Bought new in the Autumn of 1973, the Honda CB350 twin cost exactly £1 per cc!

Having learnt to ride on the little Honda CD175 this bike felt really large and powerful. By modern standards of course its specifications look positively pedestrian for a 350cc machine. It was however in its era deemed to be fairly sporty and could certainly produce enough "go" to have a lot of fun with. Like most Honda twins of those years it was a 180° 4-stroke with single overhead cam, a configuration that formed the mainstay of the Honda range for many years. There was also a 250cc version which looked exactly the same. Motorcycling folklore has it that this was one of a few bikes where a rider could buy a 350cc machine and put matching 250 panels on it to learn and pass the test. Not legal of course but I'm told it was done.

It's worth noting that this was one of the first of the middle/lightweights to have electric start and among the last to appear with all drum brakes. The same is true of the upside-down forks, relegated in following years to mopeds and small commuter types.

Like most Hondas of the period, it was very well built, beautifully finished and had a nice solid feel about it. In contrast to today's trends, it was almost totally devoid of plastic parts! It was a most enjoyable motorcycle to ride and is now, I'd imagine a true collector's item. Both the 250s and 350s were replaced in the following year by the later 250G5/360 models which I'm told had completely revised engines... new top ends, different camchain tensioners, revised gearboxes with 6 speeds instead of 5. They were also given a radical cosmetic makeover including a disc brake and new colour schemes, thus marking the end of the classic traditional look for Honda.

Summary: A great classic middleweight with a real feel of quality.

Did you own one of these? Do please email me.

Sadly only one photograph of this bike has survived.
view the enlarged picture