Honda CB 350RS: Cafe Hopping On A Cafe Racer

There’s a motorcycle for every occasion. You want to race? Get a superbike. Prefer zipping through city streets? Pick a roadster. Love exploring the unknown? An ADV is your perfect partner. Want to munch miles all day long? Hop on a cruiser. But, then, what if you happen to be a free spirit with a dash of rock ‘n’ roll and a penchant for speed and style? If that’s your vibe, you need a café racer in your life.

The café racer was born in Europe in the early 1960s. During the heyday of café and rock-and-roll culture, a new breed of riders emerged – one who preferred riding stripped-down racing motorcycles to race the wind from one café to another. Now, recreating that good old spirit today isn’t really all that different. All you need is a hip-and-cool destination and a café racer to make the journey unforgettable. On this occasion, that’s exactly what we did, as we went café hopping in Fort Kochi on the modern-day café racer – the CB350RS from Honda BigWing.

Located in Kerala, Fort Kochi holds the distinction of being the first European settlement in India. Famous for its rich heritage, illustrious history, and colonial architecture, this quaint little tourist hub in Southern India is a favourite of nomads and historians alike. While there’s a lot to explore in Fort Kochi, its true allure lies in its culinary culture – a foodie’s paradise, with its art-themed, cosy cafés, offering delightful escape.

The plan for our café-hopping expedition was simple – ride the CB350RS, discover the best culinary spots, and explore the exquisite streets of Fort Kochi. We kicked off the proceedings by boarding a ferry that connects the mainland Kochi to Fort Kochi – a short yet scenic four-minute ride. Once off the ferry, we decided to ride to our first destination – Lila Art Café – for breakfast. Suffice to say, it didn’t disappoint. From the scrumptious English breakfast and piping hot, aromatic Americano to oven-fresh croissants, everything was a treat. The Lila Art Café truly embodies the essence of Fort Kochi with its food, art, and even architecture. It operates out of a Portuguese-style building that’s more than four centuries old, the Lila Art Café feels timeless yet fresh. The whole premise is a combination of an art gallery and a modern-day café, making it an unmissable stop.

The CB350RS felt right at home in this setting. Like the Café, it exudes an old-school charm with its modern-retro café racer styling. However, at the same time, it’s a thoroughly modern machine, thanks to features like full-LED lighting, chrome detailing, dual-tone paint options, contemporary Y-spoke alloys, front fork boots, an engine skid plate, wide tyres, and more.

With breakfast done, it was time to explore the artistic streets of Fort Kochi before our stop for lunch. So, for the next two hours, we spent exploring the labyrinthine lanes of Mattancherry on the CB350RS. A heaven for art enthusiasts and history buffs, Mattancherry is a treasure trove of art galleries, ancient bungalows, museums, spice markets, designer boutiques, historical churches, and antique stores. If you’re drawn to all things artistic, this vibrant place is a dream come true.

Riding through the bustling, narrow lanes of Mattancherry also highlighted the CB350RS’ versatility. Supremely agile and easy to handle, it proved to be the ideal companion on the occasion. Its crisp throttle response, silky smooth 348cc single-cylinder engine, light clutch action, and effortless gear shifts make it a breeze to ride it in the most challenging conditions.

For lunch, we decided to have a taste of local cuisine, so off we went to one of the most popular restaurants in Fort Kochi – the Seagull. If you are a fan of seafood, this is the place to be. Perched along the shore of the Arabian Sea, this restaurant offers a feast for seafood lovers, serving finger-licking seafood, including crisp squid rings, delectable prawn fry, and spicy grilled fish, among others. Every bite was a celebration of the local culinary tradition.

After devouring seafood to our heart’s content, we still had four to five hours left before dinner. So, we decided to take a detour and explore the backwaters of Kochi, which allowed us to stretch the CB350RS’ legs on some of the most beautiful and scenic roads in this part of the world. The smooth and winding roads proved to be the perfect playground to experience the bike’s performance and stellar handling capabilities. So captivating and fun was the ride, that four hours flew by before we even realised it. As darkness descended, we decided that it was time to head back to Fort Kochi for the final stop of the day – dinner at Old Harbour Hotel.

The Old Harbour Hotel is undoubtedly one of the exquisite places in Fort Kochi. A 300-year-old mansion, it has been thoughtfully transformed into a boutique hotel. You can see Dutch and Portuguese influences in its architecture, which has truly stood the test of time. It beautifully blends heritage, old-world charm, and artistry, offering an experience that’s both timeless and unique. Adding to its charm and allure are the exceptional food and the vibrant atmosphere of its lively evenings, making it the perfect place to unwind and end our journey.

Take Me Back

Looking back at our café-hopping journey on the CB350RS, we must say that it was a fulfilling experience. As they say, motorcycling in itself is an art of living. So, experiencing fine things in life while riding a motorcycle like the CB350RS, which perfectly matched the vibe of the place, turned out to be a memorable experience. It was truly a moment of living your story rather than just telling it.

As we said in the beginning, there’s a motorcycle for every occasion. So, it mustn’t come as a surprise that the CB350RS is no different – it’s a motorcycle that truly fills your heart and soul with its charm and riding experience. As we found out, if you happen to be in the right place, it can also help you satisfy your craving for delicious cuisines as you ride from one café to another, carefree and content.

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The backwaters around Kochi offer stunning vistas and spectacular sunsets.

The Lila Art Café truly embodies the essence of Fort Kochi with its food, art and even architecture

Another highlight of Fort Kochi is the graffiti, offering a glimpse into the creativity and skills of its residents.

Riding through the narrow lanes of Kochi highlighted the CB350RS’ versatility