[justin.das]

Guy's I just picked up a Honda CB 350 . This bike is gifted to me by a great old man named Joseph Thumapshery whom I met during a car meet. This specific model is from late 1970's and a non runner for last 28 years . I am planning for slow restoration on this one .

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by justin.das

Guy's I just picked up a Honda CB 350 . This bike is gifted to me by a great old man named Joseph Thumapshery whom I met during a car meet. This specific model is from late 1970's and a non runner for last 28 years . I am planning for slow restoration on this one .

Congratulations!

The CB350 is just as legendary as it's predecessor and rarity on Indian roads, wish you all the best in your restoration, do post updates.

[Ashley Nair]

The bike looks beautiful and has the advantage of exclusiveness. Do restore her Sir, even by adopting local lathe method, to her original glory. A Honda of the 70's is much, much ,better than the Hondas of today

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Congratulations!
The CB350 is just as legendary as it's predecessor and rarity on Indian roads, wish you all the best in your restoration, do post updates.

Thanks ashwinprakas. I am planning to make a list of part's to import by dismantling the bike by end of current month

Originally Posted by Ashley Nair

The bike looks beautiful and has the advantage of exclusiveness. Do restore her Sir, even by adopting local lathe method, to her original glory. A Honda of the 70's is much, much ,better than the Hondas of today

Thanks Ashley Nair .Parts are available online so no need for lathe work .Need to list out the part's first and will start buying those whenever my pocket permits to do so .

[srini1785]

Hello,

Great bike. I am glad that some more of these hondas are still getting discovered. Personally, I am also happy that I am getting company in restoration. Perhaps, it is time we started a club of our own just like jawa rd350 clubs.

I can see that you have a fairly complete bike(that's rare). I don't know if pistons are free. If they are , my little advice is that before you start disassembly, by that i mean both engine and body, I would attempt to start it as it is. Once you have it fully working, run it as it is for sometime before you start painting.



Trust you have a good mechanic.

Srini

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by justin.das

Guy's I just picked up a Honda CB 350 . This bike is gifted to me by a great old man named Joseph Thumapshery whom I met during a car meet. This specific model is from late 1970's and a non runner for last 28 years . I am planning for slow restoration on this one .

Congratulations.

I have seen this bike many times being ridden probably by Joseph Thumpassery himself during late 90s in Trivandrum I used to follow this bike on my two wheeler whenever i saw it and it was painted bright red with shiny aluminium and chrome bits.

OT: I owned a 78 CB750F for a short time and it was a great bike. Not in India though. Bought it because I like non plasticky looking bikes.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by Sankar

I have seen this bike many times being ridden probably by Joseph Thumpassery himself during late 90s in Trivandrum I used to follow this bike on my two wheeler whenever i saw it and it was painted bright red with shiny aluminium and chrome bits.
.

This bike was in regular use till 1992 . Then there was some issue and one of the carburetor got missing .

Originally Posted by srini1785

Hello,

Great bike. I am glad that some more of these hondas are still getting discovered. Personally, I am also happy that I am getting company in restoration. Perhaps, it is time we started a club of our own just like jawa rd350 clubs.

Which model did you own ? This one is CB 350 G .

Originally Posted by srini1785

I can see that you have a fairly complete bike(that's rare). I don't know if pistons are free. If they are , my little advice is that before you start disassembly, by that i mean both engine and body, I would attempt to start it as it is. Once you have it fully working, run it as it is for sometime before you start painting.

Trust you have a good mechanic.

Srini

I just picked up on last Sunday .It is currently at my home in Trivandrum (Kerala State) . I am planning to check the bike in detail by end of December during my Christmas vacation . Starting the bike is not possible as one of the carburetor is missing . I will try the kicker to see whether the engine is stuck or not . Mechanic am looking for my options . I will start with getting the spares which must be replaced.

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by justin.das

Which model did you own ? This one is CB 350 G .

I have a CD185 twin. Smaller engine capacity. See previous posts on same thread.

Starting the bike is not possible as one of the carburetor is missing

Ok.

I will try the kicker to see whether the engine is stuck or not . Mechanic am looking for my options . I will start with getting the spares which must be replaced.

Yes, kicking it will give you a idea if pistons are stuck. Just also clean or better replace the spark plugs (on both engines) and check if you get spark. For a bike that was standing for 28 years , if your crank turns over freely and it sparks, then half the job is done.

Best of luck.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by srini1785

I have a CD185 twin. Smaller engine capacity. See previous posts on same thread.

I just read the post .Please post new pics eager to see her

Originally Posted by srini1785

Yes , kicking it will give you a idea if pistons are stuck. Just also clean or better replace the spark plugs (on both engines) and check if you get spark. For a bike that was standing for 28 years , if your crank turns over freely and it sparks, then half the job is done.
Best of luck.

Surely will do . I may need your help to get the parts .Are you sourcing everything from abroad or are any parts available locally ?

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by justin.das

This bike was in regular use till 1992 . Then there was some issue and one of the carburetor got missing .

Unless there was another bright red CB350 in trivandrum i have seen this one being ridden sedately in the city between 1997 and 1998. It was well maintained then. If its not this bike then there is (or used to be) another Red CB350 in trivandrum.

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by justin.das

I just read the post .Please post new pics eager to see her

It's still under restoration / repair. Every time I think I got all things under control, something goes wrong. But will post some pics soon
Presently, the bike fires in only one cylinder. Some timing related problem.

Regarding parts, you can get it from abroad but it's costly. Some non critical parts can be done by modifying parts of other bikes for this. It depends on the part. Honda CD / CB series usually share certain parts.

I suggest you take a look at what Is missing before you proceed.

Anyway I am glad to help.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by srini1785

I suggest you take a look at what Is missing before you proceed.

Yeah am planning to create list of parts to be replaced .The critical one's will be imported first .Thanks for the support .

Originally Posted by Sankar

Unless there was another bright red CB350 in trivandrum i have seen this one being ridden sedately in the city between 1997 and 1998. It was well maintained then. If its not this bike then there is (or used to be) another Red CB350 in trivandrum.

Possibility for another CB 350 is less as this model is a rare specimen in this part of the world. If there is another bike in Kerala, am eager to see that one. As per Thomas (brother of Joseph) this bike is resting in a shed from 1992. Before 1992 this bike used to be ridden from Banglore - Kochi occasionally .

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by justin.das

Possibility for another CB 350 is less as this model is a rare specimen in this part of the world. If there is another bike in Kerala, am eager to see that one. As per Thomas (brother of Joseph) this bike is resting in a shed from 1992. Before 1992 this bike used to be ridden from Banglore - Kochi occasionally .

Can't unsee what I saw then, then maybe there is another one. In 1992 I was 5 years away from my first two wheeler and driving licence. Spotted near PMG - Plamood road, Thakaraparambu (parked) , and near Palayam on different days. Ridden by a elderly looking man.

Also there used to be a very wide tyred (sort of like a balloon tyre) but not very tall blue colour Suzuki motorcycle in Trivandrum. Seen multiple times in Sasthamangalam area again during circa 1998 - 2000 ridden slowly. I didn't know the name then but later found that it was called VAN VAN. Maybe it was a van van or a similar model. It was a two stroke.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Also there used to be a very wide tyred (sort of like a balloon tyre) but not very tall blue colour Suzuki motorcycle in Trivandrum. Seen multiple times in Sasthamangalam area again during circa 1998 - 2000 ridden slowly. I didn't know the name then but later found that it was called VAN VAN. Maybe it was a van van or a similar model. It was a two stroke.

Suzuki RV125.

Guess Trivandrum had more badass bikers before my time considering I only got my licence in 2010.

These days the only classic's I see are the ones ridden by the Yezdi group and the Jawa Twin posted somewhere here which I've spotted once at a workshop just before the white arch seen when going straight towards East Fort after Enchakkal Junction.

Though now I'm more curious of how the CB350 and RV125 made their way onto our roads?

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Suzuki RV125.

Guess Trivandrum had more badass bikers before my time considering I only got my licence in 2010.

These days the only classic's I see are the ones ridden by the Yezdi group and the Jawa Twin posted somewhere here which I've spotted once at a workshop just before the white arch seen when going straight towards East Fort after Enchakkal Junction.

Though now I'm more curious of how the CB350 and RV125 made their way onto our roads?

Apart from the now comon and then rare supersports and superbikes its bikes like these that are intriguing. There used to be a Yamaha Pearl in Trivandrum, again saw it at a workshop i frequented in late 90s. Though not a motorcycle its a rather odd choice to import. Its odd ones like these that stay in my memory. I have also seen a few 600cc and up inline 4 bikes in that period but just doesnt stay in memory as to what those were.