… MotoWasabi … Vintage Japanese Ring-Dings A Go-Go » T350 II Rebel

T350 test ride

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:55:28 +0000

Back from the ride

Test ride day… Did over a 100 km with the green T yesterday and was pleasantly surprised.
Two-three things remained to be done: chuck out the original and rusty shocks, they might as well been solid struts. There’s a huge amount of lateral play in the swingarm, probably the results of the very heavy rider and super tight chain (see my post about sprockets). I suspect I have to now time the beast to the nth degree, but other than that… it was fine.
I did see 80 mph on the clocks (~130 km/h) which is a bit low according to specs but the high bars make that sort of speed very uncomfortable. That was just before it did a light heat seize on me… what with trying for top speed during ten minutes. It also wouldn’t rev out to the red zone in 4th and 5th. This could be down an old airfilter or maybe the sprocket sizes.

I still nedd to sort out the pilot light for the MOT and I might have a problem with the paperwork, as I don’t have the original US papers with me.

I can’t really comment on the Dunlops K81 I fitted due to the rear swinger, but they felt slightly less grippier than the BT45. They would slide on pavement repairs in a less reassuring way than the Bridgestones… bit unnerving.

Sorting out the glitches

admin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:39:22 +0000

My T350 is a US model… means no pilot lamp and a sealed headlight unit. Whoever thought of that ought to be shot: if you blow the bulb (remember, no regulators on these), you have to change the complete unit. For the Expertise (MOT test) here we need a functioning pilot light. Off you go in pile o’ parts to find a suitable donor.
Back view

Front view

Euro headlmap

Modified headlamp… it works now and even looks standard.

T350 Pipes are bl##dy hard to find.

admin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:30:00 +0000

It took me 3 month to spot a pair for sale on eBay.
250 bucks later, they are here.

First try with the Ultrasonic cleaner

admin — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:51:59 +0000

The T350 were due for a cleaning and were the ideal guinea pigs.
they also feature an interesting correcting jet on top of the main jet.

One of them nearly got stuck. Damage barely avoided. A bit of gas and in 3 kicks, she fired! These ultra sound seem to really work! One of the carbs is still sticking wide open, I suspect the throttle stop rod (adjust the slide height), a weird Suzuki speciality is bent again. I also need to change the sprockets and chain… never seen them THAT worn.

Carbs also have new internals where needed (choke plungers looked dubious and were changed as well as the float needles) The Keyster carb kits don’t have the corrector jets…

Differences between T250 and T350… the hard way.

admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:25:41 +0000

Well tom’s pipes turned out to be t250 ones. They’re nigh on impossible to differenciate: the T350 have a specific exhaust nut about 4mm larger in inside diameter (50mm, the T250 are ~46mm). All the rest is the same. Bloody hard to find too.
Other differences include the cylinders (larger bore), carbs and heads. All the rest is the same as a T250.

New clocks for the T350

admin — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:46:13 +0000

Finally found a 2nd hand speedo for the bigger T… another 50$. Mine were smashed.
I’m fiddling with the carbs, wwhich have a dangerous and annoying tendency to stick wide open.

More parts for the T350

admin — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 10:41:44 +0000

Found a pair of headlamp stays… 144$ Ouch. But mine were beyond repair.

Yet another one

admin — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:19:20 +0000

In exchange for this spunky paintjob for a XS650,

I received this:

Complete with paperwork. Tom will bring me the exhausts a tad later. Including an original front tire… this will go on eBay.