Honda ADV 350 in the driving report Best from the construction kit
After the great success of the X-ADV 750, Honda is now adding a smaller brother to its crossover scooter. For him, the 50 percent rule applies: half the cubic capacity, half the performance, half the price. And yet the Honda ADV 350 is no half-measure. Quite the opposite.
Why is Honda now building the ADV 350? After all, Honda is the market leader in scooters in Italy, already building two other 350cc scooters at its Atessa plant there, the SH and the luxurious Forza 350. He also donated the tubular steel frame with the "optimized spar thickness". In addition, the new ADV inherited the 330 cc single-cylinder engine from the two brothers. The proven engine is completely manufactured by Honda in Thailand and then shipped to Italy. The concept and design were created in Rome, Honda’s European design center. This is where the successful CRF 1000 L Africa Twin and X-ADV 750 models were conceived and designed.
Honda ADV 350 with 795 mm seat height
In 2017, the X-ADV crossed the genes of touring enduro and large scooter, equipped with the 750cc twin from the NC models, complete with dual-clutch transmission and chunky tires. This crossover bike has so far found around 44 customers in Europe alone.000 buyers. 10.000 units in 2021 alone made the X-ADV Honda’s best-selling motorcycle in Europe last year. Wait a minute? Motorcycle? Yes, Honda means it seriously, classifies the X-ADV 750 with the Adventure bikes, not with the scooters. Now this 750er exception vehicle was the godfather for the latest scooter, the Honda ADV 350. Without X.
For him now applies: half the displacement, half the power, half the price. But just as sleek. You have to look closely at the presentation in Sicily to tell the two siblings apart. The jaggedly designed front of the Honda ADV 350 with its bright, symmetrical LED headlights has a striking effect. Climbing onto the midsize scooter works best motorcycle style, with the leg over the seat. Because the "free" Climbing through is a bit difficult due to the cover of the fuel filler neck. Oops, you should measure at least 1.65 meters to get both soles of your feet on the ground at the same time in view of the 795 millimeter seat height.
ADV 350 sounds well damped
Finally, the suspension travel of the Honda ADV 350 compared to the organ donor Forza 350 grew to already motorcycle-appropriate formats: 125 millimeters at the fork, even 130 at the stereo struts. The wide aluminum handlebars, which taper towards the ends, are great to hold. Feels like a real Enduro. The standard hand protectors also contribute to the optical illusion. Then you’re ready to go. Pull a brake, front right, rear left on the handlebars – it’s a scooter after all. And push the button. Well damped, it chugs along from the sleekly angled exhaust on the right. Sound insulation taken seriously.
You can also feel the short-stroke single pulsating gently. However, only at idle. When in motion, the balancer shaft filters out annoying vibrations. The single engine sets the 186-kilogram vehicle in motion with plenty of torque. 31.5 Newton meters are also a good yield for 330 cm3. The variomatic gently converts the twist of the throttle into propulsion. In the city and its immediate surroundings, it’s a fast ride. Beyond the speedometer display of 100, 120 at the latest, it gets tougher. Downhill at a run-up on an autopista, the speedometer of the Honda ADV 350 sometimes shows values beyond 150 km/h. Honda specifies 133 kilometers per hour as the top speed. On the flat, of course.
Chassis sets the highlight
The chassis is a real highlight. From the first meter, the Honda ADV 350 is nice and solid on the road. The suspension elements from Honda subsidiary Showa are almost worthy of a tourer. The front in particular inspires a lot of confidence. The secret? Instead of the thin telescopic fork of the Forza 350, the Honda ADV 350 has a thicker upside-down fork. A second triple clamp gives it additional stability. Motorcycle technology. And so the upside-down fork guides, springs and damps exceptionally well for a scooter. The shock absorbers with thick reservoirs and progressively wound springs can also take quite a beating. However, they can not quite hide the fact that the swingarm with the variomatic provides for large unsprung masses at the rear. Where the front glides imperceptibly over it, it sometimes hits you in the back from behind. À propos: The rider’s back can rest on the pronounced step to the comfortable pillion seat. However, you should not be longer than about 1.90 meters, so that the distance to the enduresque handlebars is suitable.
This scooter makes motorcyclists happy
The adventure scooter is really cheeky when cornering. It makes even seasoned motorcyclists really happy. Battery, radiator, tank and the strongly inclined single cylinder are low in favor of low center of gravity. 145 millimeters of ground clearance and moderately chunky tires are even ready for excursions on rougher dirt roads. In the Kurvengeschlangel please the high accuracy and the quite light-footed handling. The Honda ADV 350 midsize scooter pulls smoothly and precisely along its course. However, its Metzeler Karoo Street tires from Indonesian production (globalization) take quite a long time to build up temperature and thus grip after a cold start.
If the grip isn’t enough – Sicilian mountain roads can be pretty slippery – there’s still the two-stage adjustable traction control on board. Offroad it can also be switched off. The friction-minimized and flow-optimized four-valve single-cylinder is said to burn 3.4 liters per 100 kilometers according to the standard. Could get there. During the test rides – driven briskly, with lots of turning for the photos – four liters of average consumption are emblazoned in the cockpit. It also shows speed (gladly times up to 8.000 revolutions), time, ambient temperature, driving time, service interval and range. According to standard consumption, the 11.7-liter tank would be good for 344 kilometers of action radius.
Is easy to maneuver and push
They can be torn off comfortably with the Honda ADV 350. In four stages, the disc can be manually adjusted in height by 133 millimeters, completely without tools. It shields the fuselage well, at best the wind noise is a bit high. The knees get a lot of wind. Is a consequence of the strikingly cut front fairing. Good visibility from the front is ensured by the high-mounted LED turn signals, which are switched to continuous light as is typical of Honda. They visually enlarge the front silhouette. In case of emergency braking – the brakes decelerate decently but unobtrusively – flashing signals in the front and rear warn other road users.
Even when parking in the city, the chic Honda ADV 350 cuts a fine figure, is easy to push and maneuver. Big brother X-ADV 750 with 58 hp weighs a full 50 kilograms more! The 350 easily falls onto the main stand. Except for the cheaply stamped side stand, the equipment and workmanship appear to be of high quality. Two full-face helmets or the entire weekend shopping can be stowed under the seat. In the front waits a USB charging port. The cockpit can be paired with Android smartphones via Bluetooth. This allows announcing the direction of travel when navigating or accepting phone calls while driving.
The smart key function even lets the turn signals light up from a distance, should you not find your Honda ADV 350 on the scooter parking lot right away. We are in Italy after all. If all this is not enough, a luggage rack, a 50-liter top case and heated grips can be ordered as options. Is at the complete price of 6.499 Euros maybe still financially in it. By way of comparison: the X-ADV 750 costs 12.499 euros almost double. And even the Honda Forza 350 with its electrically adjustable windshield is 200 Euro more expensive than the new ADV 350. This is now really an enrichment of the market. Well done, Honda!
Conclusion
More resource-efficient than any second car, with a better chassis than any other scooter in its class: the affordable Honda ADV 350 really puts even seasoned motorcyclists in a good mood.