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Alright, so I finally got my hands on this old 1974 Honda 350. Been wanting one of these for ages! It was sitting in some dude’s barn, covered in dust and who-knows-what-else. Seriously, it looked rough.
Getting Started
First thing I did was tow the thing back to my garage. No way was it starting, let alone driving. Once I got it home, I just stared at it for a while. Kinda overwhelming, you know? Where to even begin?
I grabbed my toolbox and a shop manual (thank goodness for those!), and just started taking things apart. The fuel tank was nasty, full of old, gunked-up gas. Had to clean that out completely. I mean, scrub, soak, the whole nine yards.
The Carburetors Were a Mess
- Took them off the bike.
- Disassembled them completely.
- Soaked all the parts in carb cleaner.
- Found some tiny O ring were all crack
- Replaced all the jets and gaskets.
I spent at least the time to make them all good.
Engine Troubles
Next up was the engine. I did a compression test, and it wasn’t looking great. Decided to pull the head and check the valves. Sure enough, they were pretty worn. So, I lapped the valves, replaced the valve stem seals, and put everything back together. Fingers crossed, that would help.
Wiring and Electrical
The wiring was a rat’s nest. Seriously, wires going everywhere, some of them just hanging loose.I spent a few time to figure them out.
The battery was toast, so I got a new one. Also replaced the spark plugs and points. Gotta have good spark, right?
Putting It All Back Together
After what felt like forever, I finally started putting everything back together. New fuel lines, new filters, fresh oil… the works. It was slow going, but super satisfying to see it all coming together.
The Moment of Truth
Finally, the day came to try and start it. I hooked up the battery, turned the key, hit the starter… and it sputtered to life! It was rough, it was smoky, but it was running! After some tweaking and tuning, it started to smooth out. Took it for a short ride around the block, and man, it felt good.
It’s still a work in progress, no doubt. But getting this old Honda 350 back on the road has been an awesome experience. Lots of learning, lots of frustration, but totally worth it in the end.
