"Lizzy" CB350 build

Greetings all... I am making my entrance into the world of cafe builds after spending my motorcycle time on dirt bikes and the venerable KLR650. I have just acquired my first CB350(G) a 1973 and this will be my second Honda road bike (CX500 Custom 79') I am starting off with a basic tune-up, changing all the cables, new mirrors, basic electrical system tune up and going through the carbs... For this coming riding season I hope to only get the bike in solid riding order and to clean up some of the metal work. After we make it through this summer I will hope to disassemble the entire bike and really build it out cafe style.

I'm posting a picture of what I am starting with and as with any good forum, your thoughts, ideas and cantankerous thoughts are welcome!

Preach

Good plan, and welcome to the fray.

Great looking CB. Really clean. Should be a fun project.

Gotta love a new guy that understands: basic needs first!

Welcome aboard, looking forward to your progress

I'm new here but I have built up that KLR for major use and done a full build on a 1931 Ford Model A, back to stock.

I did the cables already and I am looking into an electrical issue with the left turn signals. Should be a grounding issue.

I love making something look good but there is nothing I dislike more than seeing a car/bike/whatever that had all the money go toward looks and it can't even start, let alone kick tail.

If any has some common issue things I should look at right away, let me know, if not then I'll keep this updated and post pics along the way.

That is a beautiful color. Nice bike, I would think twice about tearing it down, it looks like its good to go. Just needs some polish and enjoy it. It looks great as it is.

For this year it is largely going to be a polish and go year. I don't expect to have the funds to do more than make sure she is mechanically solid as can be and polish her up. I am dumping most my fun money this year into my triathlon bike (it honestly cost way more than this bike will when finished : )

I am not sold on changing the tank color as it is pretty clean. I do know I want to do some more track style bars on it. I have to replace the gauges, I tore them open and they are broke up inside. I have not found someone who sells the guts so I am looking at the basic chrome ones with black faces from Dime City. I put all the cables on it now... I replaced the points and condenser last night. The rest of the electrical looks solid overall, again outside of a grounding issue on the left turn signal. I know it has to be a loose wire because I can get it to work with the bars turned one direction but not the other, shouldn't be hard to track down and fix. I am cleaning up the metal right now to see how bad things are in different areas, overall it looks solid.

I don't mind carb work so I'll throw the question of what you all like to do with yours, I know I'll have to at least adjust some as I am going to put UNI pods on for now because the filters were stock and shot and I am sure that I will need to look at the tune once I do that.

Preach

Uni filter pods installed with original covers back on.

New Tac & Speedo installed, I am looking into led indicators for neutral and turn lamps

Oil changed + filter

New clutch lever as the old one was broken

New mirrors attached in bar ends

... More to come

Uni's are great, they look good because they blend in well and are unnoticable. A slight tune only is needed.
You can buy non led signals and replace the bulbs with leds. You need to put a led flasher indicator in your guage cluster though. Along with a led flasher relay.

Look into the shorty "GP" style levers, they are very comfy. Stock levers hurt my hands. The GP levers are wider and work better.
A dab of silicone in the bar end where the mirror goes works good to prevent it from rattling loose and seems to dampen the vibrations.

Okay... So I have the distinct idea that someone has been through my bike before....

Lots of the electrical has tape and just bad look'n work... I am looking at the rectifier combo from Dime City as well as updating to a modern blade fuse. I purchased the 2.5 inch speedo and tach as mine were shot on the bike. I hope to add the 12v LED lights for indicators as well...

Basics before beauty... Got to have it running well soon, it's warming up.

get the reg/ rectifier from Sonreir on this forum. Its about $35 and has a direct plug into the harness.

Second, the electrical from Sonreir. He has harnesses, LED supplies, and reg/rec setups specifically for the 350s.

nice clean bike get new brake shoes right away do not ride it with old brakse shooes
spend some money on quality rear shocks, at minimum change the fork oil
check swingarm bushings for play rplace if you can wiggle the rear wheel
do not change wheel bearings unless they obviously need so
adjust steering stem bearings if needed and if notchy get some new tapered bearings
ride it enjoy, it learn to tune it very wise choices

Work has slowed me but so has a whole host of electrical issues I found throughout the bike... Someone has been through it and their "fix" was a lot of soder, scrap wires and wirenuts... no proper connectors at any of the spots he broke and well... They are cleaned up for now. I will do an entire re-wire at some point, likely in the fall.

I went through the bike and the bearings and all look good. The rear tire is brand new but the front is ancient. I also have new break pads on order...

More to come.

More electrical fun finds today, wirenuts in the headlight, not all connected & messed up grounds in there... What idiot had this last? I have most wires separated, a list of connectors needed, wires missing,etc... I also took the opportunity to paint the exterior of the headlight bucket while at it.

I have a set of brake pads on order (front & back) and I'll be looking into tires this summer.... Ideas here are welcome. I want some performanc, but I like the look of Vintage Firestone Delux... They look sexy, so if you have them let me know how well they run.

Wow, long summer, I rode the beast around for a while this summer and then last week I got to start taking her apart to clean and paint the frame and begin some needed upgrades.

Right now I have the entire bike apart. I have stripped the frame about 80% of its paint, 1 more night should do it. I want to get it painted before the weather turns to cold for me to do it comfortably in the garage. I have a compressor and HVLP setup that I do but I don't like the paint to get to cold. (I'll post pictures later today or tomorrow).

I am considering a full wiring re-do as there is a lot of breaks in the original shielding. I have a new round plug ignition on the way since mine was temperamental this summer. I have new fork seals and am looking into new rear springs. The left side carb has been a bit leaking all year so it will get some love now. The engine will get cleaned and painted. I've got new brakes and am looking into tires. This should be fun.

Re: "Lizzy" CB350 build




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now is a great time to have a look at the cam chain tensioner rollers
when original and old they crack and fall apart with almost no exceptions
with the engine out the center roller is easier to see in my ho

Re: "Lizzy" CB350 build

Thanks for the heads up - I'll look


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Re: "Lizzy" CB350 build

preachswanson said:

Thanks for the heads up - I'll look


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Click to expand...

just dont rotate the crankshaft with the tensioner plunger housing removed it is slightly possible for the chain to jump time when that loose