Intro

[SebringMike]

Hello Folks,
Just joined the forum, so I wanted to introduce myself and my restoration project.
My father acquired this bike as part of a bundle of old bikes he purchased two years ago. He's currently got too many projects on the go (mostly early model Japanese stuff), so he handed the bike to me.
With the help of web searches, the previous owner, and most recently Ventodue, we've identified it as a 1965 350 Sebring.

Most of the bike is complete, albeit in various states of disrepair. The biggest concern to me is the engine internals (although the bike kicks over) and the electrics (most of which show SIGNIFICANT ba$tardization).

I've searched high and low for parts, and have pretty much identified sources for all the stuff that I need except;

1) heel-and-toe shifter
2) muffler; italian-motorbikes have a Silentium available, but I've heard that they quality isn't real good.
3) exhaust pipe (engine to muffler)
4) rims; italian-motorbikes have the Raedelli (sp?) rims available as well, and I've heard they aren't great either.

I'm looking to restore it as a good-looking Saturday and Sunday coffee shop ride. I don't need strictly NOS (although that would be great), and I won't be putting it in a museum, so I don't need it concourse condition.

As I get deeper into the engine and electrics, I'll start searching the forum.
For now, any advice you can give on the above list of parts would be great.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

[JimF]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the forum.

You've got a great bike there,

1) heel-and-toe shifter

I love having a heel and toe shifter. I can't recall the last time I saw one come up on eBay, but if I see one I will let you know.

2) muffler; italian-motorbikes have a Silentium available, but I've heard that they quality isn't real good.

I don't know about the quality, I just know that while they have right shape they lack the authentic logos. You might not be as particular as I am about that, so I will let others relate their experiences regarding the quality.

3) exhaust pipe (engine to muffler)

I see these on eBay all the time. I will point them out to you if you are willing to settle fro used. They don't seem to rust out at all.

4) rims; italian-motorbikes have the Raedelli (sp?) rims available as well, and I've heard they aren't great either.

Are your existing rims too bad to be re-chromed? I had mine done years ago. I followed the recommendations of Buchanan's Spokes and Rims when it came to finding a suitable company to re-chrome the rims. I think if you don't care about authenticity Buchanan's sell Tagasako rims. They are of a very high quality. The only down side it the logo is bright and red and indelibly anodized into the rims. It looks a bit odd to see an Italian bike from the 1960s with a bright Japanese logo in such a prominent location. I however accepted it on a 450 I used to own.

Jim

[JimF]

Header on eBay: 311149466626

That being said, it dawned on me that I don't know if the 350 engine takes a larger header than the 250. It stands to reason that it might. Someone on the list should know this.

[Ventodue]

Hi Mike, good to see you here!

<snip>
2) muffler; italian-motorbikes have a Silentium available, but I've heard that the quality isn't real good.
3) exhaust pipe (engine to muffler)
4) rims; italian-motorbikes have the Raedelli (sp?) rims available as well, and I've heard they aren't great either.

Even if no-one is ever going to claim them as the Termigionis of their day , Silentiums are fine. They were just the regular, 'fitted-to-everything' muffler of the time. IMO, given what the bike is and what you want the bike for, a Silentium fits the bill.

And ditto Radaellis. No, they're not Borrannis; yes, they are heavy and no, the chrome wasn't the best. But again, given what a Sebring was then and what you want it for now, they're the Real Deal.

P.s I think Jim may be right about the exhaust header being longer on the 350 than the 250, btw.

Ciao

Craig

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote= JimF ...
" Header on eBay: 311149466626 "

____ Rather than having to go to eBay and-then type-in all those digits into their search-box, it's just easier to click-on this handy link ! ... http://www.ebay.com/itm/311149466626?ru ... 26_rdc%3D1
__ And here's another... http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Ducati-175- ... 1149466626



" I don't know if the 350 engine takes a larger header than the 250.
Someone on the list should know "

____ While there's a slight difference in shape between wide-case & narrow-case ex.header-pipes, (near the outlet's last 3-inches), they're all interchangeable between 250/350/450 Scrambler & street models. _ And I'm quite sure that the very-same header-pipes were always factory-installed on all OHC.models, regardless of the particular engine-size of whatever model happened to be on the production-line.
__ The only resulting difference in the fitment of the ex.pipe on the various engine sizes,, is that the larger the engine-size, the tighter-spaced then is the gap-spacing clearance-fit between the pipe and underneath the right-front motor-cover.


Duke-Cheers,
-Bob

[Nick]

Looks like you found a great bike! The 350 is the best of the narrow-case models (in my very biased opinion). They also make very good daily riders, especially if you change to a modern carb (I use a 28 Mikuni on mine). As long as you're planning to fix up the wiring, might as well upgrade to 12V. There is also a completely new aftermarket stator/flywheel/electronic regulator kit available as well if you don't want to mess with the stock setup.

If the engine turns over okay, just pull the valve covers and spark plug, squirt some oil over the valves, cam, piston, etc. and kick it over a bit. It's possible that the engine is mechanically sound. Of course, check for oil in the sump. If it does fire up, do a couple of quick oil changes to flush it out.

As far as rims go, yes, you can spend the bucks and buy shiny new ones, but you can also wire brush and sand them smooth, then paint with a hard gloss black (epoy-based, etc.) or get them powder coated. Nothing wrong with running a non-original muffler either, kinda depends on whether your end goal is a pretty face or a real daily rider.

Here's a pic of mine--not very pretty but runs really well.

[Ventodue]

<snip> __ The only resulting difference in the fitment of the ex.pipe on the various engine sizes,, is that the larger the engine-size, the tighter-spaced then is the gap-spacing clearance-fit between the pipe and underneath the right-front motor-cover.

True Bob, altho' I did have an additional 'problem' with my 450 SCR in that another pipe, of unknown origin, was a little too short to mount the muffler.

Btw, here's what the Edizione Definitiva (always reliable, nat' ) of the w/c parts book says (just don't ask me what pipe went on any pre-1971 450 ... )

0608 84 023
250
Monza 1968-70
Mark 3 1968-73
Mark 3D/Desmo 1968-73
SCR* 1968-73

350
Mark 3 1970-73
Mark 3D 1970
SCR 1968-70

0615 84 020
350
Desmo 1971-73
SCR 1971-73

450
Mark 3 1971-73
Desmo 1971-73
SCR 1971-73

* Early ‘68 : 0609 84 025

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote= Ventodue ...
" I did have an additional 'problem' with my 450 SCR in that another pipe, of unknown origin, was a little too short to mount the muffler. "

____ Did you ever happen to notice the cut-finish of it's outlet for any evidence of hack-sawing ? _ As many used-to be 'chopped', taking about 3-inches off the end.


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
-Bob

[Ventodue]

Did you ever happen to notice the cut-finish of it's outlet for any evidence of hack-sawing ? _ As many used-to be 'chopped', taking about 3-inches off the end.

Ah, good thought, Bob. But I can't see any obvious hacksaw marks (not sure if the attached photos will be clear enuf to make this out ). But the other thing I note is that the staining on the tail end suggests that a silencer HAS been successfully fitted some time in the past.

So I dunno ... .

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote= Ventodue ...
" But I can't see any obvious hacksaw marks "

____ Nor do I, so obviously it wasn't hacked-off ! _ So it must've been rather meticulously cut-off with a good pipe-cutter.



" (not sure if the attached photos will be clear enuf to make this out "

____ On my monitor, 'clearness' is not of much concern,, however brightness is, (with most-all posted pix). _ So I've brightened-up your pix and re-posted them in a combo-pic, with expectation of the pertinent details now being more obvious.
__ (I fairly often find the need to brighten-up posted-pics, so it may just be my-own monitor that's at fault,, and if so, then I need to be made aware of such. _ So if anyone finds my brightened-up pic.versions to be too bright [as seen on their-own monitor], then please let me know !)
Although in this particular case however, I did purposely exaggerate the brightness-increase up-to an extra degree past that which seems normal to me (at my end).
I'd like some feedback as to whether it's way too-much increased or not.



" But the other thing I note is that the staining on the tail end suggests that a silencer HAS been successfully fitted some time in the past. "

____ Obviously so, and that clue wasn't made from any 'shorty' muffler,, as even after having shortened the header-pipe, the over-fit was still more than need be.
__ I don't recall what popular chopper-muffler was often mounted on DUKEs, (something intended for BSAs, I think),, but taking a couple of inches off the tip of the pipe (so that the mounting-points would line-up), was fairly common back in the late-60s.


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
-Bob