Autocar India
4d

I have owned a RE Electra 350 for the past 20 years and now want to upgrade. Should I choose the Meteor 350 or the Honda H'ness CB350? Or would it be better to switch to an electric scooter, considering I am 46 years old and weigh around 100 kg?

Verified
13m

If you have had a good experience with your Electra (and considering you've kept it for 2 decades, it seems you have), then going for a new-age Royal Enfield bike like the BulletClassic 350 would be the ideal step up. These bikes will retain the core character and thump of your Electra but bring in many engine and chassis improvements, offering you a thoroughly modern biking experience. Reliability, too, has seen a significant jump over older REs, and this will positively impact the overall ownership experience.

In many ways, the Honda CB350 models are uncannily similar to the RE 350s (sometimes to their own detriment) but bring in some signature Honda bike strengths like a lightweight, easy-to-manage demeanour and super reliability as well as low ownership costs. 

As for an electric scooter, it is a completely different proposition. It makes sense only if your usage is limited to short city commutes and you are looking for a low-maintenance, cost-effective solution. At your age and weight, a modern 350cc motorcycle will be far more comfortable than a scooter.

Royal Enfield Bullet 350

Royal Enfield Bullet 350

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6d

Hi Autocar team, I am a mechanical enginer as well as car and bike enthusiast for last 3 decades. I have been following Autocar for many years. I currently drive XUV 500 & Ford Ecosport. In the past, I owned Yamaha FZ150 & FZ 250 as weekend bikes and I liked them. Now, I am planning to upgrade to a 350cc bike for city use in a budget of 2-2.5 lakh. I am 5'6" and 53 years old. I am looking for a powerful, bike with comfortable suspension for fun to drive city biking experience. I have no highway usage and I am not a fan of heavy bikes (less than 180kg is suitable for me). I am seeking value for money bike but dont mind paying a bit of premium for a bike with superior fun to drive biking experience. It should be reliable since I plan to keep it for 7-10 years. I have taken the test drive of RE Hunter 350 and liked it. Triumph does not have a showroom/service centre in my tier 2 city (Bhopal, MP) in central India (feeling bad to skip T4). I am evaluating Honda CB 350 models (tall gear and has less torque) and NS400Z (40PS at value) also. I have heard about Hero Xpulse/ Xtreme250 availability and reliability issues. Are there any other options and what are your recommendation?

Verified
3d

For your location and usage, we'd recommend choosing between the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and Honda CB350 models. The Hunter is more affordable, more compact and quite comfortable. It is also a very popular bike which sells by the bucketload every month and given how many are on the road today, you're likely to have a pleasant ownership experience without teething troubles.Meanwhile, the Honda CB350 models are larger machines in terms of their bodywork and spacious ergonomics but are almost on par with the Hunter when it comes to weight. The H'ness and RS, in particular, also have a more standout design and if you want a bike that's not very common, one of these is a good buy. Finally, the 350cc Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z is a completely different ballgame to these air-cooled 350s and will offer much superior performance and handling but will be a little compromised on the comfort front in comparison. To make an informed decision, take a test ride of all three before you go ahead with your purchase.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350
Honda Bikes CB350
Honda Bikes CB350 H'ness
Honda Bikes CB350RS

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Posted on: 25 Jul 2026