Topic: Project 13 CB400F. Now putting on the miles...

[fastbroshi]

Congrats on the 1st place finish! I have been following this thread and obsessing over that rear Brembo brake kit since I saw your photos of it. I think I 'need' one for my CB400F! The problem is finding one! If anyone knows....!?!?

To the guy that commented on the Yoshi exhaust just hanging there: From what I understand from tuning cars is that there are other attributes that go into designing a proper flowing exhaust. The pulses of sound generated are also supposed to assist in pushing the exhaust gasses out of the pipes as well while keeping proper back pressure. It's hard for me to explain on motorcycles because I have only owned one thus far, but with cars, you see it all the time with people who will take their cars with engines that still have stock displacement/compression ratios, intake systems and fuel systems, then throw on an exhaust system that is 'supposed' to add gobs of horsepower but doesn't and simply makes that persons wallet lighter.

This is rarely the case and a serious waste of money unless significant modification has been done to the aforementioned systems. In basic basic terms, an engine is basically a glorified air pump and for the engine and exhaust to work properly, they need to be tuned to one-another so the proper back pressure and pulse are working correctly in the exhaust system.

  I totally agree about what you're saying about people throwing an exhaust on their cars.  Coffee can on a ricer springs to mind.  But then who here has the means or knowledge to correctly design an effiecient and awesome sounding exhaust?  Not an easy task.  I know there's "calculators" out there, but you're left with the best pipe math can give you.  Me, I'd give up a few bhp for an exhaust note that turns heads, if not makes ears bleed.   It's too bad two strokes are so self destructive.

  My comments weren't about the exhaust pulse and pipe diameter part of the equation as it applies to power anyway, rather the sound we get and why. 

  Awesome pipe fasturd, get that sucker jet-hot coated when you're done repairing. 

[fasturd]

I agree about tuning vs sound. There is plenty to read on the subject of how to make a functioning pipe. I have yet to find someting on sound tuning other than how to make it quiet.
Have you ever run a bike with out the exhaust at all? A few years ago I had a Honda 350 twin that had no problem running without ANY exhaust (no headers, nothing). The noise it made sounded like bubbles popping on the Laurence Welk Show. It is amazing what a pipe does to control exhaust gas flow and what that does to expand sound. It would be interesting to see the corelation between sound that is pleasant to an enthusiast and sound that makes performance. They say Kaz and Pops could tell how to tune a bike just by listening to it fly past on the track.

[fasturd]

Huge thanks to Ecosse for nominating Project 13 for BOTM!
I really appreciate the support from every one who followed this build. I will try and get a few new pictures to show it off.
Check out the BOTM thread and vote for your favorite whether or not its 13! (there are some great choices this month).

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=68304.0

Thanks!!!

Bill

[fasturd]

Hey guys 13 was nominated by Ecosse and 2nd by Meriggi for Bike Of the Month. I really appreciate all of you who have commented and followed this thread. I guess we are supposed to self promote (within reason) So, if you have not voted for bike of the month yet take a look at this months nominations and pick a favorite. 13 is up against a bunch of very cool customs. Regardless of how you vote, thanks for following along.

Here is the link for voting.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=69172.0

Best regards,
Bill.

[Zaipai]

Well worth the nomination! Gratz!!

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

Thanks Scott.

Some pretty tough competition. The bikes are all customs and quite well done!

[Zaipai]

Thanks Scott.

Some pretty tough competition. The bikes are all customs and quite well done!

I agree.. what makes it hard is all the nominations are so well done and they all bring some thing different to the table. Unlike prior months where they were all or primarily 750's, 650's 550's etc... this month its all over.. I still look at yours and think to myself you did the best work for the budget given and so its a hard call. I will likely vote for yours, as when I look at all of them yours just stands out.

That said, you should go post some before after shots etc.. on the bike of the month thread like the guy did with the chopper build..

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

I am going to be sneaking in some of the build photos and some of the before and after... I might post the entire cost list too. (but that might just make people crabby...lol !!!

[Zaipai]

I am going to be sneaking in some of the build photos and some of the before and after... I might post the entire cost list too. (but that might just make people crabby...lol !!!

Bah.. let em be crabby, I would love to have the money that some of these guys have to do a build, however I don't and I can't blame or crab about those that do. In fact its nice that people can spend the money, it gives me some nice builds to look at..

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

Hit a new milestone on project 13, 250 miles since the resurection. 250 miles since 1985! 250 miles in the last 25 years! lol. What a great little bike!

[Zaipai]

Hit a new milestone on project 13, 250 miles since the resurection. 250 miles since 1985! 250 miles in the last 25 years! lol. What a great little bike!

That's why I voted for her! 

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

Hey Scott how far away from Minneapolis are you?

[Zaipai]

According to maps.google.com I am 6 1/2 hours by car. I basically live north of chicago at the Ill, Wis border.. I used to spend lots of time in Minneapolis on my way to St. Cloud when I worked for a retailer that was based in Wisconsin.

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

This post is not completely project 13 related but it does pertain to 400s that are in my shop. My S/Os Bassani pipe is just too loud for her so I swapped it out for a Dunstall replica that I bought a few years ago. I had to "finagle" a few bits but visually it is a near match for the stock 400F pipe but with a MUCH better bark. The Bassani was Ferrari sweet in its ripping noises but it is just too far gone. I am saving it as I have a friend who can braze it up and then I will rap it and use it on a cafe bike.

Crap...forgot camera, pics to follow. The Dunstall replica came from the Dennis Kirk catalog and was cheap a few years ago.

[Zaipai]

Nice, My wife wont ride one for her self. So when I was looking at seats I had to be sure it would take two.. Please shoot pics of the bike with the replica and the old exhaust for those of us that don't know what it looks like..

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

I got before, after and compared to stock photos..Just have to load them.

[fasturd]

OK found the camera...

As I mentioned before the S/Os 400F with the Bassani pipe ran great but was getting a little too ugly to ride anymore. I purchased a Dunstall replica pipe a few years ago. Amazingly it looks VERY similar to a stock pipe. The end cap is different but cool and no one that wasn't very familiar with 400Fs would never know the difference. The nice thing is these have a great sound. Not quite as race bike rippy but a real nice snarl none the less. Stockers are way too quiet. Dennis Kirk sells these pretty reasonably. I had to add a few cuts to the header end and I used a pipe expander to make it a little bigger so it would slip on nice.

So first pic is the Bassani it is cracked almost in half and looking pretty nasty but it sounds soooooo cool.


This is the Dunstall rep. before fitting. Very nice pipe for the money.


The end cap isn't quite stock but it is cool looking. The rest of the pipe is very Honda-ish.


This is the stock pipe on my Project 13 400F compare it to the next pic of the Dunstall.



Pretty decent fake in my opinion. The S/Os bike is not perfect but with a nice detail and this pipe it will be looking pretty sharp shortly.

[Zaipai]

That tank on your S/O's bike is the same one I have been using on mine since the one I had started leaking.. Nice to know its from a 400..

That pipe is a great match..

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

Yup standard 400F tank on her almost standard 400F...lol!

I had a 400F tank on my last CB750K project...
Guys asked all the time "how did you get that 750 motor in a 400 frame?" It was hard to tell them that it was much easier to put the 400 tank on the 750...

[Zaipai]

Wow that's some serious lighting on that bike.. Do they burn bright, or is the voltage dropped between them? Interesting look tho..

Here is what mine looked like when I picked her up.. Note the tank..



edit: I am a dork, linked a pic from the protected side of my webserver..

.: Scott :.

[traveler]

Yup standard 400F tank on her almost standard 400F...lol!

I had a 400F tank on my last CB750K project...
Guys asked all the time "how did you get that 750 motor in a 400 frame?" It was hard to tell them that it was much easier to put the 400 tank on the 750...

Man, that 750 is sweet!

~Joe

[strynboen]

i have tried my 400 tank on my 550,,but its not to do, shame it vcill othervay looks cool,seat from my 550 dont either fix,,that littel 400 shame. i  have 2 seats for 550,,a flat and a 2 stage..1977 and 1978 model are different

[fasturd]

Wow that's some serious lighting on that bike.. Do they burn bright, or is the voltage dropped between them? Interesting look tho..

Here is what mine looked like when I picked her up.. Note the tank..



edit: I am a dork, linked a pic from the protected side of my webserver..

.: Scott :.

Its a was a 750 so it had no problem powering the lights not something you can leave on all the time but at highway speeds it was fine.

[fasturd]

Yup standard 400F tank on her almost standard 400F...lol!

I had a 400F tank on my last CB750K project...
Guys asked all the time "how did you get that 750 motor in a 400 frame?" It was hard to tell them that it was much easier to put the 400 tank on the 750...

Man, that 750 is sweet!

~Joe

Thanks Joe it was a great ride I had about $700 into it when I was done and it would rip to 100 like no other 750 I have owned. Had a great sound from the pipe too. "sniff" wish I hadn't have sold it...
But $$$ talks!

[fasturd]

I have been itching to ride so I tore into my S/Os 400 again tonight. The neutral light had not been working and neither was the oil pressure light. So out comes the tester and I start checking connections.
Not getting the result I want I remove the shifter and left side engine cover to test the oil pressure switch and the neutral switch... Hmm functioning fine. OK so you are in there clean up all the accumulated goop from 30 years of riding. Back to the lights, hmmm time to check the dash, nope all the bulbs are good. Check the wires they are OK too. Back to the headlight, D'oH!!! The black common connection for the dash lights was NOT hooked to the proper connector. (yes I smacked my self in the head) Plugged it back into the proper location and everything was working again.
So reassembled the dash and headlight and thought OK lets start her up. As posted a few days back this little bike rips. Well after I had mounted the pipe it was not really tearing it up like it usually did and the timing chain was sounding a little loose. So off come the carbs and a I do quick cleaning of all the common bad bits and sure enough the jets had bits-O-crap in them. Buttoned that back up and she fired right up. Then I went through the factory procedure of setting the timing chain and of course it was stuck. I went to my trusty 400 parts stash and in the drawer was a nice Poker-adjuster-thingy I copied from the internet a few years ago. It is an 8 mm stainless Allen head bolt that the tip has been gound into a nice taper point. You thread a nut (for locking) onto the bolt and then remove the upper bolt from the adjuster area. Then thread the Allen into the hole a short way. Start the engine loosen the adjuster lock nut and bolt. Then while the engine is running gently turn the Allen in. Once the bike goes quiet stop and back the Allen out a bit then use the lock nut you threaded on to lock it in place. Make sure you get the factory sealing ring in place too or you may have oil seepage. I have done this on 4 400s so far and it is by far the easiest way to adjust a stubborn tensioner. Do not force anything be careful and you will be rewarded by a smooth running quiet 400.