friendly. Its low 800mm seat height, neutral riding position, and( fairly) manageable 181kg kerb weight makes it fairly breezy to handle in traffic, and it’ ll U-turn a single laned road with some finagling. The initial intimidation from the weight slips off once you get going, and the excellent balance eliminates it entirely. The only hitch I found with the ergonomics is the quirky heel and toe shifting model. The toe portion of the gear lever is too close to the peg to allow for traditional shifting, so it is just something you’ ll have to get used to if running stock. Suspension is fairly basic: telescopic forks up front and twin rear shocks, both non-adjustable apart from rear preload. They’ re softly sprung, prioritising comfort over sharpness. It soaks up potholes and rough roads without drama, but don’ t expect sporty handling. Brakes come courtesy of a single 310mm front disc
and 240mm rear, with Nissin calipers and dual-channel ABS. Stopping power is fine, not thrilling, but consistent and predictable. The retro styling is clean and well executed. The GB350 looks like it could’ ve rolled off a 1970s showroom floor, but with a LED headlight, current-day materials, and fuel injection, it’ s very much a modern machine under the surface. The instrumentation is simple: analogue speedo with an inset LCD screen. An impressive plethora of information can be displayed: fuel mileage, gear indicator, trip( s), distance to empty and the forever useful time are all there. All up, the GB350 is perfect for someone who wants a classic-style bike with Honda reliability and ease of ownership. It’ s not built for performance, but for the price, comfort, and character; if you like the look, it is hard to fault. RYAN SUTHERLAND
44 KIWI RIDER