Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) recently launched the H’ness CB 350 in the Indian market, which marks the Japanese automaker’s entry into the 300-350 cc modern-classic segment, which until now, consisted of three bikes including the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Jawa as well as the Benelli Imperiale 400.
The Imperiale 400 was the latest bike to be updated in the segment, since it was recently launched with a BS6-compliant engine. Here is a detailed comparison between the newly launched Honda H’ness CB 350 and the Benelli Imperiale 400 to help you decide which one is a better choice for you, take a read –
In terms of size, the newly launched Honda H’ness CB 350 measures 2163 mm in length, 800 mm in width, 1107 mm in height, has a 1441 mm long wheelbase as well as a 166 mm ground clearance. On the other hand, the Benelli Imperiale 400 has a length of 2170 mm, a width of 820 mm, a height of 1120 mm, a 1440 mm long wheelbase and a ground clearance of 165 mm.
| Motorcycle | Honda H’ness CB 350 | Benelli Imperiale 400 |
| Length | 2163 mm | 2170 mm |
| Width | 800 mm | 820 mm |
| Height | 1107 mm | 1120 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1441 mm | 1440 mm |
| Ground clearance | 166 mm | 165 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 181 kg | 205 kg |
This means that the Benelli Imperiale 400 is 7 mm longer, 20 mm wider and 13 mm taller than the new Honda H’ness CB 350. The former also has a longer wheelbase and more ground clearance, but both differences are negligible. However, the H’ness has a weight advantage, since it weighs 181 kg, while the Imperiale 400 is 24 kg heavier.
The H’ness CB 350 draws power from a 348.36 cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine that generates 21 PS of power at 5,500 rpm, and has a peak torque output of 30 Nm which is delivered at 3,000 rpm, which makes it the torquiest motorcycle in its class. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission, and comes with an assist slipper clutch.
| Motorcycle | Honda H’ness CB 350 | Benelli Imperiale 400 |
| Engine | 348.36 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected | 374 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected |
| Power | 21 PS | 21 PS |
| Torque | 30 Nm | 29 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed | 5-speed |
While the Benelli Imperiale 400 gets a slightly larger 374 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled motor, the numbers are pretty much identical. The engine puts out 21 PS of power and 29 Nm of torque, and comes coupled to a 5-speed gearbox.
The Honda H’ness CB 350 makes use of a split half-duplex frame, while the suspension duties are handled by a telescopic fork up front, along with twin shock absorbers at the back. The Benelli Imperiale 400 on the other hand, gets a double-cradle frame which is suspended on a front telescopic fork and rear twin preload-adjustable gas-charged shock absorbers.
Both the motorcycles come equipped with a dual-disc setup as standard, which is coupled with dual-channel ABS.
The H’ness CB 350 comes equipped with a full LED headlamp, alloy wheels, and a semi-digital instrument cluster with a digital display that shows info like two trip meters, an odometer, a fuel gauge, a clock and a gear position indicator. The range-topping DLX Pro variant adds segment-first Bluetooth connectivity that provides telephony, navigation as well as music controls.
The Benelli Imperiale 400 gets an analogue instrument cluster with a small LCD screen that displays a gear position indicator. The bike gets spoked wheels as a standard fitment.
Honda will be offering the H’ness CB350 in two variants, DLX and DLX Pro, however, the Japanese automaker has only revealed that the bike will be priced from Rs 1.9 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. The variant-wise pricing is yet to be revealed.
On the other hand, Benelli retails the Imperiale 400 at a starting price of Rs 1,99,000 for the Silver colour, while the Red and Black paint schemes will set you back by Rs 2,10,900 (both prices, ex-showroom Delhi). This makes the Imperiale 400 the most expensive price in the segment.
While the Benelli Imperiale 400 comes with a higher-capacity engine as compared to the new Honda H’ness CB 350, the latter delivers more torque, and certainly has a weight advantage over the former. That being said, the H’ness poses a real threat to the 374 cc Benelli, which is already outperformed by its other rivals.
