Hey I am wondering if it is a good idea to bore out my 350. It has 17k on it and looks great inside. I am not too sure what these motors can handle. I would need to know what I need to do to the top end as well as the bottom end. Or if anyone out there has a set of pistons for this bike I need some. e-mail me at ppiboy21@yahoo.com or post it here. Thanks. I will take all of the information that I can get.
these bikes can handle more than you are likely to want to spend getting it there, but before anyone starts in on that how about you post some photo's, history, give us an idea of what you know and what your plans are for this bike.
i have a basic knowledge of motors and rebuilding them. I have rebuild two civic motors and currently drive one of the cars daily. But that is a car. I have never rebuild a motorcycle motor. not too much different other than size. I was just unsure of the tolerance these motors could handle. Also given the age of the bike and the mileage I am unsure of what to expect. I have a manual on its way already, and have torn down the motor. I am going to start cleaning off all of the dirt and crap from the engine and frame. I am just looking to gather all of the information that I can about this bike and where I can go with it.
i kinda think it depends on what you want to do with it. if youre going to ride it, bore it with the biggest pistons you can get from honda. dont bother just going .025 over. (go 1mm over) you can still get em from honda, or watch ebay. i buy all my pistons on ebay. rings too. waay cheaper than honda. pistons will run you 60 each and rings will run you about 20 each from the dealer. you can buy the whole kit for about or less than 100 bucks on ebay. the cyls are easy to get, so dont worry about going too big. jugs are a dime a dozen. a standard valve job should do wonders. get a radiused type if you can find someone to do it. new springs, help usually. but you can check them to be sure they are in spec. (the book will cover it). if youre going to race...depends on what class and which club. you can go crazy and spend thousands on a race motor easily. the bottom ends hardly ever fail. get a slipper type chain tensioner.
If you are shopping for an overbore kit, try to find one branded ART. Others are out there (Hap Jones, Tucker Rocky, etc.) but I've heard ART's are the best.
The kit should come with rings, wrist pins and keepers.
art is what youd get from honda. most pistons come with pins and clips. from honda, you have to order the rings seperately as you can just put in rings. so they are seperate. if you buy a kit form tucker of someother place, they will most likely come with the extra bits. id buy a hap jones setup if i could.
I am not looking to race the bike, however I am looking to make a radical custom out of it. I do want it to run strong and sound mean. i started cleaning it tonite and the motor looks great. I can't wait to start ordering parts for it. Oh by the way I have no idea how to post a picture on here.
just throw stock pistons in it. itll be reliable, and you wont have to replace them every year. go 1mm over, with some oem pistons. (arts) you can run mikunis on it if you want it to run a little better. also a 1mm bigger intake valve. then some megs...youll sound plenty mean. you could even run a mild cam or look for the early fat cam and followers. thatd be about as cool trick as you can get while still staying pretty stock and reliable. the bigger you build them the more difficult it can be to build and less friendly for the street, and for someone who doesnt know what they are doing.
work mostly on shaving weight, and excess junk. they can look real cool with alot of crap moved or removed.
Hey, What do you reccomend as a good gasket sealer. I just purchased a gasket kit and the pistons are on the way. All I need now is to hone the cylinders and the motor will be on its way.
I am thinking of switching from drum brakes to disc. any idea of where to get a good kit. Is this a good idea or will the drums hold up. I am only familiar with disc style brakes. This bike is the oldest machine I own and the other ones have disc brakes. Should I convert and where do I go. Thnaks
I am thinking of switching from drum brakes to disc. any idea of where to get a good kit. Is this a good idea or will the drums hold up. I am only familiar with disc style brakes. This bike is the oldest machine I own and the other ones have disc brakes. Should I convert and where do I go. Thnaks
Would you run a front brake or not. I was thinking of only running a rear brake. I am sure I wont be going that fast, and if the rear brake will stop me just fine then I will rin a drum on the rear. Thanks
unless you want to die you should leave the front break. i believe the number from the motofun course is something like 75% of your breaking should be on the front wheel and these bikes are plenty fast to require them both. if you want better breaking for the front get the shoes resurfaced with modern material.
what year is your bike? and what's wrong with the carbs you have right now to warrant a new set?
I'm with Snorkelfork, you are asking for trouble by removing your front brake.
Have you taken the Basic Riders Training Rider's Course before? If not, I highly recommend it. It should be available in your state and usually, when you take it, you are essentially certified to go to your DMV to instantly get your endorsement.
The point I'm trying to make is that the class is so super informative and talks a lot about different points on your bike that you may have questions about. Brakes, for instance, front brakes take the brunt of the force, I think 75%, like Snorkel said above. Removing them would be like playing Russian Roulette. Also, about your drum brakes, as long as your shoes are made with modern materials and adjusted properly, they will be just fine. They aren't as good in the rain, but who wants to ride in the rain anyway? From what I heard, you'll spend more than the bike is worth in time and money by trying to convert to disc brakes.
Just my 2 cents.
Good luck!!
PS: Have you purchased a Clymer or Chilton's yet for your bike? If not, get one, they help a lot!
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Cafe Racer Forum
418.3K posts
20.3K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to Cafe Racer style race bikes owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about restoration, performance, racing, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!