Big thrills, for just £3949!
Honda’s pricing strategy has taken a generous turn lately and that’s a breath of fresh air. Their brilliant new Öhlins and Brembo clad CB1000 Hornet SP costs just £9999, the do-it all ’25 model NC750X will set you back a piffling £7500 and the updated XL750 Transalp, which is still one of the best middleweight adventures money can buy, is £9749. But best of all is this: the retro-inspired GB350S, yours for £3949.
Made in Japan, the GB is a simple, feelgood, air-cooled single that makes an A2 licence-friendly 21bhp. That doesn’t sound like much, but that’s part of the appeal. Its genteel power delivery makes it piece of cake to manage but there’s still enough shove to get a lick-on down a backroad. With its heavy crank and long stroke, there’s plenty of grunt and it’ll hit over 80mph on the clock…and as we know, riding a slow bike fast is often more rewarding than having more power than you know what to do with.
Honda’s new GB350S is a delight to ride at any speed. It’ll be a cinch to get on with for new riders but still entertaining enough for the experienced. It might not be super-powerful, but the characterful single cylinder is smooth, has enough oomph to zip you down a B-road with a smile on your face and can always keep up with traffic, even on motorways.
It’s amazing what you can do with just 21bhp. Its chassis is just as impressive with a remarkable balance, easy steering and an embarrassment of grip. It’s cheap and very cheerful, but also well-built and lavished with the kind of attention to detail you’ll find on bigger, more expensive retros. Honda has followed in the footsteps of Triumph and Royal Enfield to produce a simple, stylish, single-cylinder roadster that will appeal to the masses and priced at less than £4000, it’ll sell by the bucketload.
Ride quality & brakes
Next up: Engine
The 348cc, fuel injected thumper has two balance shafts for smoothness, but retains its pulsing character with a chirpy, but albeit muted paff-paff engine note. It has a crisp five-speed gearbox, a light-action slip and assist clutch and decent fuel economy. It returns 63mpg during our test, which is a theoretical 208-mile range, but riding it in a less spirited manner would get somewhere closer to Honda’s claimed 94.1mpg.
You wouldn’t expect the GB350S to handle this well for the price, but it does. There’s nothing ground-breaking about its steel semi-cradle chassis, non-adjustable 41mm forks or twin rear shocks, but Honda have instilled it with a beautiful balance, accurate steering and surprisingly sticky rubber. Its 17in cast aluminium rear wheel and 19in front are shod with chunky Metzeler Tourance Next dual-purpose rubber, which turn damp roads to dry, dry roads to big smiles and warm up almost instantly. During our test on nadgery B-roads the 178kg roadster never puts a foot wrong.
Brakes are equally understated but work well. The single 310mm disc and twin piston front set-up has adequate power and the rear is progressive and smooth. Ride quality is plush and never jarring and the Honda’s overall size is substantial, making it roomy and comfortable for the tall. That said, the 800mm high seat is wide and the suspension doesn’t squash too much when you jump aboard, so smaller, lighter riders may have trouble getting their feet firmly on the floor at a standstill.
Engine
Next up: Reliability
Air-cooled, fuel injected, 348cc long-stroke, ‘low friction’ single-cylinder makes 21bhp and 21lb-ft at just 3000rpm. Two balance shafts reduce vibes. Nothing more, nothing less, just plot some nadgery B-roads and go.
Reliability & build quality
Next up: Value
Even better than the way it rides is the way the GB350S is screwed together. It may be built down to a price with lots of plastic and cast ali parts, but build quality is superb and even comes with ABS and traction control.
Value vs rivals
Next up: Equipment
Honda hopes the GB350S will attract new and younger riders, but it’s likely to be just as appealing to the Bike Shed crowd, be a fun Sunday morning second bike, or a machine for those who fancy downsizing to something smaller, lighter and cheaper.
Triumph’s uber-popular £5195 Triumph Speed 400 and the superb £3979 Royal Enfield HNTR are its closest pocket retro rivals, but they’re missing one thing: that badge on the side of the GB’s fuel tank and all it stands for.
Equipment
You may think rider aids are overkill on a bike like this, but they offer an extra layer of safety and confidence for the less experienced and for that one time it saves you they’re worth their weight in gold.
It's festooned with tasty detail touches, too, from its centre stand to its LED lights, fork gaiters, chrome mirrors, neat bungee cotton reels, short mudguards, round analogue/digital mix clock, raised badges, resin side panels, chrome engine covers and the deep, enamel-like paint finish to the steel 15-litre fuel tank. It comes in blue, black, grey and there are also a full range of styling and touring accessories available.
Analogue speedo and digital insert feature a fuel gauge, gear position, time, odometer, trip and a green ‘ECO’ indicator that blinks like a neutral light…
Stitched 800mm high seat is a classy touch. The GB350S is roomy for bigger riders, but those with shorter legs may struggle to get both feet on the floor.
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