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Honda GB 350 S in review (Baujahr 2025)

Honda's frontal attack on Royal Enfield

09.03.2025

Photos: Motorradtest.de

The new Honda GB 350 S is a classic single-cylinder roadster for only 4,490 euros including a transfer. What do you get for so little money for a machine that is also manufactured in Japan? Tanja and Dietmar swung onto the retro box and did an extensive round.

Classic roadster for little money from Japan

The GB 350 S looks great and immediately stabs right into the heart of every classical music fan. With its typical Honda tank from the 80s, the bellows on the conventional telescopic forks and the air-cooled single-cylinder, it is a clear statement to the competition from India: Honda can also do classic for a small amount of money!

Unfortunately, the designers have apparently lost their courage when it comes to the color scheme. Imagine the GB in yellow-black or red!! Well, it's beautiful even in the more muted colors. In the end, it's also a question of taste.

Colour selection of the GB 350 S: Concrete Grey, Mouse Grey and Ash Grey. We would take the little black dress.

We also find the chrome-plated mirrors, the shapely and quilted bench and the round lamp mask chic. The fact that Honda can do classic bikes has been clear since the CB 1100 at the latest, but such a bike with only 21 hp for so little money is currently rather rare to get from the Japanese.

Dimensions and seat test

With a length of 2.17m, the machine is not as small as one might have assumed at first. You therefore sit quite comfortably and anything but cramped - even with two people this is completely fine. Long journeys like on an adventure bike are of course not exactly the parade discipline of the GB, but just cucumbering to the lake is no problem. However, rides with pillion or pillion are not exactly the most fun for another reason, but more on that later.

The bike weighs only 178 kg and can carry a maximum of 358 kg. Of course, such a light motorcycle is also correspondingly easy to manoeuvre, which should also be an argument for beginners and not quite so strong people.

That's what it's like to sit on the Honda GB 350 S.

360 degree tour around the Honda CB 350 S

Technology of the Honda GB 350 S

Rarely has it been easier to write something about the technology of a motorcycle! The GB 350 S has a round cockpit consisting of an analogue speed display and a small LC display that shows the gear engaged, the time and the fuel level. There is also an on-board computer that can be tapped through (as in the past) with a button. It really doesn't get any easier than that!

We don't understand why Honda interrupts this proverbial originality with the use of traction control as standard. Who needs traction control at 21 hp?! We would have much preferred a USB port instead.

When it comes to the light, Honda does everything right from our point of view: Very nice, round and therefore classic-looking headlight, but with LED lights! This also applies to the turn signals and to the rear lights and, as usual with Honda, there is also the ESS emergency stop signal in case of strong deceleration.

Rear silencer with 86 dbA stationary noise. Sounds great!

This is how it drives

When it comes to sound, Honda has done everything right in our opinion. The single-cylinder engine roars along cheerfully. Tanja even lets herself be carried away by the statement that she has never heard such a beautiful-sounding motorcycle. The stationary noise is only 86 dbA, but the GB350S subjectively sounds much louder, especially while driving.

And now it's finally time to hit the streets. It's wonderful how easy the Honda is to drive. However, we didn't expect anything else. Such a light bike rides almost by itself, almost like a bicycle.

Air-cooled single-cylinder with 21 hp and 29 Nm of torque. So relaxation is the order of the day - wonderful.

In terms of performance, of course, you have to be prepared for lean food. The Honda only has 21 hp and it doesn't feel like more. If you're traveling alone, that may be okay, but with two or even with luggage it gets really exhausting. Every overtaking manoeuvre thus becomes a game of patience and must be carefully weighed up.

And yet the Honda GB 350 S offers driving pleasure! You just shift down a gear in your mind (maybe actually) and enjoy every kilometer. Deceleration is the keyword here. If you like that, you'll get your money's worth here, if you prefer to go fast, please look for other machines.

310 single disc with 2-piston caliper. Is completely sufficient in view of the weight and performance of the GB.

Normally we describe things like road holding, braking performance, suspension and the like at this point. We can save ourselves that in the GB, because it simply doesn't matter at all here. Yes, it brakes and yes, the landing gear works, but who cares?!

More exciting is the fact that the small engine consumes only 2.5 liters of fuel. The range is a fat 570 kilometers and the wallet is properly protected. By the way, the Honda has a 5-speed gearbox. This is not really good for progress, but it is also consistent and fits the machine wonderfully.

Oh man, she's beautiful! This side cover and the struts alone - to kneel down!

Honda gives a 3-year warranty on the GB 350 S. The service interval is 12,000 kilometers. There are so many competitors: The 350cc machines from Royal Enfield, the beautiful Benelli Imperiale 400 and the two new, small retros from Kawasaki.

Result

Motorcycles like the Honda GB 350 S divide the biker community. Some turn up their noses and wonder whether one can still speak of a motorcycle here in view of the meager performance, and others are happy that such simple pleasure motorcycles can still be purchased new today. This has been shown with us: Tanja is full of praise, Dietmar too, but can only imagine the GB as a second motorcycle. And you?

The test machine was provided to us by motofun, a large Honda dealer in Kaltenkirchen near Hamburg , for this test. In addition to the GB350S, you can also test ride all other Honda motorcycles at motofun - so a visit there is always worthwhile. For a test drive, however, please call in advance and make an appointment.

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