79' CM*400T Tracker/Brat, Urban assault vehicle.

First bike, first build.

Been lurking around craigslist for the past few years trying to get my self something with a tittle and two wheels and always ended up either short on money, or not in the position to get a bike. Started a new job, moved in to a new place and finally found something in my price range.


Listed as a CB400 with a tittle, ended up talking to the owner and working out a deal, and a payment plan since I'm working for peanuts on commission.


First Night Home.



Started to pull things off, not knowing what I'm doing.

And it begins



Previous owner was going for a Cafe Racer, then a Bobber, And now I'm going tacker and stuck with a bobbed rear end, As well as some rough cuts where they cut out some mounts.



The entire electrical system was wrapped in electrical tape, not sure if it was for cosmetics but it did keep it in pretty decent shape.








No turning back now.



Better.


This is the part where I started to feel like I was in over my head.


Then I got this for Christmas, as well as downloading the PDF for the Honda shop book. (snuck an Instagram photo in on you)


Trying to clean up the frame a bit before stripping it down to be repainted, or powder coated.

So this is where I am up to now, I'm going to end up with a ton of questions, bad ideas, and busted knuckles. I need a lot of parts and even more time. Any suggestions or critique will be accepted with utmost gratitude.

side note, I'm also posting the progress here http://cmchronicles.tumblr.com/ if you would like a more stream line viewing experience.

Happy Wrenching my friends.

Re: 79' CB400T Tracker/Brat, Urban assault vehicle.

I am working on the same bike right now as a tracker. It's down the list a bit from yours. I will follow this and maybe compare notes.

Re: 79' CB400T Tracker/Brat, Urban assault vehicle.

Had a mini panic thanks to a Hondatwins.net forum member when they pointed out this was a CM. Double checked the vin numbers on the title and the bike, checks out. However it is a CM. Only problem there is I've now made a fool of my self calling this a CB all month...

tomsljr said:

I am working on the same bike right now as a tracker. It's down the list a bit from yours. I will follow this and maybe compare notes.

Click to expand...

I will following yours back!

any news?

Bert Jan said:

any news?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately not much, hours got cut at work so money is tight, still tinkering with it just not much going on. Trying to get a hold of a welder to build up the tail section.

I'm also talking to a guy about trading my computer and TV for a 82' CB750K with 30k on it.. Sound like a good idea?

Interesting CMB. Your started out a lot cleaner than mine did. I'm stalled with my build, too. Gotta wait on a couple items....

"Urban Assault Vehicle" I like it

yes urban assault vehicle. love it.

I'm pretty sure this is more of a bob then a tracker... How do I go about moving it?

I decided I needed to do a quick trashy photoshop to show what I'm intending. I was planning a teal frame but I might end up going with a flat/pastel blue Like I used in the image. Any suggestions?

So for the time being I'm going to make the seat using the stock seat pan, going to save me a lot of time and money since I don't have any fabrication tools or experience. Here is what I got tonight, still a lot of shaping to do.




going to try and slim it up a bit more, have the seat compliment the frame and rear fender.

Just realized what headlights I'll be using.. Along with the basket/rack. Can get a set for around $100 shipped.

Just an idea for the rear indicator lights. Do something about the pesky boxed rear end.

Decided to go ahead and tinker with the turn signals, looks like they are going to work out pretty good. Think a smoked acrylic lens.

Used google sketchup to get some ideas for the turn signal lens cover, thoughts?



and this is where I got today. Tomorrow I'm planning to get the seat a little closer to a final shape, maybe finish up these turn signals.

More or less got the finally shape of my seat done today, took a closer look at the gas tank, figured it wasn't good for much any more.




This is the way I'm thinking of mounting it, with an exposed bolt on top, if it turns out well would add to the tough as nails look this bike is starting to get.

and as for that tank...


This was hidden under some bondo (that did not stop the leak)


And this was under a weird carbon fiber patch? Also leaked.

So here is the question, is it worth trying to save this tank? not particularly in love with the Cm400 stock shape anyway but if I can get it sealed up and usable for a decent price I would certainly use it for now.

I would find a tank in better shape. You can end up chasing your tail for quite a while trying to reclaim a tank that is past it, and it ends up costing more.

I'm thinking about the 400 hawk tank or a cl350. I think something boxy is the better direction though.

So we had an amazingly nice day here in Virigna today. Decided to clean the garage.



And as I was sitting there looking at the lump of steel in the middle of the garage, decided to remind myself what I was doing in the garage in the first place.


Too bad this tank is more or less shot, it's starting to grow on me...

And as for a color scheme for the frame, I think I found the balance between too much black and too much color...





Now just to decided on a color.. And on that note this is defiantly not a tracker anymore. More like a brat/bob sort of machined.