It all began with a roundabout drive home through a part of my neighbourhood I don't often go through. Rounding a corner I caught out of the corner of my eye a ”FREE” sign. Always up for something free I backed up in my car and eyed a sign on the side of a motorbike. After the two guys already kicking the tires had confirmed they had to go ask a wife if they could have it. I immediately stated, “Don't bother, I’ll take it”.
I secured the ownership from the guy with it up for grabs and drive the short distance home to tell my wife while she was driving me back to pick up the bike. I pushed it the two blocks home and beamed at my newly acquired ride. I felt like I hit the lottery. I took pictures while my wife wondered what she had just abetted me in bringing home. A 1972 CB350 K4. No pipes, broken side cover, rust dirt, and many other missing or broken parts.
That was the start of a 20 month odyssey into the vintage Asian bike world. With no time on my hands that summer I stored the bike in my shed till November. Dragging the unlikely suspect to my garage I marvelled at all the stuff I hadn’t noticed before. More missing parts, jury rigged parts, and aftermarket changes to the original model. As I had rebuilt four Honda PA50 Mopeds vintages from 1979 to 1982 my first instinct was to strip all the parts down and see what I really had.
Month 3. After pulling the tank and a few other parts, the thought occurred to me that I might have more on my plate than I bargained for. I decided to see if it would actually fire and ensure the engine was in principle in working order. Pouring some gas in the carbs and getting some juice to the starting circuit, I prepared to kick it over. With no pipes or manifolds now on the bike after two kicks I was scared ****less by a roar I had not expected so easily.
Fire shot out of the cylinders and lights came on! I screamed with delight! I ran in a got my wife to film the next blast on our digital cam. It’s still on my Facebook page. I finished the strip in a couple of days setting aside the parts which definitely needed replacement, and listing others I would replace anyhow. Tired but satisfied with work well done. Little did I know of the availability of parts for this bike? Once the bike was stripped and the motor was on a working mount, I started visiting my local Honda dealer. Encouraged and discouraged at the same time. Necessary parts No Longer Available (NLA), many parts still in stock; I started piling up the new parts in a box. The remainder of the bike now in six large boxes with assemblies in zip-lock bags.
My winter challenge would be the motor. First stripping it down and refinishing it. I determined that the tranny or lower part of the motor was fine with only 20,000 miles on it, if the odometer was accurate. The kids went together and bought me vintage rubber for Christmas. Refinishing, buffing, painting all the parts as close to the spec of a new bike. New pistons and many other internal engine parts. By the end of January, the motor was finished and ready for the frame.
Month 5. The frame was sent to a powder coater. While I knew this was not original, I knew the finish and final result would be superior. Now with the motor finished and spring coming soon I started to clean and replace the remainder of the parts. My buffing wheel and solvent well were working overtime. Every night from parts soaking the radiant aroma of solvent permeated the lower half of our house. I really needed the frame so I could determine more fully if I needed more parts.
It took more 5 months. The powder coater had problems with his furnace and delay and threat turned into more delays. In the mean time I amassed the chrome parts needed to be rechromed, and the list of NLA parts grew. I started searching the internet and Ebay. I knew all the vintage and Bike parts dealers in a 200 mile radius and on line. Parts dribbled in. Some were not the original parts and had either to be discarded or resold.
Month 10. Chrome was the easiest. Thank God as I was getting tired and discouraged just looking for parts. With the best parts I had from several sources I delivered the mass of partially restored parts to the chrome shop. The quote was in ($900) and the delivery day set (six weeks exactly). As I continued to wait for the frame and get smaller brackets and parts painted or rebuilt, I also had to start considering the colour painted parts. While I would let any good paint shop work on the gloss black bracket, I wanted a paint job on the forks, tank and side covers to exactly match the showroom. There are many paint shops who said they would do it. Few which would consent to OE paint standards, and none which would do hand painted pin striping.
After the mid to late seventies most of the Asian bikes were using decals for stripes and shapes on their tanks and covers. Mine had to be old enough to need that special touch. Too many shops saying they paint are simply guys wanting to be artists and have no knowledge of the craft of painting. Word passed around, I strolled bike shows and cruise nights. I no longer visited the shops; I simply phoned and asked if they could do the original. Finally, one shop said yes and I brought the pieces by. Another $900 quote and a promise for a completion date in six weeks. I okayed both.
By now I had to pick up the chrome, on time and to the penny of the quote. Like new but with more gleam and depth to the chrome. Techniques have improved vastly. But I still by this time had no frame and a garage full of carefully rebuilt and restored parts and assemblies. I so wanted to put this thing together. I would return and watch the short video of the beast starting up with gas poured down the carbs. More parts from the New Old Stock NOS market, both from dealers who had parts but would not ship out of the United States, and from others who would only deal in Cash or certified cheques, as well as the ubiquitous Ebay account.
The frame shows up and I immediately drop the motor in it. The slick shiny black contrasted with the gleaming silvers of the power plant make me giddy. I slide on the rear fender for more effect. Wow! Startling in its simplicity. Assembly begins in earnest without the painted parts.
While I am relatively able to assess parts and assemblies, I missed the mark on a number of them both in terms of originality as well as extent of rebuilding required. So back to the parts guys and on-line purchases. Over this whole time, I have procured a CD of the micro fiche for my bike so now I know all the exact original part numbers and assembly tricks. I had also found and kept many pictures of various bikes out there, noting wiring, cabling, and tubing routes. I also noted those bikes which were not original and in what way. I could now tell at a glance if a bike was true to form very quickly.
Month 12. Late August the paint is finished and the final assembly happens. Ready to start up and test drive I go over the spec sheet and repair manual for anything I might have missed. Anything out of place or that might be dangerous or unsafe. After all, this bike would go a lot faster than the four Mopeds I had rebuilt. All seemed generally in place. I looked great! A few beauty shots in case the whole thing blew up when I cranked it over.
I fired it up just before a buddy of mine (a Harley owner) dropped by. Up the road one way, back past the other. It died. I coasted home. Fuel or spark? I lay on the ground trying to see what I could be. After a couple of hours, I slinked it back in the garage for an open book examination. I was to emotional out there in public to think this through. With the manual open and gauges and tools nearby, I marched my way through trouble shooting. A blown fuse and the spark advance plate retaining pin out of place stopped me on my test drive.
More checking and more checking I was ready for another ride. The bike started easily and sounded great. Shifted well and pulled like a horse. I was thrilled but it was late in the year now, one week before the Canadian Thanksgiving week end. Oh well there is always next year. But maybe one last ride. I pull out and go shifting into third and the motor just stops. I cruise back the shop and go through the trouble shooting again.
Month 15. Out comes the motor and I strip down the motor. Getting into the cams I discover that the two bolts holding the cam on the shaft have sheared off. 35 years old and they just couldn’t handle loosening and retorquing. To compound the problem the wobble of the cam chain has allowed the chain to chew through the inside of the cylinder casting. A mad scramble for another cylinder block and more cleaning and glass beading. Back on the road briefly before the snow flies.
Little note from a fact page about the bike. “The CB350 was the highest selling Motorcycle in American history, shifting more than 300,000 units in its six-year run. Add the CL350 and SL350 variants and the figure goes to 626,000! The CB350 had a twin cylinder, over-head cam, air cooled engine. It had two carbs, a five-speed gearbox and an electric starter. It proved to be very reliable, even without maintenance. It was truly an 'everyman' motorcycle that appealed to a mass audience. It made 36bhp@10,000rpm, and weighed in at 370lb's.”
Month 20. The spring arrives and I win the best Asian bike at The Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Show. Kudos and stares at cruise nights. Bike of the night at several places. A dream to ride and pulling strong. Would I do it again? You bet! Differently. I would buy all and any new bolts and nuts for any parts being stripped off or rebuilt. I would be more patient and give more lead time for large items like paint and chrome. I would automatically replace all rubber parts. A bigger better buffing machine and a sandblasting area in my garage. In the end I have a vintage bike everyone recognizes. A bike which stops any passerby, and starts many a conversation. The CB350 K4 is a great starter rebuild with many rewards along the way.
Mark Hull Du Calumet, First of the coterie of York, Son of Don, Scion of Karl in the House of Pfunkstadt, Connubial of Suzanne, Yeoman to the Hun of Honda, Prevailing in the Seat of Hespeler, Having been again to Australia, and now Grandad's Land, and for some, from The Dark Side. Not am Main nor ab der Elba, but down the Donau, and with Turkish Chai. #garagelurker2019
Recent Comments