Incoming! ADV350

[MrGrumpy]

Decided it was time to replace my wrecked Tmax - I trundled down to Blackpool this morning and test rode a 2024 Honda ADV350 with just 600 miles on the clock (in blue) - £5k, so basically a grand off the new price.

Seriously impressed! Felt pretty much at home with it quite quickly, though obviously the riding position is more upright and less feet forward than the Tmax. The main thing I wanted to get a feel for was the suspension, as I've found in the past that the mid-sized maxis I've owned have really struggled on the back roads, compared to the Tmax. I was very impressed with the ADV - found a really bumpy minor road and it just glided over the bumps like a limo! I think it handled that particular road better than the Tmax would! Certainly the suspension is quite firm, but from this brief ride, I wouldn't describe it as harsh as some people do.Seemed to go pretty well, not that I tried many fast roads, and the underseat space is cavernous (Schuberth C5 helmet fitted in easily at the front, leaving a big space for bags etc), though slightly narrower than on the Tmax.

There were asking £5k, so basically a grand off the new price. Anyway - I bought it! Being delivered next week. Hopefully it will be exactly the right thing for narrow, winding, steep and terribly rough Cumbrian minor roads!

[mottza]

Nice one. They are good bikes.

[bugsy]

Good to hear your recovery continues apace and you not only approved of the ADV on the test ride but you bought it.

Yes, I miss the T Maxs but as my age increased and my weight decreased! I found the ADV such a reasonable and lighter replacement. The new T max price is worryingly expensive as are the servicing costs.
Ride safe.

[Stubod]

Thinking of changing my Tricity (300), now I have got a couple of years under my belt since returning to "bikes". Been looking at the Honda Forza, ADV, and Yamaha X max 300??.....can't really decide which way to go......hoping to get some test rides in soon....
Enjoy your ADV....do let us know how you get on!!

[roadster]

Good luck with the ADV. I certainly would like to get one later in the year. I just hope that their increasing popularity doesn't mean they will all be sold out by September.

[MrGrumpy]

Maybe they are going out of fashion - the dealer in Blackpool I went to had 4 pre-owned ones! It was definitely quite hard to get a new one in the early days, though it seems not as difficult now. I guess Honda were surprised by its popularity in the early days.

[velocipede6295]

If I'm not mistaken, that's the one I test rode in Oct last year. It had 500 miles on the clock then ( Matt blue colour, 2024 model), and was the demo bike.
It did look good in blue, and I liked it. I had a 60 mile test ride, and wanted to buy it, but unfortunately it was not for sale at that time. I ordered a new 2025 model in red, as the blue was no longer available ( 3 months wait). I have now covered 2000 miles on it, and I am still very pleased with it.

Congratulations on your purchase, I think you will be well pleased!

regards, Malc.

[MrGrumpy]

I don't think it was the demo bike - from what you say and something the Sales Manager said, its clear that there was a 24 blue demo scoot, but apparently this isn't it! The one I've bought (its a 74 rather than a 24 reg) apparently belonged to a Mr Walker who is seemingly a serial bike swapper, which sounds like a fun but expensive hobby! After all, he wouldn't have run it in by the time he traded it in! Still, at least the 1st service has been done.

I'd prefer the red myself, though it does look good in blue - though I have a old Givi topbox which I'm going to use which is a dark silver colour, which might or might not look OK on it! The dealer had two black examples and a light grey one. The grey one looked OK, but I can't face buying anything grey, and I want to avoid Black - its struck me that all three of the scoots that I've owned that got written off in accidents were black! Only the mk4 Tmax and Burger 650 survived the black curse!

I'm looking forward to it arriving next week - I was very impressed with it on my test ride, though probably should have ridden further - Not knowing Blackpool in the slightest I was already mostly lost when I spotted the dealership and thought I'd better pull back in there!

[velocipede6295]

Yes, it's difficult on a test ride when you are unfamiliar with the area - you are on unfamiliar roads, and riding an unfamiliar bike, which you don't want to damage, and it sometimes isn't too enjoyable. I live about 40 miles from that dealership and quite often go to Glasson Dock about 30 miles from there ( but via a different route) on my bikes. I have bought 2 bikes from there now, and they let me take long test rides on both, so I went to Glasson Dock ( biker's meeting place and scenic area) and back. Riding on familiar roads make it easier to assess a bike (or not!) I only kept the previous one, a Honda NC 700S DCT for a week, before I put it up for sale. It seemed OK on the test ride! However I managed to sell it privately, and get my money back.

I don't think you will have any such problems with the ADV 350, and it will be ideal for the scenic Cumbrian roads

[MrGrumpy]

Some times a test ride can mislead you - often all you learn is that its different to what you ride/drive now! I had test ride of the original Ford Focus when it was a brand new model - all the journalists said it was wonderful and it seemed OK so I bought one, but within half an hour of ownership I utterly hated it!