Zach O’Brien got his 1971 CB350 for just $400, running and titled. He’s built several bikes, but this one is a favorite: his wife, daughter and son all helped with the build. After picking up the CB, Zach took it home and “went to town, tearing it down. Cut off as many tabs and extrusions as I could.” He then sold off most of the surplus parts and got his $400 back. Just about every remaining component was repainted, powdercoated or de-chromed. Zach tossed the battery, battery box, and wiring harness, re-wired the bike and stuffed everything related under the new seat. “I love the look of absolutely nothing between the rear tire and the engine,” he says. “I wanted the headlight to flow with the tank and tail, instead of up high as seen on a lot of cafe racers. So I bought a small chopper headlight and mounted it to the triple.“ The seat is a replica item, and Zach rebuilt the forks, cutting off the ears on the fork covers and cutting down the fender to give the front end a beefier look. He ditched the speedometer, mounted a tach, and installed clubman bars with just a throttle, levers, and a kill button. The exhaust is stock: stripped of the chrome, and just chopped. (“It’s stupid loud.”) There’s no rocket science here, just a bare bones racer look. And it works. Just the essentials, and nothing more.
