The Honda CB350RS generated plenty of excitement when it was launched in Malaysia. Here it was, a handsome, big(ger)-cc, and possibly more importantly, affordable motorcycle for the masses. But of course, the main draw was its looks – who would want to ride an ugly bike, eh? (Ok, ok, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.)
What is the Honda CB350RS?
It is a modern-retro motorcycle, parked in the 350cc-400cc segment. Its design harks back to the standard motorcycle of the 60s and 70s, but is actually packed with contemporary features.
- Power is provided a single-cylinder, OHC, air-cooled engine.
- It produces a maximum power of 20.7 hp (15.5 kW) at 5,500 RPM and maximum torque of 30 Nm at 3,000 RPM.
- Again, as usual with Hondas, torque is the main importance for street bikes.
- The engine is mated to a assist and slipper clutch, then to a constant mesh, 5-speed transmission.
- Fuelling is via PGM-FI injection.
- A semi-cradle steel tube frame holds everything together.
- Front suspension consists of non-adjustable telescopic forks, while a pair of shock absorbers are at the back.
- 19-inch front wheel, 17-inch rear wheel.
- Braking is via a 310mm disc up front, and a 240mm disc at the back.
- The instrument panel has a round, analog speedometer with an embedded LCD screen.
- The LCD screen displays data such gear position, fuel level, odometers, fuel consumption.
- LED lighting.
- 15-litre fuel tank.
- Honda claims a lithe 178kg kerb weight.
As you can see, it is a (very) simple motorcycle and holds true to the adage of having an engine, a fuel tank, a handlebar, a seat, and two wheels. Purity of form and function.
Riding the Honda CB350RS
The first thing that surprised us in this day and age of Euro5+ regulations was the relatively loud exhaust. Not ear-splitting loud, but definitely a soulful rumble which you can hear in our video. Turn up the revs and it sounds even better but not the kind you get from modified exhausts. Cool.
The dimensions of the bike felt so right when we first climbed on. Small around the “waist” (where the seat meets the tank), low seat height, handlebar in the right position. Its low weight shone through even before we began moving. The bike was easy to push around while we were in the saddle. That was a plus point.
There was nothing to fiddle with like ride modes or power settings, apart from changing the odometer to real-time fuel consumption. Getting on a motorcycle and riding off immediately never gets old.
Its engine was pretty smooth, despite being a single-cylinder. Torque came in gradually, while the bike picked up speed handsomely. No tachometer? No problem, because we could feel the engine’s power tapering off as it revved past peak power. Hence, we never once ran into the limiter.
Gears 1 thru 4 were evenly and spaced closer together, but changing into 5th took us aback. We were accelerating quickly until we came upon the rising on-ramp to a highway. Snicking into 5th, the engine’s rev began to drop and the bike slowed down. Ah okay, so 5th is an extra tall, overdrive gear for long distance cruising and fuel saving. Indeed, we saw 5 litres/100 km while cruising at 130 km/h.
Then again… it does not mean that the bike could not be ridden with a little aggression, as it loved to corner due to its short wheelbase and low weight. And with low weight comes higher mid-corner speeds, reaped through a smoother corner entry style, rather than being chucked in.
Helping this was the suspension which proved to be nicely compliant even over potholes. Those forks look rudimentary but Honda did a great job of giving them street-oriented damping rates. But the rear shocks truly stood out we did not even remember running over bumps or through potholes.
One last thing, it may be a 350cc engine, but it started to run out of breath around 120 km/h. However, remember that trying to see the top speed on this bike is truly missing the point. The Honda CB350RS is built for riding around in a relaxed manner for you to destress after a long day/week. We did not give a toss about rempits revving at us or flying by. We were one with the bike in a state of zen. The engine’s maximum torque is higher than its maximum horsepower which made it easy to ride in the city, while 5th gear allows you to cruise on the highway. We like.
Conclusion
Simple motorcycles such as the Honda CB350RS reminds us of what motorcycling has become. Sure, modern motorcycles are better as they embody new technologies, but we do feel that these advancements have robbed some of the bikes’ pure soul along the way. Some may say that they would get bored of such simple motorcycles but we gravitate to them instead because we have grown somewhat enamoured with overly complex motorcycles. For example, forgetting to set the ride mode from RACE or SPORT to RAIN while it pours would result in a white-knuckled ride.
Let us not forget that it is a good-looking bike with some quaint details such as the old school fuel tank cap. It even has the classic Honda crankcase covers.
So, at just RM20,500, the Honda CB350RS is a wonderful little machine we would love to ride day in, day out, while leaving the 200hp superbike for the track, or Africa Twin for the weekends. Hey, you may even find yourself riding the CB350RS only, after a while.