Benefits of a Buddy Bike

Had a few spare moments and pulled out the K4 this weekend; popped in the battery to check the electrical system and found the horn, light, and starter work. Finn liked the horn in particular. Nice rich blast. So good to hear this thing coming back to life.

Despite the 45 degrees, the late afternoon sun made that bike glow. It also revealed a few more things to resolve, like a missing cover of some sort just below the side cover. I also got to pull out my new mufflers and look at how they mount. Looks like i'm missing mounting brackets and perhaps a few other parts.

Lucky for me my buddy Andrew, who turned me on t this bike, also has 72 CB350K4. Makes it easy to see what I'm missing and what I need to fix. That's his bike above, just before he bought it. Andrew, I'm coming by tonight to stare at your bike. 'Hope you don't mind.

Charged Up

I'm slowly making progress. Bought a battery this past weekend and charged it up. Haven't hooked it up yet, but I am itching to hear this bike turn over. Must be patient...

Moto Mojo

In the few short weeks that I've owned the CB350, I've come to realize the special following this bike has. Not that I'm going to be bartering this any time soon for a tattoo, but I thought this Craigslist ad summed up some of that passion (thank you, 2Bike, for sending it my way). Sure, it makes sense that as perhaps the most popular model motorcycle ever sold in the states it would have the most fans. But there is more to it than shear numbers. I think people love this bike because:

1. Nostalgia: It was probably a lot of motorcycle owners first bike (being a smaller bike and all)
2. Value: It was relatively inexpensive to buy and maintain
3. Timeless: It looks good and is still an economical ride
4. Mojo: Some things have it, some don't; I think the CB350 has got a magical essence to it.

Perhaps I have a CB350 tattoo in my future? Not likely. Katie and the kids come first. But it is kind of fun to think about.'Wonder if he'd be willing to do a tatt or two for some old hockey equipment...

Pipe Dreams

Back from a long weekend with the Katie and the kids in Florida, I was greeted this morning by the arrival of a package to my office -- my tail pipes from Sirius Consolidated in Canada. Perhaps it was the backdrop of Toy of the Year winners featured in Disney FamilyFun, my wonderful employer, that gave it a Christmasy kind of feel, but pulling those shiny chrome mufflers out of their respective boxes made me feel slightly dizzy.

Here I am with my new pipes...

The Good Book

Yesterday, I felt a bit closer to actually getting started on the restoration project with the arrival of my Clymer manual. The book is as advertised -- simple, straight forward, not a lot of extraneous information.
After I put the kids to bed, I plopped down on the couch and started reading. Torque pressure, gaps, you name it, everything is covered. Lots of handy illustrations about things like the drum brake assembly, etc. 'Gets me itching to to start breaking down the bike.
But this is all part of the preparation. I need to get the space ready, get a few parts together, and then jump into it.

Connections

I have no idea whether the electrical system is working on the bike, but I just came across this incredible wiring diagram and I want to save it before it disappears. I am such a pack rat...

Nice Pipes

It's funny how even the smallest asthetic touches can end up sending a message about you and your bike. Handle bars, sissy bar, color -- they all are part of the picture. But for me, nothing brings it to life like the tail pipes you choose because you see and hear them.
And because I need a set for my bike, I am starting to shop. I am firmly headed toward a traditional approach, something I'll get from an aftermarket source, but I love the different looks you get from various options -- I just wish I could hear them. For instance, here's a nice YouTube video of an Honda 350G with JC Whitney Dunstall Megaphone Mufflers on it. Too bad muffler sites didn't offer this option -- to see and hear them in action.