Those Honda 350s Again

[roadster]

Having followed various threads covering the merits of the Honda 350s I decided to take a look for myself and today visited Farnham Honda. In the past I have been critical of this dealership but today I received exemplary treatment from an extremely helpful salesman and found a showroom packed with new machines.

So I tried both the Forza and the ADV for size and I reckon either would be fairly manageable for my aging bones. I have a slight preference for the ADV given its better pothole resistance and rough road capabilities. Like others on the forum, my sights are set on swapping my "proper" bike ( CB300R ) for one of these and effectively using it both as local shopper and longer distance tripper too. Hopefully later in the summer this will happen.

Many thanks to all those who provided first hand experience and recommendations here.

[velocipede6295]

I've now done 800 miles on my new ADV 350, and I'm liking it a lot. Good power, suspension, and knee clearance for me with the high handlebars. The Forza 350 seems great for many riders, but I couldn't be doing with the communications "thingy" on the 350 Forza's handlebar controls, which protrudes downwards a couple of inches, lessening the knee to handlebar clearance, and would foul on my left knee.

[poo]

Am in a similar situation to you in that I'm shopping the same scoots. The praise heaped upon them, ADV specifically, is hard to ignore

Can I ask: why did you get shot of your AK550? It's one of the machines I'm looking at, so I'm curious. Am presuming you have not been sufficiently seduced by its overtaking power to go for a larger capacity machine.

Also I promise nicely not to make this an AK550 thread

[Greyerbeard]

Planning a 200 mile or so ride tomorrow on the ADV, which has replaced a Triumph Scrambler 900 and a Forza 350 with similar thinking to yours re. shopping and longer journeys.
Should be up around 400 miles after that and loosening up nicely; I'll let you know!

[Data]

All the folks I know with ADV350's seem to love them roadster. I'm sure one will serve you just fine.

[roadster]

Am in a similar situation to you in that I'm shopping the same scoots. The praise heaped upon them, ADV specifically, is hard to ignore

Can I ask: why did you get shot of your AK550? It's one of the machines I'm looking at, so I'm curious. Am presuming you have not been sufficiently seduced by its overtaking power to go for a larger capacity machine.

Also I promise nicely not to make this an AK550 thread

The AK550 was an amazingly good machine on the road. Definitely a motorcycle with all the other practical benefits of a scooter too. I swapped it for a Triumph because it suited my circumstances at the time. You will find I have written up more details about it in earlier threads, nothing is perfect!

[poo]

Thanks roadster. I think in signing off there you inadvertently summed up my entire predicament. Am indeed looking for a scoot that does everything perfectly, and which I can keep until I'm dead and they prize the levers from my cold dead hands. I will soon have to acknowledge such a thing doesn't exist and instead look forward to sampling lots of dreadfully imperfect but fun machinery

[riders in the storm]

I've been out on my ADV350 a few times now having finally mastered the smart key set up, I even have managed to adjust the clock ahead of tonight's hour change...!

Whilst I have loved my previous Kawasaki J300 & Burger400, this is my favourite of the three, the riding position is the most comfortable for me at 6'2" and the engine seems the quietest and smoothest......