My first project - 1974 CB360 K0

[nairb]

I have the same model in blue.  The front drum brake one.  Easy to sort out.  Cheap(ish) to restore.  The 360 is far better than the 250.  Easy engine to repair.  Best if there are no rattles/smoke from engine, but can be sorted.  Looks like a good starting point - not that expensive if engine ok.

[cbxman]

One might have been a dud but both? Maybe our definitions of slow are different, when I was testing these it was back in the days of my production racing and that sort of skews your views on speed I'd imagine. Oddly I found the 250N a much better bike. The 400N even more so.

I guess jumping on one these after racing might just be an influence !  Ha ha!

[Craizeehair]

Well, I couldn’t resist in the end. I managed to get a good deal on the bike and it was delivered this morning. I squeezed it into the garage and now need to wait for the new shed to be sorted before I can start playing with it as there just isnt enough space. First impressions are as expected, the triple tree is broken but I knew that from the photos, I’ve had it up and down the road, it selects all gears fine, the engine doesn’t sound too bad but we will see when I get the top off in time.

I’m not sure what my intentions are for it yet as this is the first bike and engine I will have had in bits, I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be a bit of a practice bike and lots of mistakes will be made along the way, so I don’t think I’m going to go all in on this and will probably use it to learn a bit and make presentable?

I’m sure I will ask all kind of daft questions along the way, so apologies and thanks in advance!

[Skoti]

Well done indeed.

I'm gonna be following your CB360 renovation with interest.

Good luck

skoti

[Craizeehair]

Thanks, it will be a while before I can get going and it won’t be quick! Or good possibly come to that! But I’m looking forward to it.

[K2-K6]

Yay, good stuff, and easy for us to spend someone else's money 

More seriously, it looks like a good project and a little but different to have a start with in your learning phase.

It'll be interesting to see how you get on.

[AshimotoK0]

Well done ! looks a decent project....... Piki on here Does the tank pinstripes by the way.

my 1st Priority would be to check the cyl. head cam bearings.

The top yoke is the same as the CB250/350K4 if I remember correctly. They are not easy to find undamaged bue to clamps breaking but around if you search long enough.

[andy120t]

Looks like a nice little bike.

[Craizeehair]

Two weeks ago I applied for a registration and today I received an envelope through the door from DVLA. I opened it in anticipation but it was a letter to advise me that it needs to be inspected.

Not a huge deal hopefully, I’m in no rush as I’m still waiting for the base to be laid for the new shed, so the bike is strapped to the lift untouched and likely to stay that way for a few months before I even start to think about stripping anything but I’m just hoping it’s not a cause for concern, it’s my first attempt at registering an import.

[Bryanj]

Normally all the want is to check the frame and engine numbers are what you quoted and not altered

[Craizeehair]

Normally all the want is to check the frame and engine numbers are what you quoted and not altered

Thanks Bryan, sounds painless.

[Craizeehair]

Well, I have finally had a new shed built, I still have to insulate and board it out but the bike is in there and I couldn’t resist having a little time with it. It seems that so far I have been quite lucky, the registration was a piece of cake and I now have a V5 for the bike, there have been no screws or bolts that have fought me and everything has come apart very easily.

I found the original owners manual under the seat, no toolkit unfortunately, a couple of stickers that show the bike from Michigan, all quite lovely so far…




Until I thought I would pop the carbs off and have a quick look see at the state of the bowls etc…

I must say at this point, I have ridden bikes on and off for approx 35 years, but my spannering has been limited, bolting on parts, silencers, brakes etc. My intention is to have a good go at this bike and get it back into half decent shape, something to learn on if you will. Certainly not a concourse restoration, we all have to start somewhere.

The bowls etc looked alright to me, nothing too scary there.


I checked the diaphragms and one had a pin hole, so that will need replacing but the thing that stopped me in my tracks was the damage to the bottom of the slides, I have an overwhelming sense of dread!! Can anyone advise what would cause this, if it’s common, normal (surely not) and if it’s terminal?





*Edited to add:
I also carried out a compression test, and had 140 on one and 125 on the other, stone cold, as the tank had been removed previously, I’m happy enough with that for starters.

[Oddjob]

Those look to me to be screwdriver marks, most likely because the slide jammed in the carbs, maybe the carbs were all gummed up with old petrol and unlike the fours those aren't able to be lifted mechanically. So they inserted a screwdriver from front and back and tried to lever them out. May explain why the carb bowls are so clean, it's been cleaned out before.

IIRC if you need to replace the diaphragms, the slide comes with it. So no real harm done, check the carb body for similar marks though.

[Craizeehair]

Ah, that makes sense, thank you. Looks like DSS has these in stock so I will get a couple ordered.

[AshimotoK0]

You can get replacement pattern diaphragms from the likes of NRP. Not sure how well the originals will stand up to E10 fuel even if NOS.