Updated on October 9, 2020: Honda has now officially launched the new H'Ness CB 350 BS6. Its Deluxe variant has been priced at Rs. 1.85 lakhs while the Deluxe Pro variant has been priced at Rs. 1.90 lakhs. All prices stick to Ex-showroom Gurugram, Haryana. Now, scroll down below to read our specification-based comparison of the new 2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6.
Original Article - October 1, 2020: The Retro Cruisers are very popular in India. If we talk about retro-cruisers, the first name that strikes in our mind is Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield has a massive fan following and enjoys a cult status in India. The RE motorcycles are very charming and they have their own character. However, off late, we now have a lot of other affordable retro cruisers too in the country like the Jawas and the Benellis. But finally, a Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer has made a bold statement by launching an affordable retro motorcycle in India. Honda has just launched the new H'Ness CB 350. So, today we have for you a detailed specification-based comparison of the new 2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6.
2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350: Looks and Colour Options
Starting with the aesthetics of the new Honda H'Ness CB 350, so the CB 350 looks very elegant. It sports a retro appeal but is loaded with all the modern elements. At the front, it gets a beautiful round-shaped all-LED headlamp with chrome surrounds and round LED turn indicators. From the side, one can see that it gets a dual-tone fuel tank with Honda's branding and H'Ness CB 350 badge. The motorcycle gets a long flat seat and at the rear, it gets a rectangular LED taillamp. All in all, the motorcycle looks really good.
The new Honda H'Ness CB 350 BS6 is available in two variants - Deluxe and Deluxe Pro. The Deluxe variant is offered in three colour schemes - Precious Red Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Pearl Night Star Black. The Deluxe Pro variant is also available in three colour schemes - Matte Steel Black Metallic with Matte Massive Grey Metallic, Pearl Night Star Black with Spear Silver and Metallic Athletic Blue Metallic with Virtuous White.
Talking about the Royal Enfield Classic 350, so it has always been a good looking motorcycle. At the front, it gets a round headlamp with small pilot lamps. It also gets round-shaped turn indicators and round taillamp that further enhances its retro look. The Classic 350 has an upright stance and overall, it sports a classic design language which looks really good. The new 2020 Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6 is available in Standard, Airborne Blue, Stormrider Sand, Gunmetal Grey, Chrome Black and Stealth Black colours.
2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350: Engine, Transmission and Mileage
| Specification | H'Ness CB 350 BS6 | Classic 350 BS6 |
| Engine | 348.3cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected | 346cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected |
| Maximum Power | 21.07 PS at 5500 RPM | 20.07 PS at 5250 RPM |
| Maximum Torque | 30 Nm at 3000 RPM | 28 Nm at 4000 RPM |
| Cooling System | air-cooled | air-cooled |
| Transmission | 5-speed | 5-speed |
| Mileage | 30-35 kmpl (expected real-world) | 30-35 kmpl (real-world) |
The new 2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 is powered by a new BS6-compliant 348.3cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine. This motor churns out 21.07 PS of power at 5500 RPM and 30 Nm of peak torque at 3000 RPM. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Royal Enfield Classic, on the other hand, gets a BS6-compliant 346cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine. This motor develops 20.07 PS of power at 5250 RPM and 28 Nm of peak torque at 4000 RPM. It also comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Talking about fuel-efficiency, both the motorcycles will deliver almost the same mileage of 30-35 kmpl in real-world conditions.
2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350: Dimensions and Capacity
| Specification | H'Ness CB 350 BS6 | Classic 350 BS6 |
| Length | 2163 mm | 2160 mm |
| Width | 800 mm | 790 mm |
| Height | 1107 mm | 1090 mm |
| Seat Height | 800 mm | 800 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1441 mm | 1390 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 166 mm | 135 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 15-litres | 13.5-litres |
| Weight | 181 kgs | 196 kgs |
2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350: Tyres, Brakes and Features
The Honda H'Ness CB 350 rides on 19-inch front and 18-inch rear tyre. The front tyre measures 100/90-19 while the rear one is a 130/70 section 18-inch unit. The braking duties are performed by disc brakes at either end. It gets a 310 mm disc brake at the front and a 240 mm disc unit at the rear. The RE Classic 350, on the other hand, gets disc brake at the front while at the rear, one can opt between a drum or a disc. The Classic 350 is available with both single-channel as well as dual-channel ABS option while the new H'Ness CB 350 gets dual-channel ABS as standard. Both the motorcycles get telescopic forks at the front and dual spring-loaded hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear. The Classic 350 runs on 19-inch front and 18-inch rear tyre. The front tyre measures 90/90-19 while the rear one measures 110/90-18.
Also, it is worth mentioning that the Classic 350 can be had with both spoke wheels (tubed tyres) as well as alloy wheels (tubeless tyres) but the H'Ness CB 350 gets alloy wheels with tubeless tyres only. Talking about features, so the Classic 350 doesn't get any major features. However, the H'Ness CB 350 gets Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), an assist & slipper clutch, engine start/stop switch, hazard light switch, etc. It also gets an analogue instrument cluster with a small MID that displays fuel gauge, trip meters, battery voltage meter, distance to empty, real-time mileage, gear-position indicator, etc. and an in-house developed Voice Control System too (HSVCS).
2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6: Price and Verdict
The 2020 Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6 is available in multiple variants with prices ranging between Rs. 1.59 lakhs - Rs. 1.84 lakhs. The new 2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 is available in two variants - Deluxe and Deluxe Pro and the Deluxe variant will be priced around Rs. 1.90 lakhs. The exact variant-wise prices will be revealed soon. Finally talking about the verdict, so if you want a retro cruiser with loads and loads of features, modern styling, more power and exclusivity factor (as it will be sold in limited numbers via Honda's premium BigWing dealerships only), then you should get the new Honda H'Ness CB 350. But, if you are a RE fan and love the thump of Royal Enfields and want a charming motorcycle which offers good performance and is reliable too, then you should get the Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6.
So, this was our detailed specification-based comparison of the new 2020 Honda H'Ness CB 350 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6. Which among these will be your pick? Tell us in the comments below. You can also join our 91Wheels Auto Enthusiast group (click via mobile to join) curated exclusively for the fans, enthusiasts and the owners. Further, subscribe to our YouTube channel for more such amazing motoring updates.
