Hello all,
Just dragged this home this afternoon:
This is a 1978 Honda CB400. It has about 26000 miles on it. Many of them by my own hand.
My parents bought this bike in the 80's when I was a kid. They bought it to get back into riding after taking several decades off (to have us kids). Here in New Hampshire it is a lot easier to pass the licensing exam on a smaller bike. After passing their exams, both mum and dad moved onto bigger machines. Dad decided the bike wasn't worth selling and pushed it to the back of the garage.
Sometime later, when I turned 17, I took an interest in it. Dad and I spent a summer putting it back on the road. I got my license aboard this Hawk and rode it through college. After graduating I took my first (real) paycheck and blew it on a down-payment on a 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200. I then 'sold' the Hawk back to my dad.
Shortly after this he went to work on it turning it into a low-buck cafe. He cut the seat and re-upholstered in vinyl. He fiberglassed over the rear to make it into a solo. One day while looking at my Bandit he decided he would adapt Bandit controls to the passenger pegs.. so it now has rear-sets. Unfortunately this meant it had to loose the kick start. Dad flipped the aftermarket "drag" bars (it has had aftermarket bars for as long as I can remember). He ditched the rear fender and sprung for a fancy braided brake. He fitted the bike with the ugliest utility trailer brake light he could find. Plus or minus a few other modifications.
Dad hasn't ridden in a while and sold off his HD a couple summers ago. Recently he decided he wanted the space back in his barn and threatened to 'sell' the Hawk. I just happened to be itching for a project.
Wifey isn't too happy with me. But she'll get over it.. we hope. In the meantime I have a neglected, low-buck CB400 cafe project in my garage.
The bike hasn't run in a few years and I have some work to do:
- We think one of the intake valves is sticking
- There is an alarming amount of free play in the drive-train
- There are leaks, both fuel and oil
- The front caliper is frozen
- The battery is shot
- Carb status is unknown, not likely good
- Plug status is unknown, not likely good
- Right side exhaust crossover box cover is missing
- There is a startling abundance of rust
My immediate goal for the machine is to spend the winter cleaning it up and getting it running semi reliably again.
After that I would like to try my hand at shade-tree painting. This site has countless threads full of pictures of gorgeous projects.
Thanks all for the inspiration!
Just dragged this home this afternoon:
This is a 1978 Honda CB400. It has about 26000 miles on it. Many of them by my own hand.
My parents bought this bike in the 80's when I was a kid. They bought it to get back into riding after taking several decades off (to have us kids). Here in New Hampshire it is a lot easier to pass the licensing exam on a smaller bike. After passing their exams, both mum and dad moved onto bigger machines. Dad decided the bike wasn't worth selling and pushed it to the back of the garage.
Sometime later, when I turned 17, I took an interest in it. Dad and I spent a summer putting it back on the road. I got my license aboard this Hawk and rode it through college. After graduating I took my first (real) paycheck and blew it on a down-payment on a 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200. I then 'sold' the Hawk back to my dad.
Shortly after this he went to work on it turning it into a low-buck cafe. He cut the seat and re-upholstered in vinyl. He fiberglassed over the rear to make it into a solo. One day while looking at my Bandit he decided he would adapt Bandit controls to the passenger pegs.. so it now has rear-sets. Unfortunately this meant it had to loose the kick start. Dad flipped the aftermarket "drag" bars (it has had aftermarket bars for as long as I can remember). He ditched the rear fender and sprung for a fancy braided brake. He fitted the bike with the ugliest utility trailer brake light he could find. Plus or minus a few other modifications.
Dad hasn't ridden in a while and sold off his HD a couple summers ago. Recently he decided he wanted the space back in his barn and threatened to 'sell' the Hawk. I just happened to be itching for a project.
Wifey isn't too happy with me. But she'll get over it.. we hope. In the meantime I have a neglected, low-buck CB400 cafe project in my garage.
The bike hasn't run in a few years and I have some work to do:
- We think one of the intake valves is sticking
- There is an alarming amount of free play in the drive-train
- There are leaks, both fuel and oil
- The front caliper is frozen
- The battery is shot
- Carb status is unknown, not likely good
- Plug status is unknown, not likely good
- Right side exhaust crossover box cover is missing
- There is a startling abundance of rust
My immediate goal for the machine is to spend the winter cleaning it up and getting it running semi reliably again.
After that I would like to try my hand at shade-tree painting. This site has countless threads full of pictures of gorgeous projects.
Thanks all for the inspiration!
