My CB360 barn find

[jonwright]

so i have always liked cafe racers and i really wanted to find something would make a good cafe bike. i came across this cb360 in a barn and i knew it was perfect. it was dirty, filled with hornets nests and nasty old gas. but it kicked over and it was all there minus the clutch lever. so i got a buddy to help me put it in the back of a truck and bring it home.
here it is sitting in the barn

got it home

started pounding in some knee dents

flat blacked my tank untill i could finish the body work and paint it how i want

pulled off a bunch off seat, fenders, other stuff..

got my clipons

round 1 on my seat, but i decided i wanted to shorten the frame so i will scrap this one and make a new one soon

finished choping and grinding on my frame getting the seat length where i wanted it, it was scary to cut such big peices off my frame since i have never done this before but i am happy with the way it is turning out

 

[jonwright]

I am still having a really hard time picking out colors, mostly because my wife says she will kill me if i try and paint anything black, i want it to look classy and vintage, but i really cant decide on what colors are going to help me get the look i want. i have seen a lot of bikes i really like, but i dont want to just copy somebody elses ideas, i want it to be original. so far, all i know i want is a head light visor... i guess i will just see how it plays out. im going for round 2 on the seat today, i will get some pictures up when its taken shape.

 

[Sonreir]

I think "classy" and "vintage (at least in the context of the 1970s)" is going to be mutually exclusive. ;D

 

[jmemmert]

I would make sure it ran good before I went any further...

 

[teazer]

You need at least a front fender or replace it with a fork brace and the front part of the rear fender to keep rocks and water out of teh carbs and off the engine.

Just for the record, all production race bikes and most vintage racers have a rear fender. We don't run on the street - only on a nice clean track and even with both fenders we end up with a lot of dirt on the top of the crankcase just below the carbs.

Seriously, very few racers go out without a fender at each end.

Flat black is so nineties IMHO. We have done a couple of bikes in Satin Black with contrasting stripes ,but I don't think I'd do the "stealth fighter" look again. Cafe racers were always colorful - red or silver frames in some cases, red was a typical tank color - sometimes blue. High Gloss black with gold pinstripes can look good on the right bike, but the bike has to be immaculate to pull that off.

How about red frame and pearl white tins with a tasteful stripe, or good old fashioned black frame and red tank. Use color to make it stand out.

And cover that ugly middle bit up. That is not a pretty frame. You could use the stock side covers and paint them low gloss black so they are not the center of attention and your eye will automatically be drawn to the seat-tank combo which is what makes a bike.

 

[jonwright]

I actualy spend last night cleaning up my fenders and popping a dent out I am planing on putting them back on, but maybe mounting the rear fender low and inside the frame, like lucky 7even did. As far as paint goes I think I may have an idea, but I will keep you all in suspence until I can start painting. As for the open frame, I really like the open look, but I may deside to put a number plate in to fill the gap. Thanks for your input guys. I really do appreciate it

 

[Sonreir]

I dig the frame on the 360, actually. I really fell in love with the lines while I was doing my own café project. One vote from me to leave it open.

 

[jonwright]

yea i am a big fan of the open look, i took one more shot at making a seat, i like this one better

still not done with it but its starting to take the shape i want.

 

[cyclhed]

cool bike man you should stretch that seat out for your height you will hate it being cramped on there

 

[teazer]

All you need to do is to either use a stock rear fender front section or fabricate something simple to fit between the rear downtubes - it has to clear the tire though.

BTW, are the clipons upside down or that an optical illusion? They should slope down by 5,10 or15 degrees

 

[jonwright]

I am kinda committed to the overall seat length but I am going to open up the seating area and shorten the front of the hump or slope it a little. As for the clipons, they might be upside down, this is my first time building a bike so if I continue making dumb mistakes please feel free to keep helping me out. Thanks again everyone

 

[rocketman]

Clip ons look upside down to me too! I agree maybe just a little more sitting area. I like the fact that your diving right in being a first time build, no better way to learn(as long as its safe come riding time). I'm sure everyone here will help with that as long as you keep posting good pics of your progress.

 

[jonwright]

Thanks man, I'll get those clip ons flipped around, I'm sure I am not the first guy to do something dumb like that haha, any way, pulled the motor today and got the bike down to the frame. I have my paint and sand paper and denatured alcohol and what not. So I will get some pictures up I'm pretty excited about the paint scheme I have picked out!

 

[jonwright]

alright so here we go, went down to the frame lots of sanding,cleaning, priming, sanding, cleaning, painting, sanding, cleaning painting so on and so on, but i am finally happy with the way it looks, i did a little fame mock up so you guys could see my progress.

 

[rocketman]

Sweet! Red frame,Hmmmmm? You have me wondering what the rest of the bike will be painted?

 

[jonwright]

thanks man, i wanted unique and i think i am going to get it. it may not be everyones style, but i think its gonna be pretty cool. the paint i have picked out i havnt seen on anybody elses bike so far, so its either gonna be way sweet, or a total train wreck haha. but i guess we will see. itll be a while before i get paint on it, i still have a lot of body work and fiberglass stuff to do.

 

[jonwright]

cleaned up my forks a little, painted my triple trees, and got it back on that ugly set of wheels (wife wouldnt let me keep my frame in the house any longer haha) im hoping to get a set of avons, but since im doing this budget build one can of spray paint at a time... the more costly parts are gonna have to wait. but i am having fun and i think it is gonna be cool.

 

[jonwright]

sorry that second picture is pretty blury. but you get the idea

 

[trek97]

Your frame looks super. Did you get it running before the disassembly? This is my first motorcycle. I too pulled mine out of a shed...I have done NO mechanical motor work and it runs great. After sitting 20 years. So good luck with that. I did replace points, condenser and left coil.
the clip ons are an awesome look. I installed a 69 350 sprint front end I had onto my 76 cb360. I fell in love w the old school front drum look as opposed to the more modern disc. The forks on the 69 are tapered tubes & through bolts the triple tree, So I cant install the clip ons. grrrr I just couldnt shell out the extra cash for a CL360 front end w straight tubes and triple tree clamps. maybe someday...then Ill be able to add clip ons to my bike. heres a couple pics of my project. If you have any questions dont hesitate.
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=27417.0

 

[jonwright]

Dude I really like your bike! That's awesome man. I think it looks rad even with out the clipons. Any way thanks for the kind words about my little cb.
So far I can afford spray paint and uh... Dirt. And since my bike came with plenty of dirt, I am waiting to do the mechanical stuff till I can afford it. Itll happen eventually.