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Author Topic: GoGo: 1976 CB400F  (Read 2584 times)

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Offline Scott S

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GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« on: May 25, 2014, 06:46:12 am »
  This is the story of GoGo, a 1976 CB400F.

 My GF had an FJ600....great, amazing, awesome bike....but she always felt a little overwhelmed by the power of it. She (the GF) had been going through a very rough patch and not having a good year. The FJ was in the shop for service and she had been sans bike for a few months. We went to the Mods vs. Rockers event in Charlotte, NC and a friend had this little red 400F for sale. One short test ride later and she was in LOVE!




 Not quite stock, and it had been a track bike at one time, but a good rider.
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'71 CB500 K0
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'81 Yamaha XS650

Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2014, 06:50:01 am »
 We did a few minor things, such as braided brake hose, new tires in the original style, etc., and she really racked up some miles on her.

  Then, last September, she went to the Devils Whip in NC. The poor little bike came home in the back of the truck that day. :(





 
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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2014, 06:57:16 am »
 It was puking oil out of the breather and onto the swing arm. We would learn later that it overheated and the previous ring job was most likely done improperly.






 Somewhere along the way, someone had installed an automotive reg/rec., so we sourced the original parts and a tool  tray to put her back the way she should be.






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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2014, 06:59:34 am »
 Got into the engine and BOY! did we find some damage!





 Initially, we were going to do the 466cc kit. Unfortunately, the cylinders were so heat damaged that they cracked when being bored.
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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2014, 07:04:28 am »
 We found a complete replacement engine from someone else's stalled project. The price was right and it appeared to have been rebuilt.




 Got that swapped over and installed a genuine Honda 4-1 and muffler.




 Things seemed to be going great, and the bike ran like a top on the bench. However....the first test ride revealed a problem with 1st gear in the replacement engine! GRRRR!!!
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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2014, 07:08:12 am »
 At this point, we decided to forge on and took the best parts from the two motors, new cam chain and guides, etc., and made one, fresh, zero mile motor.
 We just got her back a couple of days ago. She has a tiny puff of smoke from time to time while the rings are still seating (only about 50 miles on it so far), but runs stronger, better and quieter than ever before.
 The stock exhaust looks and sounds great.




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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2014, 07:12:30 am »
 The tank that's on it now is original but has some dents and dings. It's been lined with Caswell (good stuff), but that means if we hammer out the dents, the liner may be compromised.

 I picked up a tank from eBay and we've been working on it. It needs sanding with 2000 grit and the final cut and buff, but should be on the bike soon.







 The GF likes to be hands on when it comes to her bike.

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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2014, 07:14:06 am »
 Decals being applied.



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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2014, 07:18:30 am »
 GoGo Ubari comes from the "Kill Bill" movies. She says the bike comes from Japan, is tiny and cute but comes with a surprising bag of tricks.
 Seeing her on this bike is amazing. The confidence it instills in her makes her a much better rider....not that she wasn't before...but being able to really flick the bike around and not being so overwhelmed with the power of the FJ....night and day difference.

 Here's a pic with her big brother, also from '76. Two of the sexiest exhausts to ever leave a factory.




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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2014, 11:12:28 am »
Quote from: Scott S on May 25, 2014, 07:18:30 am
GoGo Ubari comes from the "Kill Bill" movies. She says the bike comes from Japan, is tiny and cute but comes with a surprising bag of tricks.
 Seeing her on this bike is amazing. The confidence it instills in her makes her a much better rider....not that she wasn't before...but being able to really flick the bike around and not being so overwhelmed with the power of the FJ....night and day difference.

 Here's a pic with her big brother, also from '76. Two of the sexiest exhausts to ever leave a factory.




Great looking 400.  Don't let it get the same fate as GoGo -- a table leg with exposed nails to the head!
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"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
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1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline MoMo

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2014, 11:23:36 am »
very nice and good that she participates.  Especially cool that it matches the Bug...Larry
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2014, 12:56:30 pm »
Quote from: MoMo on May 25, 2014, 11:23:36 am
very nice and good that she participates.  Especially cool that it matches the Bug...Larry

GF gets full points for riding!  And she gets EXTRA POINTS for working on the bike (wet sanding the tank, etc.)!  How cool.
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1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline Stev-o

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2014, 04:35:47 pm »
Nice job Scott.  Were you the painter?
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Offline Scott S

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2014, 10:00:54 pm »
Quote from: Stev-o on May 25, 2014, 04:35:47 pm
Nice job Scott.  Were you the painter?

 My buddy did the actual spraying, but he lets/makes us do the monkey work....the sanding and prep.
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Offline kghost

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Re: GoGo: 1976 CB400F
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2014, 11:00:12 pm »
Great story and nice work
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