Of Pride and Pointlessness: Amateur Racing a 1974 Honda CB360

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The beginning of the Sunday race at the 2015 Barber Vintage Festival. The race starts in three waves, with the the Historic Production Lighweight group starting second.
The beginning of the Sunday race at the 2015 Barber Vintage Festival. The race starts in three waves, with the the Historic Production Lighweight group starting second.
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Race action at Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
Race action at Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
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Remnants of the left piston.
Remnants of the left piston.
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Less severe valve damage from the second engine blowup at Road America.
Less severe valve damage from the second engine blowup at Road America.
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Closeup of the Honda CB360's stickers.
Closeup of the Honda CB360's stickers.
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One day of practice and two races completed at Barber. Zero engines grenaded.
One day of practice and two races completed at Barber. Zero engines grenaded.
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Nighttime hijinks at the 2015 Barber Vintage Festival.
Nighttime hijinks at the 2015 Barber Vintage Festival.
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The 360 now wears a simple on-off switch.
The 360 now wears a simple on-off switch.
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The art of push-starting a cold bike in race leathers at 7 a.m.
The art of push-starting a cold bike in race leathers at 7 a.m.
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On track at Barber during the Friday practice session.
On track at Barber during the Friday practice session.
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People who beat me with one hand tied behind their back, sort of. A foot-shift 1951 Triumph, then two hand-shift competitors, with me far, far behind. End of race on Sunday.
People who beat me with one hand tied behind their back, sort of. A foot-shift 1951 Triumph, then two hand-shift competitors, with me far, far behind. End of race on Sunday.
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Awaiting my first-place prize for fastest CB360 at the Motorcycle Classics show.
Awaiting my first-place prize for fastest CB360 at the Motorcycle Classics show.
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The only award I won — a $4 beer sign.
The only award I won — a $4 beer sign.

Good times usually beget the worst ideas. At our 2013 annual ride to southeast Wisconsin, a beer-fueled debate broke out about the worst bike people had ever owned.

Post-Meriden Triumphs, “free” Japanese barn finds and bikes made of “unobtanium” were all mentioned, but Kris Baustert outdid everybody with the tale of a 1974 Honda CB360 so reviled he named it “Hellbitch.” It stranded him three times and his wife once. Broken down between Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois, Hellbitch and his wife caught a ride home in a windowless van filled with chains from a stranger who turned out to be a carpenter and a good Samaritan. On cue, everyone chimed in with their own tales of CB360 woe. Worst bike ever, they all said. It replaced the beloved CB350, using a bigger engine with less horsepower and no parts compatibility. The cam chain tensioner design was awful and cam chain guides would fail, taking the cam chain for a ride to the bottom of the crankcase: It was an IED.

“But if you fix them, they’re not that bad?” I asked. Kris told me to buy Hellbitch and suggested an unprintable place to park it. Sensing a bet, I said, “Tell you what, I’ll fix it and race it.” Great laughter followed, as the CB360 isn’t legal to race in any class where it would be remotely competitive. But the idea had legs. I’d fix the unfixable, race the unraceable and do the unthinkable. She supposedly had good compression, and even had the “:” recall mark stamped on the engine case, indicating the bad cam chain guides were replaced. A bet is a bet, so I bought Hellbitch.

Reliability first

  • Published on Apr 5, 2016
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