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Through the 50s, if you wanted a special purpose motorcycle, you modified it to fit your needs. In the 60s and 70s, factories began making variations of motorcycles to fit specific applications. Honda's CL350 is such a bike. At its core, it is a CB350 -- the standard road-going 350 Honda. The CL is a European-style scrambler, based on the CB platform. Virtually unchanged from the first model in 1968, the '74 CL was the last of the line.
The Platform
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The CB, CL and SL lineup shared a 325 cc inline twin, air-cooled, four-stroke, single overhead cam motor producing about 33 hp. The transmission was a five-speed, transmitting power by chain. It used drum brakes, had a wheelbase of 52 inches and weighed in at 346 pounds without fuel and oil.
What's Unique to the CL
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The CL is a CB, adapted to an on-road/off-road enduro. It has higher fenders and twin high pipes with vented heat shields. In addition, the CL has motocross style handlebars. The grip is wider than the CB and its handlebars had a motocross-style crossbar. It had tires suitable for its purpose: an on-road/off-road knobby.
Not To Be Confused With the "F"
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Because the CB350 and CL350 are identical in many ways, it's easy to think a CB350F is also similar. But the 1974 Honda CB350F is a very different bike. "F" stands for "four," as in four cylinders, not two. The inline four layout is completely different and a precursor to the fabled CB400F Super Sport. It is the transition from utility bike to sport bike.
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