Heavily butchered 350 scrambler

[Dostoy320]

While visiting my mom this weekend, I decided to pull my old 350 out of the shed, where I parked it 17 years ago. A family friend gave me this when I was 12. He lived on what was pretty much a 20 acre private junkyard, and this motorcycle was lying on its side in the weeds with a seized engine. My dad and I did enough engine work to get it running, and it became my first motorcycle, used for crawling around the forest trails on our property. My dad installed that huge sprocket to slow the bike down for a kid who was probably too young to be riding it. There's also a spacer under the cylinder jug which he added, I believe, to make it easier for me to kick over (and maybe to decrease performance a bit?)



Judging by the lengthened swingarm, it seems somebody used this for hillclimbing before it ended up in the weeds. The frame is pretty mutilated, and there isn't much for original parts. The engine, the wheels, the forks (which are frozen with rust).







Judging by the serial number on the engine (05908), I think it was a 1968 Scrambler. So what do I do with this thing? Sell off the few legitimate parts? Put it back in storage and start looking for a frame in need of an engine?? Before seeing the 350 this weekend, I was harboring thoughts of a welding/grinding the frame back into usable condition, hanging some inexpensive, non-stock parts off of it, and getting it road worthy, but after seeing it, I dunno. It's pretty rough. And of course there is no title. I love the engine though. They're great looking, and I remember it sounding amazing. Even just kicking it over this weekend felt pretty great. A lot of memories, you know?

[JimF]

I love the way it looks "as is" but I realize it's not 'streetable' in present form.

It might not be too difficult to find a swing-arm, shocks and a normal rear sprocket which I think would pretty much make it mechanically street ride-able. Wide-case frames come on eBay often enough, but I can't say what they have been selling for.

Of course you have the issue of lighting, and for the rear lighting that might have to include some kind of rear fender and that may be challenge given the frame chop. The lighting/wiring is simple enough though.

My State has cracked down on handing out titles for un-titled bike. Can you get a title so you can get plates for it?

If you wanted to part it out, I would guess that only the engine would bring you a good price. If it's a Desmo, it will bring a very good price.

It's a cool-looking bike though with a patina that took decades to achieve. If you go down the road of cleaning up any one component it will stand out like a sore thumb. Then you're forced down the road of cleaning/painting/polishing everything which is time consuming and expensive.

Wouldn't it be fun to get it running and re-live your youth?

JIm

[Rick]

I've never been accused of being sentimental, but, your first motorcycle and you and your father drug it out of a junkyard and worked on it together- if you sell it you'll probably regret it someday.
Definitely a hillclimber, and expensive, easily damaged rims.
And, Jim must be testing to see if the rest of us are paying attention- it doesn't matter how often widecase frames come up on Ebay, you'll still want a narrowcase frame...
Rick

[Dostoy320]

Yeah, I don't know why I even mentioned parting it and selling - really, I don't think I could do that. I too really dig the patina and like the bike how it is, but I no longer live in the country or get out there very often, and I don't think I'd get far on the streets of Minneapolis with it in its current state. It just seems like it should be run in some form or another...

So, assuming I could get a title for it: a new swingarm, lights, tires, fork, sprocket, fenders, etc...? Could I make this streetable for a reasonable amount of money if I didn't worry about period correct parts? Is it ridiculous to try? I really have no idea. The fork alone seems like it would be pretty damn expensive to repair/replace.

Does anyone know what that tiny gas tank may have come off of? It's crazy small.

Also, WC engine in a NC frame? That's doable? Is the NC better for some reason?

[Rick]

I take it back- I was looking at your frame, which is a narrowcase, but now I see you may have a widecase engine, so a widecase frame may be a better option. You probably won't want to swap a stock length swingarm into your frame because the rear shock upper mounts have been moved back- the shocks would be almost vertical if not leaning back.
The tank was big enough to get up a hill a few times- might be from a minibike.
It'll be expensive to make this a street bike- I live nearby, in Sioux Falls, and here it's practically impossible to get a title.
It could be a fun woods bike- if you're handy just about any mid size dirt bike forks could be adapted to fit- the long wheelbase will make it clumsy in the woods though.
You have a nice engine and really nice wheels. I have an orphan R/T450 frame, tank, forks, etc, but then it wouldn't be the same bike anymore. Send me a PM if you're interested.
Rick

[JimF]

Here in Illinois we used to be able to use services like Broadway Title and International Title Service, but the State have cracked down on that. Now you have to post cash into escrow for several years in the event ownership is contested. On a bike like yours applying for a lost title in Illinois, one could probably show the blue-book value and a photo of the bike and probably get away with a few hundred dollar escrow (and I mean no offense by that!)

I have seen people hang rear fenders secured at the shock mounts and the front tip of the fender. You could also go fender-less. Here in Illinois I have not yet heard of anyone getting ticketed for a side-mounted plate and brake light even though it is technically not legal.

The original front forks were kind of spindly - 31.5mm. I say that because whenever I have taken forks apart invariable I find one or two slightly bent fork tubes.

I'd bet that you'd find enough cheap and/or free parts on this forum to put it back on the road.

Does Minnesota inspect vehicles? It seems to me "street-able" could mean different things to different people, and more to vehicle inspectors than to cash-strapped owners.

Jim

[double diamond]

W/C 350 in a 450 R/T chassis, brilliant! I'd seriously consider this among all your options. Matt

[blaat!]

Maybe you just need a little 350 inspiration:

http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-350

[JimF]

I have a Scrambler tank that would look right at home on your bike - it's in the same condition. It' s a conversation piece in the garage right now - I don't know if it will hold fuel.

Wide case 450 (strengthened) frame on eBay right now, Item number: 110880779217

...as well as many other scrambler parts - looks like someone is parting out a wide case scrambler...

[Dostoy320]

JimF: Yes, I was looking at that seller's listings this morning. I'm actually kinda tempted to bid on the frame, but feel like maybe I'm jumping the gun on something I'm not sure about. That happens to me a lot - get an idea in my head, see exactly what I need on ebay.....

blaat!: Hah, yeah, I saw that when it was posted on bikeexif. It kinda blew my mind, and that's maybe what originally got me thinking about my old 350 again. I'm not totally a fan of the cafe thing, but that bike is definitely the work of a skilled craftsman with a lot of cool ideas implemented. I like the mono-shock, and the engine looks great in black, I think. I never would have thought to do that.

Ok, I'm intrigued by the idea of doing something with my motorcycle. I wasn't even aware that the R/T existed. Mating my 350 to that frame and making something "streetable" out of it could be cool - a sort of vintage supermoto thing, maybe?

Or yeah, maybe just doing a bit of work and keeping it as a rough woods bike... My dad has land. I could store it there and ride it on rare occasions.

I think I'm going to research the title process in Minnesota. If it's possible to get a title, I might consider taking this project on. It's been too long since I've worked on motorcycles. I was helping a friend with his Honda scrambler a while back and realized how much I miss it.