i found a cb 350 twin for sale and i would like to know if the twin would be a better project bike than the 350Four. it seems that the twins are more available, but i like the smoothness of an inline four. is there more power to be had with the twin? are they easier to find replacement parts for. are parts more interchangable with the twins? i want to build a cafe race bike that is street legal, reliable, and fast. any help with this would be great!
cb 350four compared to cb 350 twin
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I'm not the local expert on the 350's (there are several on this board)...but the answer to all your questions is YES.
All of the above.
You've already got it figured out.
Although....I gotta admit I got a soft spot for those 350/4's. Always wanted to try my hand and making one of those really scream.
JohnnyB
All of the above.
You've already got it figured out.
Although....I gotta admit I got a soft spot for those 350/4's. Always wanted to try my hand and making one of those really scream.
JohnnyB
I'm not the local expert on the 350's (there are several on this board)...but the answer to all your questions is YES.
All of the above.
You've already got it figured out.
Although....I gotta admit I got a soft spot for those 350/4's. Always wanted to try my hand and making one of those really scream.
JohnnyB
All of the above.
You've already got it figured out.
Although....I gotta admit I got a soft spot for those 350/4's. Always wanted to try my hand and making one of those really scream.
JohnnyB
The 350F is really not all that smooth and the bike is hella slow. Picture 350ccs trying to push the weight of a cb550. Plust the tiny pistons in the 350 mean it has no low end. To put this in perspective, cb750 hot rodders used to use the cb350 twin pistons to make 811 kits (they had to buy blanks and move the piston pin) so a cb350 twin is actually a 1/2 a hot rodded cb750 with a lot less weight.
The 350F is really not all that smooth and the bike is hella slow. Picture 350ccs trying to push the weight of a cb550. Plust the tiny pistons in the 350 mean it has no low end. To put this in perspective, cb750 hot rodders used to use the cb350 twin pistons to make 811 kits (they had to buy blanks and move the piston pin) so a cb350 twin is actually a 1/2 a hot rodded cb750 with a lot less weight.
The NOS honda pistons wouldn't do any good for a cb750 guy building an 811 kit because he would have to relocate the wrist pin (The NOS rings...that is a different story). There is a trick to make it work by clearancing the rod but I don't think it is as strong and I don;t remember ever doing it. When I first got into cb750s an old racer showed s the trick and a couple of friends and I used to have cb350 twin piston blanks made (I have to find who made them, it has been a long time). A friend of ours has a bridgeport in his shop (a chopper shop) and he would mill and drill them for us. We used to think that the 836 kits were too much for the city and the crap gas you get in the boroughs (plus the rings were commonly available).
The NOS honda pistons wouldn't do any good for a cb750 guy building an 811 kit because he would have to relocate the wrist pin (The NOS rings...that is a different story). There is a trick to make it work by clearancing the rod but I don't think it is as strong and I don;t remember ever doing it. When I first got into cb750s an old racer showed s the trick and a couple of friends and I used to have cb350 twin piston blanks made (I have to find who made them, it has been a long time). A friend of ours has a bridgeport in his shop (a chopper shop) and he would mill and drill them for us. We used to think that the 836 kits were too much for the city and the crap gas you get in the boroughs (plus the rings were commonly available).
oh, and one other thing. jd used to run a 350/4 agains me at louden pretty regularly. i would intentionally try and catch him and race with him. we had some really fun races and his bike could run with mine like youd expect. i could get him out of the corners, then he would pass me on the front straight. im pretty sure his was worked a little though. (maybe a cam??) hey jeremy, i remember both of us going into t3 side by side and looking at each other, while we were on the brakes. like "you go, no, you go, no please, i insist, after you" then passing you, crashing, then passing you again, then crashing again. all pretty much right in front of you. dude, im the man!
jc
jc
oh, and one other thing. jd used to run a 350/4 agains me at louden pretty regularly. i would intentionally try and catch him and race with him. we had some really fun races and his bike could run with mine like youd expect. i could get him out of the corners, then he would pass me on the front straight. im pretty sure his was worked a little though. (maybe a cam??) hey jeremy, i remember both of us going into t3 side by side and looking at each other, while we were on the brakes. like "you go, no, you go, no please, i insist, after you" then passing you, crashing, then passing you again, then crashing again. all pretty much right in front of you. dude, im the man!
jc
jc
your kidding, right?
The cb350F is a lump with no balls and no real aftermarket to speak of outside of standard service parts . Sure the bike itself is cheaper to buy than a 350 twin but there is a reason for it...nobody wants the goddamn things. The biggest hot rod mod I can think of for it is to drop in a 400f motor, which when you figure it out it is more cost effective to buy a 400 four supersport to begin with. Anything you would do to a 350F whould pretty much put you in custom territory and if you are farming out the work you are in hella expensive territory.
The cb350 twin is the way to go. Off the shelf speed parts readily available, plenty of racers to buy used parts from. when all is said and done the twin will be cheaper to build and make power from.
The most cost effective way to do what you want to do is to save up and buy somebodys race bike and then mod that to your taste. Most of the time race bikes don't sell for anymore than clean stockers do. Try to get one with streetable compression so you can actually use the thing.
your kidding, right?
The cb350F is a lump with no balls and no real aftermarket to speak of outside of standard service parts . Sure the bike itself is cheaper to buy than a 350 twin but there is a reason for it...nobody wants the goddamn things. The biggest hot rod mod I can think of for it is to drop in a 400f motor, which when you figure it out it is more cost effective to buy a 400 four supersport to begin with. Anything you would do to a 350F whould pretty much put you in custom territory and if you are farming out the work you are in hella expensive territory.
The cb350 twin is the way to go. Off the shelf speed parts readily available, plenty of racers to buy used parts from. when all is said and done the twin will be cheaper to build and make power from.
The most cost effective way to do what you want to do is to save up and buy somebodys race bike and then mod that to your taste. Most of the time race bikes don't sell for anymore than clean stockers do. Try to get one with streetable compression so you can actually use the thing.
i actually found that info. already but reading your reply really made up my mind for sure. thanks for the info and the advice. Now, to find a race bike that i can make streetable. I cant hardly find any plain 350 twins to restore around here. there is one but i dont know if i should pay so much for a bike that doesnt even run. Im in tulsa oklahoma and the nearest cb350 for sale is over 200 miles away.(as of yesterday). i found a cb360, but i dont know anything about them yet. i will continue to study and research. i just hope to have a project to tear into by the end of Oct.
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