– New 2021 Honda CB350 Retro Styled Motorcycle Released with Video & Pictures! –
This is a cool one! Honda India did some weird teasing with videos showing a sneak peek as to what was to come that I shared about a week ago on my Facebook page, if you don’t follow me there – click here. In those teaser videos, they didn’t share much but kept playing on the “highness” theme and that’s where I would assume the play on words is from with the model name they’ve picked… “H’Ness”. I don’t want to type that word out a thousand times so we’ll just call it by its model code name of CB350. The 2021 Honda H’Ness CB350.
– January 2021 Update Below with New Cafe Racer CB350 Info & Release Date! –
What is the 2021 Honda CB350? It’s a bike that screams retro when you first glance at it but Honda did decide to throw some technology its way too with the addition of LED lights, bluetooth connectivity, selectable torque control and Honda’s Smart Voice control system.
What kind of performance specs and just misc other tidbits of info on this bike? It has a single0cylinder, air-cooled 348cc engine.348.36cc engine connected to a five-speed gearbox with an assist and a slipper clutch. The engine their using in the CB350 pumped out 20.8 bhp at 5,500 RPM and 22 ft/lb of torque 3,000 RPM. The CB350 has a double cradle steel frame and the suspension setup has conventional telescopic front forks and dual spring shocks out back. Braking is handled by a single 310mm disc up front and 240mm in the rear. The CB350 H’ness is rolling on a 19 inch front wheel and 18 inch rear wheel with a 100/90 front tire and 130/70 rear tire.
Just in case you missed it above, this is an announcement from Honda India. Which means technically it is only for the Indian market currently. Insert sad face here. But, there is hope if you live somewhere other than India! Honda has developed models for certain locations around the world and then due to popular demand, they expanded that models’ outreach and started rebranding them for other locations around the globe. Case in point, the Honda Grom. It was originally announced to markets outside of the USA in 2012 for the 2013 model year (called the MSX125) and then Honda rebranded it as the Grom and started not only shipping them here but to even more countries. I could ramble off multiple other models where this has happened but I’ll save you guys from having to deal with more of my rambling.
So, will this new 2021 Honda CB350 release in the USA? Will Honda wait and announced it in their 2022 motorcycle lineup? I would wager a big fat yes, possibly. Maybe. Honda doesn’t have a horse in this retro styled bike race currently for the American market. The current 2020 Honda cruiser motorcycle lineup is dismal at best (excluding Rebels). The current model lineup is running a decade or more without any changes and that’s on the very few models remaining that haven’t been discontinued in current years like the Stateline, Sabre, Interstate, Shadow Spirit, Shadow RS and others. I’m not hating on Honda but they have had their focus on other model segments other than cruisers lately and it’s shown but cruiser interest was and has been weaning off for a while with Honda but could that all be traced back to them just not having something exciting and new to attract new buyers for said cruisers?
Honda has a new 2021 cruiser motorcycle announcement coming soon and I think we’ll see something new in the cruiser bike segment. If Honda America isn’t already working on a way to bring this CB350 or something similar to the states, they need to. I have a hunch this bike or something very and I mean very similar will show up stateside soon. That’s just my opinion though and I know nothing.
What do you guys think about the 2021 Honda H’Ness CB350? Do you think Honda should start shipping these all over the world and not just hoard them in India? Should Honda build other sizes with a similar style?
January 2021 Update: Honda of Japan is now offering this motorcycle in their model lineup but instead of being called the CB350, they have dubbed it the GB350! They are also announcing a new CB350 Cafe Racer on February 16, 2021 and since Honda of Japan is wanting to expand their model lineup, does that mean the Honda CB350 / GB350 could have a USA release date soon? Click Here or the picture below for more information on this new 2021 cafe racer motorcycle announcement!
