Hi again all,
Bought this '75 CB400Four back in the spring of 2016.
It's in real good condition, but I have no real overarching urge to do the 'restore to factory' thing...it's just not something I'm interested in.
Two owners (one of whom is a friend and the other owner is a friend of his...). Just over 18,000 miles, near as I can tell everything's original except the muffler, the mirrors and the levers.
It sat happily in the garage since it came home, but got it started (but not idling) back in August 2017 and safetied in September.
The goal is to:
Not alter the frame in any way
Ensure that it remains recognizable as a 400Four
End up with a machine that I can have some fun on twisty roads with without needing to do anything license threatening.
Playing around with a picture in MS Paint, my imagination sees it becoming something that might look like:
Of course there is an abundance of information/opinion available at our fingertips these days, but I think the info that I want to base decisions upon consists of: [paraphrasing]--great little bikes, weaknesses are the suspension and brakes (surprise, surprise). There's also the cam chain adjuster issue that will be addressed as best as I can in due course.
So:
Sourced a rebuilt and almost complete CB500Four front end (35mm versus 33mm forks) that's been upgraded with emulators and modified to run dual disk with All Balls head and wheel bearings.
And I'm still looking for some shocks for the back.
Hope to keep the signature 400Four bits like the exhaust headers, the tank (hopefully getting away with the original paint too), and I'm working towards using a reshaped 400Four seat.
Have bought slightly wider rims front and back, removed the passenger footpeg brackets off a second swingarm that I bought, and will downsize the lighting, gauges and fenders.
Want to also look into running electronic ignition.
The 'progress' so far feels like it's been all over the place, and I have lots of pictures of the trying and testing steps that I've done so far, but it feels kinda weird to post them in this thread.
That said, a (in random order) a sprinkling:
Spare swingarm before and where it stands now
CB500 Four front end bits
Tank showing two little dents (that vertical line under dent 2 is actually just a shadow) that I'm hoping to undent
Spare 400 Four seat that is undergoing reshaping surgery
The left side rearset (from TTR400, bought barely used off kijiji...)
That exhaust....
And, as with 'project one', there is of course a budget, a desire to learn more about how motorbikes come apart and go back together, and that resulting benefit of trying new things.
Stoked!!
Bought this '75 CB400Four back in the spring of 2016.
It's in real good condition, but I have no real overarching urge to do the 'restore to factory' thing...it's just not something I'm interested in.
Two owners (one of whom is a friend and the other owner is a friend of his...). Just over 18,000 miles, near as I can tell everything's original except the muffler, the mirrors and the levers.
It sat happily in the garage since it came home, but got it started (but not idling) back in August 2017 and safetied in September.
The goal is to:
Not alter the frame in any way
Ensure that it remains recognizable as a 400Four
End up with a machine that I can have some fun on twisty roads with without needing to do anything license threatening.
Playing around with a picture in MS Paint, my imagination sees it becoming something that might look like:
Of course there is an abundance of information/opinion available at our fingertips these days, but I think the info that I want to base decisions upon consists of: [paraphrasing]--great little bikes, weaknesses are the suspension and brakes (surprise, surprise). There's also the cam chain adjuster issue that will be addressed as best as I can in due course.
So:
Sourced a rebuilt and almost complete CB500Four front end (35mm versus 33mm forks) that's been upgraded with emulators and modified to run dual disk with All Balls head and wheel bearings.
And I'm still looking for some shocks for the back.
Hope to keep the signature 400Four bits like the exhaust headers, the tank (hopefully getting away with the original paint too), and I'm working towards using a reshaped 400Four seat.
Have bought slightly wider rims front and back, removed the passenger footpeg brackets off a second swingarm that I bought, and will downsize the lighting, gauges and fenders.
Want to also look into running electronic ignition.
The 'progress' so far feels like it's been all over the place, and I have lots of pictures of the trying and testing steps that I've done so far, but it feels kinda weird to post them in this thread.
That said, a (in random order) a sprinkling:
Spare swingarm before and where it stands now
CB500 Four front end bits
Tank showing two little dents (that vertical line under dent 2 is actually just a shadow) that I'm hoping to undent
Spare 400 Four seat that is undergoing reshaping surgery
The left side rearset (from TTR400, bought barely used off kijiji...)
That exhaust....
And, as with 'project one', there is of course a budget, a desire to learn more about how motorbikes come apart and go back together, and that resulting benefit of trying new things.
Stoked!!