Topic: Anyone know about the CM400?

[skamania19]

I know of a 1981 CM400 Hondamatic for sale. It's been in a garage unridden for about 5-7 years. As I recall it's got about 30,000 miles on it. I thought I might buy it for my son who will be getting his license next year.

I know nothing about the Hondamatics. Anybody familiar with these? I think I could get it for $600 - $700. Looking for anything you know about whether these were good bikes and if this might be a good price.

BTW, it's cosmetically clean with decent tires, etc.

[KB02]

My first road bike was a 1981 Honda CM400 custom. (Regular trans, not the hondamatic) I can tell you that the bike in general is an AWESOME machine and I would highly recomend one as a first bike. As for the Hondamatic part, I really don't have allot of experience with them, but, pretty much, if it's been taken care of, it'll take you anywhere you want to go.

[Killer Canary]

I've heard that they tended to run hot; the headers are usually pretty blue. Later models had an oil cooler under the sump.
Buddy has an'81 400 Hawk and it's Rough on the highway, better shocks would help.

[Leino]

I've heard that they tended to run hot; the headers are usually pretty blue. Later models had an oil cooler under the sump.
Buddy has an'81 400 Hawk and it's Rough on the highway, better shocks would help.

My wife has a 1982 CB-400N, the engine is same as CM's.Transmission is the biggest difference, CB has a 6 speed tranny.
It runs really hot! Oil temp is usually around 110-125 celsius.
I've been thinking of adding an oil cooler.

[byidesign]

I had a 1980 cm400t back when they were a new item, I now have 3, {restored two} for my kids
    first road bikes, If the fenders,gas tank etc. are not rusted,and it was cared for, they will run
     forever ,with normal  maintenance. new synthetic oil ,will eliminate most of the "running hot"
     problems, as well as going {one} step richer,{larger} on the low jets{idle circuit.} for reference,
        Haynes Carburettor, and fuel systems Techbook, covers this pretty well...
      good Luck

[crazypj]

I work a motorcycle trade school. They used CM400A engines to teach engine building until last year. (double balancers need timing, bit more difficult than 'normal' engine) Most were from 1981 and had been stripped down thousands of times and rebuilt. They very rarely failed to run, no matter how badly they had been put together. Even the Harley guys were quite imperessed by how much abuse (not always accidental) they would take without blowing up.
Main problem I found when they were new was removing clutch cover to adjust balance shaft chain tensioner, should not have been necessary at 500miles.
PJ

[red8657]

I have a cm400t.  I can vouch for these as a great starter bike, although I ride mine all over the country.  Another vote that they are hard to kill.  Rebuild those carbs, and you're good to go for many thousand more miles.