In reality, the first SL350 was a CL350 Honda, stripped of bulky road stuff (but retaining the starter motor and CB350 frame and wheels). It was viewed as a pariah, with no obvious benefits, and quite a few drawbacks. Dealers were sceptical and it was a slow mover from showrooms. This was early 1969, and Honda could be excused for wishing to exploit the runaway success of the CB/CL350, which had soared to top of the pops in the USA. The hybrid SL350 did not really cut the mustard however, diluting the highway performance of the road models and adding little to the myth of a 325cc twin cylinder off-roader. But most agreed, the engine adapted to its new dual personality rather well. The chassis was an altogether different proposition.
The original SL350, what these days is often referred to as a K0 but actually is just an SL350 (or Motosport in the US), can be easily distinguished from its later variants by the black-painted, rubber-mounted CV carbs, and the starter motor at the front of the engine. The black-finished exhaust pipes sit outside the front down-tube of the frame and tuck under (or almost under) the engine side covers on each side, with integral megaphone-style silencers fitted with small, chrome-plated heat shields. Inside the mufflers were USDA-approved spark arrestors. The frame itself was almost identical to
