Honda ADV350 (2025) - Review | A great all-rounder

Technical review: Ben Purvis | Riding update: John Milbank

If you've ridden a scooter round any big city recently, you'll understand the challenge of a threading a small bike on small wheels and budget suspension through the potholes and speed bumps without the rider needing extensive physio on arrival. Honda recognised this in 2017 and gave us the world's first adventure scooter, the X-ADV750 which had bigger wheels, fatter tyres, longer-travel suspension and an aggressive, off-road attitude. The 350 version followed in 2022 and has been selling in increasing numbers ever since.

In 2024 the ADV350 was one of Honda’s strongest-selling bikes over 125cc, substantially outselling the Forza 350 it’s derived from and even beating the excellent-value CB750 Hornet’s sales.

John’s riding impressions: As a 2019 BMW R1250GS and 1999 Kawasaki ZX-6R owner, I’ve been riding the Honda ADV350 for 417 miles in all weathers on all roads to find out if it’s worth buying…

Pros & Cons

2025 Honda ADV350 - Price & PCP

At first glance the ADV350’s £5899 price tag might seem like a lot of dough for a 330cc single-cylinder scooter but it’s a machine that operates at the luxury end of that market and actually substantially undercuts some rivals in the same arena.

Despite its upgrades, the 2025 model carries the same RRP as the last of the 2024 version, still listed on Honda’s UK website alongside it. Surprisingly, at the time of writing the 2022 model also remains available, carrying a price tag that’s £50 cheaper at £5849.

The 2025 version is offered in four colours, three of them being rather subdued – grey, pearl black, or matte black – while one is a vibrant ‘Hyper Red’ that better brings out the shapes in the angular bodywork.

When it comes to finance, Honda is currently offering PCP at 9.9% APR representative, with an illustrative cost (on the 2024 model, but the 2025 is unlikely to differ) of £89 per month with a deposit of £982.81 on a 37-month deal, with a £2848.67 final payment.

2025 Honda ADV350 - Engine & Performance

Search the spec sheets and you’ll struggle to spot a change between the original version of the ADV350 and the 2025 variant: the essence remains unchanged, with a 330cc SOHC single borrowed from the Forza 350, putting out 28.8hp at 7500rpm and 23.2 lb-ft at 5250rpm.

Those numbers might not impress your mates on bigger bikes, but the ADV accelerates well away from the lights, has enough power to overtake in town and on open A-roads. It will also cruise at 70mph on the motorway and still feel relaxed. Top speed is supposedly somewhere around 90mph if you live in Germany, are really late home from work and commute on an autobahn

Like everything else on the market in 2025 the ADV350 needs to meet the latest Euro5+ emissions rules, including requirements for longevity of the catalytic converters and monitoring to make sure they’re working properly. To meet those needs, Honda has changed the internals of the silencer and revised the catalytic converter itself, adding an extra oxygen sensor in the exhaust to keep track of its performance and remapping the ECU to suit the new system.

That exhaust is one of the few visual clues to the new model, too, with a reshaped external design to the silencer – although without the previous version next to it as comparison, it’s a subtle change that’s easy to miss.

As before, the engine uses a relatively square bore/stroke ratio – 77mm x 70.8mm – and moderate 10.5:1 compression ratio. After all, it’s a scooter, not a superbike. But there are competition-inspired elements including oil jet cooling for the piston, while a balancer shaft helps smooth out the throb of its single cylinder.

As you’d expect, the transmission is a conventional belt-driven CVT rather than the exotic dual-clutch automated manual of the larger X-ADV, with a centrifugal clutch. There’s simple, switchable traction control based on a comparison of front and rear wheel speed, but no clever lean-sensitive rider assistance gizmos.

John’s riding impressions: On the road the ADV350 is more than quick enough for most rides. It’ll struggle to keep up with faster motorcycles ridden hard, but realistically if you stitch the corners together smoothly you’ll be surprised how capable it is.

Away from the lights, the little Honda will leave pretty much any car behind, and in urban environments the twist-and-go throttle keeps you well ahead of the traffic.

90mph is pushing it – you’d need a long run-up for that – and would probably have to be sleeker than my 5’10”, 95kg frame.

70mph is no problem, and it’ll get into the 80s easily, meaning motorway commutes aren’t an issue at all. Maybe it's my weight and size, but 90mph isn't possible. When the commute inevitably grinds to a halt, you can breeze through between the cagers no bother at all.

I spend most of my time enjoying twisty A- and B- roads, and here the engine is fine. I sat behind a car that was doing 60mph for a minute or so before twisting and going… it took just four seconds to complete the overtake. Probably less than I’d have managed in my car. Driving out of bends won’t have you worrying the rear tyre, but it’s not a sluggish experience.

It’s those same A- and B- roads though that can highlight the problem with the small wheels…

2025 Honda ADV350 - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

The frame, made of tubular steel, is carried over from the previous model, along with the 37mm upside-down forks – now finished in black rather than bronze.

But the 2025 bike’s chassis is improved with the addition of new shocks at the back. It remains the same twin-shock setup as before, but those remote-reservoir units are now preload-adjustable. The new shocks get a gold finish on their reservoirs to help emphasise the update.

As before, there’s 130mm of rear travel and 125mm at the front, and the key dimensions are unaltered – the wheelbase is still 1520mm and the weight remains 186kg ready to ride.

The cross-spoke alloy wheels, unique to the ADV350, are the same as on the previous model, too, and measure 15 inches at the front and 14 at the rear, with 120/70 and 140/70 rubber respectively. Nissin provides the brakes, with a simple 2-pot caliper at each end gripping a 256mm front disc and a 240mm rear one. There’s ABS, as the law requires, but not cornering ABS.

John’s riding impressions: The Honda ADV350’s suspension feels like it’s doing a good job, but it’s got its work cut out with those small wheels, which highlight every pot-hole and bump.

The bike’s well controlled, with plenty of confidence in tighter bends, as well as feeling stable at speed, but it just gets a bit tiring after time on some surfaces.

I’m more than happy to do long trips on it, and genuinely enjoyed throwing it around twisty back roads, but I’d be reluctant to spend several days on it for a tour. Having said that, I can think of worse places to be, and some people love them for this (see below).

The 186kg wet weight makes it easy to move around, and the low centre of gravity gives huge confidence at low speeds. It also makes it far easier to turn around on a tight woodland green lane than my big GS. I can certainly see a future when I switch to this or something similar.

Despite the ADV name, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to find that the Honda doesn’t have long-travel suspension designed for off-road use. Realistically, this is no more capable off-road than pretty much anything else, but I did take it on a long hard-packed track and a more rutted, muddy green lane with no problems. Pot-holes are certainly more crashy than on something with big wheels so it’s best to avoid them, and deeper ruts will stop the bike in its tracks, but the beauty of something relatively light and easy to manoeuvre is that you can pick your route, waddle along with your feet down, or turn around and abort entirely if you need to.

But that’s obviously not what this bike is designed for, and an adventure is whatever you make it (it doesn’t have to include the Trans Euro Trail). The huge storage under the seat certainly means I can carry all I need for a great weekend away…

2025 Honda ADV350- Comfort & Economy

With no changes to the dimensions, anyone who’s ridden the previous ADV350 isn’t likely to notice a big difference on the new one – although the upgraded rear shocks will make speed bumps and potholes easier to deal with.

As on the earlier version there’s a four-position, manually-adjustable screen, giving 133mm of travel, and despite the ‘adventure’ style and relatively long-travel suspension, the seat remains at a reasonable 795mm high (although the footboards are wide meaning shorter riders might still struggle to get their feet down - try it before you buy).

The changes to the exhaust and engine mapping to suit the new Euro5+ rules have had a slight hit on the bike’s economy, but with a claimed figure of 80.8mpg, down from 83mpg, you’re not going to be spending much on fuel. The 11.7-litre tank should make for a theoretical range of 208 miles on the new bike (the old one would achieve 213 miles based on its claimed economy).

John’s riding impressions: The big seat is a very comfortable place to be, and when I took Helen out on the back she certainly agreed, though she’d prefer to have a top-box fitted to lean against (there are Honda, Shad and Givi options available).

I’m 5’10” and while I wouldn’t say that the ADV350 is cramped, I did find myself stretching out my legs every so often. It’s a different position to a motorcycle of course, and certainly not an unpleasant one, but it might take a little getting used to.

I tend to be quite heavy handed with the throttle, so I’m not a great guide of a bike’s economy, but I was initially impressed with the Honda, getting anywhere between 60 and 65mpg, depending how and where I rode it.

But over the course of riding it 417 miles, I got an average of 57mpg. I did a fair chunk of motorway riding with the throttle at wide openings for a long time, and this definitely dragged the figure down. Alan Johnson reports much better economy in his opinion below…

Servicing is fairly easy for a DIY mechanic, but in the Honda dealer it’ll be the 16,000 mile intervals that bite, the drive belt and roller changes pushing it up to nearly £800. If you’re capable, the parts aren’t expensive so it’d be worth doing yourself.

2025 Honda ADV350 - Equipment

Here’s where there are some more substantial improvements for the new ADV350. The most immediately noticeable difference is the addition of a five-inch TFT colour screen, controlled by a new, backlit four-way toggle switch on the left bar. Allied to the sort of phone connectivity that’s par for the course today, that means you have access to turn-by-turn navigation on the dash, as well as music and call information and control if you use it in conjunction with a Bluetooth helmet. You do need to use Honda’s RoadSync app to make it all work, though.

Other updates include the addition of self-cancelling indicators, plus a light for the 48-litre under-seat storage compartment, and for 2025 the ADV350 comes pre-wired for the optional accessory fog lights, as well as gaining attachment stays for the protective side pipes that they mount on, all part of the £395 ‘adventure pack’ in the options list. There’s also a £475 ‘comfort pack’ with a taller screen, leg deflectors and heated grips, a £400 ‘style pack’ headlined by a comfort seat, and a £730 ‘urban pack’ including a 50-litre top box.

John’s riding impressions: The storage under the Honda ADV350’s seat is awesome – two full-face helmets, two pairs of gloves and a handbag (Helen’s, not mine), all locked securely away. It’s even illuminated, and there’s a removable divider in there. Just keep in mind that it gets warm inside, so don’t ride too far with ice-cream!

There’s also a deep cubby-hole in the front left of the fairing, which swallows my Google Pixel 7 Pro easily – or a pipe wrench and pliers – with room to spare. I’d just note that the latching tab at the top seems a little vulnerable, so be careful not to clumsily snap this off. The plastic seems tough and isn’t brittle though. There’s a USB-C charging port inside, but you can’t run the cable out if you want to power your phone mounted on the bars or mirror.

Of course, Honda doesn’t think you’ll want to because you’ll use the integrated Honda RoadSync software, which pairs automatically once set-up with an app on your phone.

Using Google maps, the app also allows you to access calls, and control music. Sounds good, but I think it’s awful…

• The mapping is handy, and got me out of trouble on one trip, but it’s turn-by-turn only, and can be very laggy, resulting in too many missed turns in urban environments.

• The music control via my Android phone is limited to Amazon Music, Spotify or YouTube music – not your own apps like DoubleTwist or Plex for instance (I'm told that Apple Music works too).

• Once paired, every time you start the bike the RideSync panel appears, covering the additional info like trips, economy and settings. You have to long-press to close RoadSync before you can access them. Every time.

• And when you do leave RoadSync, if you have your intercom connected it’ll tell you how to go back in and enjoy the benefits of RoadSync. Every. Single. Time.

Honda’s RoadSync software could be improved with a firmware update, and I hope it is as there’s potential there. As it is, I endured it for a couple of weeks, then unpaired my phone and went back to having it mounted on the bars.

Another firmware fix that’s needed – and more urgently I’d suggest – is allowing the user to turn off the self-cancelling indicators. This is an option in the CB750 Hornet’s dash, so I see no reason for it not to be here because I find they turn off way too early, often in the middle of a roundabout.

It’s not all bad on the tech front though. You can reduce or turn off traction control (though there seems little point and it comes back on to full at every start), but what I really like is the keyless ignition. A large dial below the bars powers up the bike, unlocks the seat and filler release buttons, and locks the steering, all without ever having to fish in your pocket. Brilliant.

Oh, and while the filler cap can be a bit fiddly to get at and unscrew, especially with cold hands, the recess it sits in makes an ideal drink cup holder for a late-night KFC run.

The centre stand is helpful for cleaning, but less valuable than it would be on something that needs its chain lubing.

The headlights are pretty good – especially for LED – though not quite as good as the Hornet I reviewed before – they just seem a little more patchy on this. I’d probably put a pair of extra lights on the front… it is an adventure bike, after all!

Finally, if you want to fit a tracker and / or an alarm, there’s loads of space for them to be hidden under the panels.

2025 Honda ADV350 - Rivals

When Honda unveiled its ‘ADV’ concept scooter back in 2015 it was greeted with a combination of amusement and bemusement – an adventure scooter? Why? – but that became the X-ADV and a sales success that led to smaller spin-offs including the ADV350 and a spate of rivals. Realistically, though the real competition comes from conventional scooters like Yamaha’s XMAX 300 and Honda’s own, closely related Forza 350 as well as those adventure oddballs.

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2025 Honda ADV350 - Verdict

Stylish, rugged, punchy and more aggressive aren’t normally how you’d describe a twist-and-go scooter, but as the roads we ride continue to deteriorate and urban commuting becomes more of an assault course, the idea of an adventure scooter makes more and more sense. Honda's ADV350 will get you from one side of town to the other as quickly and comfortably as pretty much anything. It's surprisingly good out of town too and can even hold its own on the motorway (while returning 80+mpg). The improvements for 2025 are all welcome and useful.

John’s riding impressions: Besides the frustrating RoadSync app and the (hopefully soon to be fixed) self-cancelling indicators, I’ve really enjoyed running around on the Honda ADV350.

Whether it was popping to the shops, doing the regular 50 mile trip to see my parents or just enjoying some evening and weekend rides, the built-in boot and keyless ignition meant it always felt like it was ready to go with a minimum of hassle.

Would I buy one? I considered it as it’s so versatile and convenient that it’s pretty good value really. Servicing doesn’t look hard if I wanted to do it myself when it’s out of warranty (the oil filter’s particularly easy to get at), and while the insurance is a bit higher than some bikes, it’s not bad. And there’s no excuse not to carry a lock with a boot this big.

Ultimately though, with my GS and ZX-6R I have all the bikes I need / can afford / have space for. I’ve always liked big scooters though, and this one was a particular joy. Maybe…

Owner’s opinion: Alan Johnson

We brought our Honda ADV350 in January 2023 and it’s been a fantastic machine.

My last bikes were a 2006 Aprilia RSV factory and then a 2021 KTM 790 duke 2021. Both were great but I found myself riding faster than I should to get the best from them, and neither were that comfortable for my wife and daughter who go pillion.

We previously had a Honda SH125 that we did a France trip on two-up, and we had such a brilliant time at a much slower pace that we decided that a midsize scooter could be perfect.

The 125 did struggle a bit on any incline so a 300/350 sounded like a much better proposition. After a sit on and look at a Yamaha XMAX 300, we thought that would be perfect but we were completely ignored in the dealership so we went to look at the ADV350 and pretty much fell in love with it.

Storage space is great and perfect for a weekend away to the coast or a country hotel. We’ve added a 45 litre top-box that gives my wife a little more confidence having something behind her, and a boost in storage space. 

On my own I can manage 85mpg, and two-up around 78mpg. Range is around 200 miles.  We’ve added the Honda wind deflectors – which help to push the wind around your knees – and modified the OE screen to be a little higher, which stops the buffeting around my head.

The handlebars really give a sense of being on a ‘proper’ adventure bike and the suspension is pretty good for a scooter. We’ve also added a CarPlay screen from AliExpress, which is perfect for nav and music.  

I can’t actually think of anything bad about it. It’s well finished and the fit of the plastics is really good. The centre stand rusts, but I painted mine in bed liner so it still looks perfect, and I use a couple of Bennetts BikeSocial recommended corrosion products on a few areas (Techcote TC200 and ACF50). 

Whether I nip into town, commute 16 miles to work or tour on it, the ADV350 handles it all perfectly; we just don’t need anything faster.  We’re even heading to Europe at the end of April for a theme park tour; Euro tunnel to Calais then onto Efteling in Holland, then Walibi, then to Plopsaland de Panne in Belgium before heading home… 1,200miles over 7 days.

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2025 Honda ADV350 - Technical Specification

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As we all know, the more security you use, the less chance there is of your bike being stolen. In fact, based on research by Bennetts, using a disc lock makes your machine three times less likely to be stolen, while heavy duty kit can make it less likely to be stolen than a car. For reviews of the best security products, click here.

MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:

• A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard

• An ignition immobiliser system

• A vehicle marking system

• An alarm system

• A vehicle tracking system with subscription

The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.