[RatFighter]

It may evolve to something more, but for now, with days to spare for the deadline, it's done!

My pride in this bike can't be measured. It's an extension of self.



-Ben (Rat)

 

[RatFighter]

Hmmm... almost 200 views and no replys. Seems something is missing. A parts list and explanation of the thing might help.






The 360 is the "fat sister" of the CB350's. They are heavy, handle pretty bad by comparison, and overall were the bastard child for 2 years before being cut completely from the Honda lineup in '77. They get no love! I'm not one for the fat girls but sometimes it's fun to play.


Box Stock

Everywhere I look it's cafe's! There is nothing of the 70's flat tracker style out there when it comes to small bikes so I set out to do my thing on a small bike. I found this 360 and began the transformation from stock to respectable. From brand new bushings and bearings to replacement spokes and sprockets with a big $$$ RK O-ring chain to ensure every one of those 34 horse power get to the ground effectively!

Weight savings was in mind also, do you know how much the difference is between the factory CB seat and the XR unit in weight?! Or for that matter the lack of a front and rear steel fender. No more heavy switch housings, it now has aluminum handle bars, the tail light is off a CBR600F3, the headlight unit is off an SV650, the exhaust from head to collector is my own design also.

The amount of time and planning that had to go into this bike. All the new parts you DON'T see, all the things you DON'T know about this bike make it so different as a rat. It's only the look of it really, everything else feels better than you can ever imagine. I've ridden 2005-2007 bikes that feel like garbage by comparison in how "new" they feel.

From the VF500 caliper/master cylinder conversion with a steel braided XR250R brake line looped over the gauges flat tracker style to the painted and worn in engine details, this bike is what the true meaning of a "ratbike" is. It totally defines it.




A street fighter doesn't have to be a wrecked sportbike with the plastics off it and a headlight unit on there to make it legal enough to keep riding, just like a rat bike doesn't have to be a clapped out shit junker that is more likely to maim or kill you, than to get you to your destination.




-Rat

 

[cage]

I Like it, Ben.

 

[SEBSPEED]

You make me miss my first road legal bike - 1975 CB360T.

 

[ultimate fighter]

How did i miss this? this is raw *slowclap* put some white walls on it:knucks:

 

[gsf1200R]

sweet ride

 

[RatFighter]

:thumbsup:




Thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback on this thing as it took the better part of a year and almost $400 to pull it together, most of it that you see is free, but the wear parts that needed to be replaced, all the bearings and bushings, those damn things add up way too fast!


There is alot of really beutiful and hard earned bikes here on CF and rat bikes tend to be passed over a little bit due to them being so god awful looking most times. I want to bring a good light to the rat's and show them the love that is seen for the SSSA swapped, well executed, modernized, mechanical beasts that fighters are quickly becoming!


Trying to bridge the old to the new; the rat to the respectable.




It all started so simple growing up around rat trumpets and chopper iron, oh yeah, and see'ing pictures like this:

-Rat

 

[ROBBO]

:thumbsup:




Thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback on this thing as it took the better part of a year and almost $400 to pull it together, most of it that you see is free, but the wear parts that needed to be replaced, all the bearings and bushings, those damn things add up way too fast!


There is alot of really beutiful and hard earned bikes here on CF and rat bikes tend to be passed over a little bit due to them being so god awful looking most times. I want to bring a good light to the rat's and show them the love that is seen for the SSSA swapped, well executed, modernized, mechanical beasts that fighters are quickly becoming!


Trying to bridge the old to the new; the rat to the Ratspectable!.




It all started so simple growing up around rat trumpets and chopper iron, oh yeah, and see'ing pictures like this:

-Rat

Woah we gotta new wurd fer tha darn dicktionary Ben!

 

[Craig]

Makes my bike look young, haha. Very Vintage, Very Swag.

 

[Nailhead]

great write up, i hope i get to ride it :thumbsup:

 

[Reaver]

Now thats a proppa rat! Nice one....

 

[RatFighter]

great write up, i hope i get to ride it :thumbsup:

I WANT EVERYONE TO RIDE IT!




This bike is awesome, everyone should experience it at least once! Fortunately for you dude, your going to get to experience it on it's home circuit, the place it was built for, the sole purpose of this bike was ice flat track!


Once again, thanks for the comments and input everyone! Makes me grin seeing people appreciate the same things I do. CF rocks!



-Rat

 

[spintowincataldo]

I had a 1976 cb360 that i used to ride up and down a nearby seasonal road way before i could get a bike license. Regret giving it away heavily. Sweet little bikes man enjoy the shit out of it

 

[kawboyCAFE]

i think i like it. looks like a neat little fun toy. good job. have fun riding the piss out of it!

 

[RatFighter]

I DO have fun riding the piss out of it!




Latest and greatest of the hooliganism accomplished with this meager amount of power. :rock:

375lbs, 30hp, 98mph top speed, 0-60 in just under 8 seconds, and one :nuts: rider.

 

[ROBBO]

this thred is tha fookin tits LOL Ratty yer tha CF showman ,jus look at them old school whoooooooolies

 

[Scooby]

A true rat is never finished lol

 

[RatFighter]

A true rat is never finished lol

Tell me about it, last night I was sitting in the garage and realized I have some velocity stacks and the tin to build a debri tray for the carbs. I really would like to go ton up this season and only need 6 more mph!




(A little hint at the future)
The CB360 may end up something like: "XR360SM" before next summer though after I get my fill of the flat track this winter.

 

[kawboyCAFE]

this is a good thread. keep up with it there ratfighter. just a question, how hard is it to get parts for those old cb360 bikes? i know where there is one for $200.

 

[RatFighter]

Parts for the 360's are all over ebay, most of them are brand new, still in the package! NOS equipment everywhere for cheap as dirt! TONS of full gasket kits, pistons, etc. are all over the net. For only having a 2 year run and not selling many units compared to the market predictions, these bikes are stellar for a beginner or a veteran alike.

In all fairness here the 360T has a pretty good following and since they were never popular (cult status) nobody really used up the aftermarket, so, the parts sit on shelves collecting dust waiting for people like me to scoop these cool little bikes up to do extraordinary things with them.


Having just got back from a quick spin after installing the velocity stacks I mentioned in the above post, I can say that this bike will put a smile on your face every time you ride it. Nothing compares to having so much command over everything a bike does, and, getting on my brothers 600 SS after riding the 360 for the summer it is easier than ever to act like a fool and hoon around like a total nutter.



-Rat