Author Topic: Piper Honda 8 Valve - Rare Dual Overhead Cam Head for CB350...ever heard of it?? (Read 17612 times)

ohiocaferacer · « **on:** December 05, 2005, 07:38:32 PM »

Since there is such a great selection of Honda nuts here....including myself....and from all over the world.....thougth this would be the best place. Thought i'd ask to see if anyone has ever heard of it....or even seen one.

I've tried researching some info on it and cant seem to find anything other than this one article:

http://www.ohiocaferacers.com/piperhonda2.jpg

If youve ever seen or heard of it....tell some of what you know on it. I'm guessing a dual over head cam and 8 valve(4 in each cyclinder) would run pretty nice.

I think it was made by a company over in England.....but not sure???

Thanks for the help,
Greg
www.OHIOCAFERACERS.com

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2005, 08:33:32 PM »

Yes Greg it is an English company, they made DOHC 4 valve heads for bikes and cars.

They are still trading but I hav'nt heard of them still making heads, but you could ask them.

Sam.

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #2 on:** December 05, 2005, 08:36:25 PM »

Sorry, forgot to put this in silly me.

www.pipercams.co.uk

Sam.

ohiocaferacer · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2005, 04:13:34 AM »

Sam,

Thanks for the info.....i'll have to poke around over at their website and see what I can find.

Thanks,
Greg
www.OHIOCAFERACERS.com

Jim Shea · « **Reply #4 on:** December 06, 2005, 04:52:27 AM »

I think they are in Kent and specialize in cams for racing cars and bikes? they used to prevalent on the old racing Cortinas and the like.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #5 on:** December 06, 2005, 05:46:25 AM »

And their web site is one of those that won't let you back out. I hate that.

Jim Shea · « **Reply #6 on:** December 06, 2005, 06:29:22 AM »

Me too. I won't visit those type of sites again, so I do not know why they do that!

MRieck · « **Reply #7 on:** December 06, 2005, 07:39:41 AM »

Quote from: Jim Shea on December 06, 2005, 04:52:27 AM

I think they are in Kent and specialize in cams for racing cars and bikes? they used to prevalent on the old racing Cortinas and the like.

I've heard of Kent cams in the past. Same folks??

ohiocaferacer · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2005, 08:12:48 AM »

Just sent Piper Cams and email.......hopefully, will find something out soon.

Thanks for the help guys!!

Does anyone remember, anyone using these heads???

Jim Shea · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2005, 08:55:20 AM »

I am pretty sure they are different companies.

Tim2005 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 06, 2005, 03:05:44 PM »

Dunno about the 350, but Piper did make a 16 valve head for the 750/4, I remember seeing one (incomplete) at an autojumble some years ago & looked into it. Apparently they made very few, for racing, and they weren't very successful.

There were also Piper exhausts in the UK in the 70s/80s, presumably the same company, similar to an Alfa (which in turn were a cheap Yoshi-type system) but the tailpipe was much longer. Very loud too, I had one & remember a mate hearing me miss a gear when I was about 4 miles away from his place.

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2005, 11:27:31 AM »

Piper 4-1 1977 (see avatar)

ohiocaferacer · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2005, 05:37:10 AM »

Day #2......and still no return email from Piper about the head.

Jim Shea · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2005, 05:38:00 AM »

Do you want me to call them for you?
Jim.

ohiocaferacer · « **Reply #14 on:** December 08, 2005, 05:53:08 AM »

Thanks for the offer.....but i'll give them a few more days and send another email.

Who knows maybe they are still researching their archieves?

HA!

Jim Shea · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2005, 06:51:59 AM »

Good luck. I seem to remember they were taken over by another company years agoi!

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2005, 06:01:42 PM »

I have just checked out Kent cams, seems they are a different company to Piper.

Sam.

scunny · « **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2006, 08:24:20 PM »

I have just read a book about early Honda race machines and am certain they had twin overhead cam multi-valve heads on some of their bikes, will have to get the book out from the library again to check

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #18 on:** February 25, 2006, 02:51:01 AM »

scunny,

You're right. There was at least one that I know of, the RC165 6-cylinder 250. I've always been intrigued by it since reading about it some 30 years ago, so much from so little I guess. It had a DOHC engine and 24 valves! Would have loved to peek inside the thing.

scunny · « **Reply #19 on:** February 25, 2006, 03:49:06 AM »

I love that bike.

ohiocaferacer · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2006, 11:52:12 AM »

Guys....I did finally get an email back from Piper...about 2 weeks after I sent them the first email.

They said they check everything they could and had nothing on the CB350 DOHC and that the only guy who may have known about it passed away a few years ago.

Kind of dropped the search after that.

I've have to see if I can find that email,
Greg

bwaller · « **Reply #21 on:** March 03, 2006, 09:15:34 AM »

Bob, I was at a roadrace at Mosport about 1977 and they organized a few parade laps of some would be important motorcycles. One of the bikes was the RC165 that had been residing in the Toronto science center. As I recall it was necessary to manufacture sparkplugs to make it run. There were several ex race bikes and a few street jobs. After a couple laps things started to heat up a little and some dude on a harley pushed the front end and crashed taking out a nice Trident and this priceless Honda jewel. The whole point of this is to tell you that that 250/six was earsplittingly loud. I could hear it all the way around Mosport, it was organlike, fantastic. I never got to see them race but at least I heard it for a few laps.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #22 on:** March 03, 2006, 09:45:30 AM »

Quote

Bob, I was at a roadrace at Mosport about 1977

There's a coincidence! I scanned and uploaded two snapshots in my gallery album that I took at the Canadian Gran Prix in Mosport in 1977.

bwaller · « **Reply #23 on:** March 03, 2006, 12:18:38 PM »

Small world. I remember someone purchased that RC165 from the science center and I think the deal was it was to make some laps before it left for good. I've never been to Barber, but I wonder if that's where it ended up.

I'll go look at your album.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #24 on:** March 03, 2006, 12:59:18 PM »

Trust me, the snaps are nothing special. Just collected a few of the old ones and scanned them.

News:

Author Topic: Piper Honda 8 Valve - Rare Dual Overhead Cam Head for CB350...ever heard of it?? (Read 17612 times)

Jim Shea

Jim Shea

Jim Shea

Jim Shea

Jim Shea