1969 Honda SL350 K0 Walkaround and cold start

Walk around showing off results if 5-month frame up restoration of a first-year 1969 Honda SL350 K0. Features of bike are explained and bike is started up from cold.

[@alanreilly9056]

Dear Sir, I live in Australia and am now 67 years old and in 1973 I bought a brand new Honda SL175, ( baby brother to your SL350 ) but your SL350 is absolutely beautiful, an outstanding restoration!

[@mixermanbear.4002]

I’m 53 years old and that is literally a lifelong dream bike to me! Absolutely stunning! The SL is the Coolest looking motorcycle ever made in my opinion!😎👍

[@mikereinhardt4807]

Beautiful restoration on the bike. I owned one back in the early 70's and it was the twin of the one you have, right down to the paint scheme, and it came brand new with an electric start. Those engines were bullet proof. One day while trail riding with friends we started challenging each other and tried climbing this really tall hill with a tree just to the right side. They all had smaller and lighter bikes than mine and I was determined to show them i could do anything they could. Well I hit that hill wide open and at the top I hit a rut that threw the bike sideways and me off the saddle. That bike got hung up in the tree by it's throttle cable with the rear tire a foot and a half off the ground. I scrambled back to it and hit the kill switch, that engine was screaming wide open for what seamed like an eternity. It held togeather though. Great bike and bullet proof. Thanks for bringing back a lot of great memories...

[@kosmjon2]

Thank you! Wow, that must have been quite a sight and sound with the bike hug up on the tree and the engine screaming at full throttle. They are tough well-made bikes as you said and no surprise it held together. I have now restored 30 Honda motorcycle from the 60s and 70s and this was one of the most challenging. Finding a good exhaust system and heat shield was especially tough. Thank you for your comment.

[@TXH1138]

I had one but can't remember if it was 69 or 70. I rode it everywhere. Wish I had it back. I don't remember the bars on mine being that high. Awesome restoration.

[@shannonwittman950]

Motosport was a brand new word from Honda to all of us Yanks. My high school buddy bought the SL 100. Pretty bike but it had a notorious flat spot just off idle. Honda cured that in subsequent incarnations; and anyway, the SL125 came out shortly after which was a huge sales success. Equally notorious were the flat-black upswept exhaust arrangements on all the SL's. While they looked very cool and sounded nice n' throaty, they got dinged and scraped quickly. Honda also addressed that problem in subsequent incarnations. All in all, the Motosport line was highly successful; evidence that Honda had middle-class American motorcycling preferences down to a science.

[@darthgrundle2349]

The valves are tapping pretty hard, these motors are usually pretty quiet. I think you need get your feeler gauge out and check the tappet clearences.

[@kosmjon2]

Yes, one was loose. This was addressed before the sale and another video was added to show the improved sound.

[@sirlawrencet]

I owned an SL350 and for 2 years it was my principle vehicle. Great bike for on road and trails and some dirt biking. It could get up to 95mph, nearly touch 100. There is nothing available today that combines the comfortable rideability, dirt capability, and pep of this bike. If there was I would buy it.

[@chrismoody1342]

Nice restore. This bike brings back a lot of memories. Rode one to the top of Pikes Peak back in the day.

[@dannyrybeck]

Very nice job, I had a red one 1971 in high school in the 70's, I rode it to death on the trails though, always wanted to get another one.

[@Triumphwonderdog]

Beautiful bike, nice job bringing it back to life!

[@anthonyangeli256]

Nice bike. I have it's big brother, '80 cb 750c

[@rayst.pierre4499]

This is the SL I've been looking for,very nice!

[@mackenzie77777]

The bike from "The Omega man" film with Charlton Heston.

[@jmsiii4751]

Nice bike. You did great job. I remember them well.

[@timking1050]

My god, what a beauty

[@timking1050]

Exhast valves a little wide, but what a peach

[@seventhson9441]

John. Thanks for the vid. I had a "69" Blue one, in 1971, JUST like your vid. I sat on one about 15 years ago,....NOPE, wrong handle bars, too short, I see you had the original taller ones. I liked them because l liked to stand up a lot, horsing around. I was the 2nd best wheelie champ in my area, shifting through 3 gears !!!!! Oh my, that muffly thumping, sound, YUP. Just plain Beautiful. I did not like the look of the newer ones , with the aluminum looking tank .

[@bradwiebelhaus7065]

I had a blue SL350 back in 72.

[@lylesgarage]

Beautiful Jon👍🏻

[@kosmjon2]

Thank you.!

[@jackheinemann8780]

Nice Job on that one, I'm currently doing up a K2, Looking forward to getting it as nice as that bike and back on the road.

[@user-jr8ez7cj5v]

Yes.Very good..Love♥️♥️👍

[@josebelismelis2450]

I born in 1952 That was my first bike in 1970 same colors

[@kevinomara3293]

Nice Job, may I add my 2 cents worth? I bought an XL350 brand new in 1971 for $750 and I was a bit of a conisure at the age of 19, or at least I thought I was. As I remember the 71 was the first year with electric start. The 70 was a much heavier cycle and was kick start only. Mine was blue, an exact replica of yours. My best friend had the 1970.

[@kevinomara3293]

Sorry, I meant to say SL350

[@justinstearns9723]

@@kevinomara3293 69 and 70 SLs were K0s and had electric start, the same frame as a CB/CL 350, and CV carbs. The 71-73 K1 and K2 were kick start only, they did away with the electric start to make them lighter, and they had a different frame that was also lighter and more rugged, and Kehin slide carbs.

[@jimbo2487]

Beautiful bike!

[@kosmjon2]

Thank you very much! She is up for auction until 4 March 2021 here: bringatrailer.com/listing/1969-honda-sl350-k0/

[@timking1050]

I hade one identical to it, i rode it 32,000 miles it was a thrill

[@realitycheck1004]

Love it

[@skydancerforever]

Nice looking. Did you sell it?

[@kosmjon2]

Thank you. Yes it was sold on the Bring a Trailer auction site back in March of 2021.

[@craigperring1285]

Is this bike for sale?

[@kosmjon2]

Hi, sorry no. It was sold on bring a trailer not long after completion.

[@lostcat9lives322]

Electric start motor? Not an SL motor. CL or CB. I had a 1971 SL350 in my high school years of the late 70s. Two of my friends at that time own the same model. I've owned 20 motorcycles. The SL350 is still my favorite. They vibrated worse than a lesbian toy and would, with enough mileage, inevitably crack the frames and reduce the exhaust system to junk. Pity that they have become unavailable/unaffordable. Obsolete but loveable.

[@kosmjon2]

Hi, first year 69 such as this bike and some early 70 SL had electric start. Then it was removed. This motor has a serial number starting with SL350E-

[@lostcat9lives322]

@@kosmjon2 I stand corrected. Good luck with it all

[@mikereinhardt4807]

I had a 1970 SL350 exactly like the one in this video, down to the paint scheme, and I can tell you for sure it came with an electric start right from the factory...