I am looking for something to use to tool around my neighborhood, the nearest grocery store etc. The bike will probably never see anything higher than a 35 mph zone. I just want something that is mildly entertaining at low speeds and will look interesting in my garage. Think of it as a scooter substitute.
the 350-4 link isn't working, but the Bushwhacker looks neat. All look a little pricey, but if they are good runners and have titles, they probably won't lose any value.
that 250 bobber looks like junk though.
Of your choices I'd go with the Suzuki Bearcat. Old Suzukis were generally pretty reliable, that particular model is small and light so it will be easy to handle as well to store in the garage, plus it has the factory luggage rack for when you go to the store. 
It's also somewhat collectible (as far as old Japanese bikes go.)
edit: I suspect the seat pan on the Suzuki may be bent or cracked - they did have sort of a banana shape to them, but that one looks more pronounced than it should. If there are cracks or tears in the seat cover, water gets into the foam and sits there, rotting out the seat pan.
I would go with the Bushwacker or Bearcat.
I like the BearCat, but if you're only boot scooting around town, fetching beer and bread; have you thought about a scooter?
I had a lot of trouble sourcing parts for my Suzuki b100p back in the day. Nowadays the Internet has grown a lot so it might be easier. But look and see if b105p parts are available before pulling the trigger. I literally could not find a magneto or anything.
OK, 86 the trunk box, there's enough room under the seat for two helmets.
Parts availability better than anything on your list.
Bigger resale audience than anything on your list.
http://bham.craigslist.org/mcd/3157841081.html
914Driver wrote: I like the BearCat, but if you're only boot scooting around town, fetching beer and bread; have you thought about a scooter?
Yeah, I've thought real quite a bit about a ruckus or a ruckus clone.
In reply to 914Driver:
What is it? CL is blocked at work. I posted the links from home.
dculberson wrote: I had a lot of trouble sourcing parts for my Suzuki b100p back in the day. Nowadays the Internet has grown a lot so it might be easier. But look and see if b105p parts are available before pulling the trigger. I literally could not find a magneto or anything.
Pretty much any motorcycle more than ten years old can be hard to find parts for if you're going to your friendly local dealer, but in this internet age there are a lot more possibilities. I can think of a half dozen places that specialize in old Suzukis, plus there's eBay. Old Kawasakis are probably the worst for finding parts, Hondas are the easiest, and Suzuki and Yamaha are somewhere in between.
Those are all overpriced, but the 350-4 is the only one worth considering.
That said, you can do better for less.
How about a Rokon? 2wd. Fuel storage in the wheels. floats. Go's anywhere. slow as berkeley. guaranteed conversation piece
The 350-4 would probably be my choice, too, as they are neat little bikes and Honda still has the best spares supply for the old stuff - not from Honda themselves, but there are enough specialists around.
That one however wears some sort of crappy exhaust or at least cans, and IIRC the original exhausts are close to unobtanium. That said, the 400-4 is a much better bike, but also more sought after and thus more expensive.
Hondamatic? Way to ruin the motorcycle experience. You can do better. Find a CB350; they are everywhere, and parts are everywhere.
I really dig that Suzuki. The Kawi is okay too. My opinion based on very little is that the order of quality in Japanese bikes is Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki (and I own a Kawi, so I'm only insulting myself). Any of them will be better than a Triumph or BSA. 
That scooter is just hideous. A Ruckus is cool. A Vespa is cool in a retro way. That thing is just a bad 1980s nightmare regardless of how practical it may be. And scooter people are just...odd. Any old bike will be cool to most any gearhead. A scooter is only cool to other scooter people. And I truly dislike that feeling of not having anything between my legs (no, not THAT) when I ride. Scooters feel dangerous to me as a result.
The problem with the Honda is you know that you will need to rebuild the carbs (you always do). Well there are three more then on the singles, so it is that much more in parts and labor. The rebuild kits for my cb 360 were $40 each and if you needed a diaphragm they were $90
Out of the above list I would go with the Bearcat or the 72 honda. One of the down side is you can pick up much newer bikes for almost the same money and much easer to get parts for.
Paul B
The Hondamatic Hawk is SLOW. Disconcertingly slow.
I worked on a buddy's that he bought to flip, did a little basic repair/maintenance, then did the test ride. I thought something was very wrong until I talked to my old boss from the motorcycle shop, who has ridden and worked on everything. He just said, "Oh yeah, they're all like that."
Like, slow enough that I had to paddle my feet from a dead stop.
If you're a very small person, it might be okay. If you're average to large, look elsewhere.
If you want some excitement and not the run of the mill...
Yamaha's RD series. The last of the two strokes Max.
In reply to alex:
I am 6' 2", 200 lbs. Will I be too big for these bikes?
Get a TW200!!
Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to alex: I am 6' 2", 200 lbs. Will I be too big for these bikes?
Depends on the bike. Between the 350-4 you linked (or a similar year 350 twin, which would be my personal preference) and the Hondamatic, there's a pretty huge gap in performance. Seriously, the 350's are like sportbikes in comparison to the Hondamatic. In this case, it comes down to the automatic transmission - specifically, it sucks.
But "too big" is a personal thing. I'm your size and I fit fine on Honda 350's of all stripes. My girlfriend owned and I maintained/modified a CB360T, and I was comfortable on that in its stock configuration. She wanted lower bars, which put my hands a little close to my knees (stock footpegs) but it was still OK. For just putting around town, I'd personally go with stock or higher bars, a la the CL or SL series. Plus they have that cool scrambler vibe.
Xceler8x wrote: If you want some excitement and not the run of the mill... Yamaha's RD series. The last of the two strokes Max.
Damn right
Those old bikes are pretty small compared to todays bikes.
my CB360 looks like a two thirds the size on my monster.
here I am - all 5'9" / 200 lbs of me on it.
In reply to Rusnak_322:
Is that thing lowered or something. Man. It looks tiny.
The front is dropped 1 1/2" and the rear is raised up about 1". there is no seat pad on in that shot, but the seat pad I made is still lower then the stock seat.
But the stock parts bike I have is still small.
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