Honda CB 360 - Keiryō Café Racer Project

Right, enough reading along. Time to post!

This is me, Nick. I attend university, studying journalism. I'm 23 years of age, Dutch and I have the nasty/fun habit of not being able to keep my bikes stock.



This was my first bike after my test. A 125er two-stroke Aprilia with way too many expensive parts that went like stink but just kept breaking down all the time.

No biggie though, because I'd already bought this to ride to school/work and to tinker with. Got 'er for 150 euros and it ran like new :9



Ended up looking somewhat like this:



I say somewhat because I added a short chrome fender to it to finish off the scrambler look.



Also wanted to get me another faired bike. So I bought this custom faired but hiddiously painted Hawk GT Honda.



And fine tuned the look a bit



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Honda CB 360 - Keiryō Café Racer Project

Now that's my customising history. What we're here for... the CB 360



It's 1977 model in pretty good nick. Wanted to do a 360 twin for a while now. Love the look of the engine and when I found one just a couple miles from home I couldn't have been more overjoyed. ;D

Like I said, it's in quite an okay state. Only thing, as you might've already noticed... the engine's not entirely there. That's because the previous owner had noticed oil seeping through the bottom gasket and had planned on changing it. But circumstances, circumstances... never got to it after taking it apart. Five years of open heart surgery isn't going to finish itself. So I will now

Concept

The general idea is to build a café racer, true to the concept; light and with proper handling. Overall look is going to be classic, but with modern touches like I did the 250 Scrambler.

My shortlist of ideas

-Carbon fiber café racer seat = ordered
-Aluminum clip ons + carbon fiber bars = ordered + ordered
-Aluminum rear sets = ordered
-Engine overhaul and paint = working on it
-Custom stainless exhaust = n/a
-K&N filters = n/a
-Brake upgrade: master cylinder + brake line = n/a
-Suspension upgrade = ordered
-Stainless/titanium bolts = n/a
-Overall lightening = working on it

New ideas will be added as they come

Less than 24 hours into the build and it's lighter already



Took the engine out en starting taking the front end apart.



Saved the first +- 2,5 kilos of weight. Ditched the starter motor.



Started cleaning the top clamp last night. You'll see it when it's done





The passenger peg mounts will work perfectly to take the new rear sets. Saves me from endless aluminum cutting, grinding, trying, more grinding. In Dutch we have a saying 'Liever lui dan moe' (for those who want to try, it's pronounced like 'lever lew den moo') meaning 'Rather be lazy than get tired'

Measured the seating part of the frame. Carbon seat I ordered should fit nicely. Want to retain the pivot so I can acces the wiring and battery I'll be storing under the hump.



Finally, last night I tossed the cylinder head in a bucket of diesel fuel. Should help clean up the head a bit ready for recutting of the valves.

Keep you guys posted

Looks nice! Same exact bike I have. Do you have the stock sidecovers by chance?

looking great, will be watching as it comes. good luck

Welcome to the fray, sir.

Thanks for the replies guys Good to have you with us!

Went on with little jobs as my parts haven't come in yet

First off, that top triple clamp ;D

Before:


After:


And by the time you're done you look like you're made of aluminum powder ??? Shitty job but one worth the work!



Bottom half is quite the same story here. Cutting, grinding, sanding, brushing. Only this I'll have to paint. Steel... heavy, inconvenient. Oh well. Silver or black? What will it be?



Wheel bearings are in top nick as well. Still spins perfectly. Just but the front axle in the vice and cleaned 'er up nicely. No more rust spots and brake dust.



First modern touch also found its way onto the bike. Paddock bobbins. The look snazzy and are just handy.



Then got back to getting filthy again. Started polishing the front suspension. One done for now. Shows the difference quite well. Won't go for a high gloss finish. That won't last anyways. Brushed works better and looks prettier to me too.



Carrying on where I left off this evening tomorrow morning. Hope I start getting parts in soon!

I'm in

Great job on shaving the clamp, looks slick

Finnigan said:

I'm in

Great job on shaving the clamp, looks slick

Click to expand...

Thanks man

Liked it better completely flattened. Some tend to stick with the gaps raised for some reason. Did leave 'em on the bottom of the clamp. Don't want it to get to flimsy

And then you get woken up by the sound of the delivery guy ringing the door bell. Was just too late in getting to the door. Luckily he handed over the package to my next door neighbour. ;D Went round and opened the box...



KONIs! Dutchman, Dutch build, Dutch suspension parts. And only cost me 30 euros because they were a bit worn. No biggie, they'll shine again after I'm done!

Actually got 'em in quick too. Bought them off a local classifieds site just wednesday!
They're actually made for a 750 but the measurements were the same. For that sort of money it's more than worth the try, right?!



And what do you know!? Like a glove. ;D



Well... glove... I am supposed to fit a nut in between there somewhere Oh well, I'll have to work on that for a bit

Only to turn around and spot this on the floor. Sh*t! The left shock's leaking... gonna need a new oil seal for that one. Emailed the seller hoping if I can get a small refund (if it's any bigger than small it'd be the entire purchase price :') It is only 30 euros, but still... worth the try!).

After that debacle started on cleaning some parts for paint. Guess what, below a thick crust of corrosion, the caliper really is a Tokico








Abusing my moms oven to preheat the parts. She isn't home so... :
After that fitted the other paddock bobbin and there it is. Steady.



Allows me to chop off that heavy and ugly center stand

Last thing before lunch was cleaning up the other fork leg. Shiny and brushed!



Think I'll head back and finish off some things. Might set you up with some more progress later this evening!

I guess I'll follow along, too.

Sonreir said:

I guess I'll follow along, too.

Click to expand...

Odd telling a moderater, but you're most welcome to tag along

Went and finished up some little things. First paint work for instance. Lookin' snazzy.

Net voor het werk nog even wat kleine dingetjes gedaan.



After that I brought the rear wheel up to speed since it's friend up front was looking all shiny and he clearly was. Also got the seat off. Big and comfy bugger... won't be seeing that back on there! :



Front wheel quickly found himself hanging on the vice. Haven't yet gotten to cleaning it up yet since I have a grave yard shift to run tonight... (it's nine PM around here so I just got to work *big frowny face* )

Couldn't help myself... had to do a little work on the bike last night after my shift. Mounted the front end just for funsies

For a reason actually. Had located a CB 900 tank for the bike for a nice price just an hour drive away. He would only sell to me for that price if I came and picked it up the next day... today So I did!



It's nice and long, bit wide... but I kind of like it in some weird way!
Oh and the seller had something more lying around just in the way... I told him my plan and there you go; another tank! Complimentary! ;D



The first is in it's original paint and good looking state too. The second is painted over and a bit scuffed. No rust on either though. Going to do all of the mods to the second one first and if it works out I can safely work on the 'good' tank

Happy me

Build it looking good. I liked you first custom honda. I was wondering what exhaust you had on that one. Really like the look of it.

CoryCory said:

Build it looking good. I liked you first custom honda. I was wondering what exhaust you had on that one. Really like the look of it.

Click to expand...

Thanks very much

Friend of mine helped me build it. He's pretty handy with a welder (Google 'Roel Scheffers' and you'll find plenty of his work. Including his custom BMW K100 RS Café Racer below )








Tried to clear coat the exhaust first but the paint gets swept off way too quickly...

Oh and by the way, I will once again be enlisting Roel's help in building an exhaust ;D Only this time we'll be leaving mild steel for stainless 8)

And the 250 Scrambler pipe we made up, cut, built and finished in only five hours. For the 360 we are definitely going to make some more time clear Not sure on what sort of silencer I wanna use yet...

That's sick. I wish that I had the welding skills to do something like that on my CB350. Nice job. Can't wait to see the exhaust on the CB360.

CoryCory said:

That's sick. I wish that I had the welding skills to do something like that on my CB350. Nice job. Can't wait to see the exhaust on the CB360.

Click to expand...

Looked at your 350 Find someone who can, man! Project looks awesome Deserves a nice set of pipes!

Mail today! ;D

The contents of the box being heavier than the box itself... carbon fiber! 8)



Oh, and this is a German thing. Not the first time in a German package Sweets!



In a hopeless attempt to salvage the dummy tank, I found out the thing is more or less made of bondo rather than steel. Scrapped it.



Than had another bit of adversity... the damn KONIs don't just need new seals... it also needs a new rod. That black bit isn't a stain



Oh well, if I'm overhauling 'em... let's do it proper then.

Shocks in bits, time to carry on. The head! Borrowed a valve clamp off my girl's dad and took the valves out.



Straight into a bath of diesel so they can soak overnight.

Then started to look in how to fit the seat as stubby as possible ánd fit my lard ass on the thing still This'll work!



Will have to make my own pivotpoints... the original mount's too wide.



As a final job of the day, I painted the cylinder block a nice matt black.

I'm expecting we all have had that time when you had more money than sense... I had one of those lapses last wednesday when I ordered these off of some Greek guy on eBay. :



'You haven't even got the clamps in yet and already bought carbon clip on tubes!? Have you lost it?!' - to cite my old man when I unwrapped them this afternoon ???

Anyhow... I think they're sweet ;D

Also got a pair of hardly used Metzelers in. Just six tenners and they we're mine! That's a bargain I reckon



Rest of the day I spent recutting the valves. Well, had to get myself a new suction cup thingie because my dad's is as old as the bike... and rubber doesn't age too nicely

Tomorrow is going to be an off day for the bike. Got some music writing that needs finishing and some work for the paper again! Oh well, can't say I'm gathering moss

Up into my eyebrows in paint dust as I brush away the nigh on indistructable dark magic coating Honda puts on their tanks! ???

But it was looking up... over halfway done by now!



And then my wire brush decided to die. Killed it dead, right there... done. Shop's closed already so I can't get me a new one 'till tomorrow. Oh well.



Had painted the head and valve cover last night. Dry to the touch but not hardened yet... couldn't help just mate them for a second. Zinc-alu spray gives such a sweet finish! 8)



Gonna paint the crank case tomorrow and the motor will start to look as new!