Kicking the hornet’s nest

The sub-400cc Retro motorcycle segment is hotting up with Honda deciding to enter this class by launching the H'ness CB350. It is the Japanese manufacturer’s first classic motorcycle in this division and it will go up against the likes of the segment leader, Royal Enfield, Benelli Imperiale 400, and Jawa. Let's take a closer look at these four motorcycles to find out what they have to offer. Honda H’ness CB350 Priced from INR 1.9 Lakh onwards, Ex-Showroom India, the H’ness CB350 is available in two variants — DLX and DLX Pro. The Pro comes with additional features such as dual colour, dual horn and a smartphone voice control. It’s powered by a 348cc engine with an output of 20.7bhp@5,500rpm and 30Nm of torque@3,000rpm. It’s mated to a 5-speed gearbox and is equipped with a 310mm front disc brake and 240mm disc at the rear with dual-channel ABS.  Being the latest in the segment, the CB350 boasts of a lot of technology, like Honda Smartphone Voice Control, which is a first in the segment. By pairing your smartphone via Bluetooth with the instrument cluster, you can listen to your favourite playlist, receive messages and call alerts as well as navigation updates