Woody's 1972 CL350 Brat-tracker Project Bike - Finished for now - Aug 20, 2010

[woody1981]

Hey guys. I know I haven't been around for a long while but I think this deserves me to start posting again. Before I start I want to make it clear that I don't want to hear any "That's too nice to mod" comments. They are my bikes and if I can improve them in my eyes, I will!

Anywho.

This latest project is a 1972 CL350 that I totally scored. It's super clean... it just needs a carb rebuild, new battery, and some new gas and it probably would have fired right up. But where's the fun in that?

I'm going for what I am calling a Brat-tracker. It's basically going to be a bratstyle and street-tracker inspired standard motorcycle. Plans include:

• Lowering 1" in the rear and 1.5" in the front.
• New bars (pictured)
• New tires (Firestone deluxes)
• New paint.
• No front fender.
• Bobbed back fender.
• New turn sigs and taillight. Stock headlight and gauges.
• And a custom seat.

We have the stock seat off my '73 that will be kept around for extra cush and two-up riding. I'm going to have my old red/white tank off the '73 repainted cause I had no luck selling it and it's already got POR-15 lining it.

More pics to come. If you have any questions, ask. I will do my best to answer.

Nice to be back!

- Woody

----

THE DAY I GOT IT



CURRENT PROGRESS AFTER 1-WEEK

[88]

Bratracker, I like the concept a lot! A score indeed I'll be watching this unfold for sure. Keep posting Woody.

[woody1981]

Quick update.

Tank and side covers are at the painters. This paint job should be really different and special, keep your eyes peeled.

 Forks are off and will be lowered 1.5" this weekend. New 12" Redwing shocks installed. Wheels are off to get new Firestone Deluxe's installed. Carbs off to clean and rebuild. Just need to fab up the seat and re-assemble. Thinking 2-3 weeks and we'll be blasting it around town!

- Woody

[VonYinzer]

Very cool man. I just picked up a complete P.O.S. 68 cl350 that Im going to go in a similar direction with.

[woody1981]

Weekend update: Just got the 19"x4.00" front and 18"x4.00" rear mounted up... Firestone Deluxes. They look fantastic. Can't wait to get them installed on the bike. Need to get the forks lowered and the fender bobbed this weekend and I'll be able to do that.

- Woody

[valvesprung]

Awesome so far, cant wait to see her dialed in

[bww_mn]

"2-3 weeks"

I'm amazed how quickly some folks move when it takes me 2-3 months for some very simple mode (ie, clip-ons, taillights, etc).

I'm looking fwd to following this build!

[bww_mn]

Woody, just curious, if you'd be willing to share:

Where do you get your tanks/sides painted and could you share a ~ price?  I'm having trouble finding someone locally and I'd be willing to ship.

Thanks,
Brad

[woody1981]

Brad,

I am very fortunate to have really talented friends. On my first bike the paint was done by a friend of mine in trade for some clip-ons I had laying around and a $100 AGV Dragon helmet. I just paid for the paint. The pinstriping was done by my friend Josh Christy that owns vanchase.com and I think it cost me about $50 and a bottle of Sailor Jerry... but I've known him for years.

Josh from VanChase is painting the tank for this project and I think it's really gonna be something special and different. Picture this... we found a 1970's dirt tracker tank and stuck it on the bike... complete with fading and distress etc... but all new paint. I'm really putting it in his artistic hands. I don't know what he's going to charge me, but I'm sure it will be worth whatever it is.

Once it's done and if you like what you see I will ask him if he want's to take on another tank/covers project and if so I'll get you in touch.

- Woody

Woody, just curious, if you'd be willing to share:

Where do you get your tanks/sides painted and could you share a ~ price?  I'm having trouble finding someone locally and I'd be willing to ship.

Thanks,
Brad

[woody1981]

Got the new bars drilled and wired tonight. Pulled the carbs apart ready to get ultrasonically cleaned, and dissembled the fork legs.

Ran into a little issue tonight with the forks. I was planning to just add a spacer on the dampers to lower the forks, but on these CL forks they are a sealed up damper/rod/piston unit. I'm going to take the damper assembly to a machine shop next to my office and see if they can just cut the damper rod and re-thread it where it threads into the fork caps. I don't think it's going to me a major setback... but I will know more tomorrow.

- Woody

[bww_mn]

thanks Woody.  I need to expand my circle of friends.

[woody1981]

Quick Friday update.

These might look like stock CL350 damper assemblies... but they aren't! The damper rod has been shortened by 1.5" and re-threaded. I thought this was going to be a big set back since with these forks you can't just shim the damper like on a lot of them, but the machine shop two doors down from my office was able to cut and re-thread the stainless rods in just a couple days and only charged me $20! Sweet deal if you ask me!

If anyone plans to do this, the threads are a 7mm he said. He had to order the die and that caused a little delay. I will have the bike back on it's wheels by the end of the weekend!

- Woody

[woody1981]

Welcome to WEEKEND UPDATE!

So today I re-assembled the lowered front forks and re-installed them. Got the wheels back on, I love the way they look! Installed the rear turn signals. Bobbed the rear fender and removed the extra bracing on the sides of the fender to make it slimmer looking.

It's really starting to come together. The tank is my spare while the old red one is being painted, and I just stuck the seat pan on for mockup in relation to the rear fender. Pipes are just on to mockup as well. I removed some extension/spacers that were on the pipes that added about 8" to them. I'm going to shorten the lower header about 1.5" so there is a little less stagger and so the joint of the tip and the header will be hidden behind the stock heat-shield.

I will have the carbs back from being ultrasonically cleaned and should be able to rebuild and install them next week, along with the stock airboxes/filters.

Left to do:

• Install new battery
• Install taillight
• Finish wiring up everything and hiding wires
• Re-assemble and install carbs
• Finish seat cowl and carve foam to send to upholstery.

That's most everything. I should have the tank and side covers back from the painter in another week or so. Probably about the time I get everything else buttoned up.

Here are some pics after my progress today. Full flickr progress set is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ictwoody/sets/72157624025137951/

[PHeller]

Questions:

What bars?

What signals?

Any changes done to the frame?

Are controls stock?

[woody1981]

Questions:

What bars?
Bikemaster Euro Touring Bars - Available from Dime City Cycles

What signals? Mini Billet Single Filament - Also, Dime City Cycles

Any changes done to the frame? No frame mods, but the damper-rods in the forks have been shortened (lowered) 1.5" and the rear shocks are 12" instead of the 13" stockers... might do 11" in the future. We'll see how it rides.

Are controls stock?

Yes, stock controls.