Author Topic: Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer  (Read 2644 times)

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marvellous

  • Guest
Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer
« on: August 04, 2008, 01:54:49 PM »
Good morning all!!  Here is the start of a long project my fiance and I will be working on over the next year or so.  The bike we'll be working on is a 1978 Honda CB400A.  Yep, a Hondamatic but the price was right -> $200.  It's in pieces, the previous owner had started to take it apart to do the very same thing we have in mind but just didn't have time for it and so here we are.  I've worked on cars before but never such a project as this and we're really looking forward to it.  The finished project will be my fiance's bike (I have a Ducati Monster).  Along the way, I'll be asking a LOT of questions, I'm sure.  I'll be adding pics and such (see below). 

First Q: Should I purchase the Haynes Manual for the bike or the Clymer or both?
Second Q: Where should I start?  My thoughts were to do some research (see Q #1) prior to tearing things down.  We're not restoring the bike, but turning it into the a cafe racer.  But with that in mind, we were going to tear it down to the frame, repaint it and then go from there. 

Of course any suggestions or comments are encouraged... :)


Thank you all and keep the rubber side down!
Marvel


martino1972

  • Guest
Re: Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2008, 02:09:00 PM »
cool,what are your plans?? rebuild original or cafe/bobber/chopper???

marvellous

  • Guest
Re: Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2008, 04:23:41 PM »
Cafe racer... Hopefully we can add a few HP to the bike as well (20hp stock I believe... LOL)... :)

Offline scunny

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Re: Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2008, 09:40:08 PM »
does the bike run ?
past-cb100,ts250,cb500,cb500,gs1000,gs650g.phillips traveller
present-CB 650 retro
            VTR1000F3
           XL250S riverbed rocket
           TS250[sold]
           TS185[sold]
           XL125S[sold]
           MT50 (white)
           MT50 (red)[sold]
           KN250/XS400 project
           XR/XL250 bitsa under construction
           SL100[sold]
           XL250R
           pedal(pub bike) leaks oil
my gallery http://gallery.sohc4.net/members/personal/scunny

martino1972

  • Guest
Re: Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2008, 09:42:14 PM »
does the bike run ?

 :D :D   i think those carb's in that box have to be put on first.. ;D ;D

marvellous

  • Guest
Re: Newbie Project: CB400A Cafe Racer
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2008, 11:19:04 PM »
It turns over when you apply some 'knee grease' to the kick starter but beyond that, yeah, would need to put it all back together to make sure of said 'running' status...

Btw: is it possible to switch out from automatic to 5 speed, would that require a whole new engine, etc...