Topic: Winter project '75 400f

[BenelliSEI]

Nice looking bike Mark!

How does it compare to the 550 as far as rideability?

   Ya know Den, I really prefer the way the 550 felt. Decent balance between a smaller or larger bike, give it 10-15 more hp and I'd ride that bike everyday, not all day but everyday.
   The 400's just a small bike no matter what, not a bike I'd spend a long time on, at least not at my age. It's real cool factor is its age and history, pull into any parking lot with people around and you're going to draw some attention. Like any of the sohc4's, (there's still plenty of them out there) having a nice, clean, well kept and running one is the exception these days. And if you're really lucky you get to share it with others on a forum like this...

Totally agree. I loved our 400F but at +6’ and close to 200lbs I always felt a bit silly on it. My 550K was a much better fit. Having said that, my 5’8”, 128 lbs. wife looked a perfect fit and never wanted to ride the “bigger” versions. She still brings it up 10 years later!

[Mark1976]

Nice looking bike Mark!

How does it compare to the 550 as far as rideability?

   Ya know Den, I really prefer the way the 550 felt. Decent balance between a smaller or larger bike, give it 10-15 more hp and I'd ride that bike everyday, not all day but everyday.
   The 400's just a small bike no matter what, not a bike I'd spend a long time on, at least not at my age. It's real cool factor is its age and history, pull into any parking lot with people around and you're going to draw some attention. Like any of the sohc4's, (there's still plenty of them out there) having a nice, clean, well kept and running one is the exception these days. And if you're really lucky you get to share it with others on a forum like this...

Totally agree. I loved our 400F but at +6’ and close to 200lbs I always felt a bit silly on it. My 550K was a much better fit. Having said that, my 5’8”, 128 lbs. wife looked a perfect fit and never wanted to ride the “bigger” versions. She still brings it up 10 years later!

   Last spring in converted my other 400f's front fork back to its original set up after having a 550 dual disc fork on it for years. It's an entirely different ride now (feels and behaves like a small bike), the 400f's front end is just less everything, much softer and virtually no damping at all, even after adding heavier fork oil and spring spacers. I'm 5'10 and 190 lbs, I'm riding on the edge of what it can and will do and still feel comfortable about the feedback it gives. I live in a small town (3000 residents) and for the riding in and around the area, it's just right. I could ride it longer/farther like to the Adirondacks but there's other, larger more comfortable bikes for that...
   But regardless, its a really great ride to have in any individuals collection provenance or not and if for no other reason, just because. ...

[Mark1976]

   Ok, if for no other reason than "just because I can", I decided to change out the dyna ignition for the traditional points and condensers (all ND parts). And I gotta admit, it definitely starts and runs better in the lower rpm range than it does with the dyna. I've not ridden it a great deal, haven't been able to all summer, been experiencing some health issues (again) which have really curbed my activity levels.
   We've got good weather for the next several days or so, so I'll try and get out for a more long term sample ride. I'm not a real big dyna fan on the smaller cb's, they're definitely set and forget in terms of maintenance but I don't think they're any improvement. If I find the motivation and the energy, I'll slip in one of Mark's transistor ignitions for comparison (it's a quick and easy process), just because, I have one on my other 400f (been installed at least 10 yrs) and its definitely an improvement over a dyna ignition. They just start and idle better.
   

[denward17]

Interesting on the ND points ignition.  BTW, what is a ND points system?

Sorry to hear about your health issues, hopefully you will feel better soon.

[Mark1976]

Interesting on the ND points ignition.  BTW, what is a ND points system?

Sorry to hear about your health issues, hopefully you will feel better soon.

Nippon Denso.... points and condensers...
Thks den...