• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Build Thread: CB350 Cafe

Here is what my 350four frame looks like. Not quite sure, but I think the twin frame is completely different.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7654.JPG
    IMG_7654.JPG
    82 KB · Views: 94
Gabe said:
Yes, I think the frames are very different. Have you seen these? Pricey, but nice-looking:

http://www.400fourstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=4&Category_Code=C

I'm assuming the 350 and 400F models have similar/same frames? You can also try Tarozzi.

http://guzzino.com/taforese.html

Or Raask?
Click to expand...

Looked at the 400Four store before... Very pricey and too modern for a vintage cafe build in my opinion.

The Tarozzi and Raask are interesting, I'll have a look. I would still love to see the 350Four and 350 Twin frames side by side...

Thanks for the info Gabe!:ride
 
The 350F and 400F frames are basically the same. In other words, the minor rearsets that came on the first two years of the 400F will bolt right onto the 350F. You might consider finding a set of those on Ebay.
 
My pictures came out terrible, but I can definitely see that the 350F frame is very different as posted by the others. I'll still put them in my album later, but my rearset plates cover the majority of the meat you are looking for.

I second Stormdragon's idea of getting those original rearsets for the 400F.

Personally I think the 400F was one of the few bikes that Honda put out that is close to perfect, just need the bars changed.
 
I have the Raask on my cl350 - What Gabe found looks much better for about the same price.
 
Mille44 said:
Hows the build coming Gabe?
Click to expand...

Slowly!

Frame: it's at Charlie's shop, where he will mount the seat and battery. When he's done I will strip it down and paint it.

Motor: All the parts I need are with Charlie. I'm hoping it will be done in a month or two.

Wheels: Charlie has a nice pair (heh, heh) for me and I will take them to Subterreanean to get new tubes, tires and bearings.

Brakes and front end: Charlie has some late-model CB350 stuff for this. I'll take the forks to Aftershocks for emulators, springs and new seals.

Bodywork: I have a tank and seat that just need paint. I'll do them in primer to start out, next year I'll do paint.
 
Gabe, those 70's front discs are crap. Stick with the drum. .. speaking from experience.

Great project!
 
hey Ferd,

why not update the disc & carrier?

or an updated caliper & bracket?

prolly don't really need a modern UJM radial master cylinder,
but they're mebbe $150 [used]
 
Have you had a look at how they mount? With the pivoting arm...I guess one could make a tricky bracket and mount it as a non-swinging arm...just never seen it. Probably would be easier to use a different fork for all that trouble..
??
dunno...

firstbuell said:
hey Ferd,

why not update the disc & carrier?

or an updated caliper & bracket?

prolly don't really need a modern UJM radial master cylinder,
but they're mebbe $150 [used]
Click to expand...
 

Attachments

  • 1975-honda-cb400-5.jpg
    1975-honda-cb400-5.jpg
    46.5 KB · Views: 867
He is probably going to use the K4 CB350 forks which are actually pretty decent. I do have to agree that the early 70s honda drums are superior to the early 70s honda squeak wheels that some people consider to be brakes....
Glad to see this thread alive again!
 
yeah, Gabe - I think my own 70s project's catching up to you.......
 
This thread's making me miss my 1st bike, a late 60's(?) CB350. I like to restore/improve old Peugeots, but I'm sure I'm not up to something like this cafe racer conversion.
 
hey gabe- hows progress? I just picked up a cheapo honda 350 and started my own ghetto cafe build. im not posting a lot of pics in case it turns out badly.. heh.

it started inociently enough- i got a benelli tank for it, and it kinda fit.. but then i needed a new seat because the benelli tank is too long, so i have this old cafe tail section from the 80s... and then the side panels look weird cause the tank is too long and the seat is too far back.. so i got to ditch those.. means i got to move the battery.. means i got to rewire everything into the seat.. then the fenders obviously got to go... and so i got out the sawzall and started cutting. (I had to laugh about you using a plasma cutter- much more high tech)

today im planning to do a little welding ..
 
Last edited:
hey Gabe,

last nite, lost & on my way to the SFMC's weekly mtg, I stumbled into a vintage Honda shop to ask directions [& to talk about my own 70s project]

out front were a sano Camelback & lotsa other same-period Honda iron - great!

turns out it was the same place yer 350's been resting.....I gave him just a little stick to get going on your bike

he replied that, buried as his folks are with maintenance work, custom work also is a priority

then he gave me 2 useful resto tips and disappeared back into the maze......
 
Update, Nov. 15th, 2010

Okay, update time.

I talked to Charlie O on the phone, and it's looking like we're ready to start the second to last phase, maybe. The frame is done, so I'm picking it up to paint, along with the tank and seat. We have a pair of CB400F wheels that I will take to clean up and put new rubber on, and there are also forks, brakes and triple clamps. We'll use a standard '70s Honda headlamp bucket, top triple from a CB360 (no cast-in handlebar clamps for a cleaner look) and I think I have all the other parts I need except the exhaust and a regulator-rectifier, which I will buy from K&L.

Charlie has a nice set of engine cases and all the internals he needs, so he will start building the motor now. JEMCO has cashed my check, so I'm hoping the exhaust system (in the picture) will be on its way soon, too.

Finally, biz partner Kenyon will paint the seat and tail section in vibrant CityBike newsrack red.

One final issue: we need an inner fender solution to keep crap off the motor, carbs and air filters. The finished bike will pretty much look like the below bike. Any ideas?
 

Attachments

  • Inspiration.jpg
    Inspiration.jpg
    88.8 KB · Views: 87
Why not just get an aftermarket fender and chop if to an appropriate length to cover the area needed?
Did you grind off all the extra frame lugs in that area, or can you find some to use for hanging brackets from? The back end could just be screwed directly to your tailsection.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top