Honda GB350

[Low-gear]

I came across this bike while looking at Honda Japan website. It’s a very compelling model that seems to address all of the shortcomings of the CT125 while retaining all of the benefits. It still has a simple single cylinder air cooled engine, vintage vibes, lightweight/unintimidating chassis and modern features like FI and ABS. All this while adding more power, a conventional clutch lever and maybe a marginal price increase. The only thing missing is the utility of the huge rack.

GB350車種カタログ

ライダーとの一体感を追求したスタイル。心を弾ませるクリアな鼓動。気軽に乗れる扱いやすさ。バイクが本来持っていた価値を、新しいライダーへ届けるために。The Honda Basic Roadster, GB.

www-honda-co-jp.translate.goog

This is a speculative scrambler concept that someone drew up.



I gotta say, if there was one of these sitting at my local dealer, I would probably be trading up. Only problem is there are no plans to bring to US market.

 

[m in sc]

IMHO if you want an indian made 350, get the royal enfield hunter 350. (motor looks familiar)

Hunter 350 Prices, Mileage & Colours | Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Explore colors, images & features; digi analog instrument, on-the-go charging etc. Book a test ride.

www.royalenfield.com

 

[Low-gear]

IMHO if you want an indian made 350, get the royal enfield hunter 350. (motor looks familiar)

Hunter 350 Prices, Mileage & Colours | Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Explore colors, images & features; digi analog instrument, on-the-go charging etc. Book a test ride.

www.royalenfield.com

Don’t really care where it’s made but I do want a Honda

If anything, that should show Honda there’s a market for such a bike in the US.

 

[dmonkey]

Honda sell a new CL250 Scrambler in Japan. I think the CL300 is sold in China for now? Either might be interesting options if they ever make it to the US market. I wouldn't hold my breath for either though. We already got the CL500 and smaller engine displacements are a tough sell in the USA, especially when a larger displacement version is available.

 

[m in sc]

just a rebadged Indian bike sold by Honda. hard pass for me. if it was an actual Honda, would be a different story.

 

[dmonkey]

I think the implication is that if Honda put their logo on it that means it passed their QC, which is good enough for most people. Having test ridden the Navi, I would not subscribe to that lol
The Navi was designed and built in India before manufacturing moved to Mexico and they offloaded the model to the American market.

 

[Kev250R]

I would buy one, don't much care where it's made. My KTM Duke was made by BajaJ in India. It's been fine, though I do tend to crave Ramen when I ride it...

We live in a global economy. I'm told that many years ago there was a stigma against Japanese cars and trucks. Times change, as long as the levels of quality remain consistent, I'm okay with it.

 

[m in sc]

I had an indian built KTM390 duke, 1st year. only reason i had it was the design team was on site the 1st run of these bikes then went back to Austria. it was fine but they def had their issues with them. Being an engineer in manufacturing with a background in QC, Im well aware of the global market and sourcing, but India isn't quite there yet for me, sorry. I've looked at some of the stuff from india (in other markets) from a qc perspective, and the consistency is sketchy, at best. These are built at a price point, and if that's the main motivator, cool. Electrical issues and case castings are a constant issue on the RE's and TBH, the fit and finish is just shit quality. And i have looked at them, hard, as i wish the INT650 was better than it was, because, i'd own one. I joined the RE owners group on FB, the shit they put up with as acceptable is ridiculous for the age of the bikes. So, nothing to do with stigma, just what comes out of there. One reason Honda probably DOESN'T bring it here is that US market buyers probably won't put up with it and hurt brand image.

The other side of this is the HD liquid cooled 500 &750s that were out. those were IMHO really good, and HD had a stiff finger on qc involved but the market here never bought into it long term. also, look where the us market bikes were assembled:

Harley Davidson Liquid Cooled Street 750 and Street 500

thekneeslider.com

 

[Low-gear]

just a rebadged Indian bike sold by Honda. hard pass for me. if it was an actual Honda, would be a different story.

Is it sold under another brand?

 

[m in sc]

look at the 350 RE. not identical but no way its not the same motor, or at least from the same factory. looks nothing like a genuine honda designed motor. don't ge tme wrong, i like the way it looks and was excited when it was announced then when the details came out was like 'nope'. but that's just MY preference and reasoning for it.

 

[Low-gear]

look at the 350 RE. not identical but no way its not the same motor, or at least from the same factory. looks nothing like a genuine honda designed motor. don't ge tme wrong, i like the way it looks and was excited when it was announced then when the details came out was like 'nope'. but that's just MY preference and reasoning for it.

Hmmm that would probably be a deal breaker for me as well. Reminds me of the old Honda Passport SUVs. Made by Isuzu. Definitely weren’t up to Honda standards of the time.

 

[m in sc]

Exactly. the old rodee-hos we called them at the dealership. (was a dealer tech before I went back to college). those were terrible to work on.

 

[Kev250R]

I get what is being said, but the price-point I think is what makes Indian bikes appealing; it gets new riders in the door who maybe couldn't afford another couple of grand (or more depending on ADM) for a bike built in Japan. Or for a guy like me who just wants a cheap bike he can play with to see if he likes that type of bike. A comprable Honda or Kawaski would have been another $2K more then what I paid for my Duke. For what at the time was a third bike I primarily wanted so I could ride the canyons near my house and occasionally jump on the Freeway (two things the Grom I owned at the time couldn't do) it was an easy decision to make.

I guess I've just been lucky, my Indian-built KTM hasn't missed a beat, in fact last night I took it on a canyon run and reminded myself why I don't sell it and get another Dual-Sport (my Duke is the only 'street' bike I own). The only issue I've ever had with it has been with the battery. But it's sits for sometimes two months at a time without being on a Tender and to be fair my Austrian-built KTM 990 does the same thing when it sits for long-periods of time. I blame all the electronics (and associated parasitic losses associated with) on my two 'modern' bikes which my older and more basic bikes don't have.

In the past I also owned an Isuzu Amigo (like the Rodeo, but shorter). Mine was pretty bulletproof; the only things which ever gave me problems on it were mostly of my own making (it was my first 4wd and I took it a lot of places it probably didn't have any business being). At one point it ended-up partially submerged in a pond. I thought we'd killed it after that but once we pulled it out, dried it out (sat overnight with the windows down) it drove us 100 miles home. I sold it a couple of years after that with ~220,000 miles on it. It needed work and I'd lost faith in it being able to take me deep into the woods with no problems (which is what it's primary purpose in my life was). Plus the interior was beat and I'd started driving it more on longer trips which again, started making me nervous. If I recall it was built in the US.

Bottom-line for me is some things I believe quality and reputation justify the price, which is why I own a genuine Honda Trail, Prior to my Trail I owned a Grom, which was built in Thailand and performed flawlessly for me for the four years and 3,000 miles I owned it. It's funny because the day I was taking delivery of my Grom at my local dealer an old dude was there getting parts for something he was working-on and was just aghast that I would buy a 'fake' Honda. Maybe it's a generational thing.

 

[m in sc]

not worth the risk IMHO. the japanese makers never had these issues and def not as prolific as the RE's do.

from today:

 

[SneakyDingo]

I'm usually hesitant to slap a bike but this thread is my special exception. I wanted to love the Himalayans. Or the RE Scrambler. Or the Bullet 350. I really did. They really spoke to me in terms of on paper specs and looks. BUT...

Royal Enfield has had a long and well documented history about finish issues, like stuff that doesn't line up properly, or uneven gaps in the finished build, etc. but they have that price point that's hard to beat. Of the Himalayans, the only ones that I know are relatively safe to buy are the 2018's, those seem to have the fewest issues - including 2023 models. It seems like you are getting what you paid for: cheap, crappy sh*t, emphasis on the excrement. And they're typically ride ending problems too, like fuel pumps.

KTM and Husqvarna are producing at least some of their bikes in India, including the Duke 390 my buddy bought a year ago (Svartpilen/Vitpilen 401 powered by the same engine, iirc manufactured there since 2021). For the D390/S401/V401 bikes, apart from the standard complaints that make Harley riders laugh (bolts vibrating loose) and a soft first chain, there seems to be general consensus that it's doing ok for build quality so it doesn't seem like it's a know how on site problem - it seems to be a QC problem for the individual brand.

 

[Kev250R]

KTM and Husqvarna are producing at least some of their bikes in India, including the Duke 390 my buddy bought a year ago (Svartpilen/Vitpilen 401 powered by the same engine, iirc manufactured there since 2021). For the D390/S401/V401 bikes, apart from the standard complaints that make Harley riders laugh (bolts vibrating loose) and a soft first chain, there seems to be general consensus that it's doing ok for build quality so it doesn't seem like it's a know how on site problem - it seems to be a QC problem for the individual brand.

^ This exactly sums-up what I was saying. The only difference is in the past 2.5 years I've had zero build-quality or mechanical issues with my Duke. Some battery issues, yes but that has more to do with me not maintinng the battery when the bike is parked for long-periods of time; I've verified that the charging system is working properly.

For me, it doesn't matter where a bike/car/truck/tool/etc is built. I look at *how* it's put together and what my intended use for it is (I come from a long line of Engineers). Then I base my decison on that. If the intresst I get in my Duke when I leave it parked outside is any indicator, not many people care where the bike is made. Twice last weekend when I had it parked outside so I could work on another project I had people stop to remark what a good looking bike it is and ask if it was for sale.

 

[m in sc]

the ktm I had i loved and I bought it new in '15 when they came out. My point is its very hit and miss with the factories over there. they aren't there yet as a whole, sorry. some peopel absolutely love shopping at wal-mart. same thing IMHO. Hit and miss but usually not stuff i want to waste my money on.

 

[BaldRider]

As an owner of a Russian motorcycle, I really don't have an issue with where a bike is made or whether it has a sketchy history of reliability.

 

[oldskool]

As an owner of a Russian motorcycle, I really don't have an issue with where a bike is made or whether it has a sketchy history of reliability.

I also own a Ural. I bought it knowing full well that it is for the most part beat together by people who might be drinking vodka at lunch. I take issue with people pushing false claims of quality or reliability on things of lower quality. Honest evaluations are gold. Once the person understands what the advantages AND disadvantages to a bike, truck or widget are they can make better choices.
A friend of a friend has a Russian wife. She was flabbergasted when I showed up at my friends house on the Ural. "Why you buy bike that is already broken?"" Why buy a Ooeral when you could have Harley." An honest evaluation

 

[m in sc]

If they made them better as a whole, i wouldn't either. Not a race/political/nationality thing, just what I've seen 1st hand. I've also seen a brand new ural blow the transmission right out of it about 8 years ago going from the dealership (where my ex wife worked) to the show we were going to. that being said.. the BMW's had the highest rate of warranty repairs out of any of the brands they carried there, so.... Id never own a new one of those either. reverse aspect: over engineered.