Dans CB350 Cafe build - first bike and build

Cut the front mud guard today. Not sure how functional it will still be :-[ but I don't plan to ride this in the wet ever.

Before and after:

Carbs all installed and Electronics are near done as well should be able to start her up properly tomorrow and see what tuning needs to be done. I started on a seat pan to make a custom seat but think I'll bin this off and see what off the shelf options there are.

Decided I needed to weld a seat pan in today for electrics and battery after scrapping my custom seat and going for an off the shelf option. It's a little short but should be able to make it work by shifting the tank back an inch.

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Hi Dan, I'm at the stage of cutting the mudguard.. I just wondered what you used to cut as its a similar look to what I'm doing, Also it sits real close to the tire is this the standard height or have you used a taller tire.

Just curious as I want to run my mudguard nice and tight to the tire.

It's running very close. I used a dreamel and then a grinding wheel. I've had to stretch it slightly at the brace but it sits extremely close. I'm running Avon road runners which are slightly wider than OE.

So I'm. Almost ready to take her out for the first time. Still a few issues but only. One that's bugging me. I spilled a load of petrol on the tank before it had cured so will need to repaint that also carbs leaked all. Over the engine stripping the paint so need to find a better engine paint. Any suggestions welcome. Only real issue is the bike starts without a key if the light is on mid beam. Clearly an electrical issue but just can't seem to track it down!

I like the orange paint. It is pretty hard to maintain any non-catalyzed paint on a bike. Most petroleum products tend to dissolve most petroleum products. Spray can engine paint baked in your oven lasts a lot better but is not immune. 2K urethane clear is available in spray cans but like all 2k, you have to use the whole can straight away once you combine the 2 parts. Lots of folks here have used this over regular paint with great results but there can be difficulties depending what the base paint is. Poke around in the paint section and you should find some good info.

If you have any concerns with the front tire clearance, I suggest you change to a smaller tire. I can almost guarantee your bike will drive noticeably better. I'm a big fan of the Avons, but too large a section - especially in the front - really degrades the weight and feel of the handling in most cases - every case in my own experience. It is a common notion these days that larger tires will be an upgrade on old bikes because new bikes have tires that in the main are so much larger. We are used to seeing them and the stock size tires on old bikes tend to look really small by comparison. Doesn't mean they don't work well - I have had guys on new sport bikes come up to with comments like "man, I thought for sure you would crash on those skinny tires - I was working to stay with you!". Most of the time I ride a stock (looking) RD350 Yamaha, and though the tires are 1 size larger on both ends, the back tire does indeed look very skinny. Any bigger on the back still it drives ok but feels slower, and any bigger tire on the front is a disaster. I have a CB400F that behaves much the same way, but probably even worse with too big a tire on the front.

Took her down the road today to a private car park seems to be running OK although she did cut out a few times. Completely stuck on the starting without a key issue so built in a hidden kill switch for the time being.

Certainly needs a tune still and need to balance the carbs but may ask a local shop to do this for me to get it spot on as I don't really have anywhere to test legally Bar the car park at the end of the road and cant see them being too favourable if I'm m there for a long period of time. Time to get an MOT booked and get her a ref assigned!

Anybody know if off be able to get a historical plate? I believe she's a 72 model but not 100%

Looking great Dan.. I used UHT paint , think it was Simoniz stuff in black on my XS750.. Its been amazing stuff and petrol has leaked on it and caused no issues.

Quick question.. you mudguard looks really nice and low, mine sits too high, I'm using std bracket but its a good inch to high, I have no room on the bracket to drill higher mounting holes so a bit stuck.. without fabbing a new bracket

Could you cut the bracket at the top and take some material out then bend a little lower down to drop from the top?

Cheers yeah Im gonna cut it and put two new struts in, it doesnt help that the tyre is so wide!