Random Question - Honda CB350

[Downeaster]

I was stationed in the Philippines in 1970/71 and a shipmate had a brand new Honda CB350. At the time, that was a lot of motorcycle and I recall it being pretty darn quick.

I took Da Ninj for a ride today. One route I take has a full stop followed by a right turn onto US-1 that immediately drops down over a pretty significant hill. It's one of my favorite places to whack the throttle open and speed-shift through the gears. On the FJ, that means triple digit speeds about 2/3rds of the way down the hill.

I did that on Da Ninj today and by the bottom of the hill (say an extra 100-ish yards) danged if IT wasn't registering triple digits. I haven't tried it on flat ground (oh, trust me, I WILL at some point) but I must say I find an honest 100mph on a 400 pretty impressive.

So, to my question: Was the CB350 capable of that in the 70's?

 

[WideAWAKE]

I’ve owned 4 stock cb350s. I have never had one crack 100. I havnt held one wide open for 5 minutes in an attempt to blow it up though haha.

I’m sure you could get one to do it, but stock, I doubt it.

My 72 seemed to be my fastest.

Had a 69, and 2 73s also.

 

[Jim]

So, to my question: Was the CB350 capable of that in the 70's?

In my experience, no. Only owned one, but it wouldn't hold a candle to my RD's. In fact, had a SuperHawk that was faster.
Most of my RD350's would do a ton... some handily so, leaving my CB350 buddies way behind. Don't recall any of 'em ever claiming the magic "ton."

'Course... back in those days I generally checked in between 140 and 150, giving me a killer power to weight ratio compared to my 200lb buddies.

 

[Jim]

One thing I do recall the little Honda's having was one of the most stirring exhaust notes ever heard.... any of their little 180° twins actually.
Listening to a CB350 or 305 winding out to about 10k through the gears was enough for me to reach for a cigarette.

 

[drgonzo]

90mph would be as good running CB350.
https://imgur.io/a/oLaWB

 

[Downeaster]

Ah. That's about what I thought. Of course, the Ninja has a ridiculous redline which helps.

I hear ya on the exhaust note of the Hondas. My first "big" bike was a CL77 305 "Scrambler". What a tank!

 

[kshansen]

Only Honda I had was a little 175 so the ton was not even a thought.

But I did get to take one of the company's truck drivers CB(?)750 out for a short run. It was not new and was supposed to have had some "work" done on it.

Only went a couple miles down the road from the shop and back. Latter that night the company had their annual safety dinner where they feed you steak dinner and then made you watch films showing how you can get killed on the job. During the BS session this truck driver was talking about his new bike. Someone asked him how fast it was and he said he did not know.

So I "helped out" and said; "Not sure how fast it is but it will hit 100 pretty easy!" He looked at me and said "what!?" Not sure why but he never asked if I wanted to take it for another ride.

 

[gggGary]

"Not sure how fast it is but it will hit 100 pretty easy!"

Bought a well used early Gixxer 11. Was riding it but hadn't done a full go through yet. Tires so-so. Guy next store wanted to "try it" Came back and said wow I shut it down at 150MPH. I just cringed. Youth and blind luck.
It's fairly rare for me to break a hunert these days.
Have'ta admit the reaction times aren't what they were.

 

[46th Georgia]

In my experience, no. Only owned one, but it wouldn't hold a candle to my RD's. In fact, had a SuperHawk that was faster.
Most of my RD350's would do a ton... some handily so, leaving my CB350 buddies way behind. Don't recall any of 'em ever claiming the magic "ton."

'Course... back in those days I generally checked in between 140 and 150, giving me a killer power to weight ratio compared to my 200lb buddies.

My S-1 Kawi 250 triple would keep up with a CB350, and if I remember right 90 maybe 95 was about all you could go.

 

[kshansen]

My S-1 Kawi 250 triple would keep up with a CB350, and if I remember right 90 maybe 95 was about all you could go.

That's one of the bike I wish I had kept, Had a S-1 for a couple years, traded it in to buy a new Toyota Pick up truck!

 

[46th Georgia]

That's one of the bike I wish I had kept, Had a S-1 for a couple years, traded it in to buy a new Toyota Pick up truck!

That was my first bike. I can still hear it in my mind. It taught me a lot about what NOT to do.

 

[kshansen]

That was my first bike. I can still hear it in my mind. It taught me a lot about what NOT to do.

One thing I recall is once in a while my wife at the time was working as a AV tech at a high school near here once in a while some student would go to pass her while she was riding the S-1 and she would open up the little 250 and leave him in the dust!

 

[azman857]

I had a front drum brake CB 350 back in the '90's. I remember if you wound it out over 5k it REALLY moved out. It was a good commuter/city bike. Bought it at a swap meet. It needed to be put back together.

 

[Mailman]

When I was in high school, my best friend bought a used 350 scrambler in his junior year. That was his only transportation and he rode that thing hard , and didn’t pay a lot of attention to maintenance.

After riding it daily for two years in high school, he hopped on it after graduation and rode it from Arizona to Montana ( 1150 miles away ) , He stayed in Montana all summer and rode it back at the end of summer. That bike was indestructible! He continued to ride it until he finally traded up to a brand new Honda 750 Supersport.

Not for nuthin, but when he was riding his 350, I was riding my RD350. When he bought his 750, I bought my Yamaha XS750. We were both brand loyal.

 

[gggGary]

I vaguely remember the Honda 305 scrambler could nudge the speedo to 90MPH. Then again there are some long steep hills round here. ;^)
and well, there was no GPS in those daze.
Tried to "leave home" on that bike one January day, made it about 15 miles before I realized I was going to have body parts freeze and fall off.

 

[Grimly]

I was stationed in the Philippines in 1970/71 and a shipmate had a brand new Honda CB350. At the time, that was a lot of motorcycle and I recall it being pretty darn quick.

I took Da Ninj for a ride today. One route I take has a full stop followed by a right turn onto US-1 that immediately drops down over a pretty significant hill. It's one of my favorite places to whack the throttle open and speed-shift through the gears. On the FJ, that means triple digit speeds about 2/3rds of the way down the hill.

I did that on Da Ninj today and by the bottom of the hill (say an extra 100-ish yards) danged if IT wasn't registering triple digits. I haven't tried it on flat ground (oh, trust me, I WILL at some point) but I must say I find an honest 100mph on a 400 pretty impressive.

So, to my question: Was the CB350 capable of that in the 70's?

On an unfaired motorcycle, rule of thumb is 30bhp will get you a ton (eventually), gearing permitting.

 

[gggGary]

1968 CB450 K1 twin, Cycle world tested, 100MPH in about 21 seconds.
Claimed 45 BHP
405 pounds
50 years later Cycle World tests the ninja 400 Ninja; 43.3 hp
364-pound curb weight