Honda GB350S (2024 - ) review

As modern bikes get bigger, heavier, more complicated and more expensive it’s an amusing irony the one causing the biggest buzz in the riding community is an old-fashioned single with an air-cooled engine and a mere 21 horsepower. But here we are, Honda likely glad it decided to bring the charmingly basic GB350S to the market here given the excitement it’s inspired. Modern conveniences like ABS, traction control and fuel-injection aside the GB is resolutely old-school in its looks, construction and powertrain without falling into the trap of going full retro cosplay like some rivals, which helps explain its broader appeal. Classic roadster looks get a bit of attitude thanks to the bigger 19-inch front wheel while the endearing simplicity of the single-cylinder engine tells you all you need to know about its character without even firing it up. With details like proper tank badges rather than basic stickers for the graphics Honda has also – somehow – made it cheap without making it look or feel it. Which is some trick.

The GB350S is a small bike, which makes it very easy to handle for riders of all abilities. But it doesn’t feel undersized to the point where taller riders feel like they’re riding a toy, there being plenty of reach for your six-foot tester and enough height in the seat to avoid the leg-scrunching you get on some smaller bikes. But still with the slim frame and easy, flat-foot manoeuvrability shorter or less confident riders would hope for. Upright enough for comfort and good visibility over hedges or surrounding traffic but without feeling too sit-up-and-beg the GB is surprisingly comfortable for such a basic machine.

You know what you’re in for the moment you clap eyes on it but, reality check, for all the charm the GB350S is a minimal machine with little in the way of creature comforts. To be fair at the kind of speeds you’ll be doing the lack of protection from the elements will be less of an issue than on more powerful nakeds, though you can expect to get a soaking from spray and road muck if you ride in all weathers. Small and light enough to thread through the tightest of traffic the GB is super practical around town but (predictably) less so for bigger trips or carrying luggage or a pillion, even if Honda offers a Travel Pack with nylon saddlebags, hand guards and a fly screen.

The long-stroke, air-cooled 348cc single at the heart of the GB350S may be modest in output but is big on character, the torquey power delivery and tightly stacked ratios for gears one to four helping it feel perkier than the 21 horsepower and 29Nm suggest it should be. These figures and the 178kg weight are on a par with the likes of a Royal Enfield HNTR 350 and, on the road, it shows impressive willing. Beyond 50mph you’ll start working it harder for gradients and headwinds and it can just about keep up on the motorway with the throttle against the stop in the taller fifth gear. But its comfort zone is more around town or on twistier backroads, where the flexibility and modest but enthusiastic power deliver feel more relevant and the bassy, single-cylinder throb is more charming than annoying. For this kind of pace the single front disc and two-pot caliper are up to the job, with decent feel through the pleasingly slender lever. We found ourselves using more back brake than we usually would on more modern style bikes but stopping power never felt lacking and there is, of course, the reassurance of ABS for when the going is slippery.

Compared to the budget suspension and cheap tyres found on Royal Enfield singles the Honda’s Showa fork and Metzler tyres are a welcome sight. Sure, the suspension is still pretty basic but there’s confidence inspiring consistency to the damping to work the tyres properly and the encouragement to keep the throttle pinned through the corners so as not to lose any hard-won speed. And put a huge grin on your face in the process. That bigger front wheel gives it a feeling of substance as well and even if the limits are relatively modest you feel more comfortable nudging up to them than you would on more basic rivals. That Honda has been able to invest in half decent tyres and suspension while still keeping the cost as low as it has is genuinely impressive, too.

At the time of writing the GB350S sells for a smidge under four grand, which looks amazing value given the apparent build quality and the reassurance of buying from a big brand like Honda. It seems as cheap to run as it is to buy as well, the 15-litre fuel tank doing you for well over 200 miles between fill-ups. The modest power should mean more affordable insurance for younger riders as well, this and the saving in purchase price over more powerful retro singles like the Triumph Speed 400 or Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450another point in the Honda’s favour.

As a brand Honda has a great reputation for reliability, and we see no reason to suspect that will be any different here. Admittedly, the bike was a little reluctant to start a couple of times but we’ll put that down to it being on fumes at the time and we had no further issues once the tank was full.

While there are plenty of options for hipster-friendly single-cylinders there’s greater reassurance buying from a big brand like Honda than a more specialist one like Royal Enfield, Herald or Mutt. Something thrown into sharper relief by the news of the latter’s financial troubles and potential closure. As standard you get Honda’s regular two-year warranty, extendable by up to two years at extra cost and (thankfully) just scraping into the lowest, capacity driven priceband for that option. The 4,000-mile (or annual) intervals for an oil change and valve clearance check sound a bit short but, for the kind of mileages most owners will be doing, shouldn’t prove too much of an issue. Three cheers for the standard centre stand as well, this making regular DIY maintenance like looking after the chain a lot easier.

As back to basics as you’d expect, but with enough modern conveniences like ABS, traction control, electronic fuel injection and LED lighting to make it more liveable than those going all-in on the retro authenticity. Or an actual classic. A simple analogue speedo and small LCD display for fuel, trip and other basics is your lot in terms of gadgetry, the lack of buttons on the switch cubes a refreshing change from the complexity of more modern bikes. A Style Pack adds a few trimmings like engine bars, seat cowl, headlight surround, fog light and rubber tank protection pads, the latter handy given the paint seems somewhat vulnerable to chipping. There’s also the aforementioned Travel Pack with its small nylon saddle bags while heated grips are a standalone option.

True, you’ll not be going far or fast on a GB350S. But there are plenty of other motorbikes for doing that, which may or may not already have space in your garage. And that’s the beauty – for this money the riders for whom bikes are as much a hobby as a means of transport can justify buying one as a bit on the side for when the mood takes. But it’s just as appealing – and accessible – for cash-strapped newbies looking for a cool, affordable and fun first bike. It’s rare to find a bike so appealing to both ends of the riding demographic, but with the GB350S Honda has absolutely nailed it.