1972 Honda CB

CB3503098426

This has been my baby ever since I received it as a gift in 2005. Current circumstances are forcing me to choose between this and another bike, however, and sadly I have to let this one go. She's a real beauty and gets looks wherever she goes...CB350's are not rare, hell they made a million of them, but finding original ones in this condition IS rare and due to that people definitely take notice. Because these things were so reasonable and in plentiful supply when new, many owners abandoned them to the elements or the bike got handed down a long line of increasingly neglectful owners. MY bike, however, seems to have always been taken care of. I acquired it in the winter of '05 and it's been kept in sevure garages ever since. Now for the meat and potatoes: The pictures speak for themselves. This bike, cosmetically, looks like it's four years old. There are tiny scuffs here and there, some very small rust specks at the edges of the gas tank, and a little bit of road grime in places on the engine. A hard-living motorcycle purchased new this year would look worse than this thing. Everything except the battery and tires is complete and original, from the turn signals to the seat to the mufflers. Mechanically: both the front and rear brakes work excellently. The headlight is bright, with both hi and low beams, the turn signals work perfectly both front and rear, and the brake lights up as expected when either brake is depressed. Starter spins up flawlessly. The gas tank is clean without any debris or rust flakes. The engine ran rough when I got the bike, but $500 later Honda of Van Wert had done a carb overhaul and adjustment, installed new plugs and wires, and installed a new right-side airbox. Last fall (2010) I installed a Yuasa battery to replace the crappy Autozone special that was in it. Even after the Honda dealer did their work I experienced plug fouling after four hundred or so miles, so I installed plugs two steps hotter and have not had any problems since. If the bike is dead cold and hasn't been started in a month, it might take two or three kicks to get it going. Most days, it just needs some choke and a single kick and it fires right up. The tachometer is accurate and doesn't have any problems with the needle wiggling or anything like that. The fork seals tight with no leaks, and as is typical of any Japanese bike if there is oil under this thing then it's from the Brit bike that was sitting there before it. I change the oil every six months, whether it gets ridden or not. Gearing is stock. Now for the flaws. There is nothing majorly wrong with this bike, everything is strictly cosmetic or a ten-minute fix. First off, the speedometer (and therefore odometer) doesn't work. I was riding it one day in August of 2010, and after stopping to eat I got back on the bike and rolled away, only to find that a buzzing sound was coming from the speedo and the needle was only working intermittently. To avoid as much damage as possible, I immediately pulled over and disconnected the speedo cable. It may be that a gear is stripped inside and is an easy fix for someone with more technical know-how than me, or it may be that the thing is blown to hell inside; I don't know for sure. The odo is frozen at 3932 miles, and I have kept accurate track of the mileage I have put on since that day (mostly trips to the coffee shop, trips to the grocery store, and one 35-mile ride to relocate the bike when I moved.) Next are two cosmetic issues that are probably related: the left turn signal stalk is bent backwards approximately 10 degrees, and there are some very light scuffs on the left side engine case. Also, the gear shift lever looks remarkably shiny for its age. I suspect that a a previous owner knocked the bike over in a driveway or something like that. I doubt it was laid down, because there are no blemishes on the bike itself to indicate a sliding crash. Anyway the engine case is easy enough to rub out and the headlight ear can be straightened easily (I've been lazy...too many projects.) The baffle of the right muffler rusted loose three months ago and I pulled it out; I say mysteriously, because as the pictures show the mufflers are almost 100% rust-free. Lastly, while at my parents' garage for storage one winter some mice made a small nest out of the passenger's portion of the seat. They didn't do much damage, and none of it is visible. It cannot be felt by the rider, and my girlfriend has never complained about not having enough padding, but if you press on the seat in that particular area you can feel that there isn't much padding beneath. Again, this is not visible and most people wouldn't know unless they were told. The bike will be readily available for local pick-up in Springfield, OH, which is in the Dayton/Cinci?Columbus area. Crating and shipping the bike is the sole responsiblity of the winning bidder, although I'm happy to help as much as I can with any plans you might make. If the bike has to sit for a few weeks or a few months until the purchaser can pick it up, that's not a problem and it's no charge. Speaking of charges, I need $250 from the winning bidder within 24 hours of the auction's end (through Paypal) and the full amount within 7 days. I will accept checks but the bike and title will not be released until the funds have been cleared. Non-paying buyers WILL be reported. I've got positive feedback because I'm an honest person and I'm easy to work with, and I'd appreciate it if the winning bidder was as well. For those in the area, the motorcycle is available for personal viewing nearly 7 days a week. So that's it. I've tried to describe it in the best detail I can because I want the new owner to be as happy with this bike as I have been. Simply put, this is a wonderful example of one of these great bikes and the new owner will NOT be disappointed in their purchase. There are probably nicer 350s out there, but not too many. This is an original "surivor" bike, and for this particular breed that's saying something. From being abandoned to the backs of sheds and garages to being cannibalized to feed the new cafe craze, there are not many clean and original CB350s left, especially with so few miles. I hate to part with it, and as it's my only two-up ride at the moment my girlfriend hates parting with it too, but reality is forcing my hand. The person who bought this bike for me paid $2000 back in 2005, which was truly top-dollar at the time. Nowadays, I see the nicest examples go for anywhere north of $3000, and many in this condition are very close to that. You can buy a CB350 that starts and runs and stops for $500, but you'll be buying a $500 bike and all the problems you can expect to have with it. This particular machine is an excellent example, and one of the nicest I have seen in six years of ownership. Bidding starts at $1500 with no reserve. She's got to go, so she'll go to the person who wants her the most.On Nov-03-11 at 07:49:30 PDT, seller added the following information: I should add, the bike is also for sale locally and I have received a few calls about it...no one has come by yet to have a look in person but several have expressed interest in seeing the bike over the weekend. If I find a local buyer that is willing to pay my local asking price before Sunday, I will end the auction early. Thanks for everyone who has asked questions so far! Please if anyone has further questions don't hesitate to ask, I do my best to check ebay every other hour or so.