How I decided to buy the Honda CB350 RS: Ownership review

RE Classic, as much as it is a fine machine, felt a bit too mature for my style and the weight didn't help matters either.

BHPian Mr.Sleeper recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The first time saw I the CB on the road, I thought it looked like a baby Interceptor. Now that I think about it, I guess it looks more like a Triumph speed twin but Baby Inty sounds catchy so it is what it is.

I have been an avid reader of this forum for quite a few years and I am glad to finally be doing my bit.

I'm a college student, born and bought up in Bengaluru and currently studying in the beautiful hill stations of Munnar. Always thought of myself as a car guy right since I was a kid, never really understood motorcycling and felt it was unsafe and not worth the risk. My folks at home didn't support two-wheelers either which didn't help my case.

Moved to Munnar for college, and that's when the bug finally bit me. Beautiful scenic roads surrounded by breathtaking landscapes everywhere you go. Borrowed my friend's bike and set out for a small ride on my own and I could finally see the point or should I say feel the point of motorcycling.

Motorcycling is more of an experience than a plain commute. It's not even like you need a fast bike. You just feel way more indulged and involved. Exploring new places and the sense of thrill and freedom that comes with it is something that one must experience. Realized it would be a shame if I missed out on this and decided that a motorcycle is just what I need.

Slow and steady would be the smart way to progress and so anything above 500cc wasn't considered. Staying alive is equally important if I need to enjoy the experience lol. Having said that big shoutout to the RE 650 Twins, Kawasaki Z900 RS Café, Honda CB400SF and Suzuki Katana. These bikes are drop-dead gorgeous and I would love to own these someday.

Super aggressive Naked styling never appealed to my tastes. Felt like the bike was trying too hard to grab your attention. Would much rather prefer clean lines and a classic silhouette. Something that ages gracefully and will become a collectable in the EV future ($$$)

I felt the best bike for me would have been an MT-15 with a round headlamp; peppy engine, lightweight, affordable with reasonable fuel economy too(broke college kid) but unfortunately we don't get the XSR155 in India :\

My first instinct was to buy a Used RE Conti GT535 and fix it up to its former glory along the way but because I live in a hill station surrounded by forests, you could say reliability was pretty an important factor.

So that ruled out all the Jawas and Yezdis too. Great looking machines btw.

RE Classic, as much as it is a fine machine, felt a bit too mature for my style and the weight didn't help matters either.

Adding to the fact that RE's sales success means that you see them everywhere, you sort of miss the exclusivity.

Read about the CB350RS on the internet and it seemed like a good candidate. Retro-styled, 180kg curb weight and legendary Honda build and reliability. Decided to give it a shot and signed up for a test drive.

Trust me on this, the bike looks good in pictures and GREAT in person. The photos do no justice to the stance and presence of the bike processes out on the road. Took it for a spin and was very surprised. A long-stroke engine that loves to be revved and pulls like mad when you do so too. This gave the bike such a unique character compared to the competition. I was grinning so wide under my helmet during the entire test drive and by the end of the test drive, I was pretty sure this is the one.

Glad to finally experience motorcycling. And it's been an absolute pleasure with the Honda. 660 km from Bengaluru to Munnar was a breeze. Very Memorable.

An absolute looker, especially from the rear. The stubby tail and the fat tires make it look so damn good.

The headlights do give the bike a unique face but are plain b-a-d when it comes to illumination. Overall front facia seems scrambler inspired.

An issue with the aesthetics of the CB350 H'ness was that there were way too many patterns and textures of materials used in the side profile, making it look too busy. The RS fixes it by using matte black as the default theme. Having said that I never really liked the stock stickering of the side panel and did a small mod-job to make it much cleaner.

The only gripe I have with an otherwise handsome motorcycle is the front headlight cowl. The grey plastic ring just looks plain silly to me and will be repainted black very soon. Also, have plans of replacing the entire cowl with the one on the H'ness Anniversary Edition (Gloss Black finish).

The instrumentation is easy to read and provides sufficient vehicle statistics. Future mod plans include painting the handlebar matte black and replacing the stock mirrors as they are just too small.

The bike's a hoot to drive, sounds great and handles exceptionally well. You will never feel the weight and the riding position is a sweet spot between committed driving and long-distance touring. The tall gearing does make it kind of annoying in the hills though, will need to see what can be done about that. A sprocket change most probably.

Overall, I love this bike and can't wait to just tweak it further to make it even better.

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