Honda CL350 Build - Help Needed!

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 15, 2009

• #1

This is my first street bike. I bought the bike in pieces with half a motor for fifty bucks at a yard sell. Slowing been working on it for the last year as the budget permits.

Beginning:

Thats pretty much how it looked when I got home, 15 different colors, USA stickers and all. At this point I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
Started cleaning and polishing the chrome, and it actually started looking alot better.

Being a noob I started working on the body before working on all the mechanicals. I narrowed and shortened the seat pan and hand formed a bum stop.

Decided to try my hand at upholstering. I went to the fabric store, bought some pleather, cut out some patterns and started hand stictching.

My wife cracked jokes about me sewing nonstop.

Did a lil body work and some rattle can paint and came out with this:

This is how it sits:

I've sourced a ton of parts over the last year and between two engines I think I finally have enough to get one complete one. New gaskets, o-rings and a clymer manual, wish me luck!

 

T

tobiism

Been Around the Block

• Jul 15, 2009

• #2

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Great job on that upholstery. Most home upholstery jobs look absolutely horrible. Thats really nice!

 

jay_kent

1979 cb650

• Jul 16, 2009

• #3

Re: Honda CL350 Build

You hand stitched that seat? great work.

Love that two-tone tank.

Jay

 

rawfish

Coast to Coast

• Jul 16, 2009

• #4

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Great job on the seat!

 

VonYinzer

Over 10,000 Posts

• Jul 16, 2009

• #5

Re: Honda CL350 Build

lookin good.... good luck with the motor!

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 16, 2009

• #6

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Yup hand stitched it, took me a week sewing a couple of hours a night after work. I'm planing on starting a tread showing how to make the seat and upholster it if anyone is interested.

 

goodfornothing

Spicey!

• Jul 16, 2009

• #7

Re: Honda CL350 Build

A how-to on your upholstery work is definitely a go!

I'd love to see how you did it. Great work so far!

 

R

Roiber

Been Around the Block

• Jul 17, 2009

• #8

Re: Honda CL350 Build

you bought it for 50$ ? your very lucky people in usa....in Greece where im from..they could ask you 500 euros only for the frame or something!

i was talking with a guy from california i think..and he got a yamaha sr 500 for 500$..here is 2000 euro...

so if you get a motorcycle for 50 $ even with no engine on it i think is a realy good deal!

good luck with your project!

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 17, 2009

• #9

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Yea it was pretty much the deal of the day and less than a mile from my house, I spent more on a spare engine than for the whole bike. All the little things needed are adding up quickly. This weekend I'm going to start fabbing up some rearsets.

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 19, 2009

• #10

Re: Honda CL350 Build

The rearsets were put on hold. One of my freaking valves is stuck. I'm not working on anything else until I get this engine to kick over freely.

 

VonYinzer

Over 10,000 Posts

• Jul 20, 2009

• #11

Re: Honda CL350 Build

kadavenport said:

The rearsets were put on hold. One of my freaking valves is stuck. I'm not working on anything else until I get this engine to kick over freely.

Click to expand...

thats the smart move....

 

chris73cb175

Been Around the Block

• Jul 20, 2009

• #12

Re: Honda CL350 Build

+1 on the seat and tank good

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 20, 2009

• #13

Re: Honda CL350 Build

For the first time since I owned the bike a complete engine is mounted in the frame! I tore the top end apart this weekend, fixed the valves, replaced the gaskets, etc. Its actually starting to look like a motorcycle.

Thanks for the +1.

 

VonYinzer

Over 10,000 Posts

• Jul 21, 2009

• #14

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Nice man... Way to go. It feels good when it starts to go from "what the hell is that?", to "hey thats a damn motorcycle in my garage!" Cant wait to see it completed. Oh and by the way, what is that thing behind the cl in the first pic?

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 21, 2009

• #15

Re: Honda CL350 Build

VonYinzer said:

Nice man... Way to go. It feels good when it starts to go from "what the hell is that?", to "hey thats a damn motorcycle in my garage!" Cant wait to see it completed. Oh and by the way, what is that thing behind the cl in the first pic?

Click to expand...

That was kind of a joke build. The church I was going to decided to have a motorcycle show, and I bet one of my friends I could build something in a week to enter in the show. That was the end result. Here's details of the build http://www.caferacer.net/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8287.

 

VonYinzer

Over 10,000 Posts

• Jul 21, 2009

• #16

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Well. Thats somethin else... I guess when you get the urge to build something, ya gotta just build something! Nice job man.

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 22, 2009

• #17

Re: Honda CL350 Build

VonYinzer said:

Well. Thats somethin else... I guess when you get the urge to build something, ya gotta just build something! Nice job man.

Click to expand...

Thanks, it was just a fun little project. Still have it laying around, even rode it around the neighborhood a few times, but its loud as crap, and the chain likes to come off a little too easy (not to mention the lack of brakes).

My Dad called me from Daytona Beach, and picked up some parts for me. Freakin awesome.

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 26, 2009

• #18

Re: Honda CL350 Build

Shifter and Brake Pedal Fab:
Layout on 3/8 Alluminum

Using both a skill saw with a metal cutting blade and a jig saw I as able to get the rough shapes cut out.
My dad bought me the fold up pegs while in Daytona, they're alot better than the stock ones that were on the bike.

I drilled a few lightening holes and tapped a hole for the bottom peg.

Still need finishing, but its a start.
I picked up exhaust studs, fuel line and other little things, dollaring me to death.

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Jul 29, 2009

• #19

Re: Honda CL350 Build

UPDATE:
Mounted the VM32's. Frusterating, but not nearly as hard as some people have made it sound. Adapted the stock 1 into 2 cable (I was told it wouldn't work, but they have a full pull and retract fine, why do people say it won't work??? Am I going to run into problems unforeseen?)

Cut 2 inches off the clubmans, and ran the wires through them. Holy Cow what a biotch!!! Blisters on my fingers from pulling on twine trying to pull the cables through. Shortening the bars really changed the looks of the front in, much better in my opinion.

Still have alot to do to the rearsets, and started tackling the wiring. Next - Setting up the brakes.

 

kadavenport

Been Around the Block

• Aug 8, 2009

• #20

Re: Honda CL350 Build

I'm a little depressed. Im sitting in a cabin in Helen, Ga a perfect place to ride, but my bike isn't ready. Maybe itll be road worthy by my next mountain trip. Wiring is about the only thing left.