Category: GEAR

Gear I use

Pro Honda Synthetic Engine oil for CB350. Why?

July 14, 2025 / veloyogi@gmail.com / 0 Comments

JASO T 903:2016

PERFORMANCE IS GUARANTEED BY

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

I am a happy owner of a Honda CB350. Here is my take on the engine oil for my steed.

Engine oils

Engine oils are the life blood of an automobile engine.

With out fuel your motorcycle will not run. Without engine oil it will run-for a short distance. Perhaps the last run of the engine.

Engine oil has these vital roles to do inside your motorcycle engine.

Lubrication. Moving parts inside your motorcycle’s engine needs lubrication – to reduce wear and tear and for smooth performance.

Sealing. Engine oil of the correct viscosity maintains the sealing between the cylinder walls and piston rings.

Cleaning. The byproducts of combustion of fuel, the metal debris from the moving metal components etc., if left alone will reduce the life of the engine. Engine oils carry away such harmful deposits and debris, thus keeping the engine clean.

Cooling. As the engine oil passes through the internals of the engine, it absorbs and carries heat away from the engine components.

Protection. The barrier of oil film protects the components of an engine from corrosion.

Wet clutch engines. In wet clutch motorcycle engines, the engine oil does the additional duty of keeping wear and tear off the clutch assembly and the gear box.

Additives.

To perform the above roles efficiently, the engine oil has additives- a typical engine oil will have about 70 percent of base oil and the rest additives.

As the engine runs, engine oil gets contaminated from byproducts of combustion and metal debris. Metal debris are filtered out by the oil filter. Anything small enough to get through the oil filter is kept suspended in the oil. The soot from the burning of fuel is “cleaned” by the detergents and kept suspended in the oil. Anti foaming additives prevent the oil from bubbling at high temperatures.

Formulation of engine oils

To meet the above requirements, engine oils are formulated with a base oil in which polymers for the viscosity and additives to enhance the properties of cleaning, protection from corrosion, to keep the dirt/soot from combustion suspended in the oil and friction modifiers (this one is for not wet clutch engines)

Base oils

Mineral base: Made from petroleum. Most affordable. Good lubrication and with the required additives, will protect the engine. Major drawback is the breakdown in “extreme” conditions. Shorter drain intervals

Semi Synthetic : Blend of Mineral and Synthetic. Hs some qualities of synthetic oils while cheaper than fully synthetic ones.

Synthetic: Synthesized in a laboratory. Has uniform molecular structure. Performs better under “extreme” temperatures. Longer drain intervals.

Viscosity

Viscosity is the thickness of the oil at a particular temperature In hot summers we need thicker oil i.e. oils of higher viscosity. In winter and for cold starts we need thinner oils – lower viscosity

The oil must be thin enough to circulate fast while starting and must reach the optimum viscosity when the engine reaches its operating temperature.

A smooth-running motorcycle needs:

Regular oil changes. Oil must be changed at regular intervals since it gets contaminated and the additives get depleted.

Changing the oil filter. The filter will become clogged over a few thousand kilometres will no longer be able to do its job

The above two makes sure that the engine runs smooth and the life of the engine is extended to the maximum.

Oil Analysis

The only and scientific way is to do an oil analysis. A big NO to the sales pitch of a “snake oil” seller, “YouTube” guru or a “social media” professor.

How often one has to change the oil? Or for how many kilometers the bike can run before the engine oil becomes contaminated and the additives used up to warrant an oil change?

Send a sample from your engine to a designated laboratory for analysis and get their report. Based on that report you can either change the oil or continue using it- well, till the next test. If you change to another brand of oil, and since every brand has different level and composition of additives in their oil, you may have to do this test again. These tests need to be done at regular intervals-say every 1000 kilometers, and these tests are expensive. Hence the ….

OEM engine oil

These engine oils are formulated to meet the specific requirements of the motorcycles manufactured by Honda,

My option – Pro Honda Fully Synthetic Oil 10W30 MA honda2wheelersindia Title

Under the authority of:

ENEOS Corporation, Japan

Specially Developed for

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.

These engine oils are formulated to meet the specific requirements of the motorcycles manufactured by Honda, to ensure optimal performance and protection for their engines.

Honda, obviously, must have invested millions in lab tests to finalize these formulations. Why should I go for anything else, when the OEM has done all the required tests and gives me tried and tested products, specifically formulated to perform in their engines to ensure engine performance, efficiency and longevity?

Hence, for me, the choice is obvious. I have the best engine oil for my CB 350 from the manufacturer- Honda. Since I have great faith in Honda, I do not need any of the aftermarket engine oils. Period.

Happy riding

BTW read this disclaimer.

My Honda CB350 – 1st and 2nd free services and impressions at the Bigwing Kollam

June 26, 2025 / veloyogi@gmail.com / 0 Comments

By R.Venkitachalam

A review of the 1^st and 2^nd free services of my Honda CB350 was pending for a while. Here are my impressions of the aftersales services done by the Bigwing Dealer in Kollam. You can read about my buying experience here

“Customer service is second to none.”

The first service was done at around 385 kms on the odo and the 2^nd at around 5500 on the odo. The most pleasant thing on both these services was the service reminder call from the Honda Bigwing dealer at Kollam. I received at least 3 calls for the 1^st service and 2 for the 2^nd service. Thank you Bigwing Kollam.

At the service center

For the services, I went to the service center, which is a part of the showroom building, a bit earlier than the opening time. A warm welcome from the security personnel and giving access to the customer lounge- before the opening time, were indicators of the pleasant experience that was to follow.

“The ambience was inviting and comfortable”

Whiled away a few minutes by watching the Honda brand videos and browsing a few automobile magazines made available for the customers.

“Efficiency and punctuality are hallmarks of their service”

Right at 9am, the senior service engineer called me – mine was the first bike on the line, explained about the jobs to be done on the bike.

Since I made myself familiar with the maintenance schedule, I could easily understand. Still, I had a few questions. All my doubts got clarified and the job began. I could watch the entire process from the customer lounge.

The job

1^st service was over quite quickly. Oil drained, filter changed, and the Pro Honda Synthetic oil went into the crankcase.

I prefer the OEM oils. Will give you the reasons in a later post.

All the required works as per the maintenance schedule were carried out promptly. May I say as per the textbook?

The young man who carried out the job was excellent in execution of the work. Absolute care was taken during the service to keep my bike in its pristine condition. No scratches, dents, tool marks or any misaligned parts.

“The technicians are friendly and highly skilled.”

Before billing, the service engineer explained the AMC policy which after going through the details, I opted for.

The 2nd free service

The 2^nd service experience was almost exactly the same as the 1^st one. A different technician at the work bench. However there is no dip in the quality of work done. The service quality is consistently outstanding, exceeding my expectations every time. As a bonus, upon my request, the service engineer along with the technician explained the correct way to adjust the slack of the chain.

To conclude:

I was absolutely overwhelmed by with their professionalism and customer service.
Transparent and honest pricing- value for money stamped in everything-even more when you go for the AMC
I highly recommend this business.

https://g.co/kgs/bv3y1ie

https://www.instagram.com/hondabigwing_kollameast/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/bigwingkollameast/?locale=mt_MT

Disclaimer

My Honda CB350 – 5500 km Longterm Ownership Review

June 12, 2025 / veloyogi@gmail.com / 2 Comments

By R.Venkitachalam

Long ride review of my Honda CB 350

Well friends, I took my Honda CB 350 for one long ride. From Varkala, my home town to Dholavira, Kutch in Gujarat. The ride took a fortnight and 4989 kms. To read a little history on my Honda CB 350, please click here and here.

A rider may feel that for touring, a bigger, faster, large capacity bike or an adventure motorcycle should be the way to go. The Honda CB350 proves the above wrong. The air cooled CB350 can take on any distance and terrain (barring extreme off roads. Note: this is not an off-road vehicle).

The ride

My ride took me through almost all types of roads in India and the bike performed extremely well. The handling – whether on the slippery mud pools after heavy rains, on the highways, in chaotic city traffic, surging ahead while overtaking, taking on the curves of the western ghats, on the wind ravaged plains of Kutch, gliding on the “eight lanes” of Goa- was superb and the CB 350 rolled on with utmost poise, while returning an excellent fuel consumption figure of 38kmpl. The CB350 was a pleasure to ride and maintain. Moreover, the assurance of the “Honda reliability” provided the much-needed peace of mind.

What is the bike like to live with? It has been with me for the past 9 months and clocked 5.8k kms and this will be with me for a few long years. What is it like? Compared to any of the “Hogs” and “crotch rockets” available in India, the CB350 may look deficient- on paper. However, please note that the CB350 is not designed to compete with the gargantuan cruisers or the ultra-fast performance bikes-it is designed for a very different purpose.

My take on the bike

Words will be too insufficient to describe the purpose of this bike, but for the rider, who has always dreamed for a thumper from the golden era of motorcycles, a bike that will take you to your destination in style, a bike on which you focus on the journey as much as arriving at the destination, will understand the purpose of this motorcycle.

It is a feeling. As the legendary composer Saint Thayagraja said: “this feeling cannot be expressed, but something to be experienced”. With this bike you get most of the feel of an old single cylinder motorcycle, but you also get complete reliability of a Honda.

My CB350 started on the first crank. Every day – even on the coldest one. The engine is extremely smooth. Why do I say this? I have owned and ridden bikes for the last 40 years or so, the bikes that could make your palms and feet jittery with vibrations from the handlebars and the footrests. There is nothing of that sort in this Honda. I never felt any vibration on my palms or on my feet. The engine is quite, and the exhaust is silenced to a level that it is barely audible with my helmet on.

Performance is more than enough to cruise on the highways in India. The brakes coupled with the ABS are well matched to the performance of the bike. The handling is light and superb. Comfort? For me at 5’8” and 84 kilograms plus the saddle bag and contents of about 20 kilograms it was excellent. The headlights lit up the roads whenever required, and the brightness and throw are sufficient for sedate cruising.

Is this a “cruiser” bike?

Yes and No. If you go by the accepted classification of the motorcycles – ie. Cruiser, Sports, Sports tourer etc., this is not a cruiser bike. However, if you go by a few characteristics of a cruiser bike – ” a motorcycle that is meant to enjoy the ride”, “not to race from A-to-B”, “a relaxed riding position”, “a long wheelbase”, “a smooth riding experience”, well, the answer is Yes.

A few snapshots:

Conclusion

Overall, the bike performed extremely well till now. Will update when I cross the next 5k to 5.5k.

Happy riding

BTW read this disclaimer.

The Honda CB350. My Buying Experience

May 19, 2025 / veloyogi@gmail.com / 2 Comments

By R.Venkitachalam

Why a new Motorcycle

To start with, my passion for two wheelers refuses to die. The uncontrollable itching for a new motorcycle forced me to take the plunge and the search began about two years back.

I have owned two Royal Enfields, one a cast iron 350 and another a Machusmo AVL 500cc. So my first thoughts were to go for a motorcycle from the same manufacturer, perhaps the new J platform 350cc Classic or Meteor. The J platform design is light years ahead of the CI and AVL models – so say many reviews. However, my past experience regarding the intensive attention required from the owner/rider for regular maintenance, my reluctance to tinker with the motorcycle (which I did enjoy a lot in my younger days) pushed me away from this brand.

The initial choice

Since I was planning for solo rides, my search focussed on bikes of smaller capacity and size. Finally zeroed in on the Honda CB300F. Why Honda? Well, the bomb proof reliability. These bikes were sold and serviced by the Bigwing dealers of Honda. I called a friend of mine who is working in a Honda dealership – not the Bigwing, at Kollam. He directed me to a contact of him in the Kollam Bigwing. The response from the Bigwing Kollam was instantaneous. The sales executive called me and arranged for a visit to the showroom.

I went to the showroom and felt somewhat disappointed by the CB300F. The motorcycle looked and felt excellent and well within the price range I have in my mind. However, the bike felt too small for my liking and lacked the relaxed riding posture I was looking for. My fault. I made my choice from looking at the web images and videos.

The decision

As I turned back my eyes fell on the beauty parked nearby – the New Honda CB350 DLX PRO in complete touring attire. Wow! Love at first sight! Decision made. What the Honda says about this bike is:

“The thunderous power, the fearless stance, the exhilarating rush of the open roads – a legend rises, CB350, where tech-meets-bold riding, with its timeless style and brave presence, itʼs your trusted sidekick. Gear up to charge with the 2025-ready OBD-2B standards.”

Every word in the above paragraph barring the thunderous power, is true. A timeless classic married to modern tech!

Booked one. I went for the base variant, the DLX. Paperwork started and the motorcycle was ready for delivery by the 5th of September 2024. Took delivery on the 8^th September.

Rating for the Customer Service:

Responsiveness: 5/5. Highly responsive
Helpfulness: 5/5. Was ready to help and guide at every moment of the sales process and delivery
Overall Customer Service Experience: 5/5. Right from the initial phone call to the time of delivery, the sales executive and the team at the show room were receptive and extended excellent service. The courteous behaviour, the patience with which they listened to my queries (there were a few), the educated answers and solutions they provided, the guidance and assistance for the paperwork and finally, taking the time on a Sunday morning to deliver the vehicle-the experience was mind-blowing. (This continues with the service team…will write about the service experience later.) Unquestionably, the buying experience at Honda Bigwing Kollam was exceptional

Recommendations:

Would I recommend this product/company to others? Yes. Strongly recommend this product and this dealership.
Would I purchase from this company again? Yes. Without any doubt.

CB350 | Honda BigWing | India | Honda

Acknowledgements: The quoted text is taken from https://horizonhonda.in

Honda CB350 – A Timeless Classic From Honda

May 18, 2025 / veloyogi@gmail.com / 2 Comments

By R.Venkitachalam

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) introduced the latest variant of their CB350 in India, all-new “retro classic” CB350, in November, 2023. Mr. Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said

“We are absolutely thrilled to expand our mid-size 350cc motorcycle line-up with the launch of All-New CB350. It proudly takes forward the rich legacy of Honda’s CB DNA and will provide the joy of riding to our customers. We are confident that the launch of this retro classic motorcycle will excite new buyers to join the ever-growing CB family.”

Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said,

“The introduction of All-New CB350 marks yet another significant milestone for our flourishing premium motorcycle business vertical. Ever since their launch, Honda’s middle weight 350cc motorcycles have delighted customers across various markets. Together with our widespread network of premium BigWing dealerships, we are confident that the new CB350 will offer an exhilarating experience to buyers.

(Perhaps the undeclared goal is to grab a big chunk of the market share in the 350cc segment dominated by the Royal Enfield).

History of CB

The CB legacy of Honda began in 1959 with the Benly CB92 Super Sports and the CB series boasts the longest history among Honda’s road sports models. From there the builds went one. The most famous among the CB series is the CB750, a four-cylinder marvel that became the death knell for the British bike industry. Honda BigWing showrooms across India proudly display a pictorial history of the CB series starting from the Benly CB92. This image is a low resolution one shot on a cell phone

Yes. As Mr. Tsutsumu said, the new CB350 proudly takes forward the rich legacy of Honda’s CB DNA

Styling

The new CB350 is a timeless classic design from Honda, and one that reflects the artistry of motorcycle designs from a bygone era. The muscular fuel tank, classic long metal fenders, metal covers for the front fork, split seats, round head lamp, the tail lamp, the long chrome exhaust, the round RVMs … all vindicating the timeless classic design.

Some of the features are variant specific. Mine is the base variant in Pearl Igneous Black.

Ana-digi instrument cluster with buttons to scroll through the menu/info, Honda Smartphone Voice Control system – (HSVCS) providing advanced information on the go, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) (these two features are available in the higher priced variants) , assist & slipper clutch system, emergency stop signal feature that alerts sudden braking to vehicles behind by flashing hazard lamps, telescopic front forks, Nitrox filled rear shocks, single discs-310mm at the front and 240mm at the rear with dual-channel ABS as standard, road gripping tires, traction control– well all these reflects the words of Mr. Tsutsumu:

“will provide the joy of riding to our customers. We are confident that the launch of this retro classic motorcycle will excite new buyers to join the ever-growing CB family”

Thus, for its price, retailing at INR199990.00 for the basic variant, the CB350, the neo-Thumper, is one of the least expensive 350cc cruisers in the segment. Yes. You get “a lot of bike” for your money.

Engine and Performance:

The new CB350 is powered by a 348.36cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder engine. This is a PGM-FI BSVI OBD2-B compliant engine. The power and torque figures are 15.5 kW power at 5,500 RPM and 29.4 Nm of torque at 3,000 RPM. A hidden design feature is the use of low friction technology of Honda. More about this later. The five-speed gearbox has beautifully spaced gears that makes the riding of the bike a pleasure, whether on the long highways or chaotic city traffic. The ratios are spot on.

Weighing around 185 kilograms, the new CB350 is an easy bike to ride. The low CG of the bike coupled with a low seat height contribute to the easy handling. The clutch- an assist & slipper type, the responsive brakes, the good throttle response, the “heel-toe” gear shift lever, the near absence of vibrations, all multiplies the pleasure of riding. The exhaust sound is awesome. (It appears that the engineers who designed this motorcycle love to play the Kodo drums). It feels like a classic thumper. The bike sounds great as the engine noise is down to a minimum.

Electricals

The lights are LEDs, all around and the dual horns sounds good. The head light, while appearing under powered, will light up the roads provided you take the efforts to focus/tilt the light properly. Not much more to write about these.

Pros

Simple, affordable, reliable… most valuable qualities for me. For me, when saying this I am fully aware that “for me” this is a complete motorcycle. In fact, what a motorcycle ought to be. A true classic design replete with all the modern tech coupled with the bullet proof reliability of Honda – what more do I need from a motorcycle!

Cons

None! Yes. None! No surprise! I have owned a few motorcycles, one of them a classic 350cc thumper from a “famous brand” in India, and without any doubt I can say that this motorcycle is perfect. My CB350 proved extremely reliable on my fortnight long 5000kms ride. More about this ride and a 5k km review later in this blog.

Price and Availability:

The Honda CB350 has an attractive price tag of Rs. 1,99,990 for the DLX variant and Rs. 2,18,622.00 for the DLX Pro variant (ex-showroom Kollam/Quilon at the time of writing this). I purchased mine from the Kollam/Quilon showroom. The purchase experience was an immensely pleasant one. (Will write about it later in this blog). It is available at all of the HMSI’s premium BigWing dealerships across the country. HMSI provides special 10-year warranty package (3-year standard + 7 year optional) on the product to offer a peace of mind ownership experience to customers.

For more details go here: CB350 | Honda BigWing | India | Honda

Acknowledgements: The quoted texts are from https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/hond…