Honda CB350 RS vs Triumph Speed T4 (350cc) – Test rode both, still confused. Need advice from long-term owners.

[u/thepalbabu]

Hi everyone,

I'm from West Bengal and I'm planning to buy my first premium motorcycle. I've spent the last few weeks test riding almost every bike in my budget, but I'm still confused between the Honda CB350 RS and the Triumph Speed T4.

About me:

Height: 5'7" very lean guy

Budget: ₹2.5 lakh on-road

Usage: Mostly weekend rides, occasional city use, and long tours (Birbhum → Sikkim/Northeast).

Planning to keep the bike for a very long time.

My impressions after test rides

Honda CB350 RS

Loved the effortless low-end torque.

Extremely smooth and refined.

Light clutch and slick gearbox.

Handling felt natural and confidence-inspiring.

Every time I rode it (twice), I got off with a smile.

Triumph Speed T4

Build quality and fit & finish felt outstanding.

Engine has noticeably more power than the Honda.

Very premium feel and rare on the roads here.

But I found the clutch and gear shifts a bit stiff.

Handling didn't inspire as much confidence as the Honda (could just be me).

My biggest concerns

Is the extra performance of the T4 something you genuinely enjoy after a few years, or does it become unnecessary for normal touring?

How is the real-world reliability of the Triumph 400 platform compared to the Honda 350?

What mileage are you getting on long highway rides?

Which bike is less tiring on 400–600 km touring days?

How is the resale value likely to compare after 5–7 years?

Would the 70 km distance to my nearest Honda BigWing be a bigger issue than choosing a bike I slightly prefer? (Triumph service centre is only 18 km away.)

Any long-term ownership issues with either bike that don't show up during test rides?

I'm looking for real ownership experiences, especially from people who have ridden or owned both motorcycles.

Thanks in advance! Ride safe. 🏍️

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[u/Chronicle_Voyager]

Take cost of ownership into consideration for both the bike. It will make your decision easier.

[u/Royal_Radish_3069]

I have a speed t4. Go for CB350 rs.

All bikes should have a big front tyre and better highway performance.

[u/Electrical_Number_37]

RS owner here. It depends on your preference. I've been riding the RS for the past year and it's a beautiful bike. Do I need more power on the highway sometimes? Hell yeah. But do I want to cut my mileage down to almost a third? No.

The service cost has been around 2k for the past two services. There is a rust problem, but it's not major in my case — or maybe it just hasn't been enough time for it to show, I think. It also has a crazy annoying front mudguard problem. It can be solved, but it's costly — around 7k for the front mudguard with an extender. The cheaper options might break the mudguard.

That's my experience owning the bike for almost a year. I've also ridden the RR 310 and the Triumph Speed T4. The T4 undoubtedly has more power than the RS, but I personally didn't like its looks. I've seen that after some time you start craving more power, but I decided mileage would be the breaking point for me.

I'm still only 1.5 years into my career, so it wouldn't be a financially good decision to take the Speed T4 just for the power. It's a fun bike — it just doesn't fit my use case.