Honda ADV350 after 6 Months : Has it won me over ? 

Hey Sam - good to hear from and your trip sounds great! I'm looking forward to doing something similar next year and I can't wait. The ease of use, luggage and economy is just perfect! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good afternoon Philippos, many thanks for dropping by and for your kind comments - it's very much appreciated. And yes, I totally agree - there's something about riding which is like a form of meditation (without closing your eyes!) - I never think about work or anything else and post ride, I have always have a different perspective on things. That's why I personally just can't give two wheels. It sounds as though you are the same. All the best, great to hear from you, cheers, Phil.

Evening and thank you very much for the welcome to the world of scooters! Yes, they are supremely practical and useful - I totally agree. And most bikes are toys, but that’s why they’re great also. I mean, I really like Lego 😀 All the best, thanks for stopping by, cheers, Phil.

My balls

I *love* scooters, but I can’t find any that’ll replace what my cheap Chinese adventure bike does. I’ve driven a Chinese Tekken 250cc all over my country (we have the Himalayan mountains). It’s got 10.3” inches of ground clearance. And it weighs 130KG, and has three panniers for all the luggage I need. The Honda X-Adv is my dream scooter, but light weight adventure bikes let me go to remote places and have experiences I wouldn’t be able to have otherwise.

@@Qasibr As we say, 'Horses for Courses' - no scooter, even these new Adventure ones, is ever go to get places a proper adventure bike can get to!

Hey, thank you very much / great to know you appreciated the work. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Donald, thanks very much! Good to hear from you again, hope you’re doing OK. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Afternoon Chris, great to hear from you and many thanks for your comments. Glad you enjoyed the review and the work that went into it. While I was kinda forced into getting a scoot due to mobility issues, I’ve got to say that for overall usefulness with a good dose of fun, they are really good. I’ll certainly be doing some touring trips on mine next year. Let me know what you decide to do. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good evening! Thanks for stopping by and crikey! Don’t listen to me, I’ve no idea what I’m talking about! In all seriousness though, I’m sure you will get on well with the ADV so please let me know your thoughts when it arrives. Thanks for the best wishes on the Op & also the sub - much appreciated. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Clive, great to hear from you and many thanks for your kind comments - glad you enjoyed the review! It is an incredible practical machine I have to say - the ability to stash stuff with the need for bungees, bags or rucksacks is just brilliant. And I will be touring on it next year! Content will slowdown / stop for a bit as I'm under the knife next week but will do my best! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Afternoon Paul, great to hear from you and thanks for your kind comments - much appreciated. And yes, if you're in the market or mood for a scooter then it's definitely worth a test ride. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Ha ha thanks! Cheers, Phil.

Morning - thanks very much for stopping by, great to know you enjoyed it and yeah, it does a while to bring it all together! Thanks again, hope all is well with you, cheers, Phil

Hey Bilal, good to hear from you again and thanks very much - I'm gonna keep riding as much as I can for the rest of the year. It's brilliant! Likewise with yourself, enjoy the rest of the summer! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good afternoon & great to hear from you again. Jazz and sprouts...With gravy...Ugh, could you imagine? But yeah, I'm enjoying the Scoot and possibly more so, just happy to be whizzing about and independent on two wheels again. It's great! Hope all is well with you, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Love you positivity, can't grieve forever on what we have lost. Can only appreciate and enjoy the great things we have left. Just learning that lesson myself. Been a Scooter bro before and loved it too.

Hey Phil, really good to hear from you - hope you're doing well. I'm blown away by your comments! Thanks so much! It's good to know the work is appreciated and while I'm far from a 'Pro' I do try and create a nice image every so often! I could really do with a second pair of hands so I'm not always riding away / towards the camera though! ZRX1200R : Very nice, I've always liked them. Only in green though, of course :-) Well, if you are seriously considering a scooter instead of a smaller bike perhaps, there's nothing to fear. Having only ever ridden bikes I was a bit dismissive to begin with and it really helps that the ADV does handle like a basic / standard road bike so it feels natural right from the off. Then, over time the ease of use totally won me over and I stopped thinking about how it looks and now just enjoy the experience. Anyway, let me know what you decide to do. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment - so glad you enjoyed it! You're right, it does do pretty much everything you need day to day. I've actually forgotten where I parked the car :-) Great to hear you're enjoying yours and likewise, ride safe. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Ian, how are you doing? Good to hear from you again. Thanks as always for your kind comments - glad you enjoyed it. Yeah the cow...She was a big girl but showed a surprising turn of speed off camera :-) All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning Mr. Waka Jawaka, great to hear from you and many thanks for your kind comments. And you're so right - it is brilliant to be back on two wheels. In someways it's even better now as the balance for me, has shifted back to the fundamentals of why two wheels are great - that it's about the experiences you get when riding as opposed to being about the machine itself. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Gareth, good to hear from you and glad you enjoyed the review. Yeah, I should have mention the absolute “lack of faff” - for me that means I can sling my camera and tripod under the seat where it’s safe and sound. The days of an over stressed bungee cord are over! I reckon you could easily get three Ginsters in the glove compartment and given they have a half life of 700 years you’ll be well prepped for a zombi apocalypse. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Thomas, thanks for stopping by and many thanks for your kind comments. Let me know how your test ride goes and what you decide to do. All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews It was hard to find a new ADV350 but I did find a low mileage one owner bike - it has a huge Honda top box and heated grips. They were asking quite a high price for it but having had a test ride and after reading so many views I decided it was the bike for me so I bought it. I am really pleased with it. The suspension is excellent. I have taken the top box off because the large under storage is enough for my needs. It is so much nicer without the box. I will only use the box when really needed. Also the top box is almost unusable because it rattles so much. My next mini project is too sort that out. I love the keyless ignition. I am pleased with my purchase and don't regret having had to sell my SH300 and BMW F800s to buy it. I am starting to thing that it is one of the best 2 wheelers I have ever owned. Thank you for your helpful review.

Hey Mike, good to hear from you and great to know you enjoyed the review and, er, the humour 😀 I’m a very late convert to Scooters but I really like and enjoy them now, they’re just great machines. Hope all is well over in Seattle, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey! Good evening & thanks very much! So good to know you enjoyed it. Hope all is well where you are, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Thank you! Really appreciate the kind words, cheers, Phil.

Thanks very much Paul, glad you enjoyed it. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Andrea, thanks very much for your kind comments - it’s great to know you enjoyed the video. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Thanks very much Paul, glad you enjoyed it. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hello Zep, thanks for stopping by, hope you’re doing OK & glad you found the review useful. On the storage, check out my first video on the ADV - that shows the storage and plus it’s ability to easily store a toaster 😀 And yeah exactly, it’s all the same. Too right! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey - good morning and thank you so much! Not sure if it's the best but you know what, I'll take it :-) I'm back under the knife next week so the next video might be a while away but we'll see. Hope all is well over in Norway, greetings from the UK and all the best, cheers, Phil.

Thank you very much - hope you enjoyed it and that it was useful. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Morning - thanks very much for taking the time to comment and glad you enjoyed the review! Good to hear about your Beverly and I'm hoping the same will be true for my ADV. I'll do an update in 3 years time :-) But yes, two wheels are the best! Hope all is well with you, cheers, Phil.

Hey David, thanks for dropping by and for taking the time to comment. Glad you enjoyed the video. Well, moving to the ADV from the Tweet will be some serious upgrade that I'm sure you'll enjoy. It's easy to think about the engine and power differences of course but I think it will be the road holding and general handling where you'll the most benefit of the upgrade - even if the ADV might not be as super flickable at the Tweet. I'm sure you'll love it and let me know how you get on, cheers, Phil.

Hey Paul, great to hear from again. All good with you? Yeah, I am enjoying it…Just being able to get out and about is brilliant and the ADV, being so easy to use, just really helped with the initial nervousness on my part. Love two wheels 😀 All the best Paul and likewise, enjoy! Cheers, Phil.

Hello to a fellow ADV 350 rider! Thanks very much for stopping by and I’m glad you enjoyed the review. I hope you’re getting many enjoyable miles / KM on your own machine. It sounds as though you are 😀 All the best, thanks again for stopping by, cheers, Phil.

Hey Ray, great to hear from you and many thanks for your comments. A pair of Trail 125’s sounds like an excellent idea - hope you’re enjoying them! Svelte in a scooterish way 😀 great phrase - I might borrow it 😀 Hope all is well in Minnesota, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Mr. Outlander - very good to hear from you again - hope you're doing well. Many thanks for your kind comments, glad you enjoyed the review. I'm hoping to get a more dynamic subject next time around :-) All the best, cheers, Phil.

Thanks very much - glad you enjoyed it! Ha ha - Who would have thought a Beverley could lead you into temptation 😃 They can lead astray quite easily as they are very deceptive! Let me know when you get yours - would be interested to know what you think. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning Mr Silbo...How are you doing? Gotta get a Guzzler reference in there somewhere. Very glad to hear the mighty Griso is 'still doing it for you' and doubly-glad you didn't over-share :-) As for the Scooter magazine, to be honest I'm concerned as well - as you know, it's a slippery slope to rallies, auto-jumbles and rummaging around for 1973 Dellorto idle jets. To answer your question though - yeah, they are total brown paper bag material, they are kept behind the counter and you need to verify your age. The other option is to send a postal order off to a mysterious address just off Brewer Street, London. Phil Daniels, good bloke, I've heard he likes his sprouts. Must dash, there's a knock at the door. Cheers, Phil.

Morning...Thanks for stopping by and yeah, I am enjoying the scoot very much. I've been missing out! Your machine sounds like a right cracking good deal and I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time in Portugal - let me know how you get on. You have my scootering magazine if you like? :-) Enjoy the N2! All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews 👍🏻

Thanks very much - really appreciate your kind comments and yes, it’s very nice to be out and about on two wheels again. Hope all is well with you, all the best, cheers, Phil.

No problem Ian, cheers, Phil.

Hey Tony, good to hear from you - glad you enjoyed the review. While my need for getting a scooter was kinda forced on me (broken leg and limited mobility) ease of use / lightness / practicality are all good things to have regardless. I guess you've found the same and even if I did still have a garage full of bigger bikes I'd still be dragging the scooter out frequently as it's so much less serious, cheap to run and damned useful at the same time! I wish I'd had one years ago when I was commuting! Let me know what / which scoot you end up and your impressions, cheers, Phil.

Hello JaneG, thanks very much for stopping by and it's great to know you enjoyed the video. I think with both the SH or the ADV you can't really go wrong - all I would say is that it was the 'bike-like' handling of the ADV which really attracted me to it. I'm not a scooter fan (or I wasn't before getting the ADV) and I didn't want to get something that required too much 'bike to scooter recalibration' and which also had a taste of what makes bikes so much fun - which lets face it, is corners! It's a good thing and while I'm back on a small bike again, I'll be keeping the ADV for the long term. Let me know what you decide to do, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Thanks very much TF! Have a good weekend, cheers, Phil.

Good morning, thanks for watching - really appreciate your comments and thanks for the sub 👍 As for the overlay all the details are below - hope that helps, all the best, Phil. goprotelemetryextractor.com/

Hey Alastair, thanks for stopping by and it great to know you enjoyed the review! Scooters are fun, you’re totally correct - and they do it in a sort of relaxed / non-pressured way which means it’s much less about the machine and more about the experience of what’s around you. Plus, I can carry all my groceries 😀 All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews yeah love scooters for all the same reasons, got my first one 25 years ago aged 16 and now looking at potential sh125 / 350 or an adv350! Il keep an eye on your channel will be great to see your updates! 🙏

Hey John, great to hear from you & thanks very much! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Afternoon Steve, thanks for stopping by. All vital human dimensions are featured in the review @ 3:30 - height, inside leg, shoe size & gender, together with some geography 😀 Despite that, I’m 5’10 albeit with a dodgy leg. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning MrBoabiegringo, how are you doing? Thanks for stopping by and many thanks for your kind comments - much appreciated. At 5'7 the ADV-350 (because of the wide seat) might mean you're on tip-toes - at all depends on what your inside led / inseam is. Aside from that it's incredibly manageable and well worth a sit on one to see what you think. All the best, have a great weekend, cheers, Phil.

Hey Jorge, great to hear from you and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. And yeah, I’m getting a real soft spot for scooters! It’s just a shame it’s taken me so long! Happy riding, all the best, cheers, Phil.

oooh! thanks!! Have a good evening!!

Hey Guy, how are you doing? It’s always a pleasure to hear from you - hope all is well in the pottery and the kiln is well fired. It’s probably best not to dwell on the thigh of a Walrus to be honest, but I’m very glad you enjoyed the video. Now that I know there is at least one person in the world who waves at scooters, lawn mowers, push bikes etc, my faith in humanity is restored 😀 Benedict Arnold…Crikey! I’m guessing there are no statues of him in CT. Actually, did he have a dodgy leg also? But yes, we need to stick together 😀 As for the top box, absolutely, though I fear a banjo wouldn’t fit. Also I reckon St Cuthbert wouldn’t approve of terribly much to be honest 😀 Again, great to hear from you again Guy, all the best to you and the family, cheers, Phil.

Hey Nick, good to hear from you. Like you I'd prefer gears / DCT over the CVT but for what it is, it does a decent job with only 30HP. Likewise with keyless - I'm not really seeing the need for it but as per the video, at least with ADV it seems to work reliably (fingers crossed). I might try an X-ADV at some point... All the best, hope you're well, cheers, Phil.

Evening Dave, good to hear from you & thanks for stopping by. Glad you appreciated that line 😀 Once you’ve had a Guzzi nothing else will do! I’ll make a random guess at the two you have…Hmmm…A T3 and a new V-85? Not that it matters if I get it wrong as anything with the eagle on the tank will do just fine. As for the ADV 350, it’s a cracking thing in its own right and would go down a storm in the US I’m sure. Greetings from the UK, all the best for the festive holidays, cheers, Phil.

Hello & good morning! Thanks for stopping by and yes, that sounds like a great plan. I plan to hold on to my ADV 350 for at least three years and replace it with either an updated model (maybe 400 cc?) and/or if they have progressed enough, an EV. I'm really interested in going electric and the scooter platform I think is very suitable for an EV. We'll see - either way, Scoots are fab and I'll be in Europe on mine later on this year. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hello! Great to hear from you and it’s good to know you enjoyed the review / thanks! But yeah, two wheels…whatever the size or shape of the vehicle…Are just brilliant 🤩 All the best, cheers, Phil.

Afternoon Steve, really good to hear from you and thanks for stopping by. Ah the bull/cow comparison...Not many people spotted that! It's good to hear that you went through a similar thought process and ended up with a bike - I'm now riding a little CL500 and as you say the emotional tug and visceral feel of a bike is unmatched, even if I'm now totally a fan of scooters. Getting one has probably also extended my riding for longer because as you point out, a scooter has two wheels and it swings round bends like a bike. What's not to like? Anyway likewise, enjoy the ride Steve and whenever I get over to Europe, more videos will be forthcoming. I can't wait...All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hello & good afternoon - many thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments - glad you enjoyed it! Thing is, if a scooter extends your ability to ride, then why not. It does pretty much all you need in most situations and once you get your feeling for it, it’s good fun around bends and is just so easy to use. Exactly as you say, ride it and don’t look at it 😀 Let me know what you decide to do, all the best, cheers, Phil.

As Phil says if it enables you to continue enjoying the freedom and sights around the country just do it. I am leaning that way myself. As a Triumph owner some of our senior members come to the meets on their scooters.

@@jonathanmellish4439 I appreciate your advice - and of course you're right. I guess I'm just railing against the realities of getting old.

Hey Peter, good to hear from you and thanks for your comments - glad you enjoyed it. Well, I’m sure your wife will love it…You’ll be lucky to get the keys off her. Let me know how you both get on, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Bruno! Thanks very much - really appreciate the feedback and it’s great to know you enjoyed it 😊 All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning Mr. Price - thanks for stopping by and great to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed the review! Well, for the same reasons (even if the cause is different) that's why I went for the ADV 350. It's so easy and comfortable to ride and it doesn't stress my knee's or hips at all. It's slightly taller than you might think and the seat is really wide but at 5'10 it's fine for me and probably OK for anyone 5'9 and above. Thing is, at stops you can slide forward to the tunnel and just stand up off the bike - after some practice it becomes normal. As for touring, that's what I'm planning to do later on this year and I'm really looking forward to it as it will be no hassle whatsoever. I won't even need to take a spare bungee strap! When I bought it, I thought it would be a stepping stone to say the X-ADV but after a year with the ADV350 I've decided that the 350 is as much scooter as I'll ever need. It easily cruises at 75mph, it's totally comfortable and the storage is just brilliant. I love it! Hope that helps and let me know what you decide to do, All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good evening Mustafa B - great to hear from you. Well, from a Tenere 1200 to an ADV 350 is quite some step! However, if it's comfort and practicality you're after (and some gentle, no pressure fun) then the ADV will be spot on. Glad you enjoyed the review! All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews I used to ride 1000km a day..long rides all weather.. Things changed, now I tend to ride not more than 300km a day.. go slower end enjoy the areas I visit.. I am 46. I’ve been riding for 25 years. like you said the ride doesn’t matter as long as it has two wheels.. all the best, Mustafa

Thanks Paul! Hope you're well, cheers, Phil.

That's rude, there was no editing!

Thank you very much - really appreciate your comments! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good afternoon Mr Volt / good to hear from you and like you I’m quite won over by the practicality of the scooter. If only I’d got one when I was doing daily commuting in all weathers in / out of Edinburgh and Newcastle! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Morning Adrian, thanks for stopping by and hope you're having a good weekend. Great to know you enjoyed the review! Yeah...Sound and looks - I totally agree. Still when on it, I can't really see it and with earplugs in I just sort of hear a low droning noise. As these are the only downsides and subjective ones at that, I can live with them :-) All the best, hope you get some good rides in for the rest of the summer, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Good Morning, thanks and looking forward to seeing more of your ongoing reviews and adventures, I’d like to get out on mine more often here in Cumbria but this Labrador pup is taking up lots of time ! 😄

I love labradors 😍

Ha ha - sprouts are very versatile. Well, so I’m told. Actually I had my regulation three @ Christmas and they were passible. I think there was some decent music playing at the time so perhaps that had something to do with it 😀 Glad you enjoyed the video Paul, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning and thanks very much! Yes, Northumberland UK is very nice - well, at least it is when the weather is nice 😊. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Chris, how are you doing? Good to hear from you also & thanks for your comments. As for the 850 - I reluctantly sold it back in March as I was unable (and still unable) to bend my right leg enough to get it on the footpeg / operate the back brake. It had already been sitting around for 10 months and with no change in sight to my mobility until my next operation I thought it best to get rid. When / if I do get my mobility back I will definitely be getting another bike though and Guzzi, Ducati and Honda offerings are all being contemplated! On that, my next Op is scheduled for a week on Tuesday. Fingers crossed! Hope all is well with you Chris, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Afternoon - whaaaatttt!!!??? You won a Forza 350 in a raffle!!! Wow! I've only won a secondhand bottle of shampoo in a tombola so your win is incredible! As for the last review, I think at the time I hadn't got into the scooter-vibe and hadn't accepted it for it was - basically, I was probably comparing it to a bike too much. Which is silly because it's like comparing a fork to a spoon and there're no point in complaining that your fork is rubbish for eating soup with. Or something! Now though, I sorta get it more and I'm using the ADV for what it's best at and it's much more rewarding. I still want a bike (mobility permitting) but either way I'll be keeping the ADV. All the best, enjoy your Forza's! Cheers, Phil.

Dr Doolittle, great to hear from you again, hope all is well with you. Thanks for your comments - great to know you enjoyed it and that the work is appreciated! Good to know your Honda’s are still going strong! Yeah St Cuthbert is looking a bit weathered isn’t he? I suppose the only similarity would be that we’re both a bit wooden in front of the camera 😀 All the best, hope all is good where you are, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews currently pinned down on the IOM cos damaged the 700 and it has taken only 3 months to repair it!

@@drdoolittle5724 Three months! Blimey what happened to it / you ???

@@80eightReviews Long and short, Honda parts shortage! Stupid incident at snails pace, forced into a pothole that had stones in it and one flicked up and jammed tween wheel and fork - so puncturing it!!! Nearly ready so cannot wait to 'Go North Young Man', and tour Your Island for 3 days!!

@@drdoolittle5724 Yikes, that’s rubbish. Maybe a trip to Fairy Bridge is in order…

Hey Jay B, good to hear from you and a Happy New Year! On the remote reservoirs, I must admit I never really noticed them as part of the overall design TBH but now you've mentioned it, I can't stop looking at them! Personally, I'd prefer them if they were adjustable and actually did something! I can't really imagine that someone is going to use the ADV so vigorously that the extra heat dissipation and oil volume is going to do something meaningful - though I could be wrong! Despite that though, it's a cracking machine and just sorta gets on with the job with no fuss or hassle - just like your SH300. I should have got one ages ago and not waited until I bust my leg :-) All the best & thanks for the sub, cheers, Phil.

Hey Neil, excellent news! I’m liking your trio of machines very much - there’s certainly no ‘overlap’ of usage there, although perhaps you could fit the Grom in the underseat storage of the ADV? If you do manage it, photographic evidence would be appreciated 😀 Anyway, great to hear from you and let me know what you think of the scoot. All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews cheers mate hopefully if it stops pissing down I'll be out on it Sunday 😉

Hello Mr. WildStuff, greetings from the UK, hope all is going well in Aus! Did you watch The Ashes? I’m not going to mention the Carey runout 😬 Anyway, moving on! Inspiration? Blimey, be careful! but it’s very nice of you to say so. Real shame you can’t get the ADV down under - especially when you have the Forza. I would have thought the slightly more rugged ADV would have suited your environment perfectly to be honest. It can certainly handle longer tours and a bit of a gravel for example. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and it’s been great to hear from you, all the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Haha no sorry, I don't follow the soccer and have no idea what a Carey runout is. I think Honda have decided it's very difficult to market scooters to Aussies, except for trendy inner-city Vespa owners and Uber-Eats delivery riders (and me on my ADV150). For the most part, there's a perception amongst the manly-men and the otherwise sexually-insecure here that anything below 650cc/200kg or without a manual clutch/shifter doesn't belong on the road, and it's quite a shame. Everyone pokes fun at a Grom until they have a ride on one. And then you have the Aussie government to take into consideration - who legislate us up to the eyeballs, to the point where the Grom, Monkey, ADV150, CT125 etc are no longer even legal for sale in this country anymore.

Ha ha well, I’m over the cricket now and I don’t follow football - men’s, women’s or otherwise. As for perception, yeah, there’s a bit / lot of that in the UK also, however, I’d imagine sales of scoots in London alone is worth the price of admission in the UK, plus of course Europe is mad for them - and quite rightly so. That’s surprising about the Grom / Monkey - both are Euro 5 and super clean or is it some other legislation that’s stopping them? You guys still get the DRZ and DR650 I think so it must be something else I guess. All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviewsIt's new ABS regulations that the Australian government thought everyone wanted. All new bikes must have either dual channel ABS, or combined braking systems like a pizza delivery scooter. Just having front ABS only is no longer good enough apparently.

Hello! Blimey! I hope you like it! Let me know when it arrives and how you get on with it. All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews So i went to the store. I want the bike in black. It's by far the best looking colour. They tell me the next shipment will be available in November.

Ooh that’s a bit rubbish…I think mine was around 3 months but I wasn’t too fussed as I ordered it in early February. It’ll be worth it though! Cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Yeah I'll just put the order in and wait it out. Thanks for the sweet reviews!

@@80eightReviews I just put a deposit down. ETA November.

Hello again! Ha ha yeah...Er, I might not be buying another copy - great mag, but its focus is on Vespa's / Lambretta's (which are lovely) - customs, classics and rallies. Still, I tried :-) All the best, cheers, Phil.

Good morning California! How are you doing? Are you impacted by the floods and the storm at all? Hope all is 👍. Great to hear from you and you’re one of many folks over in the US who wishes the 350 was available there. C’mon Honda! As you suggest, there’s something about ‘ease of use’ which seems ever more compelling over time whether that’s the clutch, storage, lightness etc. I wish, when I had a regular and long commute I’d chosen a Scoot as opposed to a bike and now I think even if my mobility allows me to get on a bike, I’ll be keeping the ADV as it’s just so useful. Anyway, thanks for stopping by, enjoy the 160 and all the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews It rained quite a bit and some strong winds, but wasn't too bad in my area. Thanks for asking! Anyway all the best as well and ride safe!

Good to know all is OK in your area! And likewise, cheers, Phil.

Ha ha 😂 please tell my wife 😀 Thanks for watching! Cheers, Phil.

Very glad to hear that! All the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews , i just can't deal with all the noises from the windscreen. Don't know if you face the same problem but at my Honda dealer they say that it's something that they already reported to Honda but there's no fix yet.

@@manuelbritorides To be honest, I’ve not really noticed anything aside from increased wind noise but I wear plugs so it’s not a big deal. Is yours doing something else? Rattling or something?

You might have seen my old CRF around Berwick. The 'M' was the supermoto version, although as a 250 I called it my 'babymoto'. It had a black front mudguard instead of the usual red one. I also see you've reviewed an NC750X 😄. I bought one new in 2017. A month later it was up for sale (took a ££ hit there). Great bike but oh so utterly dull. Got an incredible 90mpg over 500 miles on my first day of ownership, riding it from Coulsdon to Scotland & as a commuter it was awesome, but it had absolutely nothing about it & I quickly grew to dislike the gawky pseudo-adventure looks. Best mpg I've had from a bike was 130mpg from my PCX, riding it from Batley to Scotland. 😁👍

Morning Ken, good to hear from you and thanks for dropping by. Glad you enjoyed the review! Like you, I'm now a bit of a convert to scooters and just wish that I'd had one years ago when I insisted on commutting from Berwick to South Gyle on a bike - including the dreaded bypass....What waste of a bike and the scoot would have been brilliant and cost loads less. Still, live and learn! I still want a bike (mobility allowing) as I really miss the ability to rev out an engine and feel the control through clutch and gears but I'm going to be keeping the ADV as I think it will also make a cracking and economical touring machine and from an A-B perspective, not much slower than a full on tourer. Europe next year! And yeah! Flog the car! Hardly use mine either! I quite like the look of the CRF250M - little super-moto's are a ton of fun - yes, you should have kept it! As for Newcastle Honda - They seem to be a good bunch - I've bought a couple of bikes from them and traded a few in. Servicing wise I've only ever had the regular services done on newish bikes to keep the warranty up and had no problems. All the staff are riders and mostly Geordies so there isn't too much BS coming from them and more importantly perhaps they keep in contact and do build up a relationship with owners. Obviously that generates sales but it feels genuine. I've used lots of dealers and I'm quite happy going back to them. Parts / accessories wise they can also have some good deals. The other positive for me is they are easy to get to - 5 minutes walk from Central station and it's easy to ride to (and you don't have to go through the city centre). The Triumph dealership (which the same group runs) is 1 minute away and you've got Westgate Road which is full of bikes shops another 5 minutes away. They were very patient with me when I was trying out bikes for size with my dodgy leg and the P/X they's offered were totally reasonable. Hope that helps, have a good day, cheers, Phil.

Hey Ken, hello again! I think I might have seen your CRF around - but not recently. Yeah the NC750X - unremittingly tedious even if it did handle very well. It was like riding a very boring spreadsheet and at one point I spilled some petrol on it and thought it might be an opportunity to set it on fire. Like you, I found the faux-adventure styling a bit rubbish and kinda embarrassing after a while. I'm moderately shallow so I figured it was just me... Like you say though - great for commuting and a great 'tool' but nothing more. The finish wasn't great either - exhaust and engine took a right beating. 130mpg? That's some going! Think I got over 100mpg on my old CG125. Anyway let me know what you get next year - would be great to hear your impressions. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Ciao usi gli scooter anche con freddo e pioggia?

@@saveriocontini6028 Absolutely!

Afternoon Thomas, thanks for dropping by. Well, I had a 1150GS Adventure years ago and I think it got too heavy for me at the age of 46 so I think you're doing really well! But yes, it comes to us all I guess. In my case it was due to an accident but the desire to keep on riding is strong so getting something lighter and more manageable is sensible. And the ADV is a little cracker - the handling as you say is almost bike-like and it easily gets up to the UK speed limit with more in hand. I don't think I could have handled something without the ADV's presence and speed and the fact I can still maintain a 'bike-like' road position and not feel threatened by traffic is brilliant. It does surprise folk as you say! All the best, great to hear from you, cheers, Phil.

Hey David, thanks for stopping by, good to know you enjoyed it and great (colour) choice! Let me know how you get on with it when it arrives - hopefully soon! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it. In terms of cameras, in this video I used a combination of Panasonic GH6 and Canon C200. There’s not much to tell them apart but for info, the scene with me in front of Berwick town wall was shot on the GH6 while where I’m sat on a rock, is the GH6. Hope that helps, all the best, cheers, Phil.

Thank you very much - glad you enjoyed it, cheers, Phil.

Hey Alan, thanks for stopping by and great to know you enjoyed the video. As for your question…Well I’ve ridden (manual) bikes for nearly forty years and the clutch / brake thing isn’t a problem. Sure for the first ten minutes on the scooter I instinctively tried to pull the ‘clutch’ in only to find myself braking instead but after that I found it easy to retrain myself quite easily. Also you don’t (obviously) have a gear lever under your foot so again that’s a reminder. Hope that helps, all the best, cheers, Phil. P.s. So no, you’ll be fine!

Good evening and thanks for stopping by - really appreciate your comments! In terms of your question, the ADV is super easy to ride, is very well balanced and does nothing untoward. For that reason it’s perfect for a new rider, especially as it’s so bike-like in terms of handling and cornering. The other thing about it is that it’s big enough and fast enough to stop you from being bullied by other traffic. I suppose all I’d say is that if you’re planning sometime in the future to move to a manual gearbox bike, then starting with a scooter would make that transition perhaps a little more difficult, as opposed to starting with a smaller bike. Not a big deal though! Hope that helps and let me know what you decide to do. All the best, cheers, Phil.

330cc scooter requires an A2 driving licence in the UK. I have owned the Forza 350 and SH350 bikes from Honda. The former has an electric adjustable screen, and better underseat storage. The latter is a true step-thru, with a bag hook on the front fairing to supplement the underseat storage, (which will take a modular helmet). The SH is 12-14 kg lighter than the Forza/ADV. I've found the handling, performance, and versatility of theSH350 suits me.

@@geoff6942 Yep, I'm working on my A2 licence currently and I have looked at the SH but for the small price difference I think the ADV offers a lot more

Good luck with the A2. I got my A licence in 1975 when it was an easy 'round the block' test. I would find it difficult to do what you guys have to do to proceed through the licensing categories. I was persuaded to the SH350 by an excellent review at theloftybiker. Give it a look. I respect your ADV350 choice though.@@ungratefulmango

Good afternoon! Good to hear from you Guzz1Jon - must admit when I swapped my V7III for the 850 I did feel that aside from the obvious speed / power improvements, it had a lost a little of the lightweight charm of the 'old' V7. There could be an argument for a move from the V7II to the V7III as the later model does handle a little better and has a few more HP. Like you (albeit for different reasons) I'm not keen on getting something that eggs me on these days - a bumpy B-Road machine, with a comfortable seat and plush suspension is what I'm after in a bike now (once I get full mobility back). I've been thinking about the Honda CL500 as that fits the bill (plus it looks weird which I like) - but I will be keeping the Scooter though as it's so easy to use and does pretty much everything you want. As you say, I think the Triumph 400 could be a bit closer to £6K, with perhaps an initial introductory price? As for influencing...ha ha - the aim is to do the opposite! Anyway, thanks for stopping by, happy 70th for next month and let me know what you decide to do! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Steven, good to hear from you - glad you enjoyed the review. Yes, there are some great locations in Northumberland - you'll have to come across the border sometime :-) Although you have a fair few yourself! As to your question - bearing in mind I've never ridden a Forza (I've only ever sat on one in the dealership) so I can't make any comparisons + this is my first ever scooter...Well, the suspension is firm and it is jarring (especially the rear) over high frequency / sharp bumps. As you can see I do ride on some very bumpy B / Unclassified roads and for me it's not a nightmare as such it's just a little uncomfortable every so often but to be honest, either I'm getting used to it or it's getting better. On any other roads it's just fine. My take on it compared to the Forza is that the lack of comfort / jarring is more down to cheap / poorly damped suspension on the Forza whereas the ADV is a little better quality but has stiffer springs - well, that's what it feels like to me! What I will say though is that it holds its line on all surfaces and the overall road holding is really very good so personally I'd rather have that at the expense of a little comfort. On those bumpy roads if I compare it to bikes I've had - the only genuinely comfortable one was the CRF300L - but that had tons of travel! I think it's a case of loads of travel or lots more weight with expensive suspension for real comfort. I got the bike from Newcastle Motorcycles - I ordered it in early February and it popped up around 8 weeks later. Hope that helps & give me a shout if you've anymore questions. Thanks again for the comments and let me know what you decide to do. All the best, cheers, Phil. p.s. Who's Bob?

Hi Phil sorry for calling you Bob, misread 80.8. was watching your video on the big screen this morning and couldn't read your channel name properly. So i guess you ordered it untried. My Forza experience makes it hard to do so, but I like you explanation. I also had a crf250 for a couple of years and agree it was very comfy, I am currently riding a V Strom and find it also very comfy but fancy the scooter as a winter ride and perhaps try touring as i am getting on and the V Strom gets heavier every year. anyway many thanks for the reply

Morning Steven...Ha ha don't worry I'll answer to anything! But yes, you're correct - I ordered the ADV unseen and untried. It was my first scooter and the reason I went for it was the better suspension (certainly the front forks look like and are, proper forks) the styling and also as a first scooter I wasn't prepared to sink more than £6K into one. I've not been disappointed, it's a great little machine and to be honest I don't think I want a bigger / faster scooter - this does the job. Cheers, Phil (Bob)

Great video. I ride a Burgman 650 and your overview parallels my experience. I’m curious about the front tire. We both use 120/70R15. Is yours an “80/20” tire for the ADV aspect or just a road oriented tire? We don’t have the brand you’re using here in the states. BTW, I just got back from a 2400 mile round-trip from Texas to Southern Colorado to ride the twisties. I even rode some unimproved national park roads. Fantastic bike the whole way there and back. Never fell behind the Goldwinger I was traveling with.

@2old4allthis Hey, thanks for dropping by and glad you enjoyed the video. As for the front tyre (UK spelling 😀) it’s one of those that the press and marketing dept, will call an 80/20 but in reality it’s just a road tyre that looks a little more chunky. It handles dry gravel / hard pack ok, but in mud, wet grass etc, it’s nowhere. In reality though it probably matches the capability of the scoot perfectly. Personally, here in the UK where mud is a thing I’d say the tyres and the scoot are more like 92 / 8. Texas to Colorado! That sounds amazing! And yes, I think the ability of these machines to cover ground as well as many and much larger bikes is very underrated. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hello, good to hear from you and that’s quite some change! I’ll be doing some travelling on the scooter later on this year and really looking forward to it - as you say they are easy and fun and won’t detract from the journey at all. Can’t wait. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Evening - thanks very much! All the best, cheers, Phil.

Hey Charles, great to hear from and to know you enjoyed the review - thanks 😊 In terms of your question I’m 5’10 with 32’ leg. You ‘should’ be ok I think as the ADV is quite roomy and has several options for riding position. As always though get a sit on one - would be interested to know your thoughts. All the best, cheers, Phil.

Evening - yes, you're so right there and I think that's important in any sort of opinion. Knowing what, where and how someone is planning to ride a machine is key to opinions and for anyone watching a video to understand. Hope all goes well with your new life in the Philippines, cheers, Phil.

Hello Mr Clearlight / hope you’re well today & thanks for dropping by. Glad you enjoyed the review! As for your question…it’s a breeze - the scoot is very manageable without being twitchy, while it’s balance and poise is perfect for traffic - you ride it at like 2mph and flick it round stuff really easily. As mentioned in the video the suspension isn’t the most comfortable but dynamically at least the ADV is spot on when in traffic and whizzing around town. Hope that helps, all the best, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Thank you so much for kind and detailed reply! Best wishes!

Afternoon Jon, yeah, no rising planets - it's past the summer solstice and Venus is in conjunction with Pluto so I can't get the right angle. Or something. Shall we meet up for a drag race between the mighty GSX and the Scoot? If you don't mind you're not allowed to get out of 1st gear and can't use more than 4000 revs? Do not worry though - I'm not getting 'too much' into it. Promise. And thanks for the advice. You know I hang on to your every word. What was that again? Must dash, I'm sewing a patch on my jacket. Have a good Sunday, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Thanks Phil. Always nice to know I enhance the quality of your life with well thought out quality and heartfelt advice. BTW forget to mention, due to NHS shortages I’ve been asked up your way to assist with a knee operation a week on Tuesday. I’m doing the annasthetik. Bring a lump hammer the surgeon said? 🤔

Afternoon Jon, yeah, I heard you were on the rota for the week after next. The lump hammer is actually for the surgeons new conservatory. For the Op, you just need to tell a few of your old jokes and I'll nod off in a jiffy. See you then, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews 😳😳

Will you bring grapes and warm lucozade though Jon?

Morning! Thanks very much for watching and many thanks for your kind comments and yes, it's sooooo nice to be enjoying two wheels again! As for your question - absolutely! And it's exactly what I intend doing next year if all goes well. Sure it won't be the fastest machines but these are scooters / engines that are designed to be robust and last for many, many years and do a lot of miles. I've gone over the Alps on less powerful bikes in the past and they were just fine. As I say, you won't rocket out of uphill hairpins, but you'll get there, you'll be faster than most cars and regardless of that will have a cracking ride...So go for it! Let me know how you get on, hope that helps and all the best, cheers, Phil.

​@@80eightReviews Yeah im notr really looking to speed i just dont want the engine to struggle and die on me :). Thanks for taking the time to answer kind sir . Ride safe and ill let you know when i chose the bike there are few candidates.

Thanks Andrew. All the details are in the review @ 10:36 but to recap: - The rack is a Givi SR1166. This also fits the Forza. - Top plate is the M5M (which is for Monolock cases) if you want to fit a Monokey case (for the bigger cases) go for the M5/M6 top plate. - Top box is the B47 Blade - though any of the monolock boxes would fit. Here's the link to the Givi site : www.givi.co.uk/my-motorcycle/product/honda/adv-350-22/optionals/sr1166 Hope that helps and thanks for watching, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Hi Phil, That's brilliant, Man thanks for the specific info. I'll definitely get one, not sightly but massively practical and it is a very practical machine! I intend to do touring on mine. I'll watch your review again one of these evenings. Cheers Andy

Hey Dave, great to hear from you again, hope all is OK. And yeah, I’m just off to Wigan Casino even as we speak 😀 In terms of getting on a bike, while there’s no chance at the moment, my next Op will hopefully give the knee bend I need so we’ll see! And is it a nod or a wave? Hmmmm dunno - jazz hands maybe ? Aldi Yorkshire bitter eh? Good tip…Let me get the top box on 😀 All the best, cheers. Phil.

Thank you very much Klay, hope all is well with you, cheers, Phil.

Hello and good evening. Scooters can never replace that visceral feeling you get from bike but I have to say, their ease of use and practicality is incredible. Plus, if for whatever reason they extend or make our time on two wheels more enjoyable….Then why not? Let me know what you decide to do and many thanks for stopping by, cheers, Phil.

@@80eightReviews Thanks for reply, need to sell my RS first and then decide, its very hard to sell bike now haha, people strugle to pay bills etc wieh inflation I think. sorry for off topic

😀 No worries!

Hello! Yeah it's a tricky one - I guess the X-ADV is very much more a motorbike in reality. For me it was an easy decision as I was dipping my toes back into two wheels and I need something light as possible. I did sit on the X-ADV and found it nice and comfortable. If I've still got mobility issues next year I might consider one. Let me know what you decide - would be interested to know the deciding factors (price aside of course) and how you get on with whatever you buy. Either way, there's no bad decision. All the best, cheers, Phil.

48lt underseat storage triumphs over X-ADV.

XDV much heavier, has chain drive and auto engine rather than smooth CVT. ADV350 every time, I tried both and went smaller. For the price of a new XDV you can almost buy an ADV350 and a CRF300.