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Author Topic: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.  (Read 3492 times)

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Offline MJL

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Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« on: January 20, 2013, 01:51:57 PM »
A small bike has been on my mind for awhile. A small bike that would be a hoot to ride around.  I'd like to stay in the cb family, why not? Usually nothing on my local craigslist, but this is on ebay. It would be about 800 miles round trip for me. :(
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-Honda-CB350-Four-/271139430746?_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true
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Offline flybox1

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2013, 02:29:22 PM »
They are fun, and nimble, but don't plan on long haul freeway miles.  Not that it can't handle it, bit its such a light bike, you get blown around. Prob $1500 to get it sorted.  Itll need everything gone through, and probably replace.  Mac has pipes for it.  I still miss mine.  It was a real conversation piece....

I'd go up to about $500 on that one...
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Offline MJL

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2013, 04:49:07 PM »
That's what I was thinking, maybe $400 and spend the other hundred on fuel. Diesel is more than gas, but I get better mileage, and its a more comfortable truck to eat miles in.
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Offline ADW

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2013, 05:47:12 PM »
Quote from: flybox1 on January 20, 2013, 02:29:22 PM
They are fun, and nimble, but don't plan on long haul freeway miles.  Not that it can't handle it, bit its such a light bike, you get blown around. Prob $1500 to get it sorted.  Itll need everything gone through, and probably replace.  Mac has pipes for it.  I still miss mine.  It was a real conversation piece....

I'd go up to about $500 on that one...

I have a 350F and it's a ball. But I disagree that there are any pipes out there for it any more. The only thing out there is from David Silver Spares, the OEM repro 4 into 4 system. Very pricey. But you can make your own setup as I did. Just wanting to clarify that I'm pretty sure you won't find anything premade for you for exhaust except an expensive 4-into-4 system. But otherwise it's a very fun bike. Flybox is right that it's not a highway bike, it's a secondary roads bike, but one that's very maneuverable and great fun to ride.
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DH

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2013, 05:58:45 PM »
Might want to ask about the condition of the inside of the tank.
You already know why ;)
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Offline tomkimberly

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2013, 06:33:33 PM »
Unless you just have to have this bike, I'd pass unless you can get it for no more than $ 100.00

From the pictures on Ebay, it's going to take you at least 2K and 6-12 months of labor to get it ready for the road.

Add these items up, tires, exhaust, spokes, maybe rims too, seat cover, chain, sprockets, new brake lines, rebuilding the master cylinder and disk brake caliper, replace the fork seals, maybe new rear shocks, new gages or replacing the gage faces, rebuilding the carbs, cleaning the fuel tank, new paint, and you don't have any idea if the engine will even fire up.


Tom

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Offline flybox1

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2013, 06:49:49 PM »
Quote from: ADW on January 20, 2013, 05:47:12 PM
Quote from: flybox1 on January 20, 2013, 02:29:22 PM
They are fun, and nimble, but don't plan on long haul freeway miles.  Not that it can't handle it, bit its such a light bike, you get blown around. Prob $1500 to get it sorted.  Itll need everything gone through, and probably replace.  Mac has pipes for it.  I still miss mine.  It was a real conversation piece....

I'd go up to about $500 on that one...

I have a 350F and it's a ball. But I disagree that there are any pipes out there for it any more. The only thing out there is from David Silver Spares, the OEM repro 4 into 4 system. Very pricey. But you can make your own setup as I did. Just wanting to clarify that I'm pretty sure you won't find anything premade for you for exhaust except an expensive 4-into-4 system. But otherwise it's a very fun bike. Flybox is right that it's not a highway bike, it's a  secondary roads bike, but one that's very maneuverable and great fun to ride.
You can get brand new pipes for it directly from MAC performance for $360.  Less from other vendors.  ::) comes in chrome and black.
Niche cycles has them for $285.
Anyway...went through the photos again.  If you can't get it for REALLY cheap....pass. it's going not need plenty of work.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2013, 07:04:39 PM by flybox1 »
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'78 750K (F3 engine) PD42b's, Modified airbox w/K&N  filter, 40/110 jets, 1 needle shim, IMS@ 1 turn out. Kerker + Cone 18" QuietCore

Past Bikes
1974 550K0 (stock), 1973 CB350F (stock), 1983 Yamaha XS400K (POS)
77/78 cool 2 member #3
"Knowledge without mileage equals bullsh!t" - Henry Rollins

"This is my CB. There are many like it, but this one is mine…"

Offline BCBarker

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Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2013, 07:10:41 PM »
They are a ton of fun, but I only ride mine on highways when absolutely necessary. Heard once that it was Soichiro's favorite production bike.
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Offline BCBarker

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Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2013, 07:15:01 PM »
That being said, I'd look for one closer, and expand the search to include a 400f or 500f.
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Offline onagd

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2013, 07:19:51 PM »
Hi there, I have one as well and it is a real little gem. As has already been stated, it is a great secondary road bike and not the kind of thing to push to hard. But in saying this, if one should go to hot into a tightening radius corner, you can hit the anchors hard and have the rear slide with reasonable control. The hardest part of that episode was getting the heart rate back to normal and trying not to consider (for to long) what might have happened had I been on a heavier bike. :-[
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Offline crazypj

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2013, 07:33:44 PM »
350f is really underpowered and overweight even compared to 350 twin, but, it is a real nice smooth motor
I would look for 400f 500f or 550f/K if your intending slightly longer tripa.
For bopping round town, almost anything is OK
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Offline ekpent

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2013, 08:20:51 PM »
Here is one closer to you,up by Grand Rapids Mi. for $400.00 but bet he would do better  ;)  http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/mcy/3559485781.html
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Offline Greggo

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2013, 08:26:14 PM »
Quote from: ekpent on January 20, 2013, 08:20:51 PM
Here is one closer to you,up by Grand Rapids Mi. for $400.00 but bet he would do better  ;)  http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/mcy/3559485781.html


That is a good find.
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Offline tomkimberly

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2013, 08:48:03 PM »
Quote from: ekpent on January 20, 2013, 08:20:51 PM
Here is one closer to you,up by Grand Rapids Mi. for $400.00 but bet he would do better  ;)  http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/mcy/3559485781.html

Good find, much better than that one on the Bay.

Tom
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Offline BCBarker

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Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2013, 03:08:14 AM »
If you get this one, I have a seat for you in good shape.
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Offline ADW

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2013, 04:22:08 AM »
Quote from: flybox1 on January 20, 2013, 06:49:49 PM
Quote from: ADW on January 20, 2013, 05:47:12 PM
Quote from: flybox1 on January 20, 2013, 02:29:22 PM
They are fun, and nimble, but don't plan on long haul freeway miles.  Not that it can't handle it, bit its such a light bike, you get blown around. Prob $1500 to get it sorted.  Itll need everything gone through, and probably replace.  Mac has pipes for it.  I still miss mine.  It was a real conversation piece....

I'd go up to about $500 on that one...

I have a 350F and it's a ball. But I disagree that there are any pipes out there for it any more. The only thing out there is from David Silver Spares, the OEM repro 4 into 4 system. Very pricey. But you can make your own setup as I did. Just wanting to clarify that I'm pretty sure you won't find anything premade for you for exhaust except an expensive 4-into-4 system. But otherwise it's a very fun bike. Flybox is right that it's not a highway bike, it's a  secondary roads bike, but one that's very maneuverable and great fun to ride.
You can get brand new pipes for it directly from MAC performance for $360.  Less from other vendors.  ::) comes in chrome and black.
Niche cycles has them for $285.
Anyway...went through the photos again.  If you can't get it for REALLY cheap....pass. it's going not need plenty of work.

I stand corrected. It appears there are new exhaust systems available, if you want a 4 into 1.
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Offline Deltarider

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2013, 05:08:38 AM »
The 350 is like a good friend. Early 80s me and my girl did a 10.000 km trip through France, Italy and Greece. The only problem she encountered - in a blazing hot Peloponnesos - was a front brake that got stuck. It was easily freed by a helpful Greek tractor mechanic. I disagree that the 350 can't be used on the highway. My friend was comfortable following me at 130 km/h hours on end. Ofcourse you'll have some crosswind every now and then. Nothing to worry about, so do I on my 500 which is only 13kg heavier. A trained bikerider knows he will not be 'blown away'. It's one of these jokes that's echoed over and over again, mostly by people that have set their mind on a weightier bike anyway.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2013, 05:39:53 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline toytuff

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2013, 05:20:07 AM »
I had a nice 350 F and it was fun to ride. Sold it for $3600 so I took the money and ran.  ;)  Had a CBX project to fund.

Maybe not everyone's favorite but at the same time I had a 350 g twin. Way more power and quite frankly, IMO, was a lot more fun to ride.

The four was sweet but liked the high RPM's. The twin just had it lower thus more fun for me.

tt

« Last Edit: January 21, 2013, 05:21:53 AM by toytuff »
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Offline Deltarider

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2013, 05:47:29 AM »
Quote
Maybe not everyone's favorite but at the same time I had a 350 g twin. Way more power and quite frankly, IMO, was a lot more fun to ride.

The four was sweet but liked the high RPM's. The twin just had it lower thus more fun for me.
Yeah, I remember warning a friend who changed his CB350 twin for a CB350Four that he might get dissapointed and... he was. The twin definitely had more brutality. But on longer trips you start to appreciate the absence of vibes a Four offers you. That friend later bought an XS650 and had - during a holiday trip - his kidneys changing sides every day. That Yamaha has been sitting in my garage now for 9 years... under a cover...
« Last Edit: January 21, 2013, 05:50:22 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline Lars

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2013, 07:04:53 AM »
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Offline ekpent

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2013, 07:09:28 AM »
Quote from: Lars on January 21, 2013, 07:04:53 AM
I would rahter pay a bit more and start with something like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-honda-cb350f-four-cylinder-runs-drives-great-original-paint-/150982103878?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item23273c1346

+1 - let somebody else do the heavy lifting to get it running etc.. Are parts very plentiful for these?
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Offline grumpy

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #21 on: January 21, 2013, 09:41:07 AM »
funny, I've been looking at this for a while...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/121054176810
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Offline Daoud

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #22 on: January 21, 2013, 10:24:56 AM »
I've got one and they're a ball. A pocket rocket. I am trying to talk you into one but not this one. Take Lars' advise,  pay more and get more. :-) Dave.
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Offline Kurt V

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #23 on: January 21, 2013, 02:05:37 PM »
What is the intended purpose? If just around town or back roads, then buy a 350 four if that trips your trigger, but for anything else I think would would be happier with a slightly bigger bike.
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Offline derelicte

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Re: Talk me into, or out of, a 350 four.
« Reply #24 on: January 21, 2013, 06:40:56 PM »
I had always thought a 350 four would be cool but more negative feedback on this thread than I expected.  I do know that my first bike, a yamaha xs 400, did not seem to have ANY sweet spot - at no rpm did that thing feel lively lol.  Might as well have had a briggs and stratton.
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