Loved the review. Another TH-camr that I follow “ride with Warro” who is based in Orange owns both the GB350 and Royal Enfield 350s. A couple of mods that he has made. To address the lack of power, he put on a sprocket that gave a slightly smaller gear, which made the bike more peppy. As he rides on dirt roads to some degree; he also put on some off road tires which really helped the handling of the bike on the loose stuff. It’s a great looking bike, that will most likely be my next choice. Although I’ve had my licence for decades, I’m actually riding a CB125f atm and having a blast on it. I live in Dubbo and love getting out of town on it.
Nothing wrong with the CB125f. We had a carbureted CB125e for Riding Hood to learn gear changing on but the front brake was a bit grabby. The newer F model has much better brakes and I nearly bought one of those because Riding Hood enjoyed the E model so much. She says the GB350 is more comfy to sit on and the clutch and gear change is easier which I also imagine would be the case on the newer CB125f. Great bike. And yeh those mods on the Orange man's bike sound smart. :>)
Thanks for the review, really detailed and easy to listen to. I get the warning at the end, this bike looks to be able to chug along quite happily at 60mph all day so a great way to travel and take the world in. What it won't do is squirt past that slow car and go from 60 to 80mph at the twist of the wrist. For those that can accept that i can see this being a great long term bike. Thanks again.
Great review, thank you! Having tried to Meteor 350 and finding just how low powered they are will mean sadly, no GB! We had some guys come and stay with us on the IOM and they came from your Newcastle, quite a trip!
Great review. I’m sure this platform will be popular with those that like to mod (like the SR400 etc), a good blank slate. I’m sure someone will figure out how to squeeze a few extra ponies out of it. Either way, I like things OEM stock, and this one looks dialed as is.
I own a Honda CB400SS😅 derived Mash 400cc. Very similar to the GB350. The Mash produces around 30bhp and 30nM torque, which makes it quite a bit more lively than a 20bhp bike. I also own a BMW 1200GS and a 103ci Switchback. The 400cc is very similar to the GB. It is so much fun. Not as intense as the GS and light, nimble and quick enough for relaxed riding. Cruising between 100 and 120kph. I have owned mine since 2018 and it is my favorite bike. Ive done many 250km round trips. Fitted a 25L topbox for my stuff. I've done 12000km. Won't sell it easily 😊😊😊
@@AMDP65 those are the single thumpers with a twin exhaust header right? Made around the turn if the century? Yep, 30HP, similar to a Yamaha SR400, I have an SS400 tank on my Kawasaki W650.
Great review, gb350s just coming to us in the uk, ordered mine without test riding or seeing in person, arrives in dealerships in january. Like you into retro bikes, own honda cb1100rs, wanted a smaller retro bike as well, looks stunning and its a honda
Congratulations. WOW January that is much sooner than I realised. Great news you won't have to wait very long. And great news you have a bigger faster retro which means you will have different riding options but still be on a retro looking machine. I watched a video overnight that shows the indicators on the GB350S model are different than the GB350R in my review. Looks like you will have the narrow thin ones over there. :>)
@@motorcyclingdownunder yeah thats right , few differences with the s model, seat, led slim indicators, wheel sizes, mud guards and silencer .In japan they have brought out a c model which looks like a 50's bike, again very nice looking, maybe one for the future. GB350s is £4000 here, think thats 8000 in your dollars
thank you for posting this video. It seems to be a very nice bike. However I would like to ask your opinion about the engine heat. Does it heats up easily, I mean do you notice that it can overheat easily? I ask this because its air cooled. Finally as a totally noob rider I fell a bit intimidated with its weight of 179Kg... Do you think it handles easily? Thanks.
Sold my Sportster and thrown between the RE 350 Classic and the Honda GB350S… The RE looks better and rides fantastic, but I trust the Honda quality more… Greetings from Germany
I own CB350rs in India ,the motorcycle is refined and beautiful,but it's underpowerd you can feel that especially while going in Ghat areas,and also the gearing is very long we need to constantly change the gears to gain the power apart from that I don't really find any issues ...
I think both models are available in Japan. It's a pity they are not giving you that option in Europe. Just saw this morning they are releasing a GB350C as the second model in Australia for 2025. It has pea-shooter exhausts and looks a lot like an RE Classic 350. I think I like the like look the GB350R that I have the most though. Just as you appear to. Maybe it will come to the Europe soon as well. Can't wait to see what the rumoured GB500 is going to look like. :>)
Nice review. I am very interested in this bike but unfortunately the punative registration costs in the ACT make it problematic. The bike falls on the wrong side of the simplistic under/over 300cc registration categories - in the ACT the GB350 costs the same for registration (incl CTP and the expanded no fault system in the ACT) as any of your larger bikes, incl the HD. More than 10% of the value of the bike in annual rego is not really a goer. The heel / toe shifter shows the Honda's Indian origins. If you ride in sandals, you can just push down on your toe to shift down (as usual), but to shift up you push down on your heel. The heel shift on your bike appears way too high to be practicable however. Another youtuber swapped out the Honda shift for the equivalent from the Royal Enfield Meteor and he seems happy with the result. Looking forward to more videos.
Shame that Honda only managed to squeeze 20 hp out of it, which is on par with Royal Enfield's 350, a common complaint being the lack of grunt. I would have thought that Honda would have appreciated that, and upped the anti...... Having said that, it's a great looking bike, looks like a motorbike should👍
It's about on par with an SR400 and that's not bad going when you think how hard it must be to make an air cooled bike hit the emission restrictions now.
th-cam.com/video/OKPRzH99hqo/w-d-xo.html 29 hp, and the Triumph Speed Twin 900 is absolutely brilliant. The large displacement is discouraging, but it has a low center of gravity and is absolutely great to handle. And there is really enough power. th-cam.com/video/8LokWxDKsXo/w-d-xo.html
It is funny that they made a bike that's almost identical to the Royal Enfield 350 on paper. You'd think Honda might go for a 400 or 450 with a bit more power to provide a more premium alternative that they could charge a bit more for. I sort of wonder if there's something about the Indian market that makes a 350cc 20bhp bike "optimal" somehow and we can't see that elsewhere.
Amazing it is cheaper than a monkey bike. UK has been waiting for this bike for years. There are rumours of a GB500 (single?)...that would be interesting! Cheers 👍
I just saw that there will be a price increase for 2025 that will make it more expensive than RE which have just dropped the price on some of their bikes in Australia. Looks like they are also introducing a C model with pea-shooter exhausts. Looks more like an RE Classic. And yeh I've heard the whispers about the GB500 as well. Not sure if it will be a single or the 471cc motor from the other Honda 500s. I guess we should find out soon. Very rare for a manufacturer to make an engine specifically for one bike like they did with the 350. :>)
All the latest retro motorcycles are similar. For example, the new Jawa 42 FJ - similar in appearance, but because it has a water-cooled engine it has 29 horsepower so it can easily outrun both the GB 350 and the RE 350. th-cam.com/video/OKPRzH99hqo/w-d-xo.html
Loved the review. Another TH-camr that I follow “ride with Warro” who is based in Orange owns both the GB350 and Royal Enfield 350s. A couple of mods that he has made. To address the lack of power, he put on a sprocket that gave a slightly smaller gear, which made the bike more peppy. As he rides on dirt roads to some degree; he also put on some off road tires which really helped the handling of the bike on the loose stuff.
It’s a great looking bike, that will most likely be my next choice. Although I’ve had my licence for decades, I’m actually riding a CB125f atm and having a blast on it. I live in Dubbo and love getting out of town on it.
Nothing wrong with the CB125f. We had a carbureted CB125e for Riding Hood to learn gear changing on but the front brake was a bit grabby. The newer F model has much better brakes and I nearly bought one of those because Riding Hood enjoyed the E model so much. She says the GB350 is more comfy to sit on and the clutch and gear change is easier which I also imagine would be the case on the newer CB125f. Great bike. And yeh those mods on the Orange man's bike sound smart. :>)
Good bikes CB125f
@@hodaka1000 Yes they are.
Thanks for the review, really detailed and easy to listen to. I get the warning at the end, this bike looks to be able to chug along quite happily at 60mph all day so a great way to travel and take the world in. What it won't do is squirt past that slow car and go from 60 to 80mph at the twist of the wrist. For those that can accept that i can see this being a great long term bike. Thanks again.
Thank you. And yes that is exactly what I was trying say. :>)
It certainly looks good. I love low-down power. Very thorough overview.
Great review, thank you! Having tried to Meteor 350 and finding just how low powered they are will mean sadly, no GB!
We had some guys come and stay with us on the IOM and they came from your Newcastle, quite a trip!
Great review. I’m sure this platform will be popular with those that like to mod (like the SR400 etc), a good blank slate. I’m sure someone will figure out how to squeeze a few extra ponies out of it. Either way, I like things OEM stock, and this one looks dialed as is.
Yeah, go buy the pearl white version…maybe some customization videos along the way? Like your narration style/voice to!
Now that's a great idea. Thank you for the comment and the suggestion. :>)
I own a Honda CB400SS😅 derived Mash 400cc. Very similar to the GB350. The Mash produces around 30bhp and 30nM torque, which makes it quite a bit more lively than a 20bhp bike. I also own a BMW 1200GS and a 103ci Switchback. The 400cc is very similar to the GB. It is so much fun. Not as intense as the GS and light, nimble and quick enough for relaxed riding. Cruising between 100 and 120kph. I have owned mine since 2018 and it is my favorite bike. Ive done many 250km round trips. Fitted a 25L topbox for my stuff. I've done 12000km. Won't sell it easily 😊😊😊
@@AMDP65 those are the single thumpers with a twin exhaust header right? Made around the turn if the century? Yep, 30HP, similar to a Yamaha SR400, I have an SS400 tank on my Kawasaki W650.
Great review, gb350s just coming to us in the uk, ordered mine without test riding or seeing in person, arrives in dealerships in january. Like you into retro bikes, own honda cb1100rs, wanted a smaller retro bike as well, looks stunning and its a honda
Congratulations. WOW January that is much sooner than I realised. Great news you won't have to wait very long. And great news you have a bigger faster retro which means you will have different riding options but still be on a retro looking machine. I watched a video overnight that shows the indicators on the GB350S model are different than the GB350R in my review. Looks like you will have the narrow thin ones over there. :>)
@@motorcyclingdownunder yeah thats right , few differences with the s model, seat, led slim indicators, wheel sizes, mud guards and silencer .In japan they have brought out a c model which looks like a 50's bike, again very nice looking, maybe one for the future. GB350s is £4000 here, think thats 8000 in your dollars
Couldn’t see a white one on Honda Aust webpage but they do now have a GB350C model
thank you for posting this video. It seems to be a very nice bike. However I would like to ask your opinion about the engine heat. Does it heats up easily, I mean do you notice that it can overheat easily? I ask this because its air cooled. Finally as a totally noob rider I fell a bit intimidated with its weight of 179Kg... Do you think it handles easily? Thanks.
Sold my Sportster and thrown between the RE 350 Classic and the Honda GB350S…
The RE looks better and rides fantastic, but I trust the Honda quality more…
Greetings from Germany
GB350S
I own CB350rs in India ,the motorcycle is refined and beautiful,but it's underpowerd you can feel that especially while going in Ghat areas,and also the gearing is very long we need to constantly change the gears to gain the power apart from that I don't really find any issues ...
The GB350R in Australia is exactly the same. Some people change the front sprocket to give it a pit more pulling power.
So much better looking than the dull paint schemed 350 rs that’s coming to Europe
I think both models are available in Japan. It's a pity they are not giving you that option in Europe. Just saw this morning they are releasing a GB350C as the second model in Australia for 2025. It has pea-shooter exhausts and looks a lot like an RE Classic 350. I think I like the like look the GB350R that I have the most though. Just as you appear to. Maybe it will come to the Europe soon as well. Can't wait to see what the rumoured GB500 is going to look like. :>)
I think the Honda GB 350 is going to appeal to some but I think the Royal Enfield's line of 350's is the main competition.
Definitely. And Honda know it. They are releasing a new GB350C in Australia in 2025 that looks almost exactly like a RE Classic 350 Reborn.
i think id go for the clc450 for the same price with double the hp and better warranty, more of a cruiser style tho
The CFMOTO? Haven't had the chance to ride one yet so need to rectify that.
@@motorcyclingdownunder you will have to take one for a test drive 👌 I'm probably going to get the bobber style one next year
Hello how tall are you if its okay to ask thank you
181cms
Nice review. I am very interested in this bike but unfortunately the punative registration costs in the ACT make it problematic. The bike falls on the wrong side of the simplistic under/over 300cc registration categories - in the ACT the GB350 costs the same for registration (incl CTP and the expanded no fault system in the ACT) as any of your larger bikes, incl the HD. More than 10% of the value of the bike in annual rego is not really a goer. The heel / toe shifter shows the Honda's Indian origins. If you ride in sandals, you can just push down on your toe to shift down (as usual), but to shift up you push down on your heel. The heel shift on your bike appears way too high to be practicable however. Another youtuber swapped out the Honda shift for the equivalent from the Royal Enfield Meteor and he seems happy with the result. Looking forward to more videos.
Shame that Honda only managed to squeeze 20 hp out of it, which is on par with Royal Enfield's 350, a common complaint being the lack of grunt. I would have thought that Honda would have appreciated that, and upped the anti...... Having said that, it's a great looking bike, looks like a motorbike should👍
Yeh 5 more hp would make a huge difference. But still looks good and has great character. :>)
It's about on par with an SR400 and that's not bad going when you think how hard it must be to make an air cooled bike hit the emission restrictions now.
@@BikingChap definitely :>)
th-cam.com/video/OKPRzH99hqo/w-d-xo.html
29 hp, and the Triumph Speed Twin 900 is absolutely brilliant. The large displacement is discouraging, but it has a low center of gravity and is absolutely great to handle. And there is really enough power.
th-cam.com/video/8LokWxDKsXo/w-d-xo.html
It is funny that they made a bike that's almost identical to the Royal Enfield 350 on paper. You'd think Honda might go for a 400 or 450 with a bit more power to provide a more premium alternative that they could charge a bit more for. I sort of wonder if there's something about the Indian market that makes a 350cc 20bhp bike "optimal" somehow and we can't see that elsewhere.
Amazing it is cheaper than a monkey bike. UK has been waiting for this bike for years. There are rumours of a GB500 (single?)...that would be interesting! Cheers 👍
I just saw that there will be a price increase for 2025 that will make it more expensive than RE which have just dropped the price on some of their bikes in Australia. Looks like they are also introducing a C model with pea-shooter exhausts. Looks more like an RE Classic. And yeh I've heard the whispers about the GB500 as well. Not sure if it will be a single or the 471cc motor from the other Honda 500s. I guess we should find out soon. Very rare for a manufacturer to make an engine specifically for one bike like they did with the 350. :>)
@@motorcyclingdownunder as you say, I'm sure any GB500 will be the 471cc twin.
I would like to see a flat pea-shooter pipe.
They have a new GB350C variant coming to Australia in 2025 and it has a pea-shooter exhaust.
This or a Classic 350? That is the question...
I was recently sitting on the bullet and ob this machine. Prefer the Position on the bullet.
All the latest retro motorcycles are similar. For example, the new Jawa 42 FJ - similar in appearance, but because it has a water-cooled engine it has 29 horsepower so it can easily outrun both the GB 350 and the RE 350.
th-cam.com/video/OKPRzH99hqo/w-d-xo.html
Not one I am familiar with so will check this video out.
Traction control, with 20 h.p.?
Total waste of £££s!!
Too expensive !