Topic: Honda CB400 four: Ver. 8.0 for Cancer Awareness ON EBAY NOW

[Stev-o]

Another yellow, looks good with the black fenders. Larry - you are the 400 master!

So, what's in store for 8.0?

[Lyle]

Larry,
I'm not new to motorcycling but rather new to the SOHC world, hence a couple of newby questions.

Did you do the honda script on the white tank freehand or is it a decal of template?  Love it.
I've read a lot of criticism of the brakes the 400f, do you do anything to increase their performance?

Thanks in advance.

[MoMo]

Another yellow, looks good with the black fenders. Larry - you are the 400 master!

So, what's in store for 8.0?

Thanks, Steve.   Since 8.0 is for cancer I gave the painter total freedom as long as he uses pearl, silver and pink.  He has had the tank, fenders, tail light and side covers at least 2 months but I sort of expect him to be done in a couple weeks.  I took my El Camino to him for restoraton, he said he'll finish the tank before he starts on the El Camino



I took the top off before I dropped off the car. It is a fugly top but also somewhat cool. If it is worth something I will sell the top, otherwise I will keep it and maybe occasionally use it. Cost for body work and paint estimate is 5k....Larry

[MoMo]

Larry,
I'm not new to motorcycling but rather new to the SOHC world, hence a couple of newby questions.

Did you do the honda script on the white tank freehand or is it a decal of template?  Love it.
I've read a lot of criticism of the brakes the 400f, do you do anything to increase their performance?

Thanks in advance.

Lyle,   I sort of freehanded the script and then gave it to a graphics shop to clean up.  I also choose the script for the front plate.  The shop charged me somewhere around $65 to print the tank and license logo on their higher end vinyl.  I cleared over the tank with the 2k,  I had to cut each letter out of the Cb400F and install each individually to fit the curve of the plate I made.  I may be able to email it to you if I can figure out how to do that.

I am 66 so I don't ride all that fast and the brakes are more than adequate.  Even when I was younger I found the brakes adequate.  One of the bikes had Ferrodo pads and I drilled the disc-braking was improved(I don't remember which Version though )...Larry

[Stev-o]

Larry - that top is fugly, the El will look much better without it. There was a time that I towed my boat that I wanted one, but never did get one.

$5K for body work and paint? You gonna spend that??

[MoMo]

Larry - that top is fugly, the El will look much better without it. There was a time that I towed my boat that I wanted one, but never did get one.

$5K for body work and paint? You gonna spend that??

Seems stupid but I have always wanted one so I'm going to do it.  He has to replace the bed, some body panels, floors. It won't be a frame off restoration but somewhat close

[MoMo]

Larry - that top is fugly, the El will look much better without it. There was a time that I towed my boat that I wanted one, but never did get one.

$5K for body work and paint? You gonna spend that??

Seems stupid but I have always wanted one so I'm going to do it.  He has to replace the bed, some body panels, floors. It won't be a frame off restoration but somewhat close.  I can fund the resto with bike sales: Silverwing, XL125, Sabre,  Red Ryder if necessary.  Plan is to have graphics made for the El Camino to advertise my shop.

[Stev-o]

Larry - that top is fugly, the El will look much better without it. There was a time that I towed my boat that I wanted one, but never did get one.

$5K for body work and paint? You gonna spend that??

Seems stupid but I have always wanted one so I'm going to do it.  He has to replace the bed, some body panels, floors. It won't be a frame off restoration but somewhat close.  I can fund the resto with bike sales: Silverwing, XL125, Sabre,  Red Ryder if necessary.  Plan is to have graphics made for the El Camino to advertise my shop.

Not stupid if that's what you want. Go for it....

[MoMo]

Larry - that top is fugly, the El will look much better without it. There was a time that I towed my boat that I wanted one, but never did get one.

$5K for body work and paint? You gonna spend that??

Seems stupid but I have always wanted one so I'm going to do it.  He has to replace the bed, some body panels, floors. It won't be a frame off restoration but somewhat close.  I can fund the resto with bike sales: Silverwing, XL125, Sabre,  Red Ryder if necessary.  Plan is to have graphics made for the El Camino to advertise my shop.

Not stupid if that's what you want. Go for it....

I will have about 7k into it when done, that includes the purchase price.

[Lyle]

Thanks for the info Larry. 

[MoMo]

The present reincarnation, Ver. 8.0(possibly will be called The PinkPanther), has been a frankenbike.   It was purchased a year or two ago from a fellow forum member who lived below Baltimore for $400. Bike was a project he abandoned(as were most all my finds) and came disassembled, however the motor was intact.  As an aside, Baltimore is only a couple hours at most from my house-but the day we arranged for the pick up was the day before the Grand Prix I think it took me close to 4 hours to get there and maybe 6 to get home .Worst traffic jam I was ever in, as most of the city roads were closed to set up for the race.  After meeting Jason to get the bike I was hungry so he recommended Chipotles-I had never even heard of one but now am a big fan as their fast food is pretty good.  I left to start back and saw that the route he recommended was as bad as the route I came down on so I stopped at the cafe crowds hangout(Starbucks) for a cup of mocha java.  Started  a conversation with a local who said I'd be better off waiting out the jam there rather than sitting in traffic.  So I waited close to two hours then started home on somewhat clear roads.


 A bonus to all that was when I got home I was so wound up I couldn't sleep so I surfed a local website where people buy and sell items.  Advertised was an old Honda 750 for 125$ that if someone did not buy he was going to scrap it .    I called him first thing the following morning and made arrangements to pick it up at 9 am.   I was maybe 20 mintues late and when I got there he was getting ready to load it on his truck to take it to the scrap yard(wtf, you gotta be kidding ). I handed him the 125 and went home with a fairly nice although untitled 750




Nice bike, huh?   Got it running and illegally rode it for several days to make sure all was OK with it.  Project is on the back burner until I get the title situation ironed out...Larry

[MoMo]

El Caminos and untitled 750s set aside and back to the latest 400 four-Ver. 8.0.   As mentioned it was in pieces and purchased from a fellow forum member.  I bought the bike about 2 years ago and have been borrowing(stealing ) parts from it for Vers. 6  & 7 so I have used parts from other buys and builds to complete this version, hence the description frankenbike. No idea where the levers came from but I do know the right and left controls are from a Silverwing.  I was able to cut the plug connectors off and rewire both controls to work with the original wire harness(it was not touched or cut). 


The grip has since been moved closer. I used these tools along with terminals from Vintage Connections to redo the wiring. Highly recommend his crimper.  I have 4 or 5 crimpers, including a Klein, and his was far easier. It took me a couple loose connectors to realize one has to squeeze quite tightly. Two photos of control ends before modification.



This is the reason I decided to use the Silverwing controls.
The right switch was in way worse condition

Thanks for followng....Larry

[RAFster122s]

The controls should work well. They are cheap enough sometimes. Glad it has some progress outside work. When will the bike be auctioned? Don't recall if you had said.

David

[Tews19]

I swear I have seen that bike out and about the past few years.. are those pipes decent?

[MoMo]

I swear I have seen that bike out and about the past few years.. are those pipes decent?

Must be a clone Tews (however I did post it here when I first got it).  Pipes are fair, holes in the bottom but serviceable. I have a titled 750 with a bad motor and a set of Lester wheels , plan is to switch over the motor, tank, side covers and handlebars and have a retro 70s cruiser.  That will probably happen if this build ever gets done.

Still waiting on the tank...Larry

[MoMo]

The controls should work well. They are cheap enough sometimes. Glad it has some progress outside work. When will the bike be auctioned? Don't recall if you had said.

David

The controls do work fine and were considerably cheaper than buying new replacements.  I think I paid $30 on Ebay with shipping included.   Still waiting for the tank, so sale cannot happen until it is finished and I have put at least a hundred miles on it to insure reliability...Larry

[MoMo]

The clutch bracket is either a Montesa or Magura(as there is an M stamped on it) brake bracket that I flipped upside down to work with the unknown clutch lever I had.


The Norman Hyde bars, Gran Turismo grips and bar end mirrors came with a 750 basket case I had bought

Tach will not be used, neither will the idiot lights.


Turn signals will not be mounted where they are hanging, and I may mount the oil and neutral lights in those holes.

Did I mention I'm still waiting on the painter?...Larry

[RAFster122s]

Nice, Norman Hyde bars are said to be nice as well.
Looking forward to more photos of it...as the story develops.
David

[MoMo]

One thing I have not mentioned is the inspiration for my design style for this version,  and that is the bike in my avatar-an Opel 500.



Ver. 9(if there is one) will be silver, red instead of pink and have red tires if there is a way to do that. Maybe red PlastiDip spray??

Oh yes, I am still waiting on the painter...Larry

[Lyle]

That Opel is one cool, crazy looking bike.  If you stare at it long enough parts of it almost start to look retro-modern in an Art Deco sort of way.

[Stev-o]

Hey Larry - is the paintwork done yet?

[MoMo]

Hey Larry - is the paintwork done yet?

Guess what Steve?   Still waiting on the painter....Larry

[RAFster122s]

Larry, there are bunches of YouTube videos of PlastiDip spraying cars and the like. It is a matt/low gloss finish and apparently works well on all kinds of surfaces from wheels to body panels. You can buy it prethinned in various colors. Could be an interesting temporary treatment to see what you could do with it. Wonder how a tank would hold up to fuel spills and the like. Could apply a flame paint job with primary colors...no fades...just for grins.
Apparently it doesn't scuff easily and you could do things like spray a set of knee dent like pads on the tank, or if it came in clear a protective strip near the seat or tank top for beneath a tank bag to protect it for a trip or in general use.
I know 3M makes a paint protective film for that kind of thing used for stone and bug protection...

You could mock up a tank graphic design and see if it needed tweaks or changes before committing to final paint.

[MoMo]

David, I work at Home Depot in the tool rental and paint department, where we sell the red spray PlastiDip. I just may buy some and spray it on the PC tires for an experiment. 
I have to assess what I have and am missing before I start on 9.0.   I have a feeling I'm missing too much.

[Stev-o]

Paint work on tank done?