540cc Honda 360 Engine

[Green199]

Wow! Crazy build. It's like God created the Heavens and the Earth. Then he said "Let there be a completely redesigned cb360", and there was a completely redesigned cb360. God looked at it and saw that it was good.

Meth is a hell of a drug.

 

[SONICJK]

Some real religious scholars around here I see haha
He was paraphrasing genesis.

 

[shamus]

I know. I guess I should have written "Why?"

 

[SONICJK]

Apparently he likes to compare the creation of heaven and earth to the creation of this 360, dunno that I see the resemblance hahaha

 

[Sonreir]

I know, right? The 360 was obviously the better design.

 

[SONICJK]

I know, right? The 360 was obviously the better design.

Clearly

Bro Mike Agrees:

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

there are 2 major things that would make the 360 perfect and 2 minor things.

1. Replaceable cam journals. (Even better, roller bearings)
2. 200 Watt alternator or at least one that keeps even at idle speed.

Minor:
1. Access port to oil filter ALA CB350. Why take the whole side cover off. Even better, external, replaceable element.
2. Transmission ratios. Slightly wider spaced. 1st gear a little lower, 6th gear a bit higher. So lower RPM's at hiway speed.

With those 4 items, the bike is darn near perfect.

Of course, modern brakes and ignition would be nice, the above could of been easily done in 1974-1976. The brakes were fairly contemporary. The 750 had the same caliper....??

 

[SONICJK]

there are 2 major things that would make the 360 perfect and 2 minor things.

1. Replaceable cam journals. (Even better, roller bearings)
2. 200 Watt alternator or at least one that keeps even at idle speed.

Minor:
1. Access port to oil filter ALA CB350. Why take the whole side cover off. Even better, external, replaceable element.
2. Transmission ratios. Slightly wider spaced. 1st gear a little lower, 6th gear a bit higher. So lower RPM's at hiway speed.

With those 4 items, the bike is darn near perfect.

Of course, modern brakes and ignition would be nice, the above could of been easily done in 1974-1976. The brakes were fairly contemporary. The 750 had the same caliper....??

And about 20 more HP 8)

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

The hp of the bike is fine. If I want more hp, get a bigger bike. That chassis isn't really well set up for 50 hp or so.

I want reliability and my suggestions would help a bit right there.

I stay away from too much hp. I drive wot as it is. Put more hp and I will just drive to the police station and give them my license.

Much more fun to drive a slow bike fast than drive a fast bike slow. At least to me.


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[SONICJK]

The hp of the bike is fine. If I want more hp, get a bigger bike. That chassis isn't really well set up for 50 hp or so.

I want reliability and my suggestions would help a bit right there.

I stay away from too much hp. I drive wot as it is. Put more hp and I will just drive to the police station and give them my license.

Much more fun to drive a slow bike fast than drive a fast bike slow. At least to me.


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I agree for the most part. But I sold my 350 (essentially the same) because it just sucked to cruise on. A few more ponies would make it perfect to me, light nimble quick and you could gear it so you could actually drive 65 with relative comfort.
That's why I like this project I think the engine in this one should be more than sufficient

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

That's because your spoiled 8). In 1969, the cb350 was faster then any stock Harley. It also was smoother.

I try to avoid interstates when I ride. A light nimble bike is perfect for back roads at a slightly lower pace. To me, I love the sound of the engine in full song. I never run it under 5 k rpm unless I am stopped at a light. That is where the fun is being able to wrong it out. I test road a Ducati. Fantastic bike I would rarely if ever be able to ride it at 9/10's. of its ability. It had 150 hp. Small bikes allow you to push it and not get the PoPo upset. Having said that, slightly better highway hearing in 6th would be nice.

Here in the great unwashed northeast, you can't find many places to drive that allows you to do the ton anyway.

Get a goldwing if you want to cruise the highways.







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[SONICJK]

Well where I am there's 30 miles between towns.
And I didn't enjoy revving my 350 that high. My 400f cruises nicely at 5-6k, the 350 not so much.
To each his own I suppose.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

Revving THAT high?

Heck, those engines aren't even developing any real HP below 4K RPM.

They like 5K-8K RPM. My 69 CB350 was an RPM whore. I ran it to the top of the Tach a lot (12K). For some reason, the 69 pulled all the way up. Nothing special, stock air cleaners, after market mufflers. The 69 loved the RPMs. The CB360 runs out of steam around 9K. No point in staying in that gear. But 5k to 8K she is lovely. Below 3K is lugging it, as far as I am concerned. when you look at piston speeds, peak pressures, the right RPM is a lot higher then on larger engines. Plus, my battery stays charged.

You are missing a lot of performance if you don't go over 5K.

As long as your timing is right, the oil filled, the filter clean, Honda Engines love to spin. Plain bearing in the cam, when oiled, work better at higher RPM. Lower RPM does not develop as strong a hydraulic wedge.

It's funny as the Harley is out of Steam at 4500 RPM, and the CB350/360 are just coming off Idle at that RPM.

If you don't go above 5K, you aren't even into the secondary jets in the carburetor.

 

[SONICJK]

I didn't say I didn't rev it that high. My 350 routinely revved out up to 10k (how you got to 12 with points I don't know).
I said its not pleasant to cruise at that rpm. That's just my opinion however and there are many here that i know agree. If I still lived in the city I'd probably still be riding it.
Like I said, to each his own.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

(how you got to 12 with points I don't know).

Not so strange, why would that "point" catch your attention. My Chevy V8 with points revved to 5500 RPM. The points had to open 8 times per cam revolution. There was only one set.

The CB350/360 points has to open once per cam revolution. If they are as good as a Chevy, they could handle 80000 RPM (though I think thqat might be a LITTLE extreme).

The points would not restrict RPM on these engines anyway. The valves would (or a rod thrown threw the case). Even on a V8, the valves would float before the points gave out. The 350 just ran well. I once had the tach and speedo pinned. I would be laying down on the tank at those "points". This was in 1973, I was a little braver then I am today. I was racing a Camaro in the back roads of North Carolina. I actually passed him. I was on the wrong side of road too...I was a little nutty back then. I did have a slight downhill area (if you know the Piedmont Section of NC, there aren't any real hills).

Sometimes an engine just has the right clearances everywhere. They run better than most. If you are lucky, you get one. that was the only lucky time I had. Luckt the bike ran so well, lucky I didn't kill myself.

As far as comfort, I find the higher RPM are more comfortable. My 360 is running easily at 5K. I don't look at the tach to do this. I accelerate, shifting, and when I am going the speed I want, I don;t shift if the bike is running smooth. I find the 5-6K RPM the best RPM for everything. A little extra speed, it picks right up. The vibration is the least intrusive. At lower RPM, the engine tends to vibrate more, and at a lower frequency. Todays ride, I was in 5th rather then 6th,as the bike "likes" that RPM.

I wasn't chastizing you. More like, hey, your missing a good time.....

I will say the bike is smoother when the carbs are well synced. Out of sync, the motor is rougher at 5K.

 

[SONICJK]

Maybe I just had a bad one
And most cb350 points bounce at 10k or so and limit the revs

 

[crazypj]

sorry mydlyfkryzis, SONIJK is correct on this one.
Honda designed the opening ramp to be pretty sudden and cause points bounce around 10,500~ 11,000 rpm
If ignition has been left on and points were closed, the spring heats up and loses tension so points bounce at lower rpm (if you get real unlucky the coil burns out as well)
It's probably not well known, but, it's pretty easy to take a fine sharpening stone to relieve the opening edge of cam (the 'double springing' of points was pretty well known mod)

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

That makes sense. But I know one thing, my 1969 350 never had a problem pinning the tach... The tach was not off...RPM vs MPH, and the speedo was close, as I had a buddy with a car work it out. No GPS in those days. Maybe something was done to my 350. I bought it 3 years old (1972). I was at least the third owner at that point.

She was a lot faster then my 360, and handled better. My pegs lost a lot of metal. At night, my Army buddies would have a good show, as through the curves I always sent a shower of sparks. One of my buddies had a CL350, and he could not keep up. The 350 accelerated better (despite different gearing) and left him on top end. He topped out about 90. I did the ton a lot with that bike.

I couldn't ride like that now even if the bike could do it. Something about being 19 years old and invulnerable. I cringe thinking how hard I rode back then.

The 360 doesn't even go much past 9000 RPM, and the power curve had long gone by then.

Like you, I now have a few scars and limitations, and have become averse to adding any pain..

 

[crazypj]

Good possibility someone knew about the points cam?
probably had the 'bumpy' cam as well, gives more top end power

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

A part of me regrets selling it. At the time, life was busy and I just couldn't spend the time or money keeping it rolling. If I knew then what I know now I would of kept it.

Fwiw, the brakes were not up to the speed. The fronts faded pretty fast when going pretty fast.

I miss the steering damper too. When I was going fast, I would have it cranked pretty right. Friction only, but it helped a lot.

Sorry for the thread hijack. Back to your regularly scheduled thread.


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