So you bought a CM400 / CB400T, now what...(50+ Build Links!)

a lil update on my 81'400/450 I recently built a new swingarm with a 3" stretch. it rides a lot better now in the turns. Then i got invited to The One Motorcycle show in Austin to bring my bike. So i got a crazy idea to build a full faring out of alloy a week before the show and somehow pulled it off with some help from a couple of friend's.
 

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Need some help here. I'm trying to order new spokes from Buchanan's ASAP. Does anyone have the measurements for the diameters of the front and rear spokes on a 78 CB400T I(should be two diameters since they are swaged). They are either 8-9ga, 9-10ga, or 8-10ga and they may be different front and rear... If anyone could measure either the stock holes on the rim and hub (if disassembled) or the actual spokes, that would be awesome.

I'll be able to grab this information when I get home today but was hoping to have my order in before then. It's for my senior thesis and if I don't get this build done.. I'm in trouble

Thanks
 
Junior Burrell said:
a lil update on my 81'400/450 I recently built a new swingarm with a 3" stretch. it rides a lot better now in the turns. Then i got invited to The One Motorcycle show in Austin to bring my bike. So i got a crazy idea to build a full faring out of alloy a week before the show and somehow pulled it off with some help from a couple of friend's.

by the way, awesome bike. Saw it on a blog the other day.

How did you do the engraving? what tools, etc?
 
Thanks man,I used a dremel and i picked up a set of fine tipped bits for etching from harbor freight. They were like eight bucks or so. Then i developed a pattern i was comfortable with. I looked at old world engraving as some examples then kinda created mine. practiced on some old alloy parts before i tackled mine.
 
Junior Burrell said:
Thanks man,I used a dremel and i picked up a set of fine tipped bits for etching from harbor freight. They were like eight bucks or so. Then i developed a pattern i was comfortable with. I looked at old world engraving as some examples then kinda created mine. practiced on some old alloy parts before i tackled mine.

That's awesome. Thought of doing something similar with an old school engraving gun that people use to mark tools (like a tattoo gun with a hard metal point).

I just finished welding up my custom rear subframe and I'm about to tackle the shock mounts. Do you think I need to keep the 1" step on the post or could I just weld the 5/8" post directly to a plate?
 

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Thanks Frank,its not polished it just looks that way,it has a grinded finish to. But i do feel the same and will get a lil roughened up n maybe green n black stripe or logo or something. Congrats on botm,hope you win!!! ppleasants,loved what you did on the subframe,keep the post so you can drill a hole in your plate to insert them. will be a lot stronger. If you just weld to the plate they will eventually break.
 
need some help regarding cm/cb400t bikes before buying one. would be nice if you could add your inputs here http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=48481.0

cheers from India
 
GTJCycles said:
Has anyone run clip ons above the triple tree? Trying to save my headlight bracket.

Not yet, but I am planning to. I don't anticipate any problems, and it makes the riding position a bit more comfortable (vs below, or clubmans like I have now). My brother recently put some on his cx500 and they look great. I will grind down the top triple clamp like Frankencafe did. It really cleans up the look of the console area.

You will have to drop the forks in the clamp about 1.5 inches to accommodate them, but on the CM400 that improves the stance in my opinion, I like the feel of the cornering onf mine much better since I lowered the front.
 
GTJCycles said:
Has anyone run clip ons above the triple tree? Trying to save my headlight bracket.

Like FuryPhoto said, just drop your forks through the tree enough for the clip on to fully grab (1.5 - 2" depending on the size of your clip ons) and you won't have a problem.
I ran mine like that for months and have only recently dropped them below the tree just to try it out. In my opinion, it was more comfortable with them above the tree (I don't use rearsets) but I'm going to give it a while with them below to see if I get used to it.
 
I just wanted to say that this thread has become invaluable to me as I have started a 1980 CM400 project of my own. I have looked through every project listed on the front page of this thread and encountered so many ideas, inspirations and answers to problems that I haven't even ran into yet.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has posted their build and thanks to Frankenfe for taking the time to pull all of them together in one convenient place.

If you would like to check out my build or add it to this thread, it can be found here:

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=48527.0

Any comments or suggestions are highly appreciated!
 
JinxeD said:
I just wanted to say that this thread has become invaluable to me as I have started a 1980 CM400 project of my own. I have looked through every project listed on the front page of this thread and encountered so many ideas, inspirations and answers to problems that I haven't even ran into yet.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has posted their build and thanks to Frankenfe for taking the time to pull all of them together in one convenient place.

If you would like to check out my build or add it to this thread, it can be found here:

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=48527.0

Any comments or suggestions are highly appreciated!

Great start, I'll try and get you on the link list ....Welcome aboard the 400 train...
 
If anyone is interested in checking out my build, I just started a blog to keep track of the progress and I put a link down below. I'm completing my thesis on the value of shop craft and it's centered around my 78 CB400T build. I'll be updating it a lot more in the next few weeks as I plan to have the project done by mid-May

ppleasants.blogspot.com
 
Ppleasants said:
If anyone is interested in checking out my build, I just started a blog to keep track of the progress and I put a link down below. I'm completing my thesis on the value of shop craft and it's centered around my 78 CB400T build. I'll be updating it a lot more in the next few weeks as I plan to have the project done by mid-May

ppleasants.blogspot.com

Ppleasants,
I love the headlight guard you made - great job!
I also like the last (bottom) photoshop you did with the ribbed seat that slightly raises in the back.

I will be keeping an eye on that blog.
 
***NEED HELP***

I have an 81 CM400C and for the life of me I can't figure out the springs for the choke linkage and sync. If possible can anyone upload some pictures of theirs for me? I have searched for a week looking for a good picture and can't find any. It is much appreciated!

Johnny
 
Well, I finally figured it all out, don't need the pics anymore! Whoo hooo!
 

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JinxeD said:
Ppleasants,
I love the headlight guard you made - great job!
I also like the last (bottom) photoshop you did with the ribbed seat that slightly raises in the back.

I will be keeping an eye on that blog.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to seeing where you take your build. I started appreciating those CM400s after seeing some cool builds on here.. really seems to come down to the seat on that frame to make it or break it.

Mine has taken a slightly different direction since those renders.. I hadn't planned on chopping the frame at that point so I opened up some different options when I built my own rear subframe. It's supposed to be finished in the next 5 days soooo... I'm probably screwed but I'll be making a lot of progress either way.
 
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