Comments on: MD Project: Honda CB350 Cafe Racer, Part I (Bike Reports) (News) http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/ Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:21:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Randy http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-19640 Randy Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:33:13 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-19640 Well, having owned both a RD250 and a SL350 I can say without a doubt which is quicker. Top end? Don't know as I never really tried to get the SL over about 75, seemed like it wasn't it's thing. The RD redlined at 90mph, got there fairly quickly. Handling? No contest, every RD ride was a day at the races, the SL lumbers along like a big shaggy dog... The RD definitely has a 2 stroke powerband, but it seemed really broad to me as I was racing MX bikes that were ported to the moon. There were a few highly modified Hondas (350,450) slinking around South Orange County (CA) back then. Saw them from cars, never from my bike... looked the business even to a 2 stroker like me Well, having owned both a RD250 and a SL350 I can say without a doubt which is quicker. Top end? Don’t know as I never really tried to get the SL over about 75, seemed like it wasn’t it’s thing. The RD redlined at 90mph, got there fairly quickly. Handling? No contest, every RD ride was a day at the races, the SL lumbers along like a big shaggy dog…

The RD definitely has a 2 stroke powerband, but it seemed really broad to me as I was racing MX bikes that were ported to the moon.

There were a few highly modified Hondas (350,450) slinking around South Orange County (CA) back then. Saw them from cars, never from my bike… looked the business even to a 2 stroker like me

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]]> By: Jay http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18600 Jay Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:20:07 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18600 Brings back memories. My XL350 had CB400F forks and CB750F tank and had a very Brit-bike cafe look. One day I turned onto a back road, and slid in between a couple of BMWs. They were going a little slow for me, so I eased up to pass the lead bike, and he took it as a challenge and gassed it. I dropped back and followed him at what was still a pretty easy pace for me, and watched him almost lose it half a dozen times. We came to a stoplight a few miles down the road, and when he looked back to see who was behind him, he nearly fell off his bike in shock. Half the displacement, half the cylinders, and, like you said, twice the ground clearance. Brings back memories. My XL350 had CB400F forks and CB750F tank and had a very Brit-bike cafe look. One day I turned onto a back road, and slid in between a couple of BMWs. They were going a little slow for me, so I eased up to pass the lead bike, and he took it as a challenge and gassed it. I dropped back and followed him at what was still a pretty easy pace for me, and watched him almost lose it half a dozen times. We came to a stoplight a few miles down the road, and when he looked back to see who was behind him, he nearly fell off his bike in shock. Half the displacement, half the cylinders, and, like you said, twice the ground clearance.

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]]> By: Doug http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18589 Doug Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:18:13 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18589 I can't wait to see this 350 Honda finished. My family talked into going "stripped down Cafe" with the 76 KZ900 sitting in my garage for 17 years. I can’t wait to see this 350 Honda finished. My family talked into going “stripped down Cafe” with the 76 KZ900 sitting in my garage for 17 years.

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]]> By: Wilson R http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18560 Wilson R Tue, 08 Mar 2011 01:49:57 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18560 I think he realizes that he's not going to have the fastest bike on the street. He's having fun with a bike that lends itself well to cafe customization. I look forward to seeing how it's done as I have a bike in mind that would probably make a great candidate for cafe mods. When do we get part 2? I think he realizes that he’s not going to have the fastest bike on the street. He’s having fun with a bike that lends itself well to cafe customization. I look forward to seeing how it’s done as I have a bike in mind that would probably make a great candidate for cafe mods. When do we get part 2?

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]]> By: Mr. Mike http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18317 Mr. Mike Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:59:55 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18317 What a great project, the choice of bikes is perfect. I had that exact Blue cb350, it would run circles around larger displacement brit bikes of that era plus it was reliable and never leaked fluids. Looking forward to your progress... What a great project, the choice of bikes is perfect. I had that exact Blue cb350, it would run circles around larger displacement brit bikes of that era plus it was reliable and never leaked fluids.

Looking forward to your progress…

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]]> By: bikerrandy http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18223 bikerrandy Sat, 05 Mar 2011 03:16:09 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18223 Whodathunk this subject would ever come up decades later ? In my youth I road raced a CL350 in SoCal. I put CB pipes on it and had footpegs welded in the frame for better ergonomics. Back in `68 the 350 bike to beat was a Kawasaki 350 Avenger. We ran 250-Open(650/750s) in the same race, so it got ineteresting. I bought the CL for $450 at a flea market. I raced it for a year and it never let me down. I finished 2nd place for the year in 350 Production in the ACA. Also ran some in AFM. I got beat for 1st place by a blue-printed CB 350. I was going to college @ Cal State Fullerton and raced for fun. The next year I got a new Yamaha 350 R-5, which was the hot setup then. Whodathunk this subject would ever come up decades later ? In my youth I road raced a CL350 in SoCal. I put CB pipes on it and had footpegs welded in the frame for better ergonomics. Back in `68 the 350 bike to beat was a Kawasaki 350 Avenger. We ran 250-Open(650/750s) in the same race, so it got ineteresting.

I bought the CL for $450 at a flea market. I raced it for a year and it never let me down. I finished 2nd place for the year in 350 Production in the ACA. Also ran some in AFM. I got beat for 1st place by a blue-printed CB 350. I was going to college @ Cal State Fullerton and raced for fun.

The next year I got a new Yamaha 350 R-5, which was the hot setup then.

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]]> By: Martin http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18184 Martin Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:56:58 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18184 It's all very well revving the ring out of a mid range twin, but for my money (paid two weeks ago), you can't beat a good single for true, on the road speed through the twisties. Back in the day, my old XL350 Honda (modified for street use) drifted through winding roads lazily, hardly ever even changing gear or braking hard, while my brother cursed his CB350, which needed three or four gear shifts per hundred metres just to keep up. And a friend dropped his CB350 trying to follow me around a tight corner - they lacked the ground clearance. I've just bought a Suzuki XF650 Freewind, which has near telepathic handling, buckets of mid range torque, and while the carb probably needs cleaning to run perfectly, it has survived over 40,000 miles of hard use, something the old Hondas could never do. The local dealer has never had to do a rebuild on these DR based engines. It is very comfortable too, never giving me a backache, unlike most street bikes. Plus it has a fairing to help with the high winds. I like it. It’s all very well revving the ring out of a mid range twin, but for my money (paid two weeks ago), you can’t beat a good single for true, on the road speed through the twisties. Back in the day, my old XL350 Honda (modified for street use) drifted through winding roads lazily, hardly ever even changing gear or braking hard, while my brother cursed his CB350, which needed three or four gear shifts per hundred metres just to keep up. And a friend dropped his CB350 trying to follow me around a tight corner – they lacked the ground clearance.

I’ve just bought a Suzuki XF650 Freewind, which has near telepathic handling, buckets of mid range torque, and while the carb probably needs cleaning to run perfectly, it has survived over 40,000 miles of hard use, something the old Hondas could never do. The local dealer has never had to do a rebuild on these DR based engines. It is very comfortable too, never giving me a backache, unlike most street bikes. Plus it has a fairing to help with the high winds. I like it.

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]]> By: Zach http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18176 Zach Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:42:28 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18176 Power loss through the drivetrain isn't a fixed amount, it's a percentage of the total. Therefore a 5hp bike might lose 1hp to friction but a 200hp bike could lose 30hp. Power loss through the drivetrain isn’t a fixed amount, it’s a percentage of the total. Therefore a 5hp bike might lose 1hp to friction but a 200hp bike could lose 30hp.

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]]> By: Jose http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18171 Jose Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:47:29 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18171 Is a very pretty bike, but no enough power to maintain constant highway speeds. You are going to limit yourself to around town driving. Do yourself a favor and start with a little more powerful bike. For example: CB450(twin), CB500, CB550, Yamaha XS650 and CB750 (too big for my taste). Just my 2cts… Is a very pretty bike, but no enough power to maintain constant highway speeds. You are going to limit yourself to around town driving. Do yourself a favor and start with a little more powerful bike. For example: CB450(twin), CB500, CB550, Yamaha XS650 and CB750 (too big for my taste). Just my 2cts…

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]]> By: Grumbler http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/03/md-project-honda-cb350-cafe-racer-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-18170 Grumbler Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:10:31 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=13918#comment-18170 Three college friends of mine rode CB350s around the perimeter of the USA during the summer of 1969. The bikes were in different colors, and had tall sissybars to which they strapped their belongings to. In fact, those bikes had a little bit more top end than my '67 Triumph 650 TR6R Trophy. They rode from/to Washington, DC. Three college friends of mine rode CB350s around the perimeter of the USA during the summer of 1969. The bikes were in different colors, and had tall sissybars to which they strapped their belongings to. In fact, those bikes had a little bit more top end than my ’67 Triumph 650 TR6R Trophy. They rode from/to Washington, DC.

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