Vintage Dirt Racing on a 350 Honda Twin

[LC Garage]

Yesterday morning dawned bright, clear and cold. Despite a sore back from working around the farm and getting ready for winter, I decided to finish up the trailer and got started around 9 AM. A little welding, and a lot of cutting and grinding, yielded a trailer ready for paint around noon. The wife had gone to town and bought a couple cans of Rustoleum gloss black and even though it was really too cold to paint, there wasn't much choice as the trailer couldn't sit outside with bare metal. In the middle of painting, Paul (OC) called and said we needed to meet in Banks, both to hand off the project scrambler and to talk about the Baja race with he and Luke. So finished with the rattle cans, rolled it back in the shop and off we went to meet with Paul and Luke.

Old man with grinder;



The center tire rack is wide enough to hold the front tire of most cruiser bikes;



The combination of wide and narrow rails is a bit odd, but who cares?



Painted and ready to haul!



The finishing touch will be some kind of tool box or storage unit that bolts on the tongue, will keep an eye on Craigslist for just the right piece.

The wife and I met with Paul & Luke early in the afternoon and after lunch and a long talk about Baja, we headed home with Paul's trailer and Honda CL350 Scrambler project. The Scrambler is next up for shop time, we are planning to make it a running bike to sell for more cash to work on Team Outta Sight's Baja SL350. Stay tuned.

[LC Garage]

Here is Paul's (aka Oregon Coast) Honda CL350 Scrambler, we will be getting it running and then selling it as a project bike. We are doing this to help raise money for some of the modifications to Team Outta Sight's SL350 for the 2012 Mexican 1000.

[LC Garage]

Shop time is at a premium right now, with my youngest leaving for boot camp in just two weeks, we combined her birthday, Thanksiving and Christmas all into one weekend, and her going away party is next Sunday. Whew! Anyway, Sunday was the first day to get back in the shop for a little while and it was looking pretty rough from the bike trailer project. Spent some time just cleaning up, moved a few bikes back out to the barn to get some working room and then brought Paul's CL350 Scrambler inside the shop (it has been sitting out in his covered trailer). This was my first opportunity to really look the bike over and it was a pleasant surprise. The bike is much more complete then I had imagined and pretty clean, nicer than I'm used to starting with.



It will require a small amount of wiring, tune up, CV carbs installed (they are currently on my race bike) and with a little work it should be running. As soon as this bike is in runnable condition it will go up for sale. We are not planning to restore it or make everything work or perfect, just make it run and then hand off to someone else.



The plates were last tagged in '83 and has 11,000 miles showing on the odometer. Send a PM if you might be interested and would like more information.

[LC Garage]

This morning I delivered my old 350 twin to the local exhaust shop for two sets of exhaust; one set that will use the original SL350 head pipes and route into a collector with right side exit (and into a super trapp?), the other set will be traditional TT pipes made from slightly larger diameter pipe than stock.

If the two into one set turns out like we are hoping, it may get used on OC's Baja bike. The TT pipes will be used on my bike whenever extra horsepower and noise is required.

[drdubb]

When you say exhaust shop, is that an auto exhaust shop? I'm looking at making some pipes for my sl and at the current time I'm considering using Cone Eng parts and weld them up myself. The problem is that they don't stock standard bends for 1 3/8 which is the closest to the metric and I'll have to either find old pipes or fab the exhaust port end. What oversize pipe are you using?

[LC Garage]

Dale,

Yes, it is an automotive exhaust shop and because the shop owner is quite the curmudgeon (his business partner's name is Grumpy, I SWEAR!) and we have locked horns in the past, I decided to just tell him what I want but not try to tell him what to use or how to get there. On the TT pipes I showed him the shape I wanted and only said "use the next size bigger than stock". As soon as I have some solid information on pipe size, etcetera, I will let you know.

On another note, while the two into one pipe will use all stock Honda hardware, for the TT pipes the plan is to use some trick cnc billet retainers found on ebay that are made in Portland for the CB350 road racers.

Originally Posted by Dale Warren

When you say exhaust shop, is that an auto exhaust shop? I'm looking at making some pipes for my sl and at the current time I'm considering using Cone Eng parts and weld them up myself. The problem is that they don't stock standard bends for 1 3/8 which is the closest to the metric and I'll have to either find old pipes or fab the exhaust port end. What oversize pipe are you using?

[drdubb]

I'd like more info when you get some, especially about the retainers.

This is what I've been looking at.

http://www.coneeng.com/motorcycle_components.html

[LC Garage]

Dale,

Thanks for sharing this resource, saw many trick exhaust items that can be used on various projects.

Here is the link to the CNC retainers, made in Portland, OR, guys name is Ken and he is very helpful. Have not hooked up with him yet, but in an email he said they make more than just exhaust parts for the 350 twin.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400236488619...84.m1423.l2649

Should have an update on pipes in next week to ten days.

Originally Posted by Dale Warren

I'd like more info when you get some, especially about the retainers.

This is what I've been looking at.

http://www.coneeng.com/motorcycle_components.html

[LC Garage]

Last night got started on the Scrambler and have to keep reminding myself that Paul only wants me to get it running! Such a nice bike, it is very tempting to try and fix everything, must remain strong!

Started with the most obvious, the points cover is off, no points plate and mechanical advance is frozen;



After a good soak with WD-40 and some gentle persuasion, removed the advance mechanism so it can be cleaned and freed up;



Advance reinstalled and working freely;



Removed points plate from one of the donor bikes, cleaned and installed;



Tonite I'll set points, timing and check valves. When the race bike gets back from the exhaust shop, will put the CV carbs on and get it started.

[oregoncoast]

Very cool! Now, when we did have points on there (we stole them for spares in Mexico) there was talk that maybe someone had out the cam lobe in 180 degrees off, which may have been why it would not start and backfired.

Now, if you get it running and want to keep going...hey, thats just more money for the Baja bike. My suggestion is that if anyone here wants this bike....get it early and cheap, because it really is a clean specimen. Now, where the hell did I put that clear title....

[LC Garage]

Family duties keeping me busy, but managed to get out in the shop for a few hours Saturday. Have the points adjusted and timing dialed in, got started on valve adjustment but was called away before I could get finished.

Found the missing handlebar switches on ebay, bought what looks like a cherry LH but settled for a nice RH with broken brake perch, figured I can clean up and paint the housing and use a separate brake lever perch, the broken one was significantly cheaper than a perfect one.

[LC Garage]

A busy weekend, but managed to get out in the shop Saturday, just long enough to finish the valve adjustment and for good measure also adjusted the cam chain. Received the handlebar switches and yesterday picked up the battery from OC, so next up will be to dial in the wiring and when I get my bike back from the exhaust shop, put carbs on and get it started.

Spent Sunday at the coast working on OC's bike, a little work and LOT of BS!

No pictures today, could not seem to get them to paste on here as they normally do. Usually I just copy the link from Smug Mug and paste it in, anyone know what might have changed?

[drdubb]

You guys sure know how to have fun.

I'm a little jealous. I need to find a wrenching buddy.

By the way, put my YSS shocks on the SL and am currently working through the wiring. Seems to be quite a mess.
Already rebuilt the carbs, and purchased an MR front wheel, forks and a K2 triple tree. Finished the handle bar bits, but I as mentioned above, none of the electrics are working correctly.

[oregoncoast]

Originally Posted by Dale Warren

You guys sure know how to have fun.

I'm a little jealous. I need to find a wrenching buddy.

By the way, put my YSS shocks on the SL and am currently working through the wiring. Seems to be quite a mess.
Already rebuilt the carbs, and purchased an MR front wheel, forks and a K2 triple tree. Finished the handle bar bits, but I as mentioned above, none of the electrics are working correctly.

Looks great! Especially those YSS shocks....best single investment I did on my SL. Can I tell Klaus that you found out about them from me..We're trying to get some sponsorship

That MR wheel will also be great...much lighter than stock, and at least in my case, much better braking!

Keep at her and keep posting here...we'll motivate you from a distance...until we can make it back to Barber vintage days,...then we have to see it in person!

[drdubb]

Feel free to use my name. Sorry I didn' t think to mention you. I did tell him I heard about him from other SL owners.