Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India have notified owners of CB350 and CB350RS of an ECU update to enhance performance
Honda CB350 was launched in India back in Oct 2020. This was followed by the launch of CB350RS earlier this year. Together, these two motorcycles are aimed to rival Royal Enfield, who has more than 90% market share in the segment.
In terms of sales, the CB350 range had a good start. Initially selling about 5k motorcycles per month. But that has now come down to about 3k. This could be due to the global supply shortage. Sales of Royal Enfield motorcycles have also come down drastically due to the same reason.
Honda CB350 ECU Update
Many owners of Honda CB350 and the CB350RS motorcycles who were regularly travelling to high altitude region, complained loss of power in their motorcycles. The performance of the Honda CB350 range reduced in high altitude regions.
To solve this, Honda has now rolled out an ECU update for all their CB350 range customers. This will be carried out at authorized dealerships across India – at no charge. Yes, the ECU update will be done free of charge. Honda claims that this new CB350 ECU update will enhance the performance of the motorcycle in high altitude region.
What powers the Honda CB350
The new Honda CB350 is offered in two variants – DLX and DLX Pro. Both are powered by the same 348cc, single cylinder, air cooled engine. This engine delivers 21 hp power at 5,500 rpm and 30 Nm torque at 3,000 rpm mated to a 5 speed unit with slip and assist clutch.
Suspension is via telescopic front forks and twin hydraulic shocks at the rear and braking duties are handled by 310 mm front and 240 mm rear disc brakes with dual channel ABS. Honda CB350 is the company’s third BS6 compliant model to be sold via the BigWing dealerships in the country. It is also their most affordable offering under the BigWing brand and is priced from about Rs 1.9 lakh, ex-sh.
Segment First Features
Honda has introduced 5 segment first features so as to allow the Honda CB350 to stand apart in competition. Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) – allows the rider to mitigate rear wheel slip in the event of abrupt throttle grip. It can be switched on and off via a button on the left side of the meter.
Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCS) – this allows the rider to connect his smartphone with the bike via Bluetooth for access to navigation, music, phone calls and incoming messages along with weather and traffic updates. The information is relayed to the rider via the speaker in the helmet headset.
Assist and Slipper Clutch is another segment first feature offering smoother gear shift with reduced clutch lever operation load giving the rider better comfort and less fatigue from frequent shifting. The Advanced Digital-Analogue Speedometer presents information and integrates details such as HSTC, ABS, side stand, ECO indicator, HSVCS, gear position and battery voltage. Another segment first feature is the full LED lamps at the front and rear.
