SL350s

[SL350]

Originally Posted by thencamedonson

I just can t seem to get excited about riding this bike until I can locate/build some side covers.

[IMG][/IMG]

Why not, I ride like that! But I know you have so many other pristine bikes. Your SL is in great condition, most have been used hard and put up wet.

I have seen others that make what looks like a racing plate and use that for a side cover.

[SL350]

Originally Posted by grandpaul

I still remember my two idiot ex-brothers-in-law buying matching SL350s, one blue, one green. I got to ride one (once) and did my first pure power wheelie (no clutch-popping, no pulling on the handlebars, just throttle roll-on).

I wish mine could show that kind of torque. Was it stock?

[thencamedonson]

Originally Posted by SL350

Why not, I ride like that! But I know you have so many other pristine bikes. Your SL is in great condition, most have been used hard and put up wet.

I have seen others that make what looks like a racing plate and use that for a side cover.

I havent had time to even get it running yet. I did force Myself to pass up two cheap project bikes, though! I have loaned My Bronson bike and the 46 Chief to the Seismore Museum in Amarillo, so I have more room in the shop. I just need to finish some projects, now......

[SL350]

The stuck engine - close to recycling the carcass. I remove the shift shaft, oil pump, clutch and several other decent parts that I can use on the other SL350s if necessary. The sledge is coming out soon and the only part left that I want is the on piston that is free and the crank. Not much chance either will survive the sledge though.

Time to get started rebuilding. Can't do that until this one gets off the bench.

[japako]

It looks like you have been hitting the piston in the center. Why not try finding a piece of pipe the same size as the OD of the piston, and try that.

[SL350]

Bought 2 air filters yesterday. Time to cut out some rubber from a radiator hose to replace the missing air filter to carb connections. Did it once already and failed. It won't be pretty but it should work. Wish I knew the PO. Wondering if the one with the CB pipes has had the cam chain tensioner replaced. If it has, this bike is ready to ride and ride hard.

Two brake cables are on the way from the Nederlands. CMSNL stocks a ton of stuff we can't get here. Wish I could find clutch cable.

[grandpaul]

DO NOT USE RADIATOR HOSE! Radiator hose is NOT fuel/oil resistant and will go soft and deteriorate. use fuel/oil resistant hose, you have to ask for it by specification.

[SL350]

Originally Posted by grandpaul

DO NOT USE RADIATOR HOSE! Radiator hose is NOT fuel/oil resistant and will go soft and deteriorate. use fuel/oil resistant hose, you have to ask for it by specification.

This is the air filter to carb hose and should not be tainted with gas. Even so, it is a temporary fix and finding a gas hose in 2" diameter would be pretty dang hard.

Thanks for the heads up.

[grandpaul]

Here in the oil patch, oil resistant hose can be had almost anywhere, in every possible size and configuration.

For the upstream boot, though, you need very soft hose, and it needs to have a good seal at the airbox.

I tried Rust-O-Leum spray-on rubber adhesive the other day, and it's a fair alternative in some situations.

Careful application of a clean bead of RTV silicone is probably better.

[EnduroRdr]

I've used radiator hose on a few bikes over the years with good results. I suppose over time it would start to break down or swell on the inside, but it is a cheap easily found solution to get you riding.

[SL350]

Wonder if a Chinese clone engine could be easily adapted to fit an sl350 for the bike with the frozen piston? I know the clone guys do ct90s and ct70s and I saw one sl125 on youtube with a Lifan 200. Wonder if this would work without a lot of welding or if a kit was available like there is for the ct90.

[thencamedonson]

Originally Posted by SL350

Wonder if a Chinese clone engine could be easily adapted to fit an sl350 for the bike with the frozen piston? I know the clone guys do ct90s and ct70s and I saw one sl125 on youtube with a Lifan 200. Wonder if this would work without a lot of welding or if a kit was available like there is for the ct90.

The Chinese motors I have encountered are no better than a boat anchor. I am contacting a friend who may be able to help You.

[SL350]

Originally Posted by thencamedonson

The Chinese motors I have encountered are no better than a boat anchor. I am contacting a friend who may be able to help You.

Don't worry about it Don, I am just thinking out load. I have WAY too much work already going on the rest and parts coming by the buckets in the mail. Thanks for all the help you have already given me and when I really am in need, I am going to call!

[thencamedonson]

Originally Posted by SL350

Don't worry about it Don, I am just thinking out load. I have WAY too much work already going on the rest and parts coming by the buckets in the mail. Thanks for all the help you have already given me and when I really am in need, I am going to call!

Okey-dokey!

[Trailduster]

I have a chinese 250 water cooled atv, at least for the moment it's a little better than a boat anchor because it moves me around the pasture.

[FJRMike]

my first real motorcycle was a '71 Red SL-350.

Rode it 40k miles on mostly gravel and dirt roads in SE Iowa when I was a senior in high school.

Chicks thought I was cool.

[grandpaul]

Originally Posted by SL350

I wish mine could show that kind of torque. Was it stock?

Box stock, brand new with 5 miles on the ticker.

[SL350]

Time to update again. Recall that I had an SL350 and bought 3 SL350s. One of those that I bought was "almost" ready to ride so it is being done first. It has CB350 pipes so I call it CB.

I did cut radiator hoses to make air filter to carb connection. New OEM foam filters were ready and after oiling I got it all on the CB. Now it needs little to no choke to start and no choke when warm. The motor sounds pretty smooth and is missing the tick-tick-tick sounds of my original SL350 valves sticking. I wonder if this bike has already had the cam chain tensioner replaced. That would be super duper as none of these 350s are reliable without that repair since 40 years can destroy a rubber wheel that is used in the tensioner.

CB rides a little higher. I changed the shocks to another set and I found it to ride a little higher. CB must have had CB350 shocks instead of SL350 shocks. Next up is an Oregon Micro rectifier as I do NOT trust the old style rectifier. $30 delivered, probably do that today.

Bought a new front brake cable from CMSNL and it REALLY improved the brakes. BofA charged me an extra $4 for an international "fee" but overall the price was good. It is amazing how much an old cable can effect the brakes, especially when you can see the cable move sideways at the hub when you pull the lever. All that movement is lost brake travel.

The clutch and throttle cables work but I don't trust them. Yesterday I contacted Motion Pro in CA and they said they had no cables but if I send mine to them, they will make them for me. I might do a couple since throttle cables are HARD to find. The prices MP told me are less than I see 40 yo used ones selling for on eBay.

My main SL350 is not inspected because of holes in the original pipes. I really don't understand that rule since I can cut them off before the hole and be legal.

Back to CB. The tires are full knobby and the bike was used to race. I think I am going to leave those on even though they are over 10 years old. My intent is to offroad with the bike after I get the cables and maybe change the gear ratio. I like to go slow and NOT ride the clutch. If I can get it to go 5mph at 3K rpm, I am ready. I don't know whether or not to change the front or the back sprocket but the front is a whole lot easier.

[SL350]

Question:

I have pulled the cam and the shift shaft from that frozen engine and want to put those two items away for long term storage. How?

I am thinking to coat them in something and then wrap in newspaper and put in mailing boxes. Most of the SL350 parts go into their own Rubbermaid boxes.

I am cleaning off the workbench so that I can start the big job, rebuilding my original SL350 engine.

[grandpaul]

Spray with WD40 and wrap in lint free shop towels, then into a ziploc.