Author Topic: New CB400f - and lots of questions  (Read 2285 times)

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Offline obrut

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New CB400f - and lots of questions
« on: April 28, 2009, 04:47:22 PM »
hi all,

just picked up a 76 CB400f (it replaces Yamaha SR500 which nearly shook me to death).  here's a pic of the new machine.  pretty honest old bike, starts first pop and with only a few issues to sort out (needs new tyres, new speedo cable, no low beam).

ok, here are the questions:

1.  bike has hi beam but not low beam - where would you start looking to reftify this?

2.  i am a big fan of the heiwa bikes ( http://www.heiwa-mc.jp/dotnetnuke4/tabid/61/Default.aspx ) and plan to mod the bike in a similar way. 

are there any smaller tanks that are an easy/natural fit on a CB400f?

how do you remove the CB400f tank?

3.  compared to other bikes i have ridden, this bike has a heavy clutch lever.  is this normal?

thanks in advance for the help.

cheers, ryan

Offline kghost

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Re: New CB400f - and lots of questions
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2009, 04:50:57 PM »
hi all,

just picked up a 76 CB400f (it replaces Yamaha SR500 which nearly shook me to death).  here's a pic of the new machine.  pretty honest old bike, starts first pop and with only a few issues to sort out (needs new tyres, new speedo cable, no low beam).

ok, here are the questions:

1.  bike has hi beam but not low beam - where would you start looking to reftify this?Check the bulb first then the wiring in the headlight then the control switch

2.  i am a big fan of the heiwa bikes ( http://www.heiwa-mc.jp/dotnetnuke4/tabid/61/Default.aspx ) and plan to mod the bike in a similar way. 

are there any smaller tanks that are an easy/natural fit on a CB400f? CB350F is an exact fit

how do you remove the CB400f tank?Remove the rubber at the back of the tank next to the seat. Then it pulls off aft..off the front mounts

3.  compared to other bikes i have ridden, this bike has a heavy clutch lever.  is this normal?No. Lube the cable or get a new one

thanks in advance for the help.

cheers, ryan
Stranger in a strange land

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: New CB400f - and lots of questions
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2009, 05:11:18 PM »
This post should probably be in the SOHC/4 Bikes forum, and NOT the build project forum.
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)

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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
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Offline obrut

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Re: New CB400f - and lots of questions
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2009, 05:19:28 PM »
kghost - many thanks.  is a separate bulb used for hi and lo beam?  if not, can the lo beam filament fail independantly of the hi?

CB750 Cafe Racer Fan - apologies, i'm new to this.  if i reply with a mod will that make it a project?

Offline kghost

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Re: New CB400f - and lots of questions
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2009, 05:24:00 PM »
kghost - many thanks.  is a separate bulb used for hi and lo beam?  if not, can the lo beam filament fail independantly of the hi?

CB750 Cafe Racer Fan - apologies, i'm new to this.  if i reply with a mod will that make it a project?

Its a sealed beam with independent Low and HI....

Generally they fail independantly....usually low is the one to go...because its on the most.
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Offline mattcb350f

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Re: New CB400f - and lots of questions
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2009, 05:26:35 PM »
kghost - many thanks.  is a separate bulb used for hi and lo beam?  if not, can the lo beam filament fail independantly of the hi?


Nice lookin' bike you have there.

Yeah, both beams are sealed in one 'sealed beam bulb'. Usually low fails first since it is used the most, then that broken filament usually finds its way onto the other one and blows it too  :D.

1974 CB350F,  1980 CB125S,  1981 XL80S
Non Honda's: 86 & 87 Husqvarna 400wr's

My CB350F resto: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=30467.0
Gallery at:
http://gallery.sohc4.net/main.php?g2_itemId=298318