The Honda H’Ness CB350 is a brand new motorcycle which has been developed specifically for India. Flaunting retro styling which takes inspiration from Honda’s bigger CB series motorcycles, the Honda H’Ness CB350 will be powered by a single-cylinder, air-cooled, 350cc engine which cranks out about 21 hp and 30 Nm of torque. The motorcycle is scheduled for launch today and this post will be updated real-time with all the information. Keep the F5 button busy:
12:35 PM: The long-stroke engine features a balancer to keep vibrations in check. The bike gets loads of chrome-finished bits. Since it’s an India-specific motorcycle, Honda engineers ensured the exhaust sound matched the motorcycle’s styling. The motorcycle was developed over a period of two years where the Honda India team was in the lead. The bike is made in India and manufacturing is 90% localised.
12:27: The Honda H’ness CB350 will be available at around INR 1.9 lakh (Ex-showroom). A prototype version of the bike will be available at Big Wing outlets for touch-n-feel at Gurgaon, Delhi, Cochin and Mumbai. Exact variant-wise prices will be revealed in the coming weeks. Bookings for the bike are now open for INR 5,000 and deliveries should commence in the second half of October.
12:18 PM: The Honda H’Ness CB 350 features semi-digital instrumentation, dual-channel ABS and an LED headlight and tail light. The bike also gets an assist clutch, a smartphone pairing system. The engine develops 20.8 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 30 Nm of peak torque at 3000 rpm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It also gets HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control). Two variants will be available – DLX and DLX Pro. The latter gets dual-tone colours, two horns, and Honda’s smartphone voice control system. The system can control Navigation, incoming call alert, message and music control via Bluetooth.
- Wide section rear tyre, dual disc brakes with dual-channel ABS, Engine Start/Stop Switch, Hazard Switch, 15-litre fuel tank
- 7-Y Shaped spoke alloy wheels
- 310mm disc brake upfront and 240mm rear disc
- Chrome-plated parts (exhaust, mirrors and fenders)
- Nitrogen-charged rear suspension
- Engine Start/Stop Switch and Hazard Switch
- 100/90- 19 front tyre; 18-inch 130 section rear tyre
- 350cc, air-cooled 4 stroke OHC single-cylinder engine equipped with PGM-FI technology
- Main shaft coaxial balancer placed on the cylinder eliminates both primary & secondary vibrations
- Comes with a large tailpipe of 45mm that optimizes balance with the muffler capacity, producing a bold low-pitched sound
- Half-duplex cradle frame in steel pipe is used for a soft steering feel. Load allocated to the front is optimized by mounting the engine at a low position to lower the centre of gravity. A highly rigid box-section steel tube is used for the swing arm
- The engine uses an offset cylinder position that reduces the sliding friction and asymmetrical connecting rod ensures minimum energy loss while combustion. It uses closed crankcase with a wall between crankcase and transmission reducing energy loss due to internal friction.
12: 11 PM: 50 new Big Wing outlets will be open across India by the end of 2020. These outlets will also sell world-class riding gear
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Segment First Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) helps in maintaining rear-wheel traction by detecting the difference between the front and rear wheel speeds, calculating the slip ratio and further controlling engine torque via the fuel injection. HSTC can be turned ON/OFF using a switch on the left side of the meter.
Segment First Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCS): To deepen connect of the riders, DLX Pro variant is equipped with the world’s first-ever Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCS) developed in-house. The rider can connect his smartphone with the motorcycle via Bluetooth through HSVCS application. Once connected, the rider can operate the system with controls on the left side of the handlebar to use distinct features such as phone calls, navigation, music playback and incoming messages. To facilitate complete concentration on riding the information accessed will be communicated from the helmet headset speaker*
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Segment First Assist and Slipper Clutch make the gear shifts smoother while reducing clutch lever operation load ensuring less fatigue and more comfort during rides that involve frequent shifting.
Segment First Advanced Digital – Analogue Speedometer presents intelligent information on the go. It integrates details like HSTC, ABS, side stand indicator with engine inhibitor, ECO indicator, mileage features, HSVCS, gear position indicator and battery voltage meter. The ride experience is further enriched with fuel efficiency details displayed in 3 modes – real-time mileage, average mileage and distance to empty.
12:05 PM: At least four new motorcycles will expand Honda’s premium portfolio for India
- DLX Colour Options: Precious Red Metallic, Pearl Night Star Black, Mat Marshal Green Metallic
- DLX Pro Colour Options: Athletic Blue Metallic &Virtuous White, Pearl Night Star Black & Spear Silver Metallic, Mat Steel Black Metallic & Mat Massive Grey Metallic
- Special 6-year warranty package (3 years standard + 3 years optional extended warranty)
12:02 PM: Mr Noriaki Abe talks about the brand new Honda ‘CB’