Small and simple is very much in vogue when it comes to motorcycling these days. Having been wooed with big and powerful (not to mention expensive) machines for decades, there’s been a trend towards more basic and traditional motorcycling in recent years – with many experienced riders turning their backs on sports and adventure bikes in exchange for classically styled machines with barely more power than a learner bike.
No one embraced this more than Royal Enfield, who have been flying high in the sales charts – with bikes like the Interceptor, Meteor and Himalayan winning acceptance with UK audiences. Triumph’s 400 series, the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X, were two of the best selling bikes of 2024 and now Honda is getting in on the act with its new GB350S.
It says a lot about the success of the modern day Royal Enfield when the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer is muscling into the Indian company’s territory. The GB is a 350cc single, not dissimilar to Enfield’s J-series models, and it’s priced right in line with the retro-ish Royal Enfield HNTR roadster. It costs £3999 in the UK and €5699 in Ireland.
And the ingredients are largely the same too. There’s not much to write home about in terms of the spec sheet, but that’s really not the point of these machines. At the heart of the GB350S is an air-cooled, single overhead camshaft 348cc single. It makes just under 21bhp (the 350cc Enfields have around half a pony less) and it hardly a performance powerhouse, but it’s been tuned for character and has plenty of it.
The exceptionally long-stroke design, mated with a heavy flywheel, makes the most of the 29Nm of torque, feeling grunty and extremely lazy through the wide-ratio five speed gearbox. If you want an idea of just how laid back the motor is, maximum power comes at 5,500rpm – with peak torque arriving at just 3,000rpm. That’s barely above tickover!
Indeed the distinctive power characteristics really struck me when I set off on the GB for the first time. The motor really is very smooth and has a lovely tone and character to it. The downside to that long stroke engine is that the rev limiter kicks in really, really early.
It pulls away briskly from junctions but that ignition cuts out without much in the way of warning, and sooner than you were hoping or expecting. It’s fine once you get used to it but can sometimes catch you out when it kicks in while overtaking. It’s not a problem though, once you figure it our. With many smaller bikes you have to dance around the gearbox, but that lazy Honda motor feels more capable of pulling the higher gears than you’d think.
But overtaking isn’t something you’ll be doing too much of on a GB350S. It’s a bike best enjoyed when pottering about, and taking in some unclassified back roads really put a smile on my face.
The chassis too isn’t at the cutting edge, but then you probably know that anyway. It’s all simple stuff, with a steel semi-double cradle frame hosting basic suspension, with a set of traditional 41mm telescopic forks up front and old school twin shocks at the back. Riding hard won’t flatter it and some particularly rubbish Fenland road surfaces saw it threaten to tie itself in knots at times, but roll back, chill out and enjoy the simplicity of two wheels and an engine. It’s motorcycling distilled to it’s purest form.
Honda unashamedly pitch the GB350S as a city bike and it fits the bill perfectly. The seat height is a fairly low 800mm, and this is made even more manageable by the overall narrowness and a ready-to-ride weight of 178kg.
Tyres and brakes follow the same ‘good enough’ philosophy as the suspension but whereas just a few short years ago manufacturers would chuck the cheapest of the cheap cycle parts on their entry level models, these days they tend to be a step or two up.
The Honda wears Metzeler Tourance Next rubber, of which I could have no complaints – at least on the warm and dry roads I experienced in my time with the Honda. The 19” front enhances the traditional styling, possibly at the expense of some weight and agility, while the 310mm front grip is gripped by twin-piston caliper, which is manufactured by Nissin.
I love these simple machines and I fell for the GB350S when I saw it at shows at the end of last year.
Interestingly the GB350S is new to us, but not a new model. It’s been on sale in Asia for a few years now, but no doubt the trend for small bikes in Europe will have had Honda’s national subsidiaries canvassing HQ for the chance to get it on sale over here too.
Honda’s GB prefix isn’t particularly commonplace in the company’s naming system. It was last used in the 1980s, when the single cylinder GB500 paid homage to British race bikes of the 50s (with the GB standing for ‘Great Britain’). This 350 is a bit more mainstream than the old 500 but it feels authentic enough.
Honda’s got more than enough of a back catalogue to credibly pull off bikes like this, without having to take too much inspiration from European classics, and it just feels like a more modern version of the everyday commuter bikes the company was famous for when they first came to these shores back in the day.
It’s got that 1970s ‘UJM’ look to it. There’s loads of traditional stuff, witness the rubber fork gaiters, beautifully machined cooling fins, twin shock absorbers, tuck roll seat upholstery and a neat single instrument dial. I think it looks fantastic and Honda’s done a great job in the detailing.
This is another area where ‘cheap’ bikes have stepped up in recent years. Those side panels… the badging… the 14-spoke cast aluminium wheels… show great care and attention to what is ultimately a cheap and cheerful city bike. It sounds good too, and that won’t have happened by accident.
There are also plenty of accessories which allow owners to modify and personalise their machines. Parts include a neat little headlamp cowl, bar ends, single seat cowl, soft panniers and a USB charging socket. They’re available bundled up in packs, the Travel Pack and the Style Pack, or individually.
Top speed is around 70mph, which isn’t earth shattering but is enough most of the time. Unlike many small capacity bikes, which can be peaky in their power delivery, the gruntiness means that it’s less susceptible to inclines and head winds than some.
It accelerates briskly up to around 60mph, after which it is happy to maintain a steady pace. The five speed gearbox is well spaced out, although fifth very much feels like an overdrive. I saw 70mph in fourth but couldn’t really find more in top, although it did feel a little more relaxed.
The view from behind the wide handlebars is also relaxed, while being commanding for such a small bike. The riding position is upright and the simple instrumentation is easy to read. You basically get one big easy to read speedo, with a discrete little LCD insert.
There’s no rev counter but, as we’ve already established, it isn’t really necessary. The LCD info panel is a bit disappointing though. It packs quite a lot of info, including a clock, fuel gauge, gear indicator and odometer, but it’s small and difficult to read. A small gripe, but a gripe nonetheless.
And really there are very few complaints. A bit more power wouldn’t go amiss, and perhaps some more compliant suspension would make for a nicer ride on country roads – but for what it is and what it costs, the GB350S is as close to right as it could possibly be.
What impresses me most is the character and the detailing. It’s a cool city bike and a fun second bike for riders who just want a really chilled out machine for bumbling around on. The price is impressive, especially as it is built in Japan, and with a classy style and some great accessories allowing owners to modify the base bike in a very tasteful way, the Honda GB350S really is a city bike for the times.
Sure you won’t be winning drag races or setting lap records at your local track day, but that’s never what Honda intended for it to be. Instead it’s a refreshing simple motorcycle that harks back to a gentler era, which is why it will undoubtedly (and rightly) prove so popular with buyers.
2025 Honda GB350S Specification
Price: £3,999 (€5,699 in Ireland)
Engine: 348cc, air-cooled, two-valve, single overhead camshaft, single cylinder
Power: 20.8bhp (15.5kW) @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 29Nm @ 3,000rpm
Transmission: Five-speed, chain final drive
Frame: Steel cradle
Suspension: (F) 41mm telescopic forks (R) Twin shock absorbers.
Wheels: Cast aluminium, (F) 19 x 2.5”/ (R) 17 x 4”
Tyres: Metzeler Tourance Next (F) 100/90 x 19, (R) 150/70 x 17
Brakes: (F) Single 310mm disc, Nissin two-piston caliper, (R) 240mm disc, Single piston caliper with ABS
Weight: 178kg (wet)
Wheelbase: 1,440mm
Seat height: 800mm
Fuel tank: 15 litres
Fuel consumption: 113mpg (claimed)
Service intervals: 4,000 miles/12 months
Warranty: 24 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.honda.co.uk
