but it's your choice in the end because you're the one who is gonna have to live with it later.
I for one have no regrets buying the meteor, it just puts a smile on my face everytime I ride it. So I suggest try to borrow a friend's bike or rent one and go on a long ride and check which bike ticks all your boxes in the end.
Wishing you safe miles ahead .

[Laidbackakki]

One reason for no stock of CB350 might be because of the bs6 phase II bikes coming in at around March 20. But it's surprising that they don't have any in stock. The bigwing dealer at my place prides itself for their no handling charges and everything is clearly mentioned in the quotation form which I found quiet pleasing. Insurance rate quoted is also same as mentioned by you but I got the same insurance quote for 350RS(I have booked that) and on comparing on web I found out 1+4 (comprehensive nil dep+third party) comes out to be almost same from HDFCergo, tataaig.
Acko give it's for about 10k but didn't find any nil dep option.

[asmr]

Folks, can anyone suggest a reliable showroom/service center combo for Royal Enfield in Chennai? The company showroom in Adyar is bit far for me. The one nearest is Classic Motorcycles.

Does anyone here have a buying experience/service relationship with them?

The Bigwing I visited yesterday is just a couple of buildings away from the RE showroom. Is the one in Anna Nagar better managed & reliable? Any clue?

[roamer]

Originally Posted by Laidbackakki

One reason for no stock of CB350 might be because of the bs6 phase II bikes coming in at around March 20.

Its the same scenario here in Mumbai. Worli Dealership said zero old stock available as everything has been sold off! New OBD2.0 variants are coming with revised pricing by 20th March.

[tchsvy]

I have been using the CB for my daily commutes for the last eight months.

+ On the move, its weight does not bother you.
+ Butter smooth engine.
+ Easy to maneuver.
+ Suspension setup is good for city roads, the rear can be adjusted for highways.
+ Pillion comfort is good.
+ Light clutch.

- Tall gearing, you can get used to it after a few thousand kilometers but it will still annoy you occasionally.
- Headlights are not good for highway night rides.

If you are expecting a big bike feel every time you ride it, this is not the bike for you. It's a glorified commuter! I don't mean it in a negative way, it's too easy to ride, too forgiving, easy to live with and most of the time feels like riding a 100/125 CC motorcycle. If you need one motorcycle and be done with it, it's perfect in that sense, and if you already have a big bike (or plan to own one in future), this can be a perfect everyday bike.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by itsMridul

Two weeks for Meteor. Honda Bigwing also gave about similar waiting time for CB350.

That's fast. Both the estimates I got were higher than this. Maybe I should try other outlets too.

Originally Posted by VRod_24

So it's really down to the rider how he/she feels while riding it... So I suggest try to borrow a friend's bike or rent one and go on a long ride and check which bike ticks all your boxes in the end.
Wishing you safe miles ahead .

Yes, I was apprehensive about the front offset mainly but that is actually more comfortable for my height. I will asses the seat comfort and pillion comfort by actual rides before deciding. Thanks for the input!

Originally Posted by Laidbackakki

One reason for no stock of CB350 might be because of the bs6 phase II bikes coming in at around March 20... Insurance rate quoted is also same as mentioned by you

Originally Posted by roamer

Its the same scenario here in Mumbai. Worli Dealership said zero old stock available as everything has been sold off! New OBD2.0 variants are coming with revised pricing by 20th March.

Thanks for the clarification on the stock availability. For either CB350 or Meteor, I will anyway get it from the new batch but will make a point to ask for April manufactured ones.

I think the insurance rates don't vary by a huge margin unlike car insurances. I did find that the insurance quote for RE from the dealer and the one from the RE website match. So at least it's transparent that way.

Originally Posted by asmr

The one nearest is Classic Motorcycles.

Quoting myself, apparently there is one closer. Rudraa motors. Any reviews from folks here on either of the outlets would be welcome!

Originally Posted by tchsvy

I have been using the CB for my daily commutes for the last eight months... this can be a perfect everyday bike.

Thanks for the nice summary. I would indeed like to have a big bike feel, to relive the feeling from riding my father's Yezdi in my younger days. I was instantly drawn to the Meteor's looks and not so much to H'ness' but it was still a fine looking bike.

But the up-close looks, seating comfort, revving feel and sound at standstill moved the points for Meteor higher. Headlights for both machines seem bad. From what you have shared, seems both vehicles are a breeze to handle in city, which might be a good chunk of my riding. Guess the test ride will nail the choice for me.

[ssbshankar]

Not sure whether my inputs really matter, but few things …

(I own and ride CB350, previously owned RE Electra for 15 years )

Before I begin my post, no offence to anybody.

IMHO, Meteor and CB350 are very different machines and have different Pros and Cons

Due to looks and J series engine, I did book Meteor and got false promises from RE sales guys on timelines for delivery. Finally, after 6 months I canceled my booking and got my booking amount back. With in a week of cancellation, I got home CB350. This is around June last year.

Now, after buying CB350, thankfully, never regretted. Service centres are less, but didn’t find any issues so far in Bangalore. Being a hardcore RE guy for 15 years, Switching to Honda feels like, why i didn’t decide this earlier. It’s like getting out of long painful relationship and then thinking I should have got out of it much earlier. Anyways… my biggest pain in the past was reliability of RE bikes and service stations without any SOPs. Quality check is customers headache in a way.hope that’s changing with RE.

Why I am not regretting my decision on buying CB350 and loving my decision?

1. First of all, these bikes are not super bikes to flaunt or show off. So looks had hardly mattered to me.
2. Surprisingly CB350 ride comfort to me is really better with handle bar riser and you can stand & go over nasty humps of our city. This I can’t do with Meteor, given it’s cruiser posture. Ergonomically good, I feel. This feeling increases as you ride more.
3. Power delivery is decent and have done multiple 200km+ rides comprising of highways, off roads. Every time I ride I have felt reliable and left a smile on my face, smile of freedom, freedom from painful past with RE.
4. I like the engine refinement, material used don’t look cheap in any corner, sense of reliability again.

On a lighter note, CB350 is like AR Rehman songs… more you ride, more you like it…

[jaganm]

I've now owned a Highness for over 2 years and never really thought actively about the ride and handling. It is that well balanced, fairly comfortable and yet gives you the confidence when leaning on the turns. It was only when I got the Aerox that I realised just how good this was.

We were on a group ride in December on a particularly broken road, my friend on the Meteor. The Highness handled it beautifully but by the end the Meteor rider had completely given up, so bad it was

[asmr]

Alright!

I finally got to ride both the Meteor and the H'ness today! My wife was not able to join me but I decided not to delay the rides any further. I can always go back and do one more TD if needed.

First stop - Classic Motorcycles, RE Meteor. Talked to the SA there, gave me license and phone number (no paperwork?), got the keys and headed out to the Supernova variant that was parked outside.

The first impression - the weight shows! Moving it when standing on the ground was a pain. I am not attuned to it, since I have been driving an Activa for most of my adult life. It was like I needed to put the effort and there was a lag before the vehicle actually moved. But once I got in to the saddle, it was pretty fine.

I was very apprehensive about driving a geared motorcycle after decades. I fired up the engine, slotted in to 1st gear and mildly let the clutch go without turning the accelerator. The bike moved pretty nicely. Switched to 2nd gear, throttle a bit and still, it was smooth enough. Every time I closed the throttle, while changing gears or before braking though, the front of the vehicle dipped down. Weird.

At an open stretch, I decided to see how fast this machine can accelerate. It was going fine until 4th or 5th gear. When accelerating beyond 60, there was a horrible noise coming from either the engine or transmission or the wheel chains. It stops when the throttle was closed and when comes back when it is opened beyond a point. That and the vibrations. Yes, this was a test vehicle with 9K on the odometer. I felt that sound and vibrations were unacceptable. I am not sure why but I found myself adjusting my seating position twice or thrice since I felt like it was sliding to the front somewhat.

The gear lever on the Meteor was nice, since I didn't have to move my heel back to be able to push the lever to 2, 3, 4 or 5th gear. Anyway, a 2.5 to 3km ride later, I got the vehicle back to the store. They wanted to discuss quotation and I said I pretty much have it configured on my RE portal and it shows Rs.2.6L on the road, including all the accessories. I informed the SA that I will get back with a decision in 2 weeks’ time, thanked them and left for the next TD.

Second and last stop - Bigwing (just a few buildings down from the RE showroom)

The place is just dusty but this time I was met by a smiling SA, who waived off the paperwork for the TD. Gave my license, took the keys and was shown to a Matte Grey DLXPro in the parking lot.

Took the vehicle out of parking, keyed in, started the engine which roared to life with the unique H'ness sound. So far so good.

Slotted the gear to 1st (I was surprised at how little effort it needed, compared to the Meteor. It is easy on both, but easier on the H'ness), let the clutch go and the machine started rolling. Handled the bad pavement very well when getting out to the main road. The gear lever seems too long even for my foot (and I do not get footwear that easily except with Crocs or Hush Puppies), with me having to move my foot back to be able to push the thing to 2nd gear. I noticed that a car that wanted to overtake me on the right decided not to for whatever reason.

Went up to 3rd gear before a left turn and opened up to 4th and 5th which came in quick succession. Here is where the "refinement" that everyone talked about hit me. This was a test vehicle with 15K on the odometer I think and it was incredibly smooth. The horns on the H'ness were phenomenal, compared to the Meteor. Braking was very good and the machine did not do any head dip when the throttle was closed. It just rolled along nicely. A couple more stretches, mix of broken roads, speed breakers and open stretches, a few more honks, a nice sounding ride and I was back at the parking lot of the showroom. The SA was waiting there. He saw me with my grin and said "Sir, this looks perfect for your height and build". I was like "Not booking today, my friend" but I had to agree, this bike and its ride felt really nice.

I met the manager of the facility, was given a quick tour of the service centre on the top floor (it was neat!), discussed quotes, informed the SA that I am interested in getting the new BS6 Phase 2 bikes and in the new kits. He didn't have any information on either but wanted me to make a booking right then and there. I asked him to be patient and that he will hear back from me in 2 weeks but also that he keep me informed on the 2 requirements I had. Then I headed out to get back home.

The verdict - H'ness wins, hands down. There are a few panchayats to be had in the family before this vehicle comes home. So, I will keep this thread updated if there are any developments.

Thanks for all your help this far!

[shancz]

Originally Posted by asmr

The verdict - H'ness wins, hands down.

That was a quick decision and a good one at that. Congrats
Don't forget to test ride with pillion but I think that should also be good, its one of the better motorcycles for a pillion.

Get the 2023 BS6.2 compliant edition, it has been launched on 10th March, probably the reason Honda wanted you to book then and there to clear old stocks ? Check out this link from Overdrive.
The base model is about 9k dearer than the previous gen.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by shancz

That was a quick decision and a good one at that. Congrats
Don't forget to test ride with pillion but I think that should also be good, its one of the better motorcycles for a pillion.

Get the 2023 BS6.2 compliant edition, it has been launched on 10th March, probably the reason Honda wanted you to book then and there to clear old stocks ? Check out this link from Overdrive.
The base model is about 9k dearer than the previous gen.

I do want to do a test ride with the pillion but the decision was quick because of the quality of the ride and the TD vehicle. I will also admit that my colleague's pov was spot on, that I will see the refinement much better if I TD'ed the Meteor first. I love the Meteor's look and stance, but honestly, I have to admit that the CB350 does beat it on most aspects.

Actually, there is zero stock in the dealership. Wait time was quoted as 45 days when I first asked and after the TD, they said they might get it in 30 days. And yes, I made it clear to the dealer that I am going only for the new BS6.2 editions. Now that they increased the variants spread, with my red color option in DLX Pro + the increased prices, I have asked for a new quote. Yet to get a response from the dealer.

I do wonder. Is there a way to ensure that the vehicle I get is actually BS6.2 compliant?

Thanks for your inputs!

[shancz]

Originally Posted by asmr

I do wonder. Is there a way to ensure that the vehicle I get is actually BS6.2 compliant?

Quoting from the Overdrive link posted above :

The highlights of the updated 2023 Hness CB350 and CB350 RS include a new split-style seat and an Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), which turns on indicators in panic braking situations to alert vehicles approaching from behind.

The split seat would be easy to spot, the ESS feature should be testable with a hard braking test but apart from this it should say something related in the model name.
And just to be safe place a booking after 1st April since they cannot legally sell a non BS 6.2 complaint bike after 31st March

Also check some new colours have been introduced only from the 2023 version. More details in this link by Autocar India.

[caveman969]

Curious how the gearing of the hness isn't a deal breaker for many.
I feel the RE 350 and hness are neck and neck and it all comes down to personal preference. Love the massive low end torque in the REs, makes it easy to leave it in 3rd in the city and drive it around like a scooter. The 5th gear in the highways too behaves the same and can pull from very low speeds.
The Honda on the other hand is not as nice to drive in cities as you'll have to drop down to 2nd and even 1st quite frequently. The clutch being light and effortless is the only relief.
The highway rideabilty imo is not as good since you have to be in 4th gear most of the time if you're gonna have to overtake or slow down.