Honda SL350 Motosport: 1969-1973.(Retro Spective)

Publication: Rider

Publication Date: 01-MAY-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Ehlert Publishing Group

I This Honda SL350 was a cheerful effort to expand the usefulness of Honda's best-selling 350 parallel twin--or 325cc, to be a bit more precise. In 1968 the company had introduced the conventional CB350 street bike and CL350 street-scrambler, the latter the off-pavement version by virtue of its heavy, high-up exhaust system.

Then Yamaha introduced the DT-1 250, a two-stroke single. It was a roadworthy bike that was a lot of fun to ride in the woods, providing a very nice balance between street and dirt. Honda was not going to let its main rival get away with that, so the R&D boys were told to do something off-roadish with that CL350. They went out and rode the CL over rough terrain, stripped off everything, leaving just an engine and frame, and contemplated. At this point we should not forget that a much-modified CB350...

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