Matnetik Mods - 1974 CB360 - Cafe Style

[Matnetik]

Hello all, first post and thought I'd share my latest project. Picked up a 1974 CB360 halfway cafed and just about finished it off. Engine and carbs just rebuilt and freshly painted. Still some small things to do but here are the pictures below with a list of mods. I thought it would be good to be a part of this forum for maintenance questions and such!

• Gas tank/seat cowl refinished and painted nardo grey to match my CBR600R - had all the badges removed and dents repaired
• New rear sets
• LED headlight with built-in turn signals
• LED rear tail light and pod turn signals
• Painted the rims, forks, calipers, gas cap, and some other misc. engine parts low-gloss black
• Lowered it 1-5/8 inches on the rear and front
• New tach overlay and LED-backlit with white and blue LEDs
• Neutral light and start button integrated into triple tree
• Black exhaust wrap
• Flat black exhaust paint
• 2-1 exhaust headers
• Handlebar mirror
• Avon RoadRider tires 120/90 rear and 100/90 front
• Braided brake line and new master cylinder with matching levers

And I am waiting on the following which should be here this week - will update the pictures once everything arrives.
T-Rex Lowering Kickstand
12" Cone Style Stainless Steel Exhaust
Steering Damper (after lowering it in the front, it seems a bit squiggly)

 

[Psychopasta]

Nice looking bike!

 

[ridesolo]

Welcome! Lots of 360 owners here, you'll find lots of info... and sympathy!

My 360/378 is lower because of the Kawi wheels and suspension I'm using so I'm using the side stand from a Honda CB500T, it's around an 1" shorter than the original 360 stand.

 

[Matnetik]

Nice looking bike!

Thanks! Pretty stoked on it, can't wait to take it out on the PCH!

Welcome! Lots of 360 owners here, you'll find lots of info... and sympathy!

My 360/378 is lower because of the Kawi wheels and suspension I'm using so I'm using the side stand from a Honda CB500T, it's around an 1" shorter than the original 360 stand.

Haha, that's good to know, I've been searching the forums for about a month now on little mods and service info and it's been beyond helpful. I order this T-Rex CB300R Lowering Stand and it's adjustable, It seems like it should fit and is pretty slim. But if it doesn't, great to know a CB500T side stand will fit, good to have as an option.

 

[ridesolo]

Yowza! $90!?!?!?!?

The CB500T stand has a couple of extemporaneous fittings on it that can just be cut off if you don't want them, but otherwise it fits perfectly. The CB 350 stands fit, too, but are the same length as the 360, there are probably others as well.

 

[Matnetik]

Yowza! $90!?!?!?!?

The CB500T stand has a couple of extemporaneous fittings on it that can just be cut off if you don't want them, but otherwise it fits perfectly. The CB 350 stands fit, too, but are the same length as the 360, there are probably others as well.

Haha yeah that was my thought exactly - I bought it last week so it should be here on Saturday, if it fits I'm going to just roll with it haha

 

[Matnetik]

Alrighty, the exhaust came in yesterday from Dime City, got a universal 12" engineering cone exhaust. Had the tab welded on today and mounted it all up. Also, the kickstand fits perfectly other than the spring now being a bit too long. Order a 4" spring which should be here any day now. Other than that I am just waiting on a 33mm steering damper fork clamp to mount my damper. Since I lowered it, it's definitely a bit touchy haha. I also added a metal plate to my rearsets for more support than just the single tab they were hanging on.

Need to raise the front up about 5/8" as it's a bit too far down as well.

 

[Matnetik]

The 33mm clamp came in but doesn’t seem to fit, may have to sand the inside down a bit, it’s extremely close but I am worried about breaking the screws if I crank it down anymore. Other than that, through lots of trial and error, I finally got the steering damper to fit and work properly. Had to use spacers or it hit the frame, tried it on the right side but it hit the ignition switch, ended up going with the left side and a 4” screw through the stock mount. Works great and my steering is much more stable!

 

[teazer]

Please cut that zip tie off and take the brake hose away from the fork tube.

I know it's your bike and you can do what you want with it, but why wrap a new set of pipes? Pipe wrap adds zero performance. Zilch. Nada. And just helps the pipes to rust prematurely. I have a couple of sets of expensive pipes here that were ruined but PO wrapping them.

I like a steering damper on my race and street bikes but I'd check you rake and trail just to be sure that the bike is not dangerously unstable. The first time you try going fast I'd hate it to tank slap you into a ditch. A steering damper might not be enough to stop it if the basic geometry is too far off.

 

[Matnetik]

Please cut that zip tie off and take the brake hose away from the fork tube.

I know it's your bike and you can do what you want with it, but why wrap a new set of pipes? Pipe wrap adds zero performance. Zilch. Nada. And just helps the pipes to rust prematurely. I have a couple of sets of expensive pipes here that were ruined but PO wrapping them.

I like a steering damper on my race and street bikes but I'd check you rake and trail just to be sure that the bike is not dangerously unstable. The first time you try going fast I'd hate it to tank slap you into a ditch. A steering damper might not be enough to stop it if the basic geometry is too far off.

Hey Teazer,

Thanks for the advice here. Any better ideas to hold the brake line and speedo cable away from rubbing the tire? I did put a zip tie on the lower stalk of the shock and removed the top one since the shock moves into it, makes a bit more sense I suppose.

As far as the exhaust wrap, I live in the valley of Los Angeles, it rains maybe 10 times a year here, nearly zero humidity, the bike is kept in a temperature-controlled garage, and I don’t ride in the rain. I only hand clean the bike and never use a hose or bucket of water. I enjoy the look of the pipes being wrapped, wasn’t doing it for any performance gains but just for aesthetic purposes!

Great thoughts on checking the rake and trail. Will definitely do this, The front went down an inch from stock and the rear 1-5/8”. I’ve taken it on the freeway before the damper, and it was totally fine, this was just more of a precaution and to give it a bit more tension when city street turning. This bike is mainly for cruising around Hollywood, Santa Monica, PCH. Not too much canyon riding or going fast as I take my CBR600RR out for that!

 

[Matnetik]

Thought I would update with the latest pictures here - waiting on the front fender bracket to come in for the forks (thanks @crazypj) for the tip but it’s finally up and running again. Still need to get the carbs dialed in - having some sputtering in 1st gear. But thanks to everyone who gave me advice on my other post about the camshaft and such, wouldn’t have known where to even start without all the help!

Latest additions;
-Kuryakyn by Kellermann Atto Turn Signals
-Had an 18” baffle welded into the exhaust cone
-Cam chain tensioner / rocker bolts recall parts installed
-Cleanest camshaft and rocker arms I could find with very minimal pitting
-New valve cover and gaskets all around

 

[Matnetik]

Just installed the Common Motors Shockwave Electronic Ignition and I am truly blown away!! My 360 is running better than ever, no stutters or stumbles, constant power through each gear, really impressed with the ease of install and overall quality!

 

[MiniatureNinja]

I know you don't want a front fender for that "cafe look" but please put at least a fork brace on that thing. Lowing it just made the bike more unstable and you've got a tensioner that's just going to make fork flex worse

 

[Matnetik]

I know you don't want a front fender for that "cafe look" but please put at least a fork brace on that thing. Lowing it just made the bike more unstable and you've got a tensioner that's just going to make fork flex worse

Oh yeah already did that, a while ago, just haven't posted any updated pictures! Did what you did actually with taking the bracket from the stock fender! Also took the tensioner off because it interferes with the electronic ignition mounted bracket, lifted the bike up about 1/2” as well and rides great

 

[Matnetik]

This is also with the amazon angled clip-ons!