[ravery]

Ok. So, its been a bit since I posted my intro,

Long covid took me down pretty hard, work has been busy, and getting parts has been a slow process. But now its starting to come together.

I got it torn down a bit. Stripped the rust with bar keepers friend and naval jelly for the really deep stuff.

I don't own a real stand...but I do have plywood, spare jacks from life as an adjuster, and some old bicycle handlebars. So those all worked fairly well.

Of course the tops of my triple tree were cracked. Ordered a set on ebay, and they were listed incorrectly. Took about a month to get a good set.

While I was waiting I did find a really pretty set of 350 pipes. Mufflers were not great. But not using the stock set anyways.

Continued...

 

[ravery]

I felt bad stripping the tank. But the old paint was done without any good way to salvage. I like matte black anyways. One of the techs at the shop gave me a five minute course on filler.

I painted my frame with some industrial matte that resists scratching. I have a spare frame that is going to get powdercoated and swapped over in a few years.

Im an idiot who loves clubman bars...pulling the wires took 2 nights after work of intense profanity. But I pulled them well enough.

This wire though...It seems that it lives somewhere in the throttle control? I cant figure this one out.

Started to come back together.

I forgot to take some pics in the meantime. It was also 102-110 for about a month and a half.

The cooler in the back is where my tank sat in a vinegar bath. I thought about reverse electrolysis...but it seemed scary to have an open tub of electricified water on the catio.

I got a huge shipment in from common motor. Got ,my tail lamp, shockwave ignition, relay, solenoid, LED headlamp and others randos, plus a really cool shirt.

From Niche I got turn signals, and my VM28's.

Seat pan not pictured yet and mufflers from dime city.

Took a minute to find some BR8ES plugs with threaded terminals. First set I ordered had no threads and didnt match the boots. I have no local bike store near me. So its all mail order.

More to follow tomorrow.

Found so much great advice on this forum. Really excited to have this thing running soon.

Oh. To mount my little cafe seat I am using a cutting board I rigged. Got a bit of a mad max thing going.

 

[ravery]

Oh!!

Big thing. So, I got a set of EMGO turn signals... these guys.

They have 2 wires...a black, and black/white. Anyone know which is hot and which is ground? Worried to smoke them If i hook them up wrong.

Also...

This lucas style lamp from common...It is black and red, but there is no brown like the stock 350 lamp. Do these AM lamps not have a brake light? Honda CB350 / CB360 / CB450 / CB500 / CB550 Universal Tail Light | Common Motor Collective

 

[ravery]

Lastly tonight. Getting my new starter solenoid hooked up. Does it have a positive and negative side? Or does one pole just go to the starter motor, and other go to battery with the reds from the wire harness on the same pole?

Thanks for checking it all out.

 

[CB2NR]

The starter solenoid transfers power from the battery through the solenoid to the starter. Connect the battery (+) cable to one side and the cable going to the starter on the other. In order for the solenoid to work; there should be a connection for a (+) positive feed and a negative lead/wire coming from your starter switch. When you press the starter button it engages the coil on the solenoid, engaging the solenoid which then supplies power to the starter motor.
Sorry for the drawn out explanation. Hope this helps.

 

[ravery]

The starter solenoid transfers power from the battery through the solenoid to the starter. Connect the battery (+) cable to one side and the cable going to the starter on the other. In order for the solenoid to work; there should be a connection for a (+) positive feed and a negative lead/wire coming from your starter switch. When you press the starter button it engages the coil on the solenoid, engaging the solenoid which then supplies power to the starter motor.
Sorry for the drawn out explanation. Hope this helps.

Thank you, Ray.

That does help a lot. I think I have it right finally?

That red will go to the + on my battery. Are the two reds in the right spot? Those are the guys coming off my main harness. They had a little connector on the end that was trashed by the time I go the bike. Coming off the solenoid in heat shrink are 2 wires that also tie into the harness at corresponding color wires.

 

[ravery]

My other big hang up is the turn signal wiring. I have black solid, and black/white wires coming from the signals. The Emgo site has been no help in identifying which is which, Trying to figure out which is which my my voltage meter, but electrical has always been sorcery to me.

 

[CB2NR]

Tail light - the two wires, one for the running light, one for the brake light. Instructions didn’t indicate which is which so you’ll need to “bench test” it buy grounding the housing and applying 12v to each lead. The housing is the ground side of the circuit, so make sure you have it ground it well.
From the instructions “This tail light grounds through the body- make sure to attach the solid green ground wire from the original wiring harness to the housing of the new tail light.“

Turn signals - I’m guessing they aren’t LED, so polarity (which wire is + or - doesn’t matter). If you’re running LED bulbs the polarity will matter and you’ll need to bench test the leads.

Starter solenoid - tuff to tell if all the wiring is correct by looking at the photo. Looks like the main cables are correct. I think I see a couple of smaller wires coming from the solenoid. If so; one should be the ground, which is switched by the starter button, the other should be 12v.

 

[ravery]

Tail light - the two wires, one for the running light, one for the brake light. Instructions didn’t indicate which is which so you’ll need to “bench test” it buy grounding the housing and applying 12v to each lead. The housing is the ground side of the circuit, so make sure you have it ground it well.
From the instructions “This tail light grounds through the body- make sure to attach the solid green ground wire from the original wiring harness to the housing of the new tail light.“

Turn signals - I’m guessing they aren’t LED, so polarity (which wire is + or - doesn’t matter). If you’re running LED bulbs the polarity will matter and you’ll need to bench test the leads.

Starter solenoid - tuff to tell if all the wiring is correct by looking at the photo. Looks like the main cables are correct. I think I see a couple of smaller wires coming from the solenoid. If so; one should be the ground, which is switched by the starter button, the other should be 12v.

Thank you for that.

So, if I am to understand. I will need to run a ground wire from the tail lamp housing to the frame? Would the housing being attached to the fender be enough?

Sorry. Electricity=Sorcery to me.

I barely understand it enough not to kill myself plugging in the kettle.

 

[coon555]

You can run a ground to the frame to ensure you are getting a really good ground for the lights. Also, make sure your ground wire from your battery is grounded on the frame really well! I thought mine was, but a little bit of paint proved different. It's amazing of how well stuff like lights works when the ground is actually grounded...

 

[mike in idaho]

Oh!!

Big thing. So, I got a set of EMGO turn signals... these guys.
View attachment 320007

They have 2 wires...a black, and black/white. Anyone know which is hot and which is ground? Worried to smoke them If i hook them up wrong.

Also...

This lucas style lamp from common...It is black and red, but there is no brown like the stock 350 lamp. Do these AM lamps not have a brake light? Honda CB350 / CB360 / CB450 / CB500 / CB550 Universal Tail Light | Common Motor Collective

Check out the bulbs in the signals, they may be double contact bulbs, one wire for turn signal and one wire for running lights, the mounting stem will be ground. Single contact bulbs means one of the wires will be ground. The Lucas copy pattern tail lights normally have a brake light circuit. Connect the ground wires to the green wire in the main harness, things will work a lot better when they are properly grounded, not relying on bolted-up joints with paint and rust in the way.

 

[Yendor]

I hope when you installed your new top triple you installed it with the "D" Shaped Spacer Washer, that was missing and would be the reason the old one was cracked

 

[ravery]

I hope when you installed your new top triple you installed it with the "D" Shaped Spacer Washer, that was missing and would be the reason the old one was cracked

Oh, absolutely. Saw on the forum that the little space was the primary reason the top tree is always cracked.

I did find that common motor sells a top tree for a pretty reasonable price if another goes for some reason,

 

[ravery]

It ran for the first time since I owned it tonight. Last time it was registered was 1996., So its potentially 26 years since the engine has fired.

So, My kill switch is a little wonky. It feels loose, which is making my coils shut off. Need to address that. Also, seriously need some rear sets. The riding position I have going right now is not going to work.

 

[ravery]

Hey, Honda Twins folks.

So, where i left off was right when i got the thing to actually run. But, it wasn't running well and couldn't move.

Had an issue with the right cylinder not firing at all. After some help and assistance from this forum i took apart my carb completely and reassembled. That helped and now both sides are firing.

Had some other minor odds and ends to work on. Putting the wiring back into the headlamp bucket. Replacing some of my old tired hardware with nice stuff from stainless cycle on ebay.

Today was warm, and sunny. So i decided it was time to try and get it on the road. Issue i am having now is that the bike will idle ok when stationary. But, when i let the clutch out and try to move forward the RPMs drop and it stalls.

Have been trying to mess with the carb idle screw to see if it helps. And it did make a very slight improvement but is now idling too high. If i give a bit of gas to keep it running the bike will move.

Guess its time for another thread.

You guys have helped me out of so many tight spots on this build.

Have an appointment for a VIN verification on the 22nd with the CHP. From there will be a little time before its titled. Then i can ride it daily without worrying about the fuzz.

 

[ravery]

With the seat I'll end up using. Getting the new tabs welded on next weekend.