Any information for a beginner doing a cb350 build

alex2445

alex2445

Been Around the Block
Ok so I'm pretty new to this stuff. I've almost rebuilt an engine(just need a connecting rod set) and I'm working on a dirt bike for my dad, now. But here's my situation: I'm currently working on my eagle scout project, and once I'm done with that I'll be able to get a job(parent's rules) from there I'll plan on getting a cb350, and yes I know that they get expensive because so many people have bought them up to modify them. So until then I'd like to get as much information as possible about cb350s and about building bikes. Any advice you guys can give me, any tool suggestions, techniques, etc.
 
The best thing to do is lots and lots of research . Ask questions in-regards to the parts and mods you like on a bike and go from there, I'm not suggesting to copy someone else's work but just to get ideas and make something with your two hands. As far as tools go, you need to ask yourself , are you just gonna build this one bike and be done .? If so , I would Suggest borrowing as much tools that you can . But if your gonna continue to work on bikes for many year and work on other things with engines , I would say get yourself a good tool set up and trust me when I say tools are always a good Investment.
 
Welcome man congrats on the eagle scout believe it or not that will help along the way ! If I may why a CB350 ? There are a ton of bikes out there that are just as fun to build . I would say while your waiting to get started look around and see if something catches your eye :) Then look into said bike lil deeper and figure if it fits your plans and over all look ! Also see how easy or hard it is to find parts either OEM or aftermarket .
Once you find the bike get a manual for it best tool you can have . As for other tools well you can never have to many . If its a tool your only going to use once in awhile Go to HF but if it something you use all the time buy a good set they will last longer then sun most of the time ! Hope this help ;)
 
Welcome. Sounds to me like you have a good amount of dedication.
I see over on your "12v Thread" a member posted a link to the service manual over on Hondatwins. Exellent forum by the way, almost up there with DTT. ;)
RTFB ( Read The Friggin Book!) Most any info you would need you can find in the manual.
Now as far as tools go, pick yourself up a metric combination wrench set minimum 7mm to 21mm, you will use an 8, 10, 12, 14, 17 the most so be sure it contains those if it skips some... a 1/4", 3/8" drive (eventually 1/2") metric socket sets and ratchets. a 18mm Deep well socket for the sparkplugs is a must, a metric deep well set can come later. A set of feeler gauges. a medium sized ball been hammer and an impact driver. Then a inexpensive electical volt / ohm meter. That is a decent start on tools for any UJM bike (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) regardless is you stick with the 350 or find one of it's sisters say a 360 or 450...
 
Idk I just like the looks of it, and it's double of what I already ride(Kawasaki f7 175 cc two stroke) and I just like the looks of them. I've learned in the past that I shouldn't settle for something that looks good but isn't what I want or is maybe better in another way, but If it's not what I had originally wanted I shouldn't get it...sounds weird, but I'm settling on the cb350. I've actually been watching your xs500 build it looks pretty sweet. After this cb350 as I get older i'll get new bikes, rebuild'em and sell'em or i'll keep'em and they might be bigger or smaller than the 350 but this is what I wanna start out with.
 
Sounds like your on the right track bud and wish you luck on your build ! Only other thing ill say is remember this : There will be times on your build that seem slow or going backwards and other times is going fast but either way take your time and enjoy the the ride ! let us know when you get started :)
 
I kinda like the looks of the cb550, but eh...idk. For Christmas like 3 years ago, my dad bought me a craftsman mechanic set. So I've got all the sockets and wrenches, including the spark plug sockets. My dad has feeler gauges and two pneumatic impacts, and a 1/4" cordless impact and a 1/2" cordless impact, and an impact driver(the one you hit with a hammer to put a screw in or to take one out) and all these I can borrow from him, and he's probably got everything else that I need. Funny thing is I just tried organizing all his sockets and jeez does he have a lot. I finished like 6 sets, but there were like another 8 that were unfinished and there was a box filled with them that didn't go to any of those sets that weren't finished. I was just asking about tools that were weird that I might need for body work, or the engine, etc.
 
Don't focus or think at all about "building" a bike.
Buy a bike and ride said bike. Better to buy a "modern bike ex500 or cbr250 and ride for a year or so. If it really must be a vintage bike then buy the BeST one you can find/afford. Service the hell out of it, keep it stock and again RIDE. Can't modify a bike you haven't ridden for a while because you have not learned a good base line and you have not been on the bike long enough to find any short comings to modify and improve. Well unless all you want is a bike that has "a look".
 
Well I can't even have a permit until I'm 18 so I've basically have a year so my plan is to go and modify a bike so then I'll have what I want. I'd rather spend the year building a bike I like than go and buy one that I kinda like, plus bike building is more fun. Once I can ride it I'll be able to modify it how I feel it should be modified. I'll probably keep the enduro tires on it, so then I can ride it around the yard and get a little bit of a feel for it, although I know that on the road it'll feel different, but at least I'll have a feel for the handle bars and seat possibly.
Has anyone tried putting a cb750 forks and swing arm on a cb350? they had disc brakes and I figured those would be a lot better stopping power than regular drum brakes. I don't really wanna mess around trying to find someone who can make me a mount cheap enough for putting a disc brake on the cb350 swing arm.
 
I'd like to know if the swingarm can fit on the bike because I don't want to end up flipping because I used the front disc brakes after the rear drum brakes failed to slow me down fast enough. Since the cb750 has disc brakes for the rear brakes it'd be easier to just switch'em out instead of fabbing a mount and everything.
 
You might want to get a better understanding as to how bikes work before starting to modify them. Remember that baseline advice?

Some cb750s had rear disc. Not all.
Also it's not just the swingarm that holds the rear braking system.
There is no bolt on rear disc for a cb350

A well serviced rear drum should be more then enough for the speeds a cb350 will ge to.
No idea why you would be either all on the rear brake, or "flipping" over the front if riding correctly.
Also you are putting way to much faith in the performance of the cb750 brakes as well
 
okay I don't really think that getting a bike to figure out what I wanna modify because that's money that I will have to spend on gas and a bike that I don't event want, and it's a waste of time because now I don't get to start building.
The cb750 is a much bigger engine, and they put disc brakes on it, because disc brakes stop better than the drum brakes.
here's a scenario:
*me riding behind car we're both going about 55 mph*
*car decides to brake check me or has to stop quick, or something*
*I have to stop immediately* and I'm pretty sure that the disc brakes meant for a bigger engine would stop better on a smaller engine, so switching out the brakes seems like a good idea to me
 
alex2445 said:
okay I don't really think that getting a bike to figure out what I wanna modify because that's money that I will have to spend on gas and a bike that I don't event want, and it's a waste of time because now I don't get to start building.
The cb750 is a much bigger engine, and they put disc brakes on it, because disc brakes stop better than the drum brakes.
here's a scenario:
*me riding behind car we're both going about 55 mph*
*car decides to brake check me or has to stop quick, or something*
*I have to stop immediately* and I'm pretty sure that the disc brakes meant for a bigger engine would stop better on a smaller engine, so switching out the brakes seems like a good idea to me
Click to expand...

Not always true man ! If a car brake checks you and you kiss that back bumper it wont matter what kind of brakes you have. Take my bike for example I have WAY over kill on brakes , yea it could throw me over the bars if I grab a hand full so I left some air in the system to make it softer. Did I need them 'no' but I wanted them and it took a lot of time and money to get them . Trust the guys that run drums and are saying that they work they know what there talking about . I would bet my bike that if you went to any Vintage race you would see drum brakes on almost all the CB350s in that class and doing well to boot. So if they can use them on the track they should be more then good on the road ;)
 
On any proper brake system the front handles 70-75% of the braking force any way... Newtons law and weight transfer have a lot to do with a properly designed brake system.
Besides, your front wheel will lock up and skid, causing you to low-side, skiding underneath the car long before you do an end-over the handlebars...they don't call these things "Murdercycles" for nothin....


just trying to help. ;)
 
okay yeah, I was doing an extreme probably not going to work example, but that doesn't take away the fact that I want better stopping power. I live in an area where there's a lot of deer, last night I was driving home from a band practice(saxophone) and there was a deer in the road that I saw when I was hundred meters away so I stepped on the brakes and I stopped about 15 meters away from it. So I would like better stopping power, especially if one popped out even closer than a hundred meters. Anyways all I want to know is if I can put a cb750 swing arm on a cb350. Yes or no. I feel like I'm being a jerk and making up bull crap, but I'm still really thankful for your guys' help and advice.
 
Oh gawd... he's a woodwind! probably plays JAZZ :eek:
Bass brass line is where it's at!
Madison Scouts '81 Baritone ;)
Just blowing you static... you're alright kid... if you like building as much as riding you'll fit in fine around here!
 
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