Sl 350 honda

Rarely seen in Europe but a favourite with o '-readers in the USA, Honda's trail uiKe was developed over several years oiiowing its launch. In a writer "'American Cycle was so impressed that ,e wrote.

Log in. Sign up. Home Forums HondaTwins. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.

Sl 350 honda

During the first part of the 20th century, motorcycles had always been intended for use on both pavement and dirt surfaces, since the roads of the time were such a haphazard mixture of the two. As the main drags got paved, everyday bikes became more dedicated to the pavement, with less compliant, better handling suspensions and smoother tires that gripped the tarmac well. That left an opening for bikes more dedicated to dirt, which Yamaha jumped into with the DT1 in Honda , being late to the game for once, threw some dirt tires on a CB and called it the SL Of course, it takes more than a tire change to make a true trail bike. The first SL, known as the K0, had great looks and a comfortable seat, but it fell predictably short of the mark when it came to dirt performance. Honda fixed that in with the K1 version. It didn't look much different than the original, but it had a new frame, brakes, and suspension, as well as revised engine tuning. Although it made less peak horsepower, its power was much more usable further down in the RPM range. The result was everything a dual-sport ought to be. Good clean examples of the SL are rare today, but this example from on Bring a Trailer has been painstakingly restored. It wears a classic Topaz Orange paint job, a popular color for Hondas in the s, with a silver frame. The paint, gauges, and wheels look as good as new, and the Shinko Trail tires are genuinely new, a perfect fit for this bike.

By the mid 70s there had been a lot of improvments in this area and the big bike manufacturers had models designed specifically for off road.

THE SL has aroused a great deal of curiosity. Honda fans wondered if they were finally going to get a real dirt bike. Even the people at American Honda were curious. And now that the SL is here, they are not quite sure what they have. Only the guys in the sales department know what is going on, because that is where the SL was engineered. If it sells, in the tens of thousands, there is no need to figure out what it is or what it does. And it will sell.

The only difference was the final drive gearing, and exhaust systems. The easiest way to tell from a distance or a partially disassembled sl is the electric start and single downtube on the ko model the ko model was just a dressed up cb the kickstart only double cradle frame sl was really a huge improvement mainly because of the lighter wheels and over 60lbs lighter weight. And what a motor it was. The Honda twin was anvil reliable, with over , copies being sold in the USA alone, it was one of the most popular motorcycles ever produced. When the SL got some knobbies strapped to it, and decent shocks bolted on the back, the bike became an unstoppable woods weapon, as nothing short of an atomic blast would cease the rear wheel from spinning. It was also, in my mind one of the best looking vertical twin cylinder motors ever produced, right up there with a Triumph or BSA in the looks department.

Sl 350 honda

First one of the series to benefit from the new program is the big SL To quote from our Dec. In heavier going, it is heavy going. It weighs lb. But the new one is about 50 lb. The extent of redesign is great, involving modifications to both the engine and the running gear, not only to pare off weight but to improve handling, and tractability.

Ram golf bag

Make Model. Honda fixed that in with the K1 version. Little ones and big ones. Telescopic forks. Top comments There are no comments at the moment. All rights reserved. The later 21" front wheel ones were sand challenged. The same goes for the exhaust, which bears a US Forest Service approval stamp for off-road use. Other provisions to the SL also serve to reduce the required modifications for dirt riding. The SL will be all things to all people, but more street people than dirt people. Dey Weight. That left an opening for bikes more dedicated to dirt, which Yamaha jumped into with the DT1 in In the frame was changed to a double down tube and the electric stater was deleted.

Make Honda. In great shape There are a couple of minor dents on the gas tank, and a dent on the rear fender.

All new frame was the biggest I think. Final Drive. Not a true dirt bike, but a Honda with greater potential for the dirt than ever before. The later 21" front wheel ones were sand challenged. PoiPio 30 Replies. Any corrections or more information on these motorcycles will be kindly appreciated. The CL is definitely not a dirt bike. They are great for the on-off road use. The bottom line was none of them were very good dirt bikes. Would you like to write one? Got a tip for us?