Honda offshore enthusiasts, cheer! The most dangerous offshore Honda has ever produced is the all-new BF350.
With the innovative BF350, Honda overcomes the 300 horsepower challenge.
We were a little shocked when the BF350 was introduced because it had been years since Honda made big news with stout outboards. Honda borrowed some tips from their mechanical handbook because this is an all-new V8 platform. This includes VTEC (variable valve timing and pull electronic control ), plateau honing on the barrel bores, ion plating for the piston rings, and a 30-degree offset balanced shaft that was originally intended for an Accura NSX sportscar. If you want a controller for simple control of several engine configurations, it may plug and play with the Optimus 360 system because controls are all drive-by-wire and the engine is entirely NMEA2000 suitable.
A 32-valve V8 powerhead with a 3.5′′ bore x 3.9′ ′ stroke displaces 302 cid. Weight, which is always a hot topic when it comes to these incredibly potent outboards, is 765 pounds ( 776 pounds for the long 30′′ shaft model ). The BF350 is rated at 350 horses turning 5, 500 rpm ( maximum is 5, 000 to 6, 000 ) while burning 86 octane, so unlike some of the other 350s out there, it does n’t need high-test fuel to produce maximum horsepower.
Later this fall, we had the opportunity to test drive a BF350, and we were very impressed by the engine’s silent, low-vibration nature. It is almost silent when idle, like most contemporary four-strokes, but unlike many, it continues to voice rather than roar at higher rpm. We also noticed a lot of premium headroom, and the acceleration is hat-scarping when you cruise at 3500 speed and next nail the throttle.
The insurance Honda is providing with this motor is another thing that stands out to us about it. Honda addresses this by providing the BF350 with a five-year, non-declining insurance. It’s often possible to be concerned about taking on some risk when purchasing an entirely new model before it has been thoroughly tested.
How does rate compare? Simply put, we do n’t know yet. Honda has n’t but provided us with a number, nor has it stated when the BF350 will be available on the available market in the United States. Nevertheless, they have said that this information will be made accessible in the first half of 2024.
