First Build donor?

originally i posted this as part of my membership intro. . Lets try in a more appropriate location...Looking for opinions.... I am a straight shooter so give it to me... my choices for first build are a cb400 or zuke s40... sentimental cb vs. Interesting thumper. May vuy suzuki this week unless I am convinced not too...

Which CB400?

There's a pretty decent aftermarket for the S40 if you're looking for easy parts selection. Bigger question - what do you want to do with it?

CB400T or CB400F? S40 way easier bike to work on. 1 cylinder, 1 carb. harder to cafe but can be modded to be a pretty cool scoot. CB400T, a little hard to work on but not much, only 2 carbs to clean and sync etc and timing is taken care of With A CDI. CB400F (I want one someday) they are a lot harder to work on, 4x carbs, syncing, cleaning etc, but they are already a cafe from factory and there are hard to find but great go fast upgrades for them and they sound awesome. So all depends on what you want to do and how much skill etc. As a first bike to ride and wrench the suzi or the twin are easier, but the 400f is a dead sexy little bike, Hondas first real supersport, light, hi revving and fast. but not really too much bike for a beginner if you are careful with your right wrist.

Quick history... i come from a harley davidson cruiser and dresser family background... I have growm the last few years to like the cafe style and sporty good looks. But want high speed with small displacement. The honda is what we learned on it is a 1978 cb400t. I havent purchased the s40 yet but was considering doing so this week. I have been turning wrenches 14 years (8 professionally). Have frienda to help with fabrication. My concern is the finishd product. How will it handle when I do roll that right hand grip? Speed is great if you dont feel like the bike is in control. Has anyone else modified either of these bikes?

I started on and modded a CB400t, didn't cut the frame but that is the best way to get the true cafe look, there is a huge thread on here about them with hundreds of Cafe ideas. They are not what I would call a fast bike, it was quick enough and would just do the ton on a good day. But it was light and with decent shocks and forks in good nick you could flick it through the back roads. I ended up with a 450T swapped in mine though so the 400 was a little slower. S40 is what I took my test on, torquey, fun, not real fast either but I liked it and would own one to make a nice bobber or chop out of. looks a lot like a BSA single if you take a lot of the chrome trim off. IF you want a fast, small displacement Cafe bike 400F all the way, I rode a members here and as soon as I can afford one I will be getting one to Cafe and make my daily commuter. I loved that little bike, even though I looked a little big on it. had a quick pull throttle and sounded like an f1 race car. He sold it and I didn't have the cash to buy it. Sad day. ALso a CB500F or 550 F is still light and a good candidate, the 650 and 750 get a bit porky in comparison.

I know where a couple of the fours are but more money wanted than the s40... but could always grab hold of one and wait till next year to get parts... good ideas! I would rather ride this spring than wrench anyhow. As my next purchase wull be my primary sickle. Thanks to both of you!