Topic: im buying a second 1970s era honda motorcycle

[jason41987]

hey everyone.  havent had much time to work on the CB550F ive been rebuilding since its been too cold, just getting started now and i have the option and spare cash to pick up a second honda.. something i can play around with this summer while i take the time to finish rebuilding my CB550 the right way

so i was wondering what you guys think would be a good option, something i can put a lot of miles on this summer?.. im really leaning towards the CB/CL350, possibly a CL360T or CB450

my only fear is that i might get too attached to this second bike that i wont want to stop riding it once the CB550F is complete

so, lets say you already had a CB550, or its larger relative, the CB750 you were stripping down to rebuild and just wanted something light, fun, economical to play around on during the summer, what would you choose?

[totty]

Light, fun, economical ................. has to be a monkey bike, z50.

[jason41987]

funny, but way too small, i dont think i could ride one of those without feeling like i was going to break it

[Terry in Australia]

Non of the bikes that you've mentioned were particularly light or fun to ride mate, does it have to be a Honda? If I was a young guy looking for a fun ride from the period, I'd buy a Yamaha RD350, they're a lightweight 2 stroke that will go as fast as your 550, handle better and are seriously cool.

Of course, there's also the Suzuki and Kawasaki 2 stroke twins and triples of the era, which were just as quick, just don't be cheap with the two stroke oil, and don't worry about the smoke, that's just part of the appeal. Cheers, Terry.

[trueblue]

I have a CB650Z on the road and am currently rebuilding a CB350K2, CB200T and CB650SC.  They can all take as many miles as you can give them, and will all handle highway running but the smaller bikes do seem very buzzy at high speeds and get blown around a bit on the highway.  Though they rev high on the highway, they were made to do it and are capable of doing so all day .

[Magilla]

Depending on your size a 2 cyl 350 or 360 is a great bike.  They are small and nimble and FUN.

I have. CL360 and I have a 2 stroke (GT550) Suzuki. The Suzuki is a big bike.  It's closer in size to my CB750 than it is to the 360.  It's also the fasted of the three.

350 and 360s can still be bought right.

[Rodger]

Go for the Honda 350.  Cheap, fun, and easy to find parts.  If youre not too big a CB/CL175 could work they're lightweight and a blast to ride.  Not very fast but the handling is good, fun around town bike.

[Stev-o]

Get a CB450, here's a sweet deal....


http://cnj.craigslist.org/mcy/3733652936.html

[jason41987]

those CL360s are beautiful.. id love to have one atleast for a commuter.. and no, i dont necessarily need a honda, its just what im more used to, ive always owned hondas.. but a good yamaha isnt out of the question.. wouldnt the fuel economy on a 350cc 2-stroke be considerably worse than a four stroke?

[rokusek]

Don't do a CB350F...parts are hard to find at times

[jason41987]

i wouldnt, i specifically want a 2 cylinder... with four cylinders it costs so much more to work on carbs, engine, etc.. i like the simplicity of a two for this next bike.. but i dont want to deal with the vibration of a single cylinder either

[Duanob]

Have you thought this through? If you buy another old bike you spend twice as much time working on both bikes.

If you want something to ride instead of working on go for a newer rebel or CB400 twin from the eighties, something of that sort. Or just something newer period. And get something small. You will get tired of it eventually and the 550F will be a pleasure to ride once you're done with it. 

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yesh, anything of older vintage like this will cost you just as much money save two cylinders unless you buy one that is completely or mostly restored. Problem with that route is people usually want premium money for that kind of work. Stick to something newer like Duanob said.

[jason41987]

im doing a complete frame-up rebuild on my CB550F, itll start a new life as a cafe racer.. but i dont think itll be ready any time soon, most the summer will be gone by then and i need something to ride in the very near future, something inexpensive to buy, inexpensive to maintain, and with good fuel economy, and mostly for city riding, so the CB/CL 350/360 came to mind

id buy one of these in an already running and street legal condition.. small cosmetic issues i dont care so much about

i seen a CB450 around here well within my price range that just needs to have its carbs cleaned and 350s typically cost even less.. my idea is to just ride this stock while i work on my CB550, but when thats done, most the summer will be gone, at which point once the riding season is over i can do some work on the CB350, probably wont go cafe with it, but maybe new paint, upholstry, tune up, etc if needed.. and then make a decision next spring as to which one to sell as i wont need both anymore

[hondabbqman]

I've got both a CL360 and CB350F.  Much prefer the CB350F, although small, you can go much further without getting tired.  I rebuilt it although it ran fairly good when I started.  I have not had any problems finding the parts.  david silvers spares has a bunch of stuff for it and even some reproduction parts.  My thinking is that you will always need to do something to an old bike like these but they hold their value well and when you do good restore work by yourself you can add value if you bought it right to start.  Plus, the cb350f holds a better value generally over the 2 cylinder 350 and 360.  360 parts are harder to find in my opinion (just try finding cam chain assembly parts).  Here is a picture of mine and I have done a bunch more to it since I took this photo.

[jason41987]

when my CB550 is finished, if i find riding a two-cylinder on highways to be too uncomfortable, ill sell it after the CB550F is rebuilt.  so i already have that niche filled and wanted to give a smaller, lighter, two cylinder a shot, though ultimately not sure if i was going to go CB, or CL.. i kind of like the higher exhaust on the CL models, but i believe those pipes fit on the CB350s as well, same engine isnt it?  whats the difference between the earlier 350, and later 360?

from what i could gather on here is that the 350 had a better engine, was more customizable, easier to work on, and has a larger aftermarket, and that the CB360 was released to be more tamed, with better fuel economy in the mid 70s, and that although the 350 had its issues, they were correctable via aftermarket

if i want the higher exhaust of the CL350, CL350 pipes should fit on a CB350.. so that being said, i think im going to try to find a two cylinder CB350.. the 550F was the upper end of the bikes i was looking at, the CB350 is on the smaller end.. would be nice to compare these side by side and determine which ones speaks to me better... reason i went with the 550 over a 750 is because i like smaller, lighter, more nible bikes as opposed to the bigger, more powerful bikes

[jason41987]

hmm, someone near me has a pretty inexpensive CL160 in great condition, 1967 model, thats tempting

[Stev-o]

Pics?

[jason41987]

yeah, it looked pretty nice, the CB175 looks like a cool little bike, but too small for me, i think im specifically going to seek out a CB350 for bike number two.. maybe keep both, the 550 for longer trips and the 350 for around town

[Brantley]

You've gotta remove the pipes on most CL's to remove the side cover, air filter or left carb...

[jason41987]

that wouldnt bother me much.. i think they look rather cool... dont want to torch my leg though