My new CB350

rroadrunner · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:36 pm Post subject: My new CB350

Iâ€˜ve been around this bike for 20 years or so. The seller is a good friend of mine and has taken meticulous care of the bike. It has fewer than 10k and is far from mint condition. That being said, she's a beaut ready to ridden.

Enjoy the photo's.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102331403636740148985/CB350?authkey=Gv1sRgCJOZpKbIk_3qGw#slideshow/5679084571839287154

fxray · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:13 pm Post subject:

It doesn't look too far from mint. Bikes from someone you know are the best kind. You not only know the history of the bike, it also has some meaning just because it came from a friend. Enjoy it, it looks like a really nice 350.

johnakay · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:20 am Post subject:

nice bike.don't see many in that good nick.
you didn't by chance bough this off me recently?

rroadrunner · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:55 pm Post subject:

No. There was a high back sissy bar but I got rid of it...

rroadrunner · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 1:09 pm Post subject:

I took the 350 out yesterday for its inaugural voyage. I went through horse country with little to no traffic and lots of pretty pastures. Before that I ran errands to see how the bike would do in the real world.

Observations:

1) The front breaks were like pressing on a sponge. While the rear break has some good bite. The front brake feel more like a bicycle brake, something is not right. I think the existing pads are well over 10 years old (that's a conservative estimate).
2) When starting from stop just before the clutch is fully released there is a small clunk sound. It almost sounds like the transmission clunk from neutral to 1st but not as strong.
3) The throttle/engine seems to be out of sync. It feels like the engine is fighting the throttle, the bike will slow down bike immediately when I slightly reduce the throttle. The bike does not seem to like to go past 60 mph. I got it up to 70 after flogging her down a flat stretch of road.
4) The bike Squeaks when I'm pushing it around in the garage. It's almost as if something needs lubricating.

Work done so far:

Carburetors rebuilt offsite at a dealer brought home and put on the bike.

My first order of business will be the front break and the squeaking. To my fellow riders in Orlando, any good shops / individual mechanics you can recommend?
Ride Impression?
Nice height. There is plenty of room to lean into a curve.
The machine feels rock solid I just need to figure out how to get more power from it.
Light as a featherâ€¦..

Feedback would really be appreciated.

Enjoy the photo's:
https://picasaweb.google.com/102331403636740148985/Voy1?authkey=Gv1sRgCIbXl6nH7bGALQ#slideshow/5682361627977999362

Russell · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:20 pm Post subject:

Leaving aside the engine performance for others to comment on...and the front brake which I've just gone back and looked at again and realised is a disk.

Sounds like your front brake needs to be carefully bled and in the process replacing the old fluid.Then if the pads are in reasonable shape they may need some repeated hard work, to break any glaze that has developed both of the pads and the disk.Would pay to pull the wheel and check,re-pack or replace, wheel bearings.If you don't get sufficient improvement,and if the caliper is otherwise service-able it may be time to replace the front brake line?

Same deal at rear. Clean-out of drum. Check/replace pads and later on 'bed' them in.
Wheel bearings? Is there a bearing in the cush drive flange? Your noise could be coming from the cush drive if there are wear issues there. Check swing-arm bearings for movement and lubrication. Your mystery noise could also come from there if wear is bad enough.

Chain.Look at condition of chain and both sprockets as well as adjustment. Check the fixture of both sprockets. The front sprocket especially can generate quite a clunk if it is sloppy on the shaft splines, or even if simply so worn that the chain lashes about on the teeth.

Check all the engine mounts.

Check condition of rear shocks and their mounts.

If you do all of the above thoroughly the source of your clunk noise, and the squeak, should become apparent.

rroadrunner · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 8:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks! I posted my issues on another site and I'll be dam your answers are close. I'm going to do some reaserch on how to get this taken care of and I'll post the fix.

I appreciate you taking the time you took to understand my problems and comming up with a possible solution! Wink