Topic: NewBoot from Sacramento, CA - '72 CB350four

[SherLoco]

Hey buds! I recently acquired a 1972 CB350 four. This is my second SOHC4 as I had a '74 CB750 20ish years ago (never should have sold it). I was back in the market and had decided I wanted a cafe'd out 550, but then I read the history on the 350four and fell in love with it. Now I have this beautiful '72. Just did the valves and carbs and she's running like a top! Thinking about revamping my youtube channel since I don't see a lot of 350 four specific videos out there. Anyway, looking forward to restoring/maintaining alongside you fine people!

[Stev-o]

Welcome from TX.  The 350F is a fine bike but I bet you still had your 750!

[SherLoco]

yeah bro the 750 was great. I got it for free from a guy at work and cleaned it up. Here's a pic...

[tool14]

welcome aboard

[wolf550]

welcome. gotta love the 350 four

[Delsolid]

Nice!

I love my CB750 but if I had to have a different bike, it would be the 350 four.

[carnivorous chicken]

Dig those little fours.

Couple questions -- what type of battery is that, and is it mounted on the swing arm? And I've found that using 400F exhaust with the stock brake lever means that the lever hits the exhaust unless it's so tight it doesn't have much movement, or the lever is bent, or it's mounted high. Is that the case with yours? Using 400F pegs alleviates this, and sets your pegs back about 6 inches (the LHS has a shift linkage).

[MD]

Welcome from Minnesota,

-MD

[SherLoco]

Dig those little fours.

Couple questions -- what type of battery is that, and is it mounted on the swing arm? And I've found that using 400F exhaust with the stock brake lever means that the lever hits the exhaust unless it's so tight it doesn't have much movement, or the lever is bent, or it's mounted high. Is that the case with yours? Using 400F pegs alleviates this, and sets your pegs back about 6 inches (the LHS has a shift linkage).

Dang I don’t know the answer to any of these off hand. And I’m away at work next couple days. I will investigate this weekend and get back to you!

[SherLoco]

looking at this picture, the brake pedal does seem a bit high (above level with peg). When I get home I will press it and see if it hits exhaust.

[SherLoco]

Couple questions -- what type of battery is that, and is it mounted on the swing arm? And I've found that using 400F exhaust with the stock brake lever means that the lever hits the exhaust unless it's so tight it doesn't have much movement, or the lever is bent, or it's mounted high. Is that the case with yours? Using 400F pegs alleviates this, and sets your pegs back about 6 inches (the LHS has a shift linkage).

ok, so it looks like the custom battery tray is welded to the swingarm where it pivots. and the brake lever misses the exhaust to the outside, perhaps the builder bent it out? I'm not familiar with what the stock brake lever looks like. Let me know what you can tell from these images....

[carnivorous chicken]

Definitely a different brake lever or it's been severely bent. If it works, I wouldn't worry about it.

The battery I might worry about. Although it's near the pivot point for the swing arm, it's still going to be constantly bouncing up and down. I think it would shorten battery life at a minimum, might play havoc with your wiring as well. How much it changes the suspension action or affects handling I dunno, but seems like it definitely would. Looks like a sealed battery as a plus you're not going to have acid splashing around everywhere through the vent. It'd be realtively easy to alleviate concerns by moving it under the seat, closer to where it was originally mounted. Or if you want it low, welding a mount to the downtubes of the frame to get it off the swing arm.

[SherLoco]

i'm glad to hear the brake lever isn't an issue. I really like the 400f headers and even hope to get a new set in the future that displays the chrome. good info, thanks chicken!

[carnivorous chicken]

I've owned the bike in my avatar since '97, all stock except for bars and 400F exhaust and pegs, which I put on right after I got it. They're great bikes to wind up, and thrive over 6k rpm.

[SherLoco]

Can't wait to get some good open road time. I'd like to get a small tach for her so I don't get too carried away without one. hehe

[SherLoco]

I've owned the bike in my avatar since '97, all stock except for bars and 400F exhaust and pegs, which I put on right after I got it. They're great bikes to wind up, and thrive over 6k rpm.

was there a reason you wanted the 400f exhaust right away? besides how great it looks?

[carnivorous chicken]

Funny story...

I got the bike for $500. It had 5hitty, rusted out 4-2 aftermarket exhaust but was in excellent shape otherwise. I had just moved to Phoenix, and there was a junkyard I had passed about an hour out of town in Rye so I went there with a buddy. The guy had two sets of exhaust, stock 4-4 and 400F 4-1. Both were in good shape and around $125, IIRC. I wanted the 4-1, so I got it (and now I know I should have bought the 4-4, I kick myself over this and went back in subsequent years but the next time I went it was $400 or so, still a steal...). Mounted them up and realized the peg and brake lever didn't work, so went back and bought the pegs off a 400F and they worked.

The kickstarter didn't really work, but I just used the electric start. Then someone discovered you could use a kicker off of a 550F so I finally switched it over.

The guy in Rye lost his mind to meth, wouldn't sell anything out of the yard, and in 2016 lost 1/2 of his stuff -- including the most valuable stuff in the warehouses, Harley. Brit bikes, some great old cars -- to a fire.

Probably more info than you wanted but there you go.

[SherLoco]

wow that's crazy. why do you wish you had the 4into4?

[carnivorous chicken]

wow that's crazy. why do you wish you had the 4into4?

They're cool looking but also rarer than hen's teeth and insanely expensive. Repops go for around $1200. The original 4-4 pipes were pretty flimsy and silencers rotted out pretty quickly.