Topic: 1973 CB350F 5.00 16 rear tire

[jabber71]

My brother in-law has a 1 owner 73 cb350F w/ a Harley Davidson 16" rear wheel. I have personally rode this bike and it did fine, but I did not pay attention to the gap between chain and tire.

He was told it was a dealer option in 73 has anyone heard or this as an option?
Now he wants to go original stock so he bought a 18" wheel. 

I have a 74 cb350F and wanted to try the wheel. It fit but just barely. Sitting on the center stand the tire is touching the ground. After tightening everything up I noticed 1/8" gap on the chain side and about the same on the brake side. Has anyone tried this set up, and what kind of clearance is needed.

[flybox1]

that big rear makes it kinda tough to flick it into corners 
best to put the 18 back on there 

[oldbob]

He was told it was a dealer option in 73 has anyone heard or this as an option?

The term "dealer option" is open to interpretation. I guess it is possible that a dealer offered to install the 16" rim, but that absolutely was not a modification offered by Honda. Frankly, I think it is a terrible idea. I'm pretty sure that the CB350F came with a 3.50x18 rear tire. These days, they are not the easiest to find, but they are out there and they appear to be proportioned correctly for the bike.

Bob

[jabber71]

Thanks for the post, I have not rode it yet due to the fear of the chain getting into the tire, but my bike looks more cafe then stock and I kind of like the look fat tire on back.

[flybox1]

I know I'll catch some (deserved) flack for this one, but here goes!

Cafe

As in:  I just picked up an old, neglected sohc4 for a steal, and I think I'm gonna "cafe" it.

Definition:  I'm very susceptible to popular trends and I don't have the time/money/patience to do a proper rebuild, so I'm gonna throw on a solo seat, some clubmans, and I'm gonna junk that ugly air box and put on some cheap pods because that air box is a pain in the ass when I have to keep pulling the carbs to figure out why my bike isn't running well instead of just doing a thorough clean and rebuild of them the first time, and then I'll get pissed at it because it runs even worse and I can never get those stupid carbs tuned right, and then I'll bolt on a ratty old 4-1 exhaust and ditch that useless, heavy center stand, and then I'll half-ass an attempt at converting to dual front discs but end up with two discs and only one working caliper instead, and then I'm gonna get rid of those ugly clocks because the needles just bounce around uselessy and put on a digital bicycle speedometer, and I'm gonna put on a super bright headlight and a Dyna-S because fukin' points are crappy, old technology and I don't want to learn how to adjust and set points anyway, and then I'm gonna curse this bike's old, anemic charging system because it can't keep the tiny battery I've installed in the seat hump charged, so then I'll change all the other bulbs to LED, and then I'll put on the fattest, cheapest tires I can find 'cuz I can't stand the look of those stock pizza-cutters and then #$%* about my bike not handling well but I don't care because it looks tits, and then I'll try to fix that with some cartridge emulators I heard about that will make your bike handle like a modern crotch rocket and put on these cheap, Chinese piggyback shocks I found on ebay because they make the bike look mean and fast but they're too long so I'll put on these lowering blocks while I'm at it but the shocks hit the chain guard making it rub the chain so I'll throw away that useless thing, and hey how do I hang this exhaust,  I guess I'll just use some of this pipe strap, and how much exhaust wrap do I need, and I think the engine is overheating so I'll put on this oil cooler, and the valve cover keeps leaking so I'll just use this gasket sealer instead of shelling out for new gaskets, and why did my engine make a loud screeching sound followed by a louder PING and then die? 

SCREW IT!  I'm sick of trying to get this POS running well!  I'll call it a cafe and try to sell it on ebay for $5,000 because I see that guy Carpy selling them for that much all the time, and hey, these things are rare, sought-after, vintage bikes, right?


 

hehe 

[jabber71]

your awesome

[Powderman]

5.00-16 on a 350F, WTF. I picture a Ferrari with 30" Mickey Thompson's sticking 3" out of the wheel well. I can't even imagine why someone would destroy a bikes handling for "the look".

[jabber71]

Since I have not rode it yet, I can't argue with it affecting the handling, I just know more rubber on the road usually means better control.

[camelman]

A 5" rear sounds incredibly big for that bike. I'm sure handling would be affected, but that doesn't mean it won't work. My concern would be frame flex allowing the chain and tire to rub. Grease is a scary thing on the tire at extreme lean angles and driveline resistance really screws up suspension reactions.

By the way, more rubber on the road is NOT a good barometer for handling. There are a lot of reasons for that statement not the least of which is the fact that I could easily drop you on a downhill with twisties on my pedal bicycle and you on that Honda with the 5" rear.

Camelman

[Gordon]

I know I'll catch some (deserved) flack for this one, but here goes!

Cafe

As in:  I just picked up an old, neglected sohc4 for a steal, and I think I'm gonna "cafe" it.

Definition:  I'm very susceptible to popular trends and I don't have the time/money/patience to do a proper rebuild, so I'm gonna throw on a solo seat, some clubmans, and I'm gonna junk that ugly air box and put on some cheap pods because that air box is a pain in the ass when I have to keep pulling the carbs to figure out why my bike isn't running well instead of just doing a thorough clean and rebuild of them the first time, and then I'll get pissed at it because it runs even worse and I can never get those stupid carbs tuned right, and then I'll bolt on a ratty old 4-1 exhaust and ditch that useless, heavy center stand, and then I'll half-ass an attempt at converting to dual front discs but end up with two discs and only one working caliper instead, and then I'm gonna get rid of those ugly clocks because the needles just bounce around uselessy and put on a digital bicycle speedometer, and I'm gonna put on a super bright headlight and a Dyna-S because fukin' points are crappy, old technology and I don't want to learn how to adjust and set points anyway, and then I'm gonna curse this bike's old, anemic charging system because it can't keep the tiny battery I've installed in the seat hump charged, so then I'll change all the other bulbs to LED, and then I'll put on the fattest, cheapest tires I can find 'cuz I can't stand the look of those stock pizza-cutters and then #$%* about my bike not handling well but I don't care because it looks tits, and then I'll try to fix that with some cartridge emulators I heard about that will make your bike handle like a modern crotch rocket and put on these cheap, Chinese piggyback shocks I found on ebay because they make the bike look mean and fast but they're too long so I'll put on these lowering blocks while I'm at it but the shocks hit the chain guard making it rub the chain so I'll throw away that useless thing, and hey how do I hang this exhaust,  I guess I'll just use some of this pipe strap, and how much exhaust wrap do I need, and I think the engine is overheating so I'll put on this oil cooler, and the valve cover keeps leaking so I'll just use this gasket sealer instead of shelling out for new gaskets, and why did my engine make a loud screeching sound followed by a louder PING and then die? 

SCREW IT!  I'm sick of trying to get this POS running well!  I'll call it a cafe and try to sell it on ebay for $5,000 because I see that guy Carpy selling them for that much all the time, and hey, these things are rare, sought-after, vintage bikes, right?


 

hehe 

They're gonna end up engraving that on my tombstone, aren't they?

[Dream750]

Not my bike ... a 5.00 x 16 looks a bit scary on a CB350F 

[flybox1]

They're gonna end up engraving that on my tombstone, aren't they?

"....because it looks t!ts." is all you need 

[jabber71]

After putting on a my new tire / wheel , new chain, a minor tweak to the rear brake arm I took it for a spin.

From your comments I was worried I couldn't make a right hand turn much less ride to work, but by the grace of God I made it. 

In honesty I did not tell much of a difference in handling, but the ride on Oklahoma roads was a 100% better.

[flybox1]

scary unsafe    IMHO 

[davis96]

After putting on a my new tire / wheel , new chain, a minor tweak to the rear brake arm I took it for a spin.

From your comments I was worried I couldn't make a right hand turn much less ride to work, but by the grace of God I made it. 

In honesty I did not tell much of a difference in handling, but the ride on Oklahoma roads was a 100% better.

Proportions don't looks quite right... A beefier front tire might do the trick.
P.S. where'd the low bars go?

[camelman]

I'm glad to hear it rides well and I'm curious to try it now!  ;-)

[jabber71]

After a 60 mile ride with the clubmen bars I decided to try the Daytona's and enjoyed the feel much better. But the back tire seems to be doing fine.

[2strokeTrush]

Just bought a 500 with a big ole 16 inch rim on it.  Can't wait to get rid if it,  but my 350f has stock 18s and she handles amazing

[flybox1]

Just bought a 500 with a big ole 16 inch rim on it.  Can't wait to get rid if it,  but my 350f has stock 18s and she handles amazing

YEP!
Even though it might ride OK with that HEEEUUUGE tire, jabber71's sure does look out of proportion and there is really no benefit.  Lighter, more nimble, and noticeably less rolling mass....
100/90-18 is an appropriate rear 350F tire