Lurking too long...

[bwald]

Well, I discovered this forum months ago and have been gawking for some time. I was finally persuaded to join the site by an unnamed member who is currently restoring a '62 BSA Gold Star with nearly 20,000 views on his build thread. That ought to narrow it down.

So a little about me...aside from providing libations to the aforementioned DTT member as his bartender, I recently picked up this little beauty off of Craigslist. She's too clean to totally chop up, so aside from a handful of very minor alterations (the hideous stock tail light HAS to go, for instance) and what the prior owner has already done (Clubman handlebars, tore off the headlight/exhaust and provided me with replacements, etc.), I plan on cleaning her up and running her mostly stock.

'74 CB 360. 3616 miles, paid a little over $600 (this includes gas for the 350-mile round-trip as well as a couple beers for borrowing the trailer). I'll try to get better photos once I'm able to wheel her back out into my driveway past the snow and horrible overcast skies.

 

[swan]

Finally, pictures of your little beast. 3616 miles, it is not even broken in yet, looks great.

Get a new set of Dunlop D404 tires and a Lucas style tail light from Dennis Kirk. Buy a new brake caliper seal, master cylinder kit and stainless steel brake lines. Take some time to sort out the electronics, clean the carbs and detail and clean everything and you will have a bike for life. Let me know if I can help and you know you can pay me in liquid currency.

 

[bwald]

Let me know if I can help and you know you can pay me in liquid currency.

Thanks, Jon. Working on motorcycles (aside from changing the oil and a spark plug on an ex-girlfriend's bike) is new to me, but I'm usually pretty good at figuring things out. If I can't, I know I have plenty of resources out there including this site (and the rest of the internet), a shop manual, and people like you and Cole.

 

[Sonreir]

There is no such thing as a Honda 360 that's too good to chop. It's one of the most common bikes from the '70s, so break out the angle grinder!

 

[JustinLonghorn]

Over 700,000 CB360's were imported into North America.

Welcome to the site, sir.

 

[swan]

Oh, look who's here, a couple of regulars. Good to see you two harassing bwald. I saw his bike and it is in great shape. Version 1.0 will be unmolested, but I am sure he'll get the itch start tweeking and cutting.

 

[bwald]

I'm planning on running mostly stock this year. Aside from cleaning/polishing the engine, replacing worn parts, there are a handful of things I want to do, but most of those are cosmetic or ergonomics, and nothing major at that.

We tend to have very long winters in Minnesota, so next year I may reconsider if I want to take on a winter project. But for now this is my only bike, and I want her to be whole when the riding season comes around.

 

[Sonreir]

Fair enough. Not a bad idea to ride it a bit and see what you'd like to change. Have you ridden other bikes? It's often difficult to know the weak or strong points of your own machine unless you have something to which you can compare.

 

[bwald]

This is my first motorcycle, but I have ridden a few others. I grew up in the middle of the desert in Southern California, so I was exposed to quite a few dirt bikes. I also used to live with an ex-girlfriend with a CB400. I am by no means an experienced rider, but I'm not a total newbie either.

I've wanted a motorcycle for years, and I've always been fascinated with vintage bikes. Old English stuff particularly, but that's a bit out of my price range for the foreseeable future, so for now I'll gawk at Swan's rides and be happy on my 360.

 

[JustinLonghorn]

Hell yeah, man. Do it up. There are plenty of 360 owners on the forum, if you have any questions, just ask.

 

[jrknecht]

Looks good! My first street bike was a 71 CB350 that I rode stock and it was a blast for around town.


JR

 

[Thunderchild]

From one new guy to another, welcome to the site!

Nice bike, man. It's like having a blank canvas to work with. Enjoy it, and ride safe!

TC

 

[cyclefreak]

Good/clean looking bike! Welcome to the site.

 

[Red Devil]

Rad! hack er up!

 

[bwald]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

Hell yeah, man. Do it up. There are plenty of 360 owners on the forum, if you have any questions, just ask.

Like I mentioned in response to Swan earlier, I have plenty of resources at my disposal. Swan's a personal friend of mine and has been working on CBs for years and has already volunteered his assistance if needed, and my new roommate is no stranger to wrenching on his CB 750. I have gotten some pretty good ideas from this place, too.

I have a few projects on my plate right now, and I'm trying to finish up all those before I do any serious wrenching. I want to dedicate as much of my attention with as few distractions as possible to this bike. I will likely do more work next winter, but for this winter my tentative plan includes working on the front brakes, new tires, polishing the engine and rebuilding/replacing anything that looks like it could be a problem area, removing the rust from my gas tank (it looks immaculate externally, but there's a bit of a build-up inside, thankfully nothing extreme), replacing the mufflers that are completely rusted through, repainting the frame and center/kick stands (the only other places I have found any significant amount of rust), replacing the grips (they don't match, have almost no traction, and one of them is starting to shred), replacing the taillight, and fabricating a visor for my headlight (both of which are, admittedly, mostly cosmetic concerns). Carb work will likely be needed, but I plan on getting that done professionally by a guy here in town. Or...I'll just trade my roommate some beer, he's mentioned how he's done this in the past.

So...very little in the way of modifications, mostly just cleaning/fixing things up.