My 72 CB350 Cafe build

[RobbieO]

Originally Posted by HorrorHo

hiya!!..
I love RobbieO!!...
Is there much difference between a cb450 Bomber and a cb350 other than displacement?
Ive been thinking of getting a Bomber after seeing your thread thinking twice!!..

Sorry for teh noobie question.. Im new to vintage bikes

THAT 450 WAS A PIG!
Don't do it!
Get a 350 twin, you'll be much happier.

[RobbieO]

[quote=RetroGrouch]

Originally Posted by psulick3

Looks like you have a lot of parts from MG Innovative on the 450. Do you work there? Yeah, a lot of the 350s in Ontario are being snapped up by VRRA racers. Have mixed feelings about that. Good that old bikes are being ridden, bad that they will never see the road again.

Retro, you have a very good eye.
MG's stuff is incredible!
Just look at the rear-sets.....
No I don't work there, but after seeing the CB 350 they had at The Paris Vintage Motorcycle Show, sometimes I wish I did.

[Cordless]

I need to meet this CB350 racing friend. Any info is appreciated.

I will be at the initial event for n00bs at NHIS. I hope to see some of you inmates there so you can chuckle at the thought of a 6' 6" dude racing one of these little CBs.

WildBill? WildBill? All apologies.

[wildbillhatchbac]

I'm here, no apology needed . . . I'm only 5'11 and 3/4" lol . . . I wanna ride up there just to watch.

[Cordless]

Originally Posted by wildbillhatchbac

I'm here, no apology needed . . . I'm only 5'11 and 3/4" lol . . . I wanna ride up there just to watch.

WildBill,

Stop by my home in Bedford MA on your way up and we will go together. I would love to pick your brain for a bit, show to you my sweet little CB350, and meet the legendary Bill. PM me for details.

[queenpdog]

Hey, I had one of those too. I sold it to a friend. I wish I could buy it back, but he's not willing to give it up (even tho he never rides it).

[Cordless]

Originally Posted by queenpdog

Hey, I had one of those too. I sold it to a friend. I wish I could buy it back, but he's not willing to give it up (even tho he never rides it).

That's a beaut. These bikes sure do grow on a guy (person), don't they?

[queenpdog]

Originally Posted by Tallerman

That's a beaut. These bikes sure do grow on a guy, don't they?

Or a girl.


That's okay. I'm more like one of the guys anyway.

[wildbillhatchbac]

Wow this thread blew up! I just went back and read page 11 lol. I never thought I'd get so much interest in this project. I signed up for dotheton.com after i had started this thread but it's quiet over there. And you guys seem much cooler. I did pick up a few pointers about rear brake linkages and things like that over there, but noticed there was very few posts after a weeks time over there.

heres some good links I've found that I don't think have been mentioned

http://www.m3racing.com/
http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/...ound.htm#price
http://www.fiaccone.com/CafeRacer/Cafe.html
http://www.ohiocaferacers.com/
http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/Index_Main_Frame.htm
http://www.cmsnl.com/search.php?mode...=3&partsPage=2

. . . I've been working on the bike but haven't completed anything worthy of pictures really. I've been working on the battery tray, cutting out the seat pan so a cbr600rr battery will fit behind my butt. fabricated a tail light bracket and test fit the electronics under the seat and in front of the battery. I'm gonna have to "adjust" the wire harness . I routed the tach, throttle and clutch cables. mounted the hand controls and grips. Filled the front forks and set the front down 25mm . . for now at least . . . I figured out how to make my foot pegs solid mounted, I found that they fold a little to much rearward than upward but I found a simple solution to make them not move at all.


Anyone feel free to PM or Email me if you'd like to know more info about this bike or cafe racers I've learned quite a bit during this project and would be excited to help anyone else get an old bike back on the road or track

[RetroGrouch]

Originally Posted by wildbillhatchbac

Wow this thread blew up! I just went back and read page 11 lol. I never thought I'd get so much interest in this project. I signed up for dotheton.com after i had started this thread but it's quiet over there. And you guys seem much cooler. I did pick up a few pointers about rear brake linkages and things like that over there, but noticed there was very few posts after a weeks time over there.

Hi Bill, saw your post at DTT. You would've gotten more response if you posted a few pics of your project instead of just the link. Plus there's several CB350 build threads so ya gotta make yourself stand out. Great project, looking forward to the finished bike. DrJ from DTT.

[Cordless]

Originally Posted by RetroGrouch

Hi Bill, saw your post at DTT. You would've gotten more response if you posted a few pics of your project instead of just the link. Plus there's several CB350 build threads so ya gotta make yourself stand out. Great project, looking forward to the finished bike. DrJ from DTT.

What is this DTT? I missed something. Please enlighten me. DoTheTon? HooBoy, here is NooBie admission. I don't know what the Ton is.

[ROSKO]

Originally Posted by Tallerman

What is this DTT? I missed something. Please enlighten me. DoTheTon? HooBoy, here is NooBie admission. I don't know what the Ton is.

That's okay Tallerman, the cb350's aren't familiar with the TON either.


My $.o2 on the topic: If 'cafe racers' were just a way for brit teens to emulate GP racers of the day you may want to take a look at what the cb350 racers are doing, copy that and add minimal equip to make it street legal. Just a thought.

[EvilClown]

Originally Posted by Tallerman

What would you do with my CB350? I really am curious.

hmmmmmm...Good question.

After moving it out of my way for several day...er, um,...mon...ok,...years...

It looks just far enough away from mint that I wouldn't have too many second thoughts about modifying it. (That is a problem with my 3500 mile CB175, btw - but I may get over it.)

WildBill seems to be taking a good route. It's hard to argue with this:



I'm sure the street tracker concept would creep in along the way but I'm saving that for the XS650 I'll find sooner or later... (I'm in the same 12 step program.) Cafe seems like the logical choice for this bike.

After making yours go 'vroom-vroom' I might keep some of it 'rustic' looking - at least until it's rolling under its own power. All the deep cosmetics could be done over some winter after it's sorted out. I dunno. Depends on how much money you want to throw away. It could certainly be put into service with some steel wool and spray cans.

Track only? Depends. I'd be tempted to plate it and use it more often. Trouble is there are only so many weekends in a season, but if the race bug bites... Got to prioritize. Can't be on the back roads and at the track racing. And riding during the week to make up for it will be interupted by wrenching on the racer.

Not saying it wouldn't go to a track day or two...


Now where were we...oh, yeah! Ok, WildBill, get back to work!

[HorrorHo]

Originally Posted by Tallerman

What is this DTT? I missed something. Please enlighten me. DoTheTon? HooBoy, here is NooBie admission. I don't know what the Ton is.

Dont worry...the "tacky" plug for dotheton.com attack on another thread was what pricked my attention to the site.

I admittedly spend till 4am this morning on that site reading all the posts and threads and its gotta be probabbly the BEST site Ive ever seen dedicated to the cafe racer thinggy.

the guys there are soooooooo funny!!.. Ive been shitting myself laughing at some of the humorous comments in the "lounge" area. That gang is a real hoot and no one appears to be an asshole!!..

In terms of the technical and build stuff, there are so many interesting ideas and mindshare. There is this one character, the "admin guy" who keeps "getting the shaft" from everyone and it sooo freaking funny...

Im completely hooked on MrGrouches site!

[wildbillhatchbac]

I can shift! . . . my brake lever however did not turn out so well. I cut and rethreaded the stock shift rod and mounted it to the brake lever using the thickest sheet metal I could find at lowes. It worked great til I applied full force with my foot lol. It bent. I bought a piece of car brake drum hardware that i'll cut up and drill to use for a much stronger lever. no pics til it works! lol