1981 Honda CM400 Build

[Drey6]

Always enjoy viewing the builds. Weird, your bike has two gauges but an E only is supposed to have a speedo since the motor has no tach drive. Is this bike like mine, a CM400T frame with an E engine? I plan to just ditch my tach since it's useless weight. I'm also very interested in some info on tuning the stock carbs for pods.

This is an E all around but just like Junior Burrell said only the speedo AND the dummy lights. If you guys continue to tempt me with a way tune carbs I may just have to dive into that shit. Which is terrifying to think about considering I know little to none about carbs. Keep me posted on that thread. Also, for the record , the clip ons are 33mm. Today I'm pulling the block and cleaning all that up and gonna start to replace my gaskets , o-rings a x all that jazz. I assume I will be asking more questions soon.

 

[DoTheTodd]

I'll be following this build. There seems to be a growing support for the CM bikes as cafes.

 

[Drey6]

Glad to hear that DoTheTod.

 

[Drey6]

P.S. Does anyone have or know where to look for one of the valve cover bolts? It broke today during the tear down and replacement of the valve cover gasket.

 

[Drey6]

It has a 10mm head and is about 1" longer, I just took the picture before I extracted the bolt.

 

[DoTheTodd]

On BikeBandit.com you can find it. The blowout is a bit hard to read the number, but it looks like 11.

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1981-honda-cm400e/o/m2126#sch4210

 

[Drey6]

I found 2 bolts off a CM400T, only needed one but the other is a back-up. I went downtown Columbus to this place called the Rice Paddy. They sell all kind of used parts and have a "mini-junkyard" out front. I got both for $2 so that's nice.

 

[Drey6]

I also ordered my clip-on handlebars, another gasket (because I ripped one from my new pack) and am currently getting ahold of paint so I can start taking care of that also.

 

[Not_a_sunbeam]

OK if im getting it, what looks like a guage cylinder is actually the stock location for E warning lights. I see.

 

[Drey6]

Bingo Sunbeam. You got it.

 

[Drey6]

Painted the forks a gloss black today and will be doing at least 1 more if not 2 more coats within the next day or so then I can reassemble the front. Which by that point I will have the crankcase gasket that I need to replace and the handle bars will be in so we can finally see the stance of the bike. I also need to repaint the headlight and the gauges. Then I'll be looking into a new exhaust. I hear there are a lot of fans of the Mac 2-1 (and I would go with a shorty muffler) . Are there any others pipes that you all reccomend?

 

[Drey6]

Painted the forks and soon I will be repainting the already flat black rims, flat black again.

 

[DoTheTodd]

How did you paint the rims? How are they holding up?

 

[Drey6]

They were painted 3 years ago with the former owner. They are still in good shape. I'd assume with something like Rust-oleum? Have held up pretty well for being 3 years old.

 

[Drey6]

Took the top half off yesterday and I need to replace the head gasket.

 

[Drey6]

New head gasket is in, cam chain in back in place (very tedious process). Today I will degrease the engine the best that I can and sand down some of the old paint to give the new paint something to grab to. Then ill paint the frame and then I guess it's time for reassembly. Also, since I was convinced to keep the air box (also because I don't want to fuck with rejecting the carbs, at least for now) my new K&N stock air filter came in. Ill post pictures of some more painted stuff soon.

 

[Drey6]

Here is some eye candy of my buddies 1985 BMW K100 LT (1000 cc) that he just finished. Setting the bar high for me.

 

[MJPriceisright]

that is a slick looking bike.

 

[Drey6]

BMW blocks look ridiculous. In a good way of course.

 

[MJPriceisright]

did your buddy replace the front fender with a fork brace? things get squirely when removed and left with nothing in replace.