Honda CB350 Vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 - Specs comparison

How does the new Honda CB350 stack up against the Classic 350 on paper?

Honda has launched the CB350 which is part of the Honda 350 lineup and intends to compete with the Royal Enfield Classic 350. It comes in 2 variants and pricing starts at ₹ 1.99 lakhs. The base model of the Royal Enfield classic is priced at ₹ 1.93 lakhs for the single-channel ABS variant. Does the ₹ 6,000 difference really translate into valuable changes or is there a story behind the Honda being slightly expensive? Here is a detailed specs comparison between both these bikes.

Engine

The Honda CB350 is equipped with a 348 cc engine, producing 20 bhp and 29 Nm of torque. It features a long-stroke motor that delivers a distinctive thump but revs quickly when necessary. On the other hand, the new Royal Enfield J-series engine is no slouch either. With a 349 cc displacement, it generates 20 bhp and 27 Nm of torque. Both these bikes are paired to a 5 speed gearbox. Honda has an advantage here as it also offers slipper clutch which adds some safety and makes the clutch action light.

Dimensions

The Honda CB350 weighs 187 kg, whereas the Royal Enfield Classic 350 weighs 197 kg, clearly indicating that the Honda has an advantage in terms of weight. The Honda CB350 measures 2207 mm in length, slightly longer than the Royal Enfield's 2145 mm. The seat height of the Honda is a decent 800 mm, while the Royal Enfield is slightly higher at 805 mm. Honda CB350 allows you to carry 15.2 litres of fuel, whereas the Royal Enfield has a smaller fuel capacity of 13 litres. The ground clearance on the Honda is lower by 5 mm at 165 mm, compared to the Royal Enfield's ground clearance of 170 mm. Apart from the length and ground clearance, the Honda CB350 outperforms the Royal Enfield Classic 350 in all dimension parameters.

Tyres

Both these bikes have 19 inch front and an 18 inch rear, only difference is that the Honda CB350 gets a wider 130 section tyre at rear. Here Royal Enfield offers spoke wheels. This does add to the retro look of the bike but it comes at the cost of punctures and hassle of fixing tube tyres. The Honda on the other hand offers only alloy wheels which have tubeless tyres and that takes out the major hassle of dealing with punctures. Both these bikes get telescopic suspension at front and dual shock absorbers at the rear.

Brakes

Stopping power on both motorcycles is handled by disc brakesThe Honda CB350 has a 310 mm disc at the front and 240 mm disc at rear. Royal Enfield has a bigger disc at the rear at 270 mm. Honda gets Dual Channel ABS at standard. If we consider the Dual Channel variants of the Classic 350 they are priced higher at Rs 2.02 lakh onwards. This does make the Honda CB350 a better priced bike on paper offering dual channel ABS at a lower price point.

Colours

The Royal Enfield is currently offered in five variants (Redditch, Halcyon, Classic Signals, Dark, and Classic Chrome) and provides a choice of 11 colour options, including Redditch Sage Green, Redditch Grey, Halcyon Black, Halcyon Green, Halcyon Blue, Signals Marsh Grey, Signals Desert Sand, Gunmetal Grey, Dark Stealth Black, Chrome Red, and Chrome Brown. Do note that the Royal Enfield costs higher for certain colours.

The Honda comes in 5 colours. Here there DLX Pro variants get all the 5 colour options namely - Mat Dune Brown, Mat Crust Metallic, Precious Red Metallic, Mat Marshal Green Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black. The lower DLX variant gets only the option of Pearl Igneous Black.

Additionally, the lower variant features a silver headlight cover, matching the only black colour available. In contrast, the higher variant comes with a chrome headlight cover. Similar distinctions are observed on the fender, with the lower variant having a black fender that complements the single black colour option. The DLX Pro variant, on the other hand, features a fender in the chosen colour. Lastly, the seat on the higher variant is brown, while the lower variant comes with a black seat.

Read more about colours here - 5 Colours Available For The Honda CB350

Features

The Honda CB350 features LED illumination at both ends, while the Royal Enfield Classic 350 opts for halogen lights to enhance its retro charm. Both the bikes get a digi-analogue unit with an analogue speedometer. While the instrument console of the Classic 350 is pretty basic, the Honda’s unit is more informative with a gear position indicator and Bluetooth connectivity for call and message alerts. The duo offer turn-by-turn navigation but the Tripper unit on the Classic 350 (only the chrome variants) is visually better. The Honda CB350 is the only bike in the segment to get equipped with a traction control system for added safety. Both bikes feature a USB charging port, but the Honda has a C-type outlet. Honda gets a voice control system for the higher DLX pro variant.

Both bikes have a fuel gauge, but the Honda includes an additional gear position indicator. The Honda's cluster is larger and more readable compared to the Royal Enfield unit. Additionally, the Honda comes equipped with basic traction control, a beneficial feature to prevent accidental tyre slips due to traction issues. The Royal Enfield Tripper navigation system is available on the Chrome variants only. Both bikes feature a USB charging port, but the Honda has a C-type outlet. Honda gets a voice control system for the higher DLX pro variant.

Honda CB350 Prices

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Price