I started this project about 6 months ago, but never started a thread here. I dont expect I'm breaking any new ground here, but I'll make a series of posts to catch up to today and then pick up from there.
I bought the 350 from another web forum that I participate on, I have been itching for a 350 project for a while now and it was a good price and partially disassembled with a bunch of new parts waiting to go on....
after lots of sorting through the stock stuff, installing/tuning the carbs, fixing the wiring harness, changing handlebar and chasing my tail on what I wanted to do with the bike, I got it running and on the street for most of the summer
And we ended up here. The original tank was too far gone inside for me to want to deal with, so we went purple.
I rode it for the summer, and the bike was solid, save for being 45 years old and everything that comes with it, but it ran well, but it was ugly - gauges full of condensation, the tank I bought was a bit ratty, fork legs rusty under the old fork ear/headlight mounts as they all are. And the old motorcycle things like steering head bearings, swingarm bushings, etc, etc, etc. I had planned on riding it for the year and stripping it down and rebuilding it cafe racer style, so I just moved up the timeline.
My last project was similar, only a CB750 - https://www.photodromo.com/Galleries/Motorsports/CB750ForSale/
Frame goes off to a local fabricator this week for some changes like knocking off all of the tabs/mounts that I dont need, shortening the front fender, welding a loop on the rear frame at the end of the seat. He's also got a vapor blasting setup so he's going to clean up everything and lace up aluminum rims to the stock hubs. After that, powdercoat frame and swingarm. Its going back together with a disc brake front end, new shocks, rearsets, fancy triple clamps, under-seat battery box and new wiring harness, new headlight... and probably a bunch of shit I'm forgetting. But its going to be nice.
I picked up this tank on ebay - its close to the early CB350 'candy gold' but a little different -
This is my color inspiration. I'm going to have the frame/swingarm powdercoated to match the copper color. Its a little out there but I wanted something I havent seen before.
I havent decided exactly what I'm doing with the motor, but its going to come apart to get the cases vapor blasted. I need go visit dad who worked on these old bikes for years and talk him into rebuilding it with me, but probably bigger bore and a little headwork.
This is the direction of the overall look I'm going for...
More pics as I go....
And before anyone says install a modern/sportbike front end, I dont think its worth the cost/weight on this. I want to keep spoked wheels and that means custom hub, custom triples, and then you have to do something to the rear to keep the proportions of a bigger tire, and its too much tire for 40-45hp.
I bought the 350 from another web forum that I participate on, I have been itching for a 350 project for a while now and it was a good price and partially disassembled with a bunch of new parts waiting to go on....
after lots of sorting through the stock stuff, installing/tuning the carbs, fixing the wiring harness, changing handlebar and chasing my tail on what I wanted to do with the bike, I got it running and on the street for most of the summer
And we ended up here. The original tank was too far gone inside for me to want to deal with, so we went purple.
I rode it for the summer, and the bike was solid, save for being 45 years old and everything that comes with it, but it ran well, but it was ugly - gauges full of condensation, the tank I bought was a bit ratty, fork legs rusty under the old fork ear/headlight mounts as they all are. And the old motorcycle things like steering head bearings, swingarm bushings, etc, etc, etc. I had planned on riding it for the year and stripping it down and rebuilding it cafe racer style, so I just moved up the timeline.
My last project was similar, only a CB750 - https://www.photodromo.com/Galleries/Motorsports/CB750ForSale/
Frame goes off to a local fabricator this week for some changes like knocking off all of the tabs/mounts that I dont need, shortening the front fender, welding a loop on the rear frame at the end of the seat. He's also got a vapor blasting setup so he's going to clean up everything and lace up aluminum rims to the stock hubs. After that, powdercoat frame and swingarm. Its going back together with a disc brake front end, new shocks, rearsets, fancy triple clamps, under-seat battery box and new wiring harness, new headlight... and probably a bunch of shit I'm forgetting. But its going to be nice.
I picked up this tank on ebay - its close to the early CB350 'candy gold' but a little different -
This is my color inspiration. I'm going to have the frame/swingarm powdercoated to match the copper color. Its a little out there but I wanted something I havent seen before.
I havent decided exactly what I'm doing with the motor, but its going to come apart to get the cases vapor blasted. I need go visit dad who worked on these old bikes for years and talk him into rebuilding it with me, but probably bigger bore and a little headwork.
This is the direction of the overall look I'm going for...
More pics as I go....
And before anyone says install a modern/sportbike front end, I dont think its worth the cost/weight on this. I want to keep spoked wheels and that means custom hub, custom triples, and then you have to do something to the rear to keep the proportions of a bigger tire, and its too much tire for 40-45hp.