Honda Forza 350
Honda's mid-capacity sports-GT scooter. Liquid-cooled 330cc eSP+ single, CVT automatic, A2-license friendly. The natural upgrade for PCX125 commuters wanting motorway-capable performance without committing to a manual bike. Strong residuals reflect Honda's reliability and the genuinely premium spec — TFT dash, smart key, two-helmet underseat storage, electric screen, traction control as standard. Closest rival is the Yamaha XMAX 300, which is comparable but typically £500-700 more new.
- Engine
- 330 cc
- Power
- 29 PS
- Weight
- 185 kg
- Seat height
- 780 mm
- A2 licence
- —
eSP+ liquid-cooled SOHC single
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 50 · Insurance 79 · Theft 65
The Honda Forza 350 holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 30% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is cheap to insure (around £340/yr typical). Theft risk is moderate. It's A2-licence legal in standard form. The main thing to check on a used one is the abs modulator (rare).
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: Forza 350
Engine
Petrol · 330cc
Power
29 ps
Torque
31.6 Nm
Weight
185 kg
Seat
780 mm
Transmission
CVT automatic
Economy
78 mpg
The standard Forza 350. 330cc eSP+ single, CVT, HSTC traction control, electric screen, smart key. 11.7L tank, ~78mpg real-world. Most popular spec.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£3,639
Range £3,275 – £4,003
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£5,999
At 5 years
£3,599
At 10 years
£2,520
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Belt or shaft drive eliminates the chain/sprocket consumable; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£1,109
Per year
£370
Per mile
£0.05
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
ABI motorcycle scheme · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£340/ year
Roughly £28 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £561 | £748 | £1,047 |
| Age 22-29 | £344 | £459 | £643 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £255 | £340 | £476 |
| Age 40-49 | £224 | £299 | £419 |
| Age 50+ | £204 | £272 | £381 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
2/4Medium risk
Medium risk
Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
What this means for you
Mid-capacity scooters are stolen for delivery work in London — chain + disc lock plus overnight garaging meaningfully reduce risk. Sold to a wide buyer demographic so resale is easy for thieves.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
1
Medium
1
Low / cosmetic
3
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| high | ABS modulator (rare) Failure rare but expensive — check ABS light on used buys 30k+ mi | £600+ |
| medium | CVT drive belt Honda service item; replace before fraying causes slip 16-20k mi | £220 |
| low | Battery Smart-key idle drain stresses battery if not used weekly every 3-4 years | £70-90 |
| low | Front brake pads 8-12k mi | £60-80 |
| low | Tyres Bridgestone Battlax SC originals wear quickly under load 8-10k mi rear, 12k mi front | £180 pair |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Honda Forza 350, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Strengths
- +Genuine motorway capability — 80mph cruising sustainable
- +Twin-helmet underseat storage swallows two full-face lids
- +Honda eSP+ engine reliability — proven across the Forza/PCX range
- +Electric screen, smart key, TFT dash standard
- +HSTC traction control as standard from 2021
Watch-outs
- −£5,000+ used market vs £3,500 for a Yamaha NMAX 125
- −CVT belt replacement at 16-20k mi adds £220
- −Bridgestone Battlax SC tyres wear quickly under load
- −Heavier than 125 scooters (185kg) — feels it at slow speeds