Topic: 350F Owner - New to the Group

[STL Hawkeye]

Hi everyone,
Just bought a clean '73 350f a few weeks ago.  Had one in college, but it didn't make it very long after graduation due to a few hard winters with no garage.  I really liked the uniquness of the small 4, so here I am again, but with a cleaner version, a garage and a better appreciation.  This looks like a great forum with a lot of great advice.

[Troy R]

They are all great bikes. You just don't see them enough in todays ocean of showroom chrome. Welcome to the appreciative few. Ride on.

[74cb750]

WElcome,
wish I had gotten my cb350F running, but alas,
I am stuck with 550 and 750's.
Maybe next year....
peace,
michel

[Jay B]

Welcome to the club. That's my mildly cafe'd 350f in my avatar. These things are among the funnest bikes I've ever rode. Like I tell my buddies, you can ride the hell out of it and hardly break the law. Enjoy!

[loonymoon]

Welcome to the forum... that looks like a nice bike you've got there. I love the red 350's. Post some pics if you can!

[STL Hawkeye]

Welcome to the club. That's my mildly cafe'd 350f in my avatar. These things are among the funnest bikes I've ever rode. Like I tell my buddies, you can ride the hell out of it and hardly break the law. Enjoy!

Thanks JayB - That's what I told my wife - Who has only known me in my "post-motorcycle" life.  My purchase justifications ranged from "smallest production 4 cylinder ever made, it's not a road rocket, it's just for riding around the general area, etc.".  She bought everything except my "It's like an investment" line.     Oh, well - She trusts me enough that she let me buy a helmet for the kids and take them out for short excursions.

You have a fantastic looking bike, by the way!

[STL Hawkeye]

Welcome to the forum... that looks like a nice bike you've got there. I love the red 350's. Post some pics if you can!

Thanks Loonymoon - I'll have to figure out how to post some pictures - I tried and apparently the file was to big.  Need to figure that out.  I saw a couple of articles on your bike shortly after I purchased mine - Good reads, and you have a great looking bike.  I think what really sets it off is the exhaust. 

I've got an after market 4 into 1.  Luckily my seller still had the original exhaust, rusted out of course, but the headers are still in like-new condition.  I'd like to purchase the exhaust somewhere in the near future and get them attached to the headers over the winter.  I'll have to get more info from you sometime on how you did that. 

[jsaab2748]

Check your personal messages. 

[Jugghead]

Woohoo! Another 350F owner! Welcome to the group, and I agree, Show us some PICS!!!

[loonymoon]

Welcome to the forum... that looks like a nice bike you've got there. I love the red 350's. Post some pics if you can!

Thanks Loonymoon - I'll have to figure out how to post some pictures - I tried and apparently the file was to big.  Need to figure that out.  I saw a couple of articles on your bike shortly after I purchased mine - Good reads, and you have a great looking bike.  I think what really sets it off is the exhaust. 

I've got an after market 4 into 1.  Luckily my seller still had the original exhaust, rusted out of course, but the headers are still in like-new condition.  I'd like to purchase the exhaust somewhere in the near future and get them attached to the headers over the winter.  I'll have to get more info from you sometime on how you did that. 

I was going to send this as a personal message but I can't attach photos so....
Here's a pic of the way the new exhausts fix to the headers. (Sorry the bike's not that clean - that's tomorrows job!!)

[STL Hawkeye]

I was going to send this as a personal message but I can't attach photos so....
Here's a pic of the way the new exhausts fix to the headers. (Sorry the bike's not that clean - that's tomorrows job!!)

Loonymoon,
Thanks for the info and pic on how you installed the exhaust. I guess I thought it was a weld job.  As it looks much easier that anticipated, I think I will purchase the Mivv set sooner than expected.    I will probably contact with more questions regarding install, but sounds pretty easy.
Thanks again!  I attached a couple of pics.

[Jay B]

That's really a nice 350f. What kind of 4 into 1 is that?

[STL Hawkeye]

That's really a nice 350f. What kind of 4 into 1 is that?

I really have no idea.  it was on the bike when I bought it,  It looks good, but I want to switch to a 4 into 4 at some point for a more original look and even better (I think) look.

[turtle]

Hi Hawkeye. I hope mine looks that good when I have finished. It's still in pieces atm and part of the gearshift mechanism has been mislaid. Chroming is a bit of a financial hurdle right but we will get there.

[supersport_CB400F]

Bloody hell, whatever you paid, you got an original looking bike 

[loonymoon]

Looks gorgeous - REALLY clean.... Mine looked like that before I rode it another 8000 miles.... Still the riding was worth it!!

Where was that bike hidden then.. must have been in someones basement for a long time like mine was. That's a great find you must be very pleased with it.

[Jugghead]

Beautiful, even the spokes are shiny!
I thought mine was in nice shape until i have seen some like yours.  good for you, I know it will give you years of riding enjoyment.
i have the original pipes on mine, and must say the look is really cool.  But you, sir have a true gem!
Enjoy!

[74cb750]

That is one nice looking bike, for sure.

[STL Hawkeye]

i have the original pipes on mine, and must say the look is really cool. 
Enjoy!

Jugghead - I just checked out your bike's pics in the gallery - It looks fantastic -  I have seen almost no pictures of the 350f with the original exhaust. Even when I bought my first 350f in 1983, the pipes had just rusted out and I had to replace with a 4 into 2 - But that was 23 years ago.  How did you keep those pipes from rusting out? 

[crp_iii]

Looks a lot like mine except yours is shiny, clean, and has paint on top of the tank instead of just the sides.... cogratz and welcome.

[prsman23@hotmail.c]

I'm guessing you are from St. Louis? If so check out a thread called vin moto or something like that, and some of the guys on this board are trying to organize a ride thing for the sohc4s. By the way beautiful bike! Where did you find it i've been on the hunt for a 350f as of late with no luck!
Jay

[Jugghead]

hey STL,
Thanks for the compliments!
I don't know how the PO kept them so nice... He did replace the top left with a NOS right before he sold it to me. 
he also has some more pipes sitting up in his garage. Maybe if he is hard up for cash i can convince him to sell!

Basically , this bike has never seen a drop of rain, probably was not used on very short trips (meaning the exhaust had time to heat up and evaporate the condensate)
And lastly, this bike runs extremely rich, so much so that there is soot in the exhaust tubes,
My GUESS is this gassy//oily/carbony mixture has probably prevented the rusting of the pipes.
maybe this stuff is actually absorbing and trapping moisture, i don't know...We'll cross that bridge when we get there.
But, I am in the process of eliminating this overly rich mixture, to get it where my plugs are tan, not totally carbon fouled.
 I need to change the oil and use some "enginebrite" to clean the crud off the engine, then It will be looking better.
BTW
I just got outbid on single pipe on eBay today.  (It went for 89.50+19.00 s/h)  It was not new, and had a long series ofshort parallel scratches on the bottom.  I will hold out for a better one/ cheaper one.

[STL Hawkeye]

I'm guessing you are from St. Louis? If so check out a thread called vin moto or something like that, and some of the guys on this board are trying to organize a ride thing for the sohc4s. By the way beautiful bike! Where did you find it i've been on the hunt for a 350f as of late with no luck!
Jay

Hi Jay,
Yes, Live in Weldon Spring (St. Charles).  I found the St. Louis vinmoto site earlier this week.  I saw the pics from the get together on Wed. on this site also- That row of great looking bikes had to turn some heads. A ride would be great.

I had been looking for a few months for a clean 350f within driving distance I could pick up.  In July someone in Wisconsin had just put this one on e-bay.  It had been on less than 24 hours and was starting to get bid up and approaching the "buy it now" price.  So, I jumped on it before someone else did.  Darn thing looks like new, only 2500 miles with no rust.  I am really looking forward to putting 4 into 4 exhaust as he gave me the original headers which are clean.

Look forward to a ride & checking out the other bikes in the area - I was surprised to see so many people from St. Louis with an interst in these old Hondas.
Jeff

[loonymoon]

hey STL,
Thanks for the compliments!
I don't know how the PO kept them so nice... He did replace the top left with a NOS right before he sold it to me. 
he also has some more pipes sitting up in his garage. Maybe if he is hard up for cash i can convince him to sell!

Basically , this bike has never seen a drop of rain, probably was not used on very short trips (meaning the exhaust had time to heat up and evaporate the condensate)
And lastly, this bike runs extremely rich, so much so that there is soot in the exhaust tubes,
My GUESS is this gassy//oily/carbony mixture has probably prevented the rusting of the pipes.
maybe this stuff is actually absorbing and trapping moisture, i don't know...We'll cross that bridge when we get there.
But, I am in the process of eliminating this overly rich mixture, to get it where my plugs are tan, not totally carbon fouled.
 I need to change the oil and use some "enginebrite" to clean the crud off the engine, then It will be looking better.
BTW
I just got outbid on single pipe on eBay today.  (It went for 89.50+19.00 s/h)  It was not new, and had a long series ofshort parallel scratches on the bottom.  I will hold out for a better one/ cheaper one.

Nice bike jugghead! Perhaps you could try drilling some small holes in the underside of the exhausts at the lowest point to let some of the moisture out (if there's no holes there already).

BTW the aftermarket 4-4's were enough to help win me a first place in the 70's category at a rally I went to yesterday. Mind you there wasn't all that much competition except last years winner which was a rare 1972 750 laverda and a very nice bike (obviously didn't shine enough this year though as my bike far out-paced it in the shine department! ) a couple of Norton Commando's, a couple of velocettes, a Yamaha 350 twostroke (which looked TINY next to my 350) and a couple of others that I can't remember! I guess my bike is rare enough in the UK and it did create quite a stir.