So the front wheel went back on, just in time for the much anticipated (and slightly overdue) carb kits to arrive.
Bike looks more like a bike now;
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Wheels back on…
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Wiring bucket, or headlight…
One area I have been EXTREMELY lucky with the CB350 has been with the electrical system in general. With the exception of a dead flasher relay the electrical has been nearly perfect.
I’ve had to open the headlight up to connect the new front brake switch, and the condition of the wires there is no disappointment.
I’ll do some reading on whether or not some sort of headlight upgrade is worthwhile, and then we’ll put it all back together and make sure I haven’t ruined anything with my tampering.
Forked…
As I mentioned previously, it is clear the CB350 went down at some point in its past. The damage I have identified consists of dents to both fork covers, scuffed speedometer, a scrape along the stator cover and a broken shift lever.
The fork covers present a problem. I could repair the dents, but paint is an issue. I’ve found a source for the original Honda three stage paint, but it is a bit pricey. Plan “A” called for replacing the damaged fork covers with a rubber boot common to later bikes and the CL350.
I did come across a couple of OK condition fork covers on ebay, and spent a few dollars on them as a “hail mary” or Plan “B”. I thought if I could bypass the immediate need to repaint I could save some effort.
The end result is entirely acceptable, and while the replacement fork covers are not 100%, they are certainly close enough for government work. I’ll finish reassembling the front forks and wheel, and if the damn carb kits arrive I can actually see if we can get this thing running!
and still more gauge goodness….
So the new gauge faces are on, the protective film has been removed and no catastrophic issues noted. The tiny little screws have been loctite’d in place.
The needles were left white, with the tips painted a bright red, then clear-coated. The end results seem fine, and contrast with the gray faces nicely.
The last stage of reassembly involves crimping the chrome ring back along the outer edge of the gauges. This will likely be a bit of a pain, but should go quickly.
It does seem like a lot of work, but I’m more than a little pleased with the outcome.
and more Gauge goodness…
Ok, gauges are now apart, new gauge faces are installed and some time spent sanding the exterior of the cans (some rust, scratches and scuffs in addition to the significant dent) and making everything nice and smooth.
The gauge faces are supposed to sit for 24 hours, and I’ve thrown a coat of paint on the cans, so now there’s little to do but wait.
A quick coat of black paint on the outside of the cans, and I’ll have to pick up some paint for the needles – black needle with a red tip seems pretty typical. The white interiors seem fine, with just a bit of windex needed for the lens.
CB350 Gauge renewal
Like the rest of the bike, the gauges are actually in excellent condition. There is a noticeable scuff (approx 1″x1″) on the speedometer, but otherwise they seem fine. I want to get rid of that scuff however, and take the opportunity to bring those gauges back to life.
So, this process (thank heavens that the process is well documented here) involves gently prying up a chrome ring that holds the can together, then crimping it back down when finished.
I mangled the chrome ring a bit getting the thing apart, it’ll still do it’s job, but will not be a smooth featureless ring anymore (as it’s on the underside of the gauges I don’t think this is a deal breaker).
And finally the speedometer is apart – EXACTLY as the directions described. I do need to pick up some supplies to finish this properly, and we’re in no rush as I sit around waiting for carb parts, so I’ll disassemble the tach while we’re waiting and then paint both cans so they match properly.
Starting to look a little like a motorcycle again…
I’ve never had trouble taking things apart, but getting them back together was always a challenge. This morning I put the rear wheel back on the bike, and after some false starts (related to an incorrectly installed part) it is back on the bike, spinning beautifully and stopping sharply when the brake is applied.
Unrelated to the wheels I’ve replaced all of the engine bolts with their hex headed counterparts (total casualty count on removing the original bolts was a shocking 30% – where I need to use the GrabIt bit), am still waiting on the gaskets to put the carbs back together, and I found a relatively inexpensive set of the correct colored fork covers on Ebay in “good” condition.
I’ve swapped in LED bulbs for the instrumentation (except for the turn signal indicator), as they seem to provide substantially more light than their incandescent counterparts.
Tired…
So with the wheels cleaned up and the new rim rubber snapped on it seemed time to actually install the new tires. Almost exactly as much struggling as I expected (although substantially less than getting the old tires off) and both tires are installed and inflated, waiting to go back onto the bike.
I did go with the original tire size (that’s a 3″x18″ on the front, and a 3.5″x18″ on the rear). Once I get the wheels reassembled and back on the bike It’ll clear up more space in the garage.
Dashcam Footage… MVC
So, on the way home from work the other day I witnessed a collision. It’s hard to make out in the video (occurs at 00:16), but a pickup truck runs a red light and smokes a security cute-ute in the middle of an intersection.
I stopped, called 911 and waited for the city Police to arrive so that I could give a statement. As my brother has pointed out, it’s really not a flattering angle for me (but have some pity, this was filmed coming home from a 12 hour night shift worked with bugger all sleep the day before).
It’s neither graphic or exciting video, within 15 minutes the paramedics had taken the security guard away, fire had dumped kitty litter all over the spilled fluids and I had given a written statement and was on my way.