help on deciding / what would you choose

[DreadRock]

XS400 I say but that's just me !

 

[surffly]

The cb350F is one of the only Hondas that getting parts for is hard.
Underpowered and massively overshadowed by the MUCH better 400g.
IF it was a clean 100% bike, including the 4-4 pipes then it would be worth buying just to restore.
But as a cafe its just slow and heavy, but smooth and sounds good.

For a beginner get something that you can find parts for and get help on, that would be the cb350

 

[DreadRock]

That's very true there are some very nice builds and plenty of guys that know there shit with the hondas !

 

[surffly]

I understand the idea of doing something "different" but really how different do you need to be? Im in brooklyn all the time and even there dont see that many cb350s out on the road

 

[crazypj]

Unless you really enjoy almost constant tinkering the XS will probably be most 'reliable' (they usually only have wiring issues, Yamaha did some strange things with wires)
I remember the XS400 as being the slowest and most boring of all the 350~400's (Yamaha had the RD350/RD400 to go fast so 400 was deliberately built as commuter bike to take abuse)
Complete re-wiring with modern materials, new solid state reg/rect and it should be good to go (unless/until you fit pods and modify exhaust : )

 

[smoke]

well looks like ill have this poll up for another week, i ran into a problem securing a truck and trailer for the bike. so now I've got another week of changing my mind daily ahead of me.

 

[smoke]

Here she is! my "new" '70 CB350
Thanks for all the advice
more pics and a thread to follow eventually

 

[DreadRock]

Very clean looking bike there man even tho its a honda LOL JKin . Congrats on the new ride so whats the plan with it ?

 

[surffly]

Hope that the plan is not to paint it and put clubmans on it.

Take the time to get it working 100% stock and ride the hell out of it for the rest of the season.
After that you can decide if you want to mod it or what not.

While some might not agree, I for one hate to see a clean stock bike hacked just to "make it my own".
Sure honda built a ton of them but for it to have survived for years and still be clean should be respected. Hell even from a financial point of view its a bad idea to hack a clean bike. There is always a market for well sorted stock bikes, so fix it up and sell it on. Or sell the body work off and raise some money to buy a faded tank cheap to play around with.

 

[crazypj]

I agree with surffly 100%

 

[smoke]

That was my plan, leave it as is! It has had the fork covers and side panels painted but the tank is nearly perfect! As far as how it runs, shes purring great! Eventually i think I'll paint the drums and fork lowers black maybe shock springs too.

 

[smoke]

The seat could use a new cover. It's the only part that looks its age. But luckily no tears so it will be good for a while.

 

[surffly]

Any old bike will give you plenty of opportunities to mend it.....dont look for more work

 

[surffly]

Polish the lower legs and hubs.
Black is lame

 

[DreadRock]

I agree with leaveing it as is . Altho i have black wheels i would say polish up and just repaint the parts that need it. Spoke wheels always look better polished over paint i think . I wouldnt go with clubman i would look at a lower .JM2c