Author Topic: 1975 CB400F  (Read 16514 times)

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Offline Kevin

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #75 on: March 14, 2015, 07:06:26 PM »
Wow!!! Just WOW!!!
I'd like to come over and apprentice for you for a while. :-)
A couple of 400F's and a
'98 Suzuki Intruder VS1400 ~ for long rides

Offline NobleHops

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #76 on: March 15, 2015, 06:46:40 AM »
Wow John,

You did an incredible job on this bike, and faster that I would have believed possible. Really impressive, and I learned a lot from your thread, even just having finished mine.

Thanks a ton for taking us along and photographing and documenting it so well. This thread is a fantastic resource for those that will follow, and just enjoyable to read.

Nils
Nils Menten * Tucson, Arizona, USA

I have a motorcycle problem.

My build thread: NobleHops makes a 400F pretty for his wife: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=131210.0

Offline Restoration Fan

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #77 on: March 15, 2015, 07:00:07 AM »
I would like to retract my earlier praise and change it to a big thumbs down to John.  ::)

After looking at this thread last night, I spent 30 minutes looking through eBay and Craigslist looking for a stinking CB400F and we haven't even finished this doggone 750 build yet!  :P

Just kidding on the thumbs down but I did, in fact, spend time looking for a 400F last night. 
Ron

Stella - Logan's Senior Project    78 750K http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=141761.0

Logan's Reward - CB500 and CB550 Cafes    http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,147787.0.html

Offline nvr2old

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #78 on: March 15, 2015, 11:00:06 AM »
The 400F looks great.  Time spent and attention to detail has proven itself.  You should be very, very proud of the results.
'76 CB550F-'72 XL250-'82 MB5-'82 CX500 Turbo-'77 naked Goldwing-'75 CB400F cafe'-'79 Suzuki GS1000S..hey, it's a Wes Cooley..

Offline przjohn

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #79 on: March 15, 2015, 01:16:39 PM »
It's crazy how this day sneaks up on you. Today was finish the bike day. The main issue was the mirrors. Due to the tower length of the front master the throttle side mirror looked high to me. This bike didn't have mirrors when I got it and the mirrors I bought were Honda mirrors, it just didn't look right to me that one side was higher, especially with the low bars.







I ended up cutting 25MM off the throttle side mirror and threading it down to be the same height as the other mirror.




Not sure if they were that way stock but for me they look better.
I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking at dead things with a stick.

Offline przjohn

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #80 on: March 15, 2015, 01:23:19 PM »
Thanks to all who viewed my thread and those that responded. Special thanks to too many bikes mike for finding me this gem and fellow CT Rambler Larry Kilgore for the fantastic paint. So, until next Winter and a bike yet to be determined, well maybe 2 bikes. The KTM 250 needs to be done and I have a few other ideas on a street bike too. Mike, we'll talk about what to start looking for. The Sun came out for a few minutes and I took the finished pics, hope you enjoy them.






















I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking at dead things with a stick.

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #81 on: March 15, 2015, 01:24:04 PM »
Ready to fire?
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 przjohn

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #82 on: March 15, 2015, 01:53:31 PM »
It's all stoked, tuned, and has been ridden thru all 6 gears. Just needs some seat time when this hellish Winter is over.
I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking at dead things with a stick.

Offline Jp from Oz

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #83 on: March 11, 2016, 08:52:18 PM »
I know it's been a while but I was wondering if you ever did go with the lithium option?
Awesome work on your build too mate.

Offline przjohn

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #84 on: March 13, 2016, 02:14:08 PM »
I know it's been a while but I was wondering if you ever did go with the lithium option?
Awesome work on your build too mate.

Yes, I did end up going with a Lithium, an Antigravity Brand. I am a fan of Lithiums because you can let the bike sit and not worry about the battery. I have a few vintage bikes on Lithiums and they all have one thing in common, a modern regulator/rectifier, no problems. If I have a bike that needs a new battery it gets a Lithium. Thanks for your like on the build.
I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking at dead things with a stick.

Offline Bootsey

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #85 on: March 15, 2016, 09:40:38 PM »
Just caught up on your build, brilliant stuff, incredible transformation!
Did you do the zinc plating yourself? If so, would you be able to give a run down of the details on your setup and process?

Offline przjohn

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #86 on: March 16, 2016, 12:25:20 PM »
Just caught up on your build, brilliant stuff, incredible transformation!
Did you do the zinc plating yourself? If so, would you be able to give a run down of the details on your setup and process?

Yes I did the Zinc plating with the Caswell kit. There are some other less expensive home made options on the internet but the Caswell Kit works well. It is pretty easy to do.
I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking at dead things with a stick.

Offline kap384@telus.net

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #87 on: March 18, 2016, 12:24:04 PM »
Incredible build.  Dammit I need to start on mine!  If only it ends up as nice as yours!
1965 Honda CB450K0
1972 Honda CT70K1
1975 Honda MR50
1975 Honda CB400F Supersport
1977 Honda CB750F2 Supersport
1978 Honda XL100
1979 Honda CBX Supersport
1982 Honda VF750S Sabre - Adventure Bike modified
1983 Honda CX650T
1995 Honda VFR750
2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
2015 KTM 200 XC-W
1963 Suzuki T10
My 1977 CB750F restoration - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=66779.0
My 1975 CB400F restoration -
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=145196.msg1651779#msg1651779
'More Stock Than Not' thread - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=90807.500
My CT70 Resurrection - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=145221.0
Best Motorcycle Tool Ever - https://www.engduro.com

Offline jerry h

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #88 on: March 19, 2016, 09:31:34 PM »
Hi John,

Absolutely beautiful bike!   Really enjoyed reading through your restoration.  Can't wait to see some nice summer "out on the road pics". 

Very nice!! ;)
"It is not the critic who counts, the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose hands are covered with grease and oil."

K2 http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,105097.0.html

Offline iiAtlas

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #89 on: March 20, 2016, 10:42:18 AM »
Hi przjohn just wanted to chime in and say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this rebuild!  Congratulations on a wonderful, well documented job.  Thanks for bringing us all along for the ride.

Offline thirsty 1

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Re: 1975 CB400F
« Reply #90 on: March 22, 2016, 06:36:56 PM »
Fantastic!
73' CL125, 75' CB400F, 16' KTM 1190R, 05' KTM 525EXC

75' CB400F  -  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=127295.0

My 79 CB750F for fun   ----   http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=19923.0