Royal Enfield, one of the most iconic and oldest motorcycle makers in India launched the Meteor 350 last year, replacing the ageing Thunderbird. While RE thought of yielding out yet another segment leader, thanks to its grounded dominance in the sub-500cc segment, Royal Enfield, at last, faces an immediate contender in the form of Honda H’ness CB 350. Yes, there have been many cruisers in a similar value range which we set in opposition to, like the Classic 350 or Avenger, however, none could dethrone the RE's cruiser offering.
And now there is the new H’ness CB350 from Honda. This is, indeed, the absolute first time the Japanese bikemaker has dispatched a classic roadster in India. Since the time we caught wind of the Honda H'ness CB350, we've known and been expounding on how might it take the battle straightforwardly to Royal Enfield, yet is it something that can influence a RE fan into thinking about a Honda? Hence, here is how the two motorcycles fare on paper. Here's our Royal Enfield Meteor 350 vs Honda H'Ness CB350 comparison to highlight the differences between the two models:
Design
Honda H'Ness CB 350 Design
The Honda H'Ness CB 350 carries the retro appeal from the line of CB roadster bikes from the late '60s and '70s. The round fog light has that exemplary appeal, yet it's LED, similar to the retro-styled taillight. The turn markers have an external ring which is lit always. By and large, put-togetherness is very pleasant, with excellent paint quality. The double tone paint plot is an unequivocal gesture to the 1970s, and even the retro-styled Honda identification is era-appropriate. The H'Ness name and badging is the solitary sore point in our book; Honda ought to have quite recently considered it the CB 350.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Design
The Meteor 350 is unquestionably another Royal Enfield, for certain cutting edge contacts. However, it's as yet a Royal Enfield, and except if you look carefully, it takes after the Thunderbird 350 which it replaces, yet with a restorative makeover. Be that as it may, look nearer and the progressions are evident. The time frame right rotational switches are new, the tightened hand grasps look cool, and are anything but difficult to hold also, and the bike gets new shading alternatives, alongside another instrument reassure; however more on that later.
Engine
Honda H'Ness CB 350 Engine
The Honda's 349 cc, single-chamber, air-cooled motor makes 20.8 bhp at 5,500 rpm, however, has 30 Nm of top tier force, which tops at a low 3,000 rpm. Honda has built the H’Ness CB350 on a Half Duplex Cradle platform. The motorcycle is suspended with the help of telescopic forks at the front and twin-hydraulic at the rear. It gets a 19-inch wheel at the front and 18-inches at the rear.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Engine
The Meteor 350 uses a 349 cc, single-cylinder engine that is air-cooled and fuel-injected. This is a brand-new engine which churns out 20.2 bhp at 6100 rpm and 27 Nm at 4000 rpm. Royal Enfield has built the Meteor 350 on an all-new platform. The motorcycle is now based on a double downtube frame. It is suspended with the help of 41mm telescopic forks at the front and six-step adjustable shock absorbers at the rear. The 19-inch front wheel comes with a 300mm disc while the 270mm disc brake at the rear is fitted with a 17-inch wheel.
Features
Honda H'Ness CB 350 Features
In terms of features, the H'Ness CB 350's speedometer is a single-pod simple unit, but on the other hand, there's a little computerized screen that displays a host of information. It has a clock, fuel measure, battery voltmeter, gear position indicator, distance to empty, normal fuel utilization, and includes a side stand indicator, which doubles as the motor inhibitor.
The CB 350 additionally includes a first-in-class Bluetooth connectivity called the Honda Smartphone Voice Control System, which permits the rider to utilize a committed Honda RoadSync application to get to highlights through an embellishment head protector mounted Bluetooth speaker. The framework offers turn-by-turn navigation, call functions, and even music playback. It requires a different head protector mounted Bluetooth speaker framework which has to be bought independently.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Features
The Meteor 350 finds its higher price than the CB350 due to the features it offers. To begin with, it gets Royal Enfield’s ‘Tripper’ navigation system across all variants. The Meteor also offers a semi-digital instrument cluster as compared to the retro-styled, all analogue unit on the Classic. Moreover, the Meteor also comes with accessories like a large windscreen and backrest on the Stellar and Supernova variants - something which even the top-spec Classic 350 misses out on.
Pricing
Honda H'Ness CB 350 Pricing
The Honda H'Ness CB 350 can be bought in two variations - DLX and DLX Pro. The Honda Smartphone Voice Control System is just accessible in the DLX Pro variation, and it comes in double tone colours and gets double horns which are very boisterous. The DLX Pro is estimated at INR 1.92 lakh*, while the DLX is evaluated at INR 1.86 lakh*.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Pricing
Royal Enfield is offering the new Meteor 350 in three variants - Fireball, Stellar and Supernova and has positioned the Meteor 350 above the Classic 350. The prices for the cruiser starts at INR 1.78 lakh* for the Fireball variant. Meanwhile, the Stellar and Supernova versions of the Meteor cost INR 1.84 lakh* and INR 1.93 lakh* each.
*Ex-showroom
