Jump to content

Abarth’s 1972 Honda CB350k Cafe Racer


Abarth

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 68
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Sweet cheers man, do you have a spare seat? Mine didn’t come with one and we’re looking to use the OG base and reshape it and cover it.

 

Your build is looking sick too btw, keen to see more about the Motogadget stuff as that stuff looks tidy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Abarth said:

Sweet cheers man, do you have a spare seat? Mine didn’t come with one and we’re looking to use the OG base and reshape it and cover it.

 

Your build is looking sick too btw, keen to see more about the Motogadget stuff as that stuff looks tidy.

A seat might be the one thing I have only 1 of! Let me double check tonight though! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

While a bunch of parts are inbound from the US, U.K. and China we decided to get busy on the jobs that can be done locally. 

Currently all the hubs and engine parts are with the vapour blaster after stripping it all down.

9457833E-EE86-4D87-902C-9C4C959BD8C5.jpeg

Got the tank back from the painter, stoked with how it turned out, tried to keep as close to the original colour as possible but with high gloss.

Gonna look mint with the new chrome strips and chrome fuel cap fitted. Also going to add the Honda wings logo to the sides. 

07C1AFA9-C0A0-4B3F-8035-A90592DC027D.jpeg

E2178AB0-65A8-4DE3-93A3-D8B957FE96E2.jpeg

F190A7B0-186B-4E0E-9AEC-21CF954401E4.jpeg

Quick compare to the old paint, about a million times glossier than before and maybe a shade lighter because of it but stoked with how it turned out!

1EFBE310-BADB-4724-946B-4FA80D657F54.jpeg

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Parts are slowly trickling in, stoked to receive the package from David Silver Spares UK

Building up my CB250 meant I still had a list of  part numbers for all the small detail parts like dome bolts, dust washers, OEM seals. Took hours of looking through old Honda schematics to find those part numbers the first time

So to used them a second time when doing the David Silver order on this CB350 build made it a lot easier.

AliExpress stuff arrived too, looks great so far! Haven’t had a chance to test it out yet but I’ll report back later.

 

78AB34F9-E0C9-4D69-B12D-F27C7EDCD0AE.jpeg

948F5E8C-1AC5-4513-AC67-60CC8221A64B.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How’s progress? Mocked up the frame with some of the parts this evening and were pretty stoked with how it’s all looking.

The blue tank pops against the raw alloy silver finish on the fuel tank strips and clipons. 

92A836C6-70B5-4286-8909-A48CA3DD3821.jpeg

91F79A21-F87B-4652-A1A2-E40105F7CD66.jpeg

 

Test fitted the rear hoop and it’s bang on the right width so we’re figuring out the best way to attach it to the frame.

8E5959FF-0C75-468B-9869-4BE5F475D693.jpeg

DFD0B2C2-5A12-43B9-B6BD-38CCA56EAAAE.jpeg

And all those part number lists = genuine Honda parts for days! Even the washers come in their own Honda bags.

4BCE469A-8D98-4B4F-9E84-24E37FFD7F4D.jpeg

Rims are on their way from the UK, ordered 1.85 x 18 fronts which are up from the standard 1.6 and got 2.15 x 18 for the rear up from standard 1.85 in stainless steel, be nice to have slightly bigger feet on this for looks mostly.

Hopefully we get the engine back together this weekend.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Carried on fitting the rear hoop, chucked on the rear wheel and measured clearances as the new shocks are 3cm shorter than factory.

The rear of the hoop now sits just over an inch past the rear wheel centre point. IMO anything shorter and the bike looks stumpy.

Once that was tack welded in we got started with the seat. Decided to create a mould out of pallet wrap. Layed down Polyester resin and rolled carbon fibre into the resin to set.

Dream result is to have a nice carbon fibre look under the seat. We used white lithium grease as a release agent which may have left white streaks through the resin. So it could look shit house but we’ll see after it hardens off. 

5837B41B-02D6-4BA1-A143-C8C83FC8E64E.jpeg

1A30AAC0-EB08-4AF5-BF2B-1BB0D598B179.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Added 4 layers of 1mm thick fibreglass doing two layers per night. Used a roller to push the resin into the matting driving out air bubbles.

One it all set we popped the seat off the frame. The carbon fibre looks epic but the white lithium grease added so many ripples in the resin. To fix this we’ll give it a layer of resin let it dry and sand it flat. A quick polish after that should have the carbon popping.

F62A16F8-D0E3-4133-920F-4DA8FD3455C0.jpeg

 

Pretty much just cut to shape with an angle grinder, stoked with how well it fits. Just need to find a latch mechanism. Seen one off a Suzuki Bandit that’s perfect. Is Pick a Part for bikes a thing? 

Mocked up the upholstery too, black faux leather with dark blue stitching. 

1C3DE5BA-C621-42FF-9AF5-F855F3A82B80.jpeg

68D30BFB-15C0-459C-87A1-0A4E461E738D.jpeg

  • Like 6
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Threw in all new wheel bearings into the hubs. Converted the steering bearings to tapered bearing with a kit from 4 into 1.

Then made a start on assembling the motor. Reassemble the gearbox first, cleaned everything and check it ran through the gears before closing the cases with Yamabond.

We’ve noticed that one of the pistons has stuck rings, looks like it got hot at some point. Which is probably the reason it got parked up in the first place. Will have to order new rings and pistons. It was already on 0.5 so will probably go 0.75 oversized this time.

 

Looks like the oil pump plunger has a lot of scoring on it, so will be rebuilding it to make sure oil pressure is good.

 

Thinking that we will give the freshly vapour blasted alloy a coat of 2k matt clear keep it fresh.

 

 

030B5E36-DE45-4EC9-A33A-CD5436C197D6.jpeg

B9D02DF6-B7B7-44DD-90AE-F2FD4A6D35BB.jpeg

9B992375-D642-43CD-9251-5B441B592723.jpeg

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Rim’s arrived from Birmingham, England this week. Stainless steel WM2 and WM3, one size wider than factory.

Got stuck into lacing them up to the hubs, stoked with how they turned out. Cycle Treads did the final truing and torquing of the spokes.

Going to run a 3 inch wide tyre on the front and a 4 on the back. 

Gave all the vapour blasted parts a couple coats of VHT satin clear to keep them looking crisp.

Also added all new wheel bearing to the hubs, stripped the front forks and cleaned them up. Added genuine Honda fork seals and fresh oil ready to go.

Motor is still waiting for the pistons which is on the way and the frame is down at the engineers getting the hoop welded in fully.

 

400F4434-A271-4D84-94D1-210EAF2B07E6.jpeg

1A02BC06-12BA-4CCD-9875-9456D7616CDC.jpeg

40EE95F7-F7D9-4BD7-A15D-8DBE842A93AB.jpeg

77FBA3F0-F14F-4E36-8143-B173E8DB4FA0.jpeg

D9D4298B-45B5-46B6-8D58-FC0A3BBFC3DD.jpeg

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got the tyres fitted to the rims.

Went with Michelin Pilot Activ, 90/90r18 on the front and a big ol 4.00 on the back.

Remember the 90/90r18 is pretty much the factory rear size which is now on the front. Looks tiny compared to the 4.00. The 4.00 has a 102mm tyre wall height while the factory 81mm.

May swap out the rear for a Michelin Sirac as they have a 110/80r18 rear size which may suit the frame clearances better. Plus they have a sweet semi trail blocky tread pattern.

With the 90 on the front it’s a squeeze to fit them under the factory guard but it’ll go. Got chopping with a drop saw, almost felt guilty as it was a mint guard. Will re weld on the ends to keep the nice factory curves. and lower the mounting brackets so it’s more flush with the tyre.

 

7BC6A6A3-ED9C-48CF-86BA-AE4A4BAFFA61.jpeg

D092F730-9ED7-4FDA-A768-A0E5C4546E84.jpeg

A436C853-2794-454D-8791-6B08B95BDA8C.jpeg

0733C067-70C8-45AF-892C-4E45D03589A2.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spent the arvo shaping the mudguard after cutting it. 

Spot welded the ends back on and filled in the holes from the guard supports.

Then cut 15mm out of the mounts to get the guard sitting closer to the tyre. Had to pre heat the metal before welding to get the MIGs weld to fully penetrate into the steel. 

Happy with how it’s all sitting now

7316209D-AEC2-4126-89EE-9BECDE0DC088.jpeg

91BDD19F-AD6B-4198-A34A-7C2317DA4946.jpeg

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How to blow your CB350 build budget :)

CNC cognito tree with Motogadget Mini and warning lights built in.

7447601D-31CD-46E1-A0F1-D426C3F660DC.jpeg

A few Joker Machine parts, rear brake strap, tachometer cable plug, rear wheel and brake adjusters.

Then cognito rearsets, these are beautifully engineered.

05168E58-D227-460F-AF97-DD90B1131536.jpeg

Anyways, pistons arrived so got started with the engine build. Added in all new cam chain and tensioner. 

Had the pistons matched to the bores by Taylor’s Engineering, they also gave the head and cylinder faces a skim.

Checked the piston ring gap clearance at 0.010, well within spec. All was going well till we got to the gudgeon pins; in short these are rooted. So back to waiting for new ones to arrive.

691F0D20-11F8-4DE3-829E-83FFC2D46BA5.jpeg

3FA23BC2-9647-494A-9D36-3EC75F4823B0.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...