Topic: dejello's '73 cb350f

[dejello]

I suppose I'll start a thread...  Gave a little story in the 350 registration thread...  Bought the bike a few years ago as a first bike.  Basically, it had issues and I fixed a bunch of them and got the bike running in decent condition, or so I thought.  It had run with seemingly little issue, then I took it to work one day, on the way back it the oil pressure gauge read very low.  Took it easy on the way home as I was close by, and the bike's sat since.  I moved and it stayed at my parent's house for a while.  I've moved back to College Station, got my own place and the bike's here with me now.....mocking me every day.  Pointing, laughing, etc...  I really wasn't sure where I was going to have it go when I started on this venture, but meh, I tend to learn as I go.

The day I brought it to my place (and my nice extremely large work space )..  Sorry, I didn't get pics before I started messing with it:

[dejello]

I decided I like the cx500 custom tank...so, i got one to put on and been playing around since...  The last pic is my latest mock-up with the front end (from a 400 for testing purposes) sitting up against the frame and the rear fender's just wedged in place at the moment...  Also, the rear shocks are 2" shorter than stock.  I'm 5'8" and had issues with getting my feet planted on the ground at stops.  Wasn't all that comfortable.  I had a hell of a time freeing up the rear axle from the hub...  I need to cut the frame and stretch it out to fit the new tank in place.  Will be re-wiring the entire bike as it was a nightmare when I first started fixing it all those years ago.  I know i've left out a bunch, but there's been rum involved.  

[wingman]

Will the 400 forks help to drop the bike a little?  I think they are compatible without any modifications, is that correct?  I am 5"6 and have the same problem that you do with the bike being a bit tall. 

How are you going to lower the rear two inches in the final build?  Smaller shocks?

[dejello]

Will the 400 forks help to drop the bike a little?  I think they are compatible without any modifications, is that correct?  I am 5"6 and have the same problem that you do with the bike being a bit tall. 

How are you going to lower the rear two inches in the final build?  Smaller shocks?

The rear has been lowered by using 2" shorter shocks.  I found them on ebay, at the moment the brand escapes me.  The frame at the seat area has been cut and may end up being replaced with new tubing.  This area *might* get dropped about an inch or so, or stay the same height.  As it was in the pic, I was able to flat-foot it which was a lot more comfortable than it used to be.    The seat I'll put on won't be as thick as the seat that was on there (wasn't stock for this bike, don't remember what it came from).

The 400 forks are the same size as the 350's.  I've just used them for mock-up purposes to get an idea of what the front end will look like as they look much better than the 350 tubes that were on there (to me).  I still need to stretch the frame to fit the tank in, which at the moment looks like I'll need longer forks.

[wingman]

Wanna sell that seat?  I have a king/queen seat that I am dying to get rid of and I don't have anything else to sit on if I do.

[dejello]

Sorry, the seat's been gone for a few weeks 

[DollarBill]

What about the tank?  I need one if you still have it.

I like where you are headed with this build.