My free SL350!

[Cordless]

I am using this bike as inspiration for rebuilding a couple Honda 350 twins. One to race, one to ride. Thanks Jeff.

[Tygen1]

I raced and rode an SL350 for many years and have encountered all the problems you've had, plus many more. The new cam chain was a wise move, did you check the idler wheels for wear? They get chewed up when that cam chain starts slapping. There is a much stronger version of that cam chain and tensioner around, I forget who sells it though. That amount of grunge in the bottom end is not unusual. The bottom end does a good job of keeping it out of the rest of the motor though. I've never taken one apart that didn't have that much or more. The cam chain tensioner and kick start idler gear are the two weak points on this motor. Don't smash down on the kicker, push it smoothly to avoid breakage cause those gears are getting scarce. The new rectifier was a wise move also, I did that years ago and it helped a bunch. The charging system is not to good though, it was hard to just keep the headlight lit up, you might want to consider a better regulator also. The coils we not very reliable back in the day and even less so now. I just put a couple of old automotive coils on and enjoyed stronger sparks and no heat related dieing. The points don't last real long and as they degrade the performance will degrade also. Make sure the condensers are working properly, I used larger automotive ones. Great running motor with a nice wide power band. I'd ditch the stock air filter type elements, they are pretty restrictive with the metal back fire screens. You might need to jet it up with better air filters and your better flowing pipe to get it running optionmally. If you feel froggy, some CL cams have more lift and duration and a better third gear that can be installed, you can also upsize the carbs and not lose bottom end.
It's a fun bike, I'll have to post up some pic's of my machine somtime...

Enjoy your ride.

[rthuey]

Originally Posted by Jeff51

I also built a mount for my clock/volt/temp meter and wired it up..

more info on this item please

[Mr. Vintage]

Originally Posted by rthuey

more info on this item please

I got it from California Sport Touring.
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...ctronics/14124
But it isn't working, the wiring melted. I'm reasonably sure I wired it right - stay tuned.

I managed to put a mere 30 miles on the SL this weekend. It runs great! Way better low-end than before the rebuild. I have a bunch of minor tuning issues to attend to, but mostly I need to a) make the front tire/wheel round b) gear this thing up! I don't think the front wheel is bent, I just didn't get the tire on right when it was 15 degrees this winter. And cripes, the bike is practically geared for trials! 45 is about the fastest comfortable cruising speed, at 60 it is just too strung out. I think I have a 36 tooth rear sprocket to try in lieu of the 42 that is on it. But it's still very fun. The panniers worked perfect for a Saturday beer run!

[Stagehand]

SA-WEET

[Cordless]

Great news!
More pics please. Please?
Where do you run for beer? What's the nearest town? Pullman? Moscow? Garfield? Rockford? Palouse? (I'm a curious former Endicott Wildcat)

[Mr. Vintage]

Originally Posted by Tallerman

Great news!
More pics please. Please?
Where do you run for beer? What's the nearest town? Pullman? Moscow? Garfield? Rockford? Palouse? (I'm a curious former Endicott Wildcat)

Moscow's just a few minutes a way - my adress is Pullman, but I'm closer to Moscow. But I have been know to venture much further away in the quest for beer...

Originally Posted by Jeff51

I don't think the front wheel is bent...

Allow me to insert my foot firmly in my mouth. I dismounted the tire this morning and set up a makeshift jig. Not only is the wheel not true, but it has a BIG wonk in it. I already managed to true it up for the most part, but the jury is still out as to whether I can remedy the wonk. Suggestions? I may try and source a new rim....

[ADK]

Congratulations on your restoration. So...umm...how much hasthis free bike wound up costing?

[markjenn]

Originally Posted by Jeff51

45 is about the fastest comfortable cruising speed, at 60 it is just too strung out. I think I have a 36 tooth rear sprocket to try in lieu of the 42 that is on it. But it's still very fun. The panniers worked perfect for a Saturday beer run!

You're doing great.

Gearing will help, but of course, you'll have the slow-speed tradeoffs. Honda 350 twins are damn buzzy things and even with CB350 gearing, you really feel like the thing is working at anything over 60 mph or so. I was going to take a 2K retro-tour on my CB350 a few years ago, but that vibes were the killer and I just couldn't see myself doing this for a week of 300-mile days without serious health repercussions. But at slower speeds, they're great bikes.

- Mark

[dentedvw]

Originally Posted by Tygen1

IThe coils we not very reliable back in the day and even less so now. I just put a couple of old automotive coils on and enjoyed stronger sparks and no heat related dieing.

Aha, now this is something I would be interested in hearing more about. How is it done? What type did you replace them with? How well did they fit, etc. I am having trouble with wonky wires on mine, and replacements are not inexpensive, nor are they easy to get.

[Mr. Vintage]

Originally Posted by ADK

Congratulations on your restoration. So...umm...how much hasthis free bike wound up costing?

I haven't added it up lately, but I should be at about $600, at least before this thing with the wheel.

Originally Posted by markjenn

You're doing great. Gearing will help, but of course, you'll have the slow-speed tradeoffs. Honda 350 twins are damn buzzy things...

Thanks. I have owned many 350s and still ride a 450 (even worse vibrations) so I'm familiar with the vibration. I'm just trying to get it so I can cruise comfortably at 55 or so.

[Tygen1]

Originally Posted by dentedvw

Aha, now this is something I would be interested in hearing more about. How is it done? What type did you replace them with? How well did they fit, etc. I am having trouble with wonky wires on mine, and replacements are not inexpensive, nor are they easy to get.

Pretty simple really, I just hose clamped some of the old fashioned style points ignition coils, about the size of a coke can, to the area where the old coils were. The tank on the SL fit right over it, but maybe the bottom edge of the coil peeked out from under the tank. Of course you will need to put on some new conectors to your wires running to the coil and I'd suggest using some automotive condensers as well, conections are all the same, just make sure you got a wiring schematic to work off of so the correct wires go to the correct terminal. For the plug wires I just used the left overs from a set of custom cut wires I had. Just cut and crimp the right type of conector on and your good to go.
The result was a better spark, and no more stalling because the coils got to hot.

[markjenn]

Originally Posted by Jeff51

I'm just trying to get it so I can cruise comfortably at 55 or so.

As I said, CB gearing will easily do that... 60-65 mph is fine, but above that the vibes kick in pretty hard. CB's came stock with 16-36.

If you haven't yet, you may want to see if you can do a carb sync. Honda recommended you hold your hand over the mufflers, but that's obviously a pretty silly way to do it. The shade-tree mechanics hack way is to first get the idle balanced by equalizing the idle-drop that occurs when you disconnect a spark plug and it is running on one side only. After this, the idle will be too high when running on both, so carefully adjusted each stop screw down the EXACT same amount. After getting idle balanced, adjust the butterflies (now that I think about it, you probably don't have CV carbs so you'll be feeling for the slides) so each comes off the stops by putting your hand in the carb throats and feeling when it comes off the idle stop as you twist the throttle. One will typically move distinctly before the other and your hands can detect a slight difference before your eye ever could. Adjust the cables so both come off the idle stop exactly at the same time.

- Mark

[Mr. Vintage]

Originally Posted by markjenn

As I said, CB gearing will easily do that... 60-65 mph is fine, but above that the vibes kick in pretty hard. CB's came stock with 16-36.

If you haven't yet, you may want to see if you can do a carb sync. ...- Mark

Thanks for the synch info - I'll add this to my list of tuning to-dos.

I just bought a bare 21" rim off ebay, so I'm going to try my hand at spokes for the first time. Wish me luck...

[rthuey]

Originally Posted by Jeff51

I got it from California Sport Touring.
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...ctronics/14124
But it isn't working, the wiring melted. I'm reasonably sure I wired it right - stay tuned.

tanks for that

it does have some kind of internal memory battery so that the whole thing shuts down when key is off, yes?