O.T. Honda motorcycle I.D.

[Gobblerforge]

I have a 1974 CB360 Honda. I have been looking and looking and can't find the answer to my quest. In 74 they had a 360, 360G, 360KO, I believe a 360T and so forth. My question is, does anyone know the break down that makes a G a G and a KO a KO and so on? The closest I think I have found is that a G has disc front brake and a KO has a drum front brake. But even on this I am not 100% sure. Anyone?
Gobbler

[homefront]

Did you look here?

http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/honda_ ... t_1976.php

[OJ]

Sorry, My memory is fuzzy for the 74 models - now, if you would like to hear about the disadvantages of the tank-mounted shifter and the foot operated "suicide clutch" on the 1927 HD - I can help there -

[Rusty]

If I recall '74 was about the year I bought my first bike, a CB450 DOHC. Mine was a strictly road bike but there was another model in the 360 and 450 that had wider handle bars and an exhaust system that came off the jugs and stayed up high all the way to the rear. IIRC it was on about the same level as the battery box. these were considered their "off road" versions, heavy as they were.

Hope that helps.

[handirifle]

The "T" designated trail as was just described. My first Honda was a CB450 also. Very nice bikes too.

[Gobblerforge]

The T designation makes sense. And yes, I do know the exhaust pips you describe.
Also. Does any one know what the CB designation means?
Gobbler

[Lloyd Smale]

they actually had two trail versions one with the high pipes and one with black low pipes that swept up in the back. I thought the high piped one was called the scrambler and the low pipe one the sport but i could be mistaken as thats a long time ago

[handirifle]

I believe the "C" was cruiser, not sure about the "B".

[OJ]

they actually had two trail versions one with the high pipes and one with black low pipes that swept up in the back. I thought the high piped one was called the scrambler and the low pipe one the sport but i could be mistaken as thats a long time ago

That's true - The CB was strictly a street model, the "scrambler" (high pipes that burned legs of girl passengers behind wearing shorts and guaranteed that ride would be the last you would see of that girl) was called the CL and was supposed to be a combination street and trail model, and the SL was suppposed to be strictly a dirt model.

Turned out the combination of gearing (and other things) made the CL less than good (under powered - for starters) in either role and the SL was the best handling and performing of the three as a streeet-dirt bike combo.

In adddition, Honda made the 350 SL to fire the two cylinders alternately and it's little 175 SL twin (all were twin cylinders) to fire both cylinders at the same time - making the 175 nearly as good all-around bike as the 350 SL despite the difference of displacement. Actually, the 350 only displaced 305 cc and the 350 designation was for sales promotion whereas the 175 cc displacement was true. Over the years, I had one 175 CL, one 175 SL, and two 350 SL versions. Loved all except the CL version.

However, BMW really won my heart. Had an R60/5 (600 cc) that I rode a year (1971) and got what I paid for it on trade-in for an R75/5 (759 cc) the next year. Current ride is this 1977 R100S "Airhead" running as strong today as when new.



And -

[pharmseller]

The CB designation stands for "Cowboy," anyone knows that!


Quinn

[OJ]

The CB designation stands for "Cowboy," anyone knows that!


Quinn

That's as good as anything - I never even gave a thought to what CB, CL, and SL meant other than to designate a model and the Japanese had their own system of designations. Attaching specific meanings to them seemed much the same as trying to figure out what car names like Accord - Civic - Pilot - mean - other than to identify that specific model then. The 750 that came out was a CB and earned the rep of being a "chain stretcher" - pure hype.

A big plus for the Beemers was the shaft drive - no chain maintenance !!

[Warhawk]

According to the Honda Motorcycle Identification Guide ...

1974 CB360K0 had a drum front brake, color blue/orange
1974 CB360G has a disk front brake, looks identical otherwise, color green/orange
1974 CL360K0 has a drum front brake and upswept side pipes, the SCRAMBLER model, color green

No other 360's are listed for 1974

It looks like the CB360K0 and CL360K0 were continuations of the same model in a 350. The CB350G starts a new numbering system that was continued in 75 and 76 as the CB360T

[Gobblerforge]

Thanks folks. I knew I could count on you.
Gobbler