I just bought a yellow one two months ago. It's a 1977 model with a yellow tank and yellow side panels (yes, I know - they're usually black). It's from a collector and has done only 1,800 miles. A dream! It handles very differently and needs revs - but then! The sound is unparalleled for such a small motorcycle. And the four diagonal exhaust manifolds are true art. In general - the look is perfect! It almost corners by itself - you just have to think about cornering 😁. I also have a Honda 750 Four K6 - you have to work a bit harder to get it around corners…. Honor it and look after it - it's a shame if you don't see it on the road anymore....
I was a motorbike courier during the late 70's and 80s riding 2 different 400/4s over 10 years and over 400.000 miles between them, did all my own work, and have a few tips and spotted a few things about your bike. Import? I didn't see it running in the video, but it looks like an American spec bike with the larger tail light and indicators than the European models have - some people like the larger lamps, a true American spec one the front indicators have 5/21watt stop/tail bulbs that glow all the time and flash brighter. Levers The early models with rear foot pegs on the swinging arm (and some later ones) had more petite clutch & brake levers, but the ball end was below the size that was introduced for all bikes in Europe some time mid 70s (some bikes such as Triumphs had no ball ends prior to this and could cause nasty injuries in crashes) so the F2 model had the levers that were plumper and got the black rubberised caps - Honda soon ceased selling the original levers and the new pattern ones fitted the older models, so original ones are now "as rare as rocking horse shit" (but I guess could be simulated with hours of filing etc) Handlebar Clamps They were originally black but the paint struggled to stay on them and many owners removed the paint and polished them instead. hard to see on the video but i suspect they are fitted back to front... they are asymmetrical , Honda specify fit the longer end forwards, and torque their bolts up first then the rear bolts act as pinch bolts.. same with the wheel clamps at the bottom of the forks (these look correctly fitted here) Front brakes Regular stripping and cleaning the pivot of the calliper arm and stripping the piston out of the calliper and polishing the calliper on the outboard side of the seal as this corrodes and impedes the movement ( as a courier I did these two jobs every time I wore out brake pads - EBC or Lockheed LMP 101 pads actually work ok in the wet - Honda or Vesra pads were "widow makers" Brake Adjustment The other great hack with the front brake is half penny coins.. you can slip two between the lever and the master cylinder plunger and this makes the brake biting point further away from the handlebar.. if you want to add a third (as I did for my monster hands) then you need to file a smidge of metal from the contact point of the lever as a tiny amount of play in the lever is vital for correct operation of the master cylinder so the brake self adjusts as the pads wear... Bleeding the brakes This is best done filling a syringe with brake fluid, connecting that via a pipe to the bleed nipple, have some plasticine ready "worked" when you open the nipple to seal around the bleed nipple threads and then gently pump the syringe watching the air bubbles coming out of the holes in the bottom of the master cylinder reservoir - way easier and quicker than the using a jar as the air keep rising up the vertical pipe and its really hard to get it all out pumping the brake lever Cam chain tensioner You mentioned a hack using a screwdriver.. When I first heard of this (within months of acquiring my first 400/4) I figured out a much better way and that is to replace the plug located between the front engine mounts above, and 90 degrees to, the normal adjuster with a modified bolt and nut. (I used to carry a modified bolt and fixed many couriers cam chains at the roadside in minutes for a tenner) So get an 30 mm long 8mm threaded bolt (my preference is an Allen key head for reasons that will become apparent) and two 8 mm nuts. lock the two nuts so that 8mm of thread is protruding and then us a file to file off all the visible threads and also slightly dome the end of the thread, now discard the nut that the file will have damaged, spin the other one further on, add a flat steel washer and a fibre washer. It is possible to fit this without removing the front engine mount, but fiddly- or alternatively temporarily remove the left hand mount and do the bolts up with a couple of extra washers I have a very long 5mm Allen key that would reach the bolt from above the exhaust pipes USE THICK LLEATHER GARDENING GLOVES as you have to work in close proximity to hot exhausts. First get the bike warmed up,, then switch off and remove the plug and slacken the forward pointing adjuster bolt above the oil filter.. fit the modified bolt and washers where the plug was, for now keeping the nut well up the threads. start the engine and carefully ease the bolt down a bit at a time, it will take quite a while before you will feel a kind of tapping sensation through your Allen key or other spanner you are using.. Gently does it as a little further and you will fairly suddenly hear the chain rattle diminish.. at this stage settle for it still rustling a little, as you need to get the engine cooking hot to finalise the setting. this is because as the alloy of the cylinder and head expands more than the chain you need to adjust it hot - I just spin the nut down with my fingers and leave the Allen key in it, tighten the normal adjuster bolt ( preferably take the tools with you and do 10 miles at 60+mph and stop in a layby to make the final adjustment) with the Allen key there already I glove up, slacken the original adjuster and carefully tweak the modified bolt till the rattle stops completely and just a hint of a strained sound. now retighten the adjuster bolt and the lock nuts on both bolts. It may tattle slightly on a cold start till it warms up... ( It may need a second adjustment in a couple of thousand miles if it was previously a bad rattler) The first 400/4 I did this to had 52,000 miles on the clock and rattled terribly - I had bought it cheap wit 48,000 miles as the owner (a courier friend) was terrified it might fail... it never did.. long before anyone knew how incredibly reliable these bikes could be - I didn't replace it when i rebored the bike at 83,000 miles as it looked OK and it finally died when the primary chain snapped punching a hole in the crankcase at 214,000 miles - Once done the cam chain doesn't need as much adjusting as the service intervals suggest - as a courier riding all day 5 days a week i tweaked it maybe once a year when servicing it, annual gift of new plugs, points air filter, and of course oil & filter done every 4.000 miles .. I'm not sure how those service interval would apply to one in more of a leisure usage scenario, but that's what worked for me as a courier - during my time as a courier i would buy ex courier rattley old 400/4s. do the cam mod, good service including carb balancing and a good steam clean and polish and sell them on for a decent profit - never had a comeback on a cam chain
I'm a VFR750 nut (or nerd or fanatic or whatever term comes to mind) and have been for many a year. The detail in your comment tells me that you know what you're on about.
Still my favourite bike to this day, I loved my 400/4, I went everywhere on it, the cam chain tensioner was the only thing you really had to keep your eye on but apart from that it was totally reliable. A beautiful little bike....
I own one for 12 years now and never have the courage to adjust the cam chain, for fear of damaging it. Here where I live the majority of mechanics do not have a clue how this motorcycle works and they do not do service .
@@42much1 just make sure the tensioner is still pushing against the chain, it doesn’t have to be tight just make sure it’s still touching and the sliders aren’t worn out. I miss my lacquer blue 76’, what a perfect little neighborhood cruiser, got mine in82’ at 16. It was actually my first vehicle lol.
my friend used to thrash this bike around country roads with me on the back, i was amazed how it handled and was great to race against him on my 550e suzuki which made it an even race as he was such a good rider
Please don't crucify me for this, but- I had an '80 CB400T Hawk, (Canada) and a buddy had a '77 400 Four. In constant back to back rides and sometimes week long swap tests, the twin was faster in top speed, quicker in the 1/4 mile, got better mileage, braked better, and actually revved a bit faster to it's 10,000 rpm redline than the Four did. It was way less buzzy due to it's two counter balancers, and the off the line power felt instant, whereas the Four took awhile to wind up. Neither of us could beat the twin in any kind of a race if we were on the Four. The sound- we both preferred the inline four to the twin, but with a 360* crank, the Hawk did sound very nice compared to all the other 180* twins of the time. The look- I loved the visual of the 4 into 1 headers, but aside from that, it just looked too old fashioned compared to the new and swoopy 750F/900F inspired styling. I owned and loved the Hawk for ten years, travelling to Mexico from Northern Canada, and putting over 80,000 faithful km's on it. Which would I want now? I must honestly say I would prefer the inline Four over the Hawk, even after having sung the praises of my old bike. Not to fault it, but I've "been there, done that" with a CB400T (and an '81 450T which I raced) so a little 400 Four would be awesome to play with now that I'm an old guy lol.
I agree with your views on the relative merits of those bikes, I had a well used CB400T for about a year in 1983 and then a well used CB400F about a year later.
Hmmm...der Fehler bei der Four lag wohl in der Vergaserabstimmung. Habe selbst bis heute eine ´75 400 Four und diese dreht blitzartig und mit Kraft bis 10 000 U/min
Very informative review of the bike. I remember Yoshimura did a 460 big bore kit for this bike, most definitely sounded amazing with a Yoshimura exhaust 😊
Hi great review i am a proud owner of 76 plate all original with full provenance & even the original decal sticker on the rear mud guard 13000 miles on the clock she gets plenty of remarks on the road & when static ain't selling my girl lol cheers.
As a new rider, and very little idea of how older bikes were received, how they sold, who bought them and why, this level of detail is fantastic. It really helps add colour to the history of the industry that I've missed.
Thank you . I enjoyed making this video . I like to think about context when covering older bikes . It is too easy to just say that , compared to modern bikes , they aren’t very fast , and don’t handle or stop as well . All of which is true but these iconic bikes are the predecessors to all we enjoy now 👍
I had a lacquer blue 76’, payed $200 in 82’ because she was in need of a carb synch and re-jet, a Swiss watch of a machine, I got my license on that bike, also perfect for that role. And it looked like a proper 60’s hot rod, clean and simple with the prettiest exhaust ever made.
I had a used 75 blue one and to this day many sport bikes later this was my all time favorite bike. Smooth shited like butter and pretty fast for 400 in its day. Have owned 3 ZX6 kawi's but that honda was the best bike they ever made in my opinion. Had a youshimura 4 into one had such a beautiful sound. I would kill to find an original today. Just a smooth quick by 400 standards and comfortable.
2 things I will always remember my first real bike the 400 four, and my first time getting laid. Both great experiences I will take to my grave. 2 best rides I ever had LOL. I know that sounds kind of creepy buy ever teen guy knows where it comes from, the heart my first 2 loves.
Thanks for a really good video, I went from a CB250 to a 550 four on passing my test but the compact 400 four was such a neat looking machine, particuarly the tank shape and paint job.
I have one, it's a red CB400F Supersport, I love it. I used it for drag racing for a while then sold it I have it back and I'm in the process of restoring it to it's original look. Stock it lacked some guts to run strong at High Altitude where I lived. I still loved riding it and did get a few speeding tickets and out run a few police officers as well with it.
Thanks for the video great information. Here in Australia 🇦🇺 these were very popular when I was growing up in the 70s & 80s and from what I understand sold quite well. I also believe they are ( or were) the most popular bike in Japan? A Japanese girl friend of mine bought one new in 2012 and because she is very short she needed the bike modified to suit her 4 ft 10” frame. So from new I had the bike and organised the lowering for her which took a couple of weeks. In the mean time I rode it quite a bit and was pretty impressed with its performance, particularly the smoothness not buzzy at all ( like you and another commented). Anyway.... I do remember how it to be very short geared and high revving. It seemed you were in top gear very quickly indeed. Considering at that time I had a Suzuki Hayabusa, it wasnt easy to impress me, but as I said it left quite an impression on me. In my opinion very good all round traditional looking and fun machine!
I had a F1 as my first big bike after passing my test in 1978 and I have to say that it was a fabulous little bike, I had lots of fun with it out on the back roads of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. You could upset riders on bigger bikes with one of them on the tight narrow lanes because they were very nimble, though I don’t think I would like to try to ride one like that nowadays, fond memories
Remember my mate at college had a blue one. Engine like a sewing machine. I was riding pillion one day and he pulled up sharpish to avoid a car and only realised he'd stalled it when he hit the starter! Lovely understated bit of kit.
I remember mine had a massive amount of twistgrip rotation to get full throttle I developed a sort of grabbing a handfull then another handful to get the full acceleration. it was a superb bike so chuckable -had so many crashes! Put Dunstall (non) silencer on - the sound was immence!
had one years ago and many bikes since still my favorite . i bought it used and the person before me did a lot of mods to the carbs head pistons and exhaust and it was light and quick . i got a speeding ticket for 127mph. i called it mr toad because it was a wild ride.
Bought one in 1974. The Blue one. Had it for about 2 years. Rode it from Jax, Fla. to Atl, Ga. 1 or 2 times a month. Traded it in for a CB750F. Have had a few other bikes over the years but this one was special as it was my first bike.
Love the video, with the exception of no start / ride :(. But good on the information portion. I subscribed and will watch other videos. Love hearing about the classics
Nice video, thanks Michael. As I was watching it and subsequently reading the comments it dawned on me that I was subconsciously thinking of and picturing two friends I had back in the late seventies who both had one of these. I've had many other biker friends over the subsequent decades but would be hard pushed to remember any of the bikes that they owned even when asked. Which I find curious.
i do have one of these. a 1976 super sport 400 four. i bougt it in 19 79 and i still got it. we used to call them lady four cause it is so easy to drive with its light weight and so small and easy to handle. my bike have been of the road for 20 years and the milage is 250000 km. its on its way back to life now. im restoreing it back to its former glory with rebuildt engine and new paint and every part of the bike overhauled.
I wish that would come to America in 2024 I would buy one but I wanted to look exactly like that one with chrome and no black paint on the fenders and the tire rims
One of my favorite old Hondas! Would love to own this or a 350-4 some day. My current daily ride is an 84 vt500ft and I love the thing. Spent a few years looking for a well kept, but good rider specimen. It runs great after getting a handful of little things situated.. valves, carbs, new pre rock made a huge difference and gave me reserve back.. very important with that tiny tank.. I was filling up every 50 or 60 miles out of paranoia for a few weeks lol, and so on. Planning on pulling the engine this winter to fix a little oil leak or two. After that, it’s just some cosmetic stuff.. probably gonna repaint the plastics. Love me some vintage Honda though!
I always liked the VT’s predecessor - the single, but neither flew out of the showrooms for various reasons. Glad you are enjoying yours and thank you for taking the time to comment 👍
Es modelo de moto para mi fue lo mejor.. Tuve la oportunidad de comprar una y quede enamorado q maquina.. A pesar q han pasado los años.. Sigo con las ganas de volver a tener un CB 400 F.. HONDA.. Q MARAVILLA DE SONIDO.. DE POTENCIA. UNA MOTO DE ALTA JERARQUÍA... COMO TAMBIÉN EL 750 SUPER SPORT. HONDA LO MÁXIMO..
I had one of those in the early 80's, a very nice bike that was quick and fun to ride for its time. I traded in a Kawasaki 200 single to buy it, another bike I wish I had kept.
I bought myself one New on my 16 birthday. I loved it. My grandma went and got Insurance on me when she overheard my cousin talking about me pulling Wheelies on it. But I never crashed it. Sorry grandma, ha ha ha, she's been dead 35 year's now. Boy, time flies!
That motorcycle, in my eyes at 16 years old, was the best-looking best sounding bike at the time. I never owned one, but I got to ride one. It fit like a glove, so comfortable. My gf and I rode from Azusa to Huntington Beach and back on a warm summer night. What a great memory I have of this momotorcycle. It's because of this bike that I became a lifelong fan of Honda motorcycles. I have two in the garage today. 2020 Goldwing and 2016 cbr 600 rr . Rode the cbr today. Thank you, Honda!! Oh, one more thing, it had a Kerker exhaust. Those of you who remember kerkers gave any inline four a killer axhaust note.
That’s a beautiful bike , I had 4 of them over the years , it was a bit small for me(6’3”) but great fun Just had to keep your ears open for the rattle from the engine. I mostly had big bikes, 1000cc plus, but had one of them for a quick ride in the sun
Eine der besten Konstruktionen im klassischem Motorradbau überhaupt. Nur diese Blinker gehen in der Optik für diese zierliche und kompakte Konstruktion absolut nicht. Hier in Europa waren die kleinen becherförmigen verbaut. Viel passender für dieses Modell ! Diese großen Blinker kamen hier erst mit der 1000 Goldwing und waren an diesem Modell dann durchaus passend.
I bought my yellow 400 new off the showroom floor. I drove it from Montreal to Vancouver four times putting 175000 kms on it. It was still running fine when I sold it, for the life of me I cannot remember why I sold it, would give anything to have it back. B
My brother bought one from new, and I eventually got a ride on it, having a 250 superdream at the time.. I liked the compact size and the smooth engine but not the looks. I later learnt from my brother that he actually never liked the bike and was pleased to replace it with a CB750F2. He is over 6’ so this may have been a reason he didn’t like it.
The first one I ever saw was in brown with golden lines on it like the 350 Four had. So I wonder because I never saw that coloring again on a CB 400 Four but only that cheap to produce one coloring. Anyway, a problem from Honda were the brake disc with the brake pistons as O-rings (gaskets) often left oil to the disc so they didn't function immediately. However, the exhaust manifolds are just beautiful and a masterpiece in design :)
Thanks for commenting . I wasn’t aware that they made them in brown . Not in the UK but the world is a big place . Agree with you . The exhaust is a masterpiece .
Had a yellow F2 which I bought in 1979 and loved it. Did over 40000 miles in it before selling when starting a family. Had a 1977 RD 250 before the 400f, both great bikes but the Honda was definitely faster and handled much better. The main issue I had with handling was the exhaust grounding and caused wear and a hole where the four pipes joined the silencer, a friend had to weld a plate on it. Yes I was a nutter in them days. Saw an indicated 115 two up on it once, all be it with a tail wind and would often see indicated 105 upright. Only problems I ever had were in the wet when it would start running as a tripple on occasions. Wish I’d kept hold of it, loved the bike.
I bought one new in 1977..Put on a bikini wind breaker, changed tear shocks and because lived in very rainy area made my own cast iron disc, machined it, changed pads and was a cracker. It would run out to 115mph. Be run I did was 84 miles in 62minutes at 27mpg! Was capable of eating winding roads and the wet never bothered me. Fondly recalled.
I used to want one of these in the 70s, although I never rode one. Fast-forward to 1992, and I am living in Tokyo. My Africa Twin is being serviced and Honda give me a service bike, a CB-1, a 400cc inline four. I hated it. Buzzy. I'm a big twin man.
It was a bike that I aspired to as well . The poster bike of the middleweights. Like many others the bike I actually bought when I came to it was .. The RD 400. Enjoy my big twins as well . I have an 865 Big Bore Interceptor as well as a 1200 GS and Ducati...👍 Thanks for commenting!
Great review. We called the yellow Super Sport the "the ironing board', due to its' flat-ish profile. I have a 1983 CBX 400 four Custom. Is shaft drive and red lines at 11,000 ! I believe it was imported from Japan and may be the only one in Canada. I have been unable to find much info on it...
Just looked it up . Not a model that we had in the UK for sure . We had the VF 400 and from the CBX range , the CBX550 . I had both . VF had a 16inch front wheel and shrouded disks . I could cook the brakes in 4 roundabouts on my way back from work 😂 Another innovation that gently slipped away .. Hope you find something on your 400 . Sounds interesting and unusual to have a shaft on such a small capacity bike ? Certainly over here ..
My first bike. I eventually had 3, two for parts. Mine ended up really tricked out with updated cam, carbs, valve springs, port job, clutch, pipe, forks, shocks, reinforced frame, and a bunch of things I'm not remembering. The 95 mph top speed got up to 125 ish. My last bike, a 750 gixxer weighed about the same.
@@michaelmam A ton of fun was had both on the street and at the track. I eventually stopped because I ran out of crankcases. I turns out that if you over rev them too much the rods come out the bottom.
I believe there were two reasons the 400F sold badly here in North America: 1. Too physically small for larger riders 2. Engine performance uninspiring given its pretensions. 37hp really didn't do it in the era of RD400's and the like. IMHO, a work of visual art that failed to live up to expectations. I think Honda realized after this that sub-500cc 4-cylinder machines could not compete. Bear in mind the CB400N that followed produced 43hp from a twin. Thanks for the excellent reviews.
Thank you for this great video Michael. I don't remember this bike. Americans may not have liked the bike for lack of power, but not sure. My first bike was a Honda 450 twin, I think it was, in around 1973 in San Francisco. I enjoyed that one a lot. After that I purchased one of the first Triumph Speedsters, a wonderful bike. By the way, here in Thailand, a new Speedmaster is $19,000! I do have a question for you. Why did Honda go against the whole motorcycle world by putting the horn above the turn indicators? I own a Honda Forza 300 scooter here in Thailand and the horn placement drives me crazy. If you have an idea of why they did that, I would love to know. Thanks again for all your information. I am learning a lot! ..........Sal : )
Good to hear from you . Not sure why Honda adopted the positioning of the horn but enjoy a mystery 😂 I think the Americans largely ignored the 400/4 because of size , riding position , performance and price . The arrival of the RD 400 in 1976 can’t have helped ..👍
I had 3 of these bikes and o thought it was one of the best handling bikes i rode, ok it had its faults but my god it was amazing for the time, i rode one at 90 mph from Lancashire to London i loved it ps i was young and a bit mad at the time but it suited me at 5 foot 6 inch fuel consumption was good , it would just keep going as long as you looked after it . and it came in a dark blue mk 1 and 2, i rode this bike from Skelmersdale to Southport in a rediculous time 2 up, i loved his bike but would not pay the price asked for it now , faults are cam chain tensioner and it warped the head was it main faults .
I was riding back in 1969 so when this bike came out while it was quite lovely but it was expensive and was absolutely slow compared to it's Japanese competitors. The Honda 550 was a better competitor to Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuk and not that much more expensive. As a youngster then nobody wanted an expensive and slow bike no matter how stylish.
Had a cult following in the uk and Europe and a lot of riders went for Yoshi add ons . States definitely didn’t get it , which is why it stopped production .. A bit before my bike riding/buying time and my first bigger bike, was an RD 400F . The last before the LC ..
Hello micheal I have just purchased a 1977 CB400, and it came with 2 disc brake setup at the front.The owner told me it was a racing version that honda manufactured only limited amount , it also has short gear ratio. I have looked everwhere on the Internet for info on this bike, but nothing,have you ever heard of this racing version? Thanks Heston
👍250 two stroke performance but without the power band . 70’s bikes weren’t particularly powerful when compared to modern bikes .. thanks for commenting !
It was only the other day I was thinking about a subject to post. What were you thinking ? 🤔 I was going to post, over the years what mechanical was the first you have fixed/repaired on your motorcycles. Ie what bike did you change a head gasket ? Mine was a Honda 400/4 . So on, say 10 questions strip brake calipers, strip and clean carbs, I'm sure you get what I mean.
Had one in the early 90s had two problems 1 got cramp in my thigh riding it, 5' 10" so not that tall 2 problem with battery charging, traded it in for a CX 500 shaft drive it was a better bike
Had the yellow tank version of the CB400F. Unfortunately, divorce happens. Kept mine in the living room if I was not riding it. You could eat a meal off the tires it was so clean. About a year ago I saw a proposed drawing of another 400 four by Honda but never saw anything more about it. Another 400 four would make a perfect cafe racer as a 200 horsepower bike is not practical on the street for me.
Thanks for the video and history lesson, I appreciate your knowledge, but I just have a few things to say. 75-78 would be four years of production, wouldn't it? Those were just the right size and hp for city riding. And with a megaphone 4 into 1 exhaust they sound incredible. I got to ride one when I was about 18 that was yellow with black side covers. You said it had a reported top speed of 93.5 mph. I had a Yamaha RD-250 that would do 90 (indicated), probably 85 actual top speed and it was a lot slower than the 400 I rode. Both were bone stock. I have to believe the 400 had enough power that the sprockets could be changed if you wanted to get a higher top speed without sacrificing too much pulling power. My recollection of the feel was that it handled well and had sufficient brakes (of course, I only weighed 120 lbs. in those days) and decent suspension. Now, I wouldn't compare it to modern bikes with their massive inverted forks, super strength trailing arm with single damper which both are adjustable or the modern engines with massive power. I would however put it up against a modern 400 in the fun factor. Also, you mentioned that the engine was buzzy, maybe in the UK that just means noisy or clattery but in the US it means that it vibrates, I just want to submit that the engine was super smooth and balanced. I don't recall any annoying vibration at all. Now, my 2000 Suzuki Hayabusa has a wicked vibration at around 8 grand. You mentioned valve adjustments. Unlike most modern bikes where you have to remove the camshafts and cam tray to shim the followers, Honda had a great design on those air cooled engines where they have a round plug you remove from the valve cover and have access to adjust the valve lash. no need for gaskets and such, maybe an o-ring if it has deteriorated. That bike you are showing is one clean bike, I didn't see a spec of corrosion on it.
thanks for a nice video i do have question,does it have only one key for ignition seat and gas cap?because i just bought a barn find 1976 honda 400f and the key was lost so maybe i should go to locksmith but please let me know if takes only one key,thanks
Sadly I can’t give you a definitive answer but hopefully someone else reading this may be able to . The bike that I reviewed had two keys . One for the ignition and the other for the tank . I don’t know if this is how they sold them originally?
sorry for the silly question but i am not an expert. I am thinking about buying one of these bikes as my first bike. Can you find spare parts and new tires for such bikes?
@@cyberbarbaro Not sure many of us are really experts but some parts are tricky / expensive .. OE exhausts etc but tyres are easy enough . Suspect there will be a facebook group that specialises in this ? Prices have softened since the covid price boom so some nice ones out at sensible money …
@@michaelmam I was there on the day one of my friend's University fellows brought around a blue CB 400 four. Being the outspoken young fellow I was back then my first words were... "But where are the other three pipes?" Followed by... "That single can looks huge and awful". A 350 Four? They look timeless. Those "cafe" attempts of the 400 and the 750F1 or whatever it was left me stone cold. Gee I'm so old fashioned! Cheers.
Passenger pegs on the swing arm, ouch, I remember being on the back of bikes at the time, my god, it was not for the modern times, made the pillion ride not so comfortable !
👍 I thought that too but wasn’t completely sure as I haven’t looked at one , in the metal , for a few months . I mention that it had a couple of non standard features but only identified the fuel cap which I knew wasn’t period . Thank you for commenting.
The one and only bike I owned was one of these and I loved it. "Turbine like" is true. The first time I let it really hit those higher rpms is one of those never-forget moments.
Thanks for that wonderful description of that lovely 400F Michael. David Watt has looked after it too. It’s a lovely classy classic of the 70’s era. Any of the Honda 350/4 up to the 750/4 series bikes are just lovely and sound fantastic too. Thanks again for showing us this well cared for example.
Oh some Americans loved it. It was my first real motorcycle and I put 65,000 miles on it. It moved me from NY to Florida and back for college. I loved that bike and only sold it when I had to stop riding for a year after seriously breaking a femur in a non-riding accident. I still miss that bike 40 years after selling it.
the worst thing about these bikes was the camchain adjuster bolt is above the air filter at the front of the bike and seizes up after a few years and then the owner puts to much pressure to loosen it and it snaps off flush with the casing..u then have a nightmare to remove it
Engineer brother had one of these. I put 2000 miles on it and loved it for the accurate handling and crisp controls for the time. They weren't fast though. There was a hill I tested my bikes on. My CB 350's did 80mph. The 400F also did 80 mph. My CB450 did 90 mph. My Suzuki GT550 did 115 mph, all speeds indicated. It was curious that the 400F, the 450 and 550 were all 32 HP machines on the Cycle dyno. 50 years later I'm riding a CB500F a bike that is massively popular in Europe, and you can't hardly give away on this side of the pond. The 500X sells out first here.
Had a 76 yellow one. Great little bike and my first road bike. Bought it around 1980 when I was 20. By then the Kawasaki 900z’s were the big dogs on the block.
I just bought a yellow one two months ago. It's a 1977 model with a yellow tank and yellow side panels (yes, I know - they're usually black). It's from a collector and has done only 1,800 miles. A dream! It handles very differently and needs revs - but then! The sound is unparalleled for such a small motorcycle. And the four diagonal exhaust manifolds are true art. In general - the look is perfect! It almost corners by itself - you just have to think about cornering 😁. I also have a Honda 750 Four K6 - you have to work a bit harder to get it around corners…. Honor it and look after it - it's a shame if you don't see it on the road anymore....
HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR IT?I DO HAVE HAVE ONE FOR OVER TEN YEARS NOW AND I WAS THINKING HOW MUCH ARE THEY SELLING FOR NOW A DAYS?THANK YOU....
@@romeparrilla8307 8.000 €
It's a work of art!!
I was a motorbike courier during the late 70's and 80s riding 2 different 400/4s over 10 years and over 400.000 miles between them, did all my own work, and have a few tips and spotted a few things about your bike.
Import?
I didn't see it running in the video, but it looks like an American spec bike with the larger tail light and indicators than the European models have - some people like the larger lamps, a true American spec one the front indicators have 5/21watt stop/tail bulbs that glow all the time and flash brighter.
Levers
The early models with rear foot pegs on the swinging arm (and some later ones) had more petite clutch & brake levers, but the ball end was below the size that was introduced for all bikes in Europe some time mid 70s (some bikes such as Triumphs had no ball ends prior to this and could cause nasty injuries in crashes) so the F2 model had the levers that were plumper and got the black rubberised caps - Honda soon ceased selling the original levers and the new pattern ones fitted the older models, so original ones are now "as rare as rocking horse shit" (but I guess could be simulated with hours of filing etc)
Handlebar Clamps
They were originally black but the paint struggled to stay on them and many owners removed the paint and polished them instead. hard to see on the video but i suspect they are fitted back to front... they are asymmetrical , Honda specify fit the longer end forwards, and torque their bolts up first then the rear bolts act as pinch bolts.. same with the wheel clamps at the bottom of the forks (these look correctly fitted here)
Front brakes
Regular stripping and cleaning the pivot of the calliper arm and stripping the piston out of the calliper and polishing the calliper on the outboard side of the seal as this corrodes and impedes the movement ( as a courier I did these two jobs every time I wore out brake pads - EBC or Lockheed LMP 101 pads actually work ok in the wet - Honda or Vesra pads were "widow makers"
Brake Adjustment
The other great hack with the front brake is half penny coins.. you can slip two between the lever and the master cylinder plunger and this makes the brake biting point further away from the handlebar.. if you want to add a third (as I did for my monster hands) then you need to file a smidge of metal from the contact point of the lever as a tiny amount of play in the lever is vital for correct operation of the master cylinder so the brake self adjusts as the pads wear...
Bleeding the brakes
This is best done filling a syringe with brake fluid, connecting that via a pipe to the bleed nipple, have some plasticine ready "worked" when you open the nipple to seal around the bleed nipple threads and then gently pump the syringe watching the air bubbles coming out of the holes in the bottom of the master cylinder reservoir - way easier and quicker than the using a jar as the air keep rising up the vertical pipe and its really hard to get it all out pumping the brake lever
Cam chain tensioner
You mentioned a hack using a screwdriver.. When I first heard of this (within months of acquiring my first 400/4) I figured out a much better way and that is to replace the plug located between the front engine mounts above, and 90 degrees to, the normal adjuster with a modified bolt and nut. (I used to carry a modified bolt and fixed many couriers cam chains at the roadside in minutes for a tenner) So get an 30 mm long 8mm threaded bolt (my preference is an Allen key head for reasons that will become apparent) and two 8 mm nuts. lock the two nuts so that 8mm of thread is protruding and then us a file to file off all the visible threads and also slightly dome the end of the thread, now discard the nut that the file will have damaged, spin the other one further on, add a flat steel washer and a fibre washer. It is possible to fit this without removing the front engine mount, but fiddly- or alternatively temporarily remove the left hand mount and do the bolts up with a couple of extra washers
I have a very long 5mm Allen key that would reach the bolt from above the exhaust pipes USE THICK LLEATHER GARDENING GLOVES as you have to work in close proximity to hot exhausts. First get the bike warmed up,, then switch off and remove the plug and slacken the forward pointing adjuster bolt above the oil filter.. fit the modified bolt and washers where the plug was, for now keeping the nut well up the threads. start the engine and carefully ease the bolt down a bit at a time, it will take quite a while before you will feel a kind of tapping sensation through your Allen key or other spanner you are using.. Gently does it as a little further and you will fairly suddenly hear the chain rattle diminish.. at this stage settle for it still rustling a little, as you need to get the engine cooking hot to finalise the setting. this is because as the alloy of the cylinder and head expands more than the chain you need to adjust it hot - I just spin the nut down with my fingers and leave the Allen key in it, tighten the normal adjuster bolt ( preferably take the tools with you and do 10 miles at 60+mph and stop in a layby to make the final adjustment) with the Allen key there already I glove up, slacken the original adjuster and carefully tweak the modified bolt till the rattle stops completely and just a hint of a strained sound. now retighten the adjuster bolt and the lock nuts on both bolts. It may tattle slightly on a cold start till it warms up... ( It may need a second adjustment in a couple of thousand miles if it was previously a bad rattler)
The first 400/4 I did this to had 52,000 miles on the clock and rattled terribly - I had bought it cheap wit 48,000 miles as the owner (a courier friend) was terrified it might fail... it never did.. long before anyone knew how incredibly reliable these bikes could be - I didn't replace it when i rebored the bike at 83,000 miles as it looked OK and it finally died when the primary chain snapped punching a hole in the crankcase at 214,000 miles - Once done the cam chain doesn't need as much adjusting as the service intervals suggest - as a courier riding all day 5 days a week i tweaked it maybe once a year when servicing it, annual gift of new plugs, points air filter, and of course oil & filter done every 4.000 miles .. I'm not sure how those service interval would apply to one in more of a leisure usage scenario, but that's what worked for me as a courier - during my time as a courier i would buy ex courier rattley old 400/4s. do the cam mod, good service including carb balancing and a good steam clean and polish and sell them on for a decent profit - never had a comeback on a cam chain
Great , real world insight . Thank you for sharing it!
That was too cool.
I'm a VFR750 nut (or nerd or fanatic or whatever term comes to mind) and have been for many a year. The detail in your comment tells me that you know what you're on about.
Still my favourite bike to this day, I loved my 400/4, I went everywhere on it, the cam chain tensioner was the only thing you really had to keep your eye on but apart from that it was totally reliable. A beautiful little bike....
I own one for 12 years now and never have the courage to adjust the cam chain, for fear of damaging it. Here where I live the majority of mechanics do not have a clue how this motorcycle works and they do not do service .
@@42much1 just make sure the tensioner is still pushing against the chain, it doesn’t have to be tight just make sure it’s still touching and the sliders aren’t worn out. I miss my lacquer blue 76’, what a perfect little neighborhood cruiser, got mine in82’ at 16. It was actually my first vehicle lol.
Thank you for your kind advice!
Me too. i loved mine, it felt like it was custom made for me
I could have said the exact same other than from my brand new 400, I moved onto a brand new 750 F1. Happy days indeed.
my friend used to thrash this bike around country roads with me on the back, i was amazed how it handled and was great to race against him on my 550e suzuki which made it an even race as he was such a good rider
@@jedturner9173 Good memories! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment ..
Please don't crucify me for this, but- I had an '80 CB400T Hawk, (Canada) and a buddy had a '77 400 Four. In constant back to back rides and sometimes week long swap tests, the twin was faster in top speed, quicker in the 1/4 mile, got better mileage, braked better, and actually revved a bit faster to it's 10,000 rpm redline than the Four did. It was way less buzzy due to it's two counter balancers, and the off the line power felt instant, whereas the Four took awhile to wind up. Neither of us could beat the twin in any kind of a race if we were on the Four.
The sound- we both preferred the inline four to the twin, but with a 360* crank, the Hawk did sound very nice compared to all the other 180* twins of the time. The look- I loved the visual of the 4 into 1 headers, but aside from that, it just looked too old fashioned compared to the new and swoopy 750F/900F inspired styling.
I owned and loved the Hawk for ten years, travelling to Mexico from Northern Canada, and putting over 80,000 faithful km's on it.
Which would I want now? I must honestly say I would prefer the inline Four over the Hawk, even after having sung the praises of my old bike. Not to fault it, but I've "been there, done that" with a CB400T (and an '81 450T which I raced) so a little 400 Four would be awesome to play with now that I'm an old guy lol.
I agree with your views on the relative merits of those bikes, I had a well used CB400T for about a year in 1983 and then a well used CB400F about a year later.
Hmmm...der Fehler bei der Four lag wohl in der Vergaserabstimmung. Habe selbst bis heute eine ´75 400 Four und diese dreht blitzartig und mit Kraft bis 10 000 U/min
i had a 400/4 in 1976. loved that bike
I loved mine, back in the mid eighties!
A lot of people have great memories of them 👍
Very informative review of the bike. I remember Yoshimura did a 460 big bore kit for this bike, most definitely sounded amazing with a Yoshimura exhaust 😊
460 Harrier as I remember MOCHECK IN LONDON DID EM
I always love the 400/4. I would like one now.
Hi great review i am a proud owner of 76 plate all original with full provenance & even the original decal sticker on the rear mud guard 13000 miles on the clock she gets plenty of remarks on the road & when static ain't selling my girl lol cheers.
Great that you are enjoying it . Saw a yellow (2) on my travels today . Still turn heads 👍
As a new rider, and very little idea of how older bikes were received, how they sold, who bought them and why, this level of detail is fantastic. It really helps add colour to the history of the industry that I've missed.
Thank you . I enjoyed making this video . I like to think about context when covering older bikes . It is too easy to just say that , compared to modern bikes , they aren’t very fast , and don’t handle or stop as well . All of which is true but these iconic bikes are the predecessors to all we enjoy now 👍
I had a lacquer blue 76’, payed $200 in 82’ because she was in need of a carb synch and re-jet, a Swiss watch of a machine, I got my license on that bike, also perfect for that role. And it looked like a proper 60’s hot rod, clean and simple with the prettiest exhaust ever made.
I'm not sure which I like more, this video or that beautiful bike!
😂 . The bike is the star ..👍
I had a used 75 blue one and to this day many sport bikes later this was my all time favorite bike. Smooth shited like butter and pretty fast for 400 in its day. Have owned 3 ZX6 kawi's but that honda was the best bike they ever made in my opinion. Had a youshimura 4 into one had such a beautiful sound. I would kill to find an original today. Just a smooth quick by 400 standards and comfortable.
Seems to have left a lasting impression . Always a good thing 👍
2 things I will always remember my first real bike the 400 four, and my first time getting laid. Both great experiences I will take to my grave. 2 best rides I ever had LOL. I know that sounds kind of creepy buy ever teen guy knows where it comes from, the heart my first 2 loves.
Had an f1 with a short muffler. Sounded 300cc bigger than it was. Loved the bike.
Thanks for the video. My 1st road bike was one of these. It was a great machine with the sound of something much bigger
Thanks for a really good video, I went from a CB250 to a 550 four on passing my test but the compact 400 four was such a neat looking machine, particuarly the tank shape and paint job.
I have one, it's a red CB400F Supersport, I love it. I used it for drag racing for a while then sold it I have it back and I'm in the process of restoring it to it's original look. Stock it lacked some guts to run strong at High Altitude where I lived. I still loved riding it and did get a few speeding tickets and out run a few police officers as well with it.
😂 Brilliant recollections . Clearly used as intended …
Thanks for the video great information. Here in Australia 🇦🇺 these were very popular when I was growing up in the 70s & 80s and from what I understand sold quite well. I also believe they are ( or were) the most popular bike in Japan?
A Japanese girl friend of mine bought one new in 2012 and because she is very short she needed the bike modified to suit her 4 ft 10” frame. So from new I had the bike and organised the lowering for her which took a couple of weeks. In the mean time I rode it quite a bit and was pretty impressed with its performance, particularly the smoothness not buzzy at all ( like you and another commented). Anyway.... I do remember how it to be very short geared and high revving. It seemed you were in top gear very quickly indeed. Considering at that time I had a Suzuki Hayabusa, it wasnt easy to impress me, but as I said it left quite an impression on me. In my opinion very good all round traditional looking and fun machine!
Thanks Jeff . Glad you enjoyed and thank you for sharing your memories . 👍
Sounds like a 400 superfour w vtech... just ran out cos of emissions in Japan, sadly.
In 1976, the Yamaha RD400 was my bike if choice.
Great bikes. I had a RD400F . Really enjoyed it 👍
I had a F1 as my first big bike after passing my test in 1978 and I have to say that it was a fabulous little bike, I had lots of fun with it out on the back roads of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. You could upset riders on bigger bikes with one of them on the tight narrow lanes because they were very nimble, though I don’t think I would like to try to ride one like that nowadays, fond memories
Thanks for commentating Mike . Riding 1970’s bikes occasionally reminds me how much chassis , brake , engine and tyre technology has progressed 👍
The original gas cap latch was a recalled here in the States. If a bike came in the shop it got a new locking cap if you wanted it or not.
Interesting . Thank you
Remember my mate at college had a blue one.
Engine like a sewing machine.
I was riding pillion one day and he pulled up sharpish to avoid a car and only realised he'd stalled it when he hit the starter!
Lovely understated bit of kit.
I am always surprised at how small they are . More like a 250 , but as you say , engine like a sewing machine ..
@@michaelmam indeed. I always felt they were very compact and part of the allure.
Glad they have some recognition after all this time!
Another fascinating review, love listening to your story telling and knowledge, keep em coming I say!
Ross.
I remember mine had a massive amount of twistgrip rotation to get full throttle I developed a sort of grabbing a handfull then another handful to get the full acceleration. it was a superb bike so chuckable -had so many crashes! Put Dunstall (non) silencer on - the sound was immence!
😂
had one years ago and many bikes since still my favorite . i bought it used and the person before me did a lot of mods to the carbs head pistons and exhaust and it was light and quick . i got a speeding ticket for 127mph. i called it mr toad because it was a wild ride.
Great name for a bike 😂👍
Bought one in 1974. The Blue one. Had it for about 2 years. Rode it from Jax, Fla. to Atl, Ga. 1 or 2 times a month. Traded it in for a CB750F. Have had a few other bikes over the years but this one was special as it was my first bike.
Love the video, with the exception of no start / ride :(. But good on the information portion. I subscribed and will watch other videos. Love hearing about the classics
Cam chain noise was really loud on mine but it ran perfectly
@@amospizzey1 heard a few noisy ones over the years . 😂
Nice video, thanks Michael. As I was watching it and subsequently reading the comments it dawned on me that I was subconsciously thinking of and picturing two friends I had back in the late seventies who both had one of these. I've had many other biker friends over the subsequent decades but would be hard pushed to remember any of the bikes that they owned even when asked. Which I find curious.
Yes .. very memorable and emotive bikes .
i do have one of these. a 1976 super sport 400 four. i bougt it in 19 79 and i still got it. we used to call them lady four cause it is so easy to drive with its light weight and so small and easy to handle. my bike have been of the road for 20 years and the milage is 250000 km. its on its way back to life now. im restoreing it back to its former glory with rebuildt engine and new paint and every part of the bike overhauled.
Sounds fun . Amazing mileage !
I wish that would come to America in 2024 I would buy one but I wanted to look exactly like that one with chrome and no black paint on the fenders and the tire rims
I had a Z1B and lost my job so had to downsize to a 400/4. Obviously it was a massive step down in performance, but I grew to love that little thing.
had mine new out of the box rod it for 10 years great bike .Rob south africa 🇿🇦
Were they popular in South Africa Robert ?
@@michaelmam I had mine in the UK before I came to SA should have brought it out with me
@@robertwoodfine3234 Thanks Rob . 👍
One of my favorite old Hondas! Would love to own this or a 350-4 some day. My current daily ride is an 84 vt500ft and I love the thing. Spent a few years looking for a well kept, but good rider specimen. It runs great after getting a handful of little things situated.. valves, carbs, new pre rock made a huge difference and gave me reserve back.. very important with that tiny tank.. I was filling up every 50 or 60 miles out of paranoia for a few weeks lol, and so on. Planning on pulling the engine this winter to fix a little oil leak or two. After that, it’s just some cosmetic stuff.. probably gonna repaint the plastics. Love me some vintage Honda though!
I always liked the VT’s predecessor - the single, but neither flew out of the showrooms for various reasons. Glad you are enjoying yours and thank you for taking the time to comment 👍
Interestingly the bike , owned by a friend, sold in two days. Still popular today . I hope the new owner has fun👍👍
My father is collecting this bike on Sunday, as soon as he saw it he had to buy it!!. He's looking forward to owning it.
@@RichGilbert86 I hope he has fun 👍
@@michaelmam Thanks. I'm sure he will. Looks a great bike. Nice video too buddy!
Es modelo de moto para mi fue lo mejor.. Tuve la oportunidad de comprar una y quede enamorado q maquina.. A pesar q han pasado los años.. Sigo con las ganas de volver a tener un CB 400 F.. HONDA.. Q MARAVILLA DE SONIDO.. DE POTENCIA. UNA MOTO DE ALTA JERARQUÍA... COMO TAMBIÉN EL 750 SUPER SPORT. HONDA LO MÁXIMO..
Thanks for this excellent video. It's very thorough and informative!
Glad you enjoyed it ! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 👍
My very first bike in 1976. It was wonderful.
I had one of those in the early 80's, a very nice bike that was quick and fun to ride for its time. I traded in a Kawasaki 200 single to buy it, another bike I wish I had kept.
Both good bikes in their day Barry 👍
I bought myself one New on my 16 birthday. I loved it. My grandma went and got Insurance on me when she overheard my cousin talking about me pulling Wheelies on it. But I never crashed it. Sorry grandma, ha ha ha, she's been dead 35 year's now. Boy, time flies!
Great story 😂👍
@@michaelmam I'm 60 now and I cut Alot of grass to save for the bike. Love to have another one. Have a good weekend.
That motorcycle, in my eyes at 16 years old, was the best-looking best sounding bike at the time. I never owned one, but I got to ride one. It fit like a glove, so comfortable. My gf and I rode from Azusa to Huntington Beach and back on a warm summer night. What a great memory I have of this momotorcycle. It's because of this bike that I became a lifelong fan of Honda motorcycles. I have two in the garage today. 2020 Goldwing and 2016 cbr 600 rr . Rode the cbr today. Thank you, Honda!! Oh, one more thing, it had a Kerker exhaust. Those of you who remember kerkers gave any inline four a killer axhaust note.
I grew up in Covina class of 81
Make the bike today and watch them sell out
That’s a beautiful bike , I had 4 of them over the years , it was a bit small for me(6’3”) but great fun
Just had to keep your ears open for the rattle from the engine.
I mostly had big bikes, 1000cc plus, but had one of them for a quick ride in the sun
I’ve got a 1977 varnish blue 400 four, and absolutely love it, thank you for your video very interesting. Cheers 👍
i had a 350/4 that did 115 miles per hour , which was exactly same top speed the torana i had did as well .
Eine der besten Konstruktionen im klassischem Motorradbau überhaupt. Nur diese Blinker gehen in der Optik für diese zierliche und kompakte Konstruktion absolut nicht. Hier in Europa waren die kleinen becherförmigen verbaut. Viel passender für dieses Modell !
Diese großen Blinker kamen hier erst mit der 1000 Goldwing und waren an diesem Modell dann durchaus passend.
I bought my yellow 400 new off the showroom floor. I drove it from Montreal to Vancouver four times putting 175000 kms on it. It was still running fine when I sold it, for the life of me I cannot remember why I sold it, would give anything to have it back. B
One of the most beautiful bikes ever produced by Honda💎
The original exhaust is a thing of beauty , for sure .. 👍
My brother bought one from new, and I eventually got a ride on it, having a 250 superdream at the time.. I liked the compact size and the smooth engine but not the looks. I later learnt from my brother that he actually never liked the bike and was pleased to replace it with a CB750F2. He is over 6’ so this may have been a reason he didn’t like it.
Thanks Peter . A small bike for a 6’ rider .. 👍
Awesome video Michael 👍
Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed it 👍
The first one I ever saw was in brown with golden lines on it like the 350 Four had. So I wonder because I never saw that coloring again on a CB 400 Four but only that cheap to produce one coloring. Anyway, a problem from Honda were the brake disc with the brake pistons as O-rings (gaskets) often left oil to the disc so they didn't function immediately. However, the exhaust manifolds are just beautiful and a masterpiece in design :)
Thanks for commenting . I wasn’t aware that they made them in brown . Not in the UK but the world is a big place . Agree with you . The exhaust is a masterpiece .
Had a yellow F2 which I bought in 1979 and loved it. Did over 40000 miles in it before selling when starting a family. Had a 1977 RD 250 before the 400f, both great bikes but the Honda was definitely faster and handled much better. The main issue I had with handling was the exhaust grounding and caused wear and a hole where the four pipes joined the silencer, a friend had to weld a plate on it. Yes I was a nutter in them days. Saw an indicated 115 two up on it once, all be it with a tail wind and would often see indicated 105 upright. Only problems I ever had were in the wet when it would start running as a tripple on occasions. Wish I’d kept hold of it, loved the bike.
I bought one new in 1977..Put on a bikini wind breaker, changed tear shocks and because lived in very rainy area made my own cast iron disc, machined it, changed pads and was a cracker. It would run out to 115mph. Be run I did was 84 miles in 62minutes at 27mpg! Was capable of eating winding roads and the wet never bothered me. Fondly recalled.
I used to want one of these in the 70s, although I never rode one. Fast-forward to 1992, and I am living in Tokyo. My Africa Twin is being serviced and Honda give me a service bike, a CB-1, a 400cc inline four. I hated it. Buzzy. I'm a big twin man.
It was a bike that I aspired to as well . The poster bike of the middleweights. Like many others the bike I actually bought when I came to it was .. The RD 400.
Enjoy my big twins as well . I have an 865 Big Bore Interceptor as well as a 1200 GS and Ducati...👍
Thanks for commenting!
Good video!
Loved my blue 400 four followed by my metallic crimson 750 F1. Now, nearly 50 years later, drive a Jaguar XK 5 litre V8.
Great review. We called the yellow Super Sport the "the ironing board', due to its' flat-ish profile. I have a 1983 CBX 400 four Custom. Is shaft drive and red lines at 11,000 ! I believe it was imported from Japan and may be the only one in Canada. I have been unable to find much info on it...
Just looked it up . Not a model that we had in the UK for sure . We had the VF 400 and from the CBX range , the CBX550 . I had both . VF had a 16inch front wheel and shrouded disks . I could cook the brakes in 4 roundabouts on my way back from work 😂 Another innovation that gently slipped away ..
Hope you find something on your 400 . Sounds interesting and unusual to have a shaft on such a small capacity bike ? Certainly over here ..
This American loved it and rode one for 16 years. It was made for 3 years.
Glad to hear you loved it . It was popular in the UK. I believe the first bike was made in 75 and the last in 78 .
In the US, available from 75 to 77.
At 16 I owned one just like it. Fast
I loved mine...had a 78 F2 in 1982...
My first bike. I eventually had 3, two for parts. Mine ended up really tricked out with updated cam, carbs, valve springs, port job, clutch, pipe, forks, shocks, reinforced frame, and a bunch of things I'm not remembering. The 95 mph top speed got up to 125 ish.
My last bike, a 750 gixxer weighed about the same.
They were certainly bikes that could be tuned .. sounds like you had fun 👍
@@michaelmam A ton of fun was had both on the street and at the track. I eventually stopped because I ran out of crankcases. I turns out that if you over rev them too much the rods come out the bottom.
@@fantabuloussnuffaluffagus 😂😂
I believe there were two reasons the 400F sold badly here in North America: 1. Too physically small for larger riders 2. Engine performance uninspiring given its pretensions. 37hp really didn't do it in the era of RD400's and the like. IMHO, a work of visual art that failed to live up to expectations. I think Honda realized after this that sub-500cc 4-cylinder machines could not compete. Bear in mind the CB400N that followed produced 43hp from a twin. Thanks for the excellent reviews.
I think you are right Chris ..
Thank you for this great video Michael. I don't remember this bike. Americans may not have liked the bike for lack of power, but not sure. My first bike was a Honda 450 twin, I think it was, in around 1973 in San Francisco. I enjoyed that one a lot. After that I purchased one of the first Triumph Speedsters, a wonderful bike. By the way, here in Thailand, a new Speedmaster is $19,000! I do have a question for you. Why did Honda go against the whole motorcycle world by putting the horn above the turn indicators? I own a Honda Forza 300 scooter here in Thailand and the horn placement drives me crazy. If you have an idea of why they did that, I would love to know. Thanks again for all your information. I am learning a lot! ..........Sal : )
Good to hear from you . Not sure why Honda adopted the positioning of the horn but enjoy a mystery 😂
I think the Americans largely ignored the 400/4 because of size , riding position , performance and price . The arrival of the RD 400 in 1976 can’t have helped ..👍
I had 3 of these bikes and o thought it was one of the best handling bikes i rode, ok it had its faults but my god it was amazing for the time, i rode one at 90 mph from Lancashire to London i loved it ps i was young and a bit mad at the time but it suited me at 5 foot 6 inch fuel consumption was good , it would just keep going as long as you looked after it . and it came in a dark blue mk 1 and 2, i rode this bike from Skelmersdale to Southport in a rediculous time 2 up, i loved his bike but would not pay the price asked for it now , faults are cam chain tensioner and it warped the head was it main faults .
Thanks Owen . Real world experience . Always the best 👍
I was riding back in 1969 so when this bike came out while it was quite lovely but it was expensive and was absolutely slow compared to it's Japanese competitors. The Honda 550 was a better competitor to Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuk and not that much more expensive.
As a youngster then nobody wanted an expensive and slow bike no matter how stylish.
Had a cult following in the uk and Europe and a lot of riders went for Yoshi add ons . States definitely didn’t get it , which is why it stopped production .. A bit before my bike riding/buying time and my first bigger bike, was an RD 400F . The last before the LC ..
Hello micheal
I have just purchased a 1977 CB400, and it came with 2 disc brake setup at the front.The owner told me it was a racing version that honda manufactured only limited amount , it also has short gear ratio.
I have looked everwhere on the Internet for info on this bike, but nothing,have you ever heard of this racing version?
Thanks Heston
I haven’t heard of it . Sorry . They definitely raced them but not sure whether Honda made parts for it . Yoshimura made some parts ..
I had the 550 version. I liked it but the front brake was weak.
@@georgepiet496 weak is kind 😂
Rode one once. Shocked how gutless it was, even when revved out.
👍250 two stroke performance but without the power band . 70’s bikes weren’t particularly powerful when compared to modern bikes .. thanks for commenting !
Interesting how you say that was sold on the Isle of man 1974. I was the first owner of a Honda 400 Four I bourght in 1976 living in the Isle of man
Did you recognise it ?
@@michaelmam Mine was Blue first reg 22 may 1976 it I bought it for my birthday was said to be the first 1
Not a uk bike, rear light and indicators are definitely usa spec
I agree the indicators are USA spec(or just later model) but the tail light is UK spec
It was only the other day I was thinking about a subject to post. What were you thinking ? 🤔 I was going to post, over the years what mechanical was the first you have fixed/repaired on your motorcycles. Ie what bike did you change a head gasket ? Mine was a Honda 400/4 . So on, say 10 questions strip brake calipers, strip and clean carbs, I'm sure you get what I mean.
OMG. I never knew about the 350/4. There’s something you don’t hear every day. Now my peepers are open!
Had one in the early 90s had two problems 1 got cramp in my thigh riding it, 5' 10" so not that tall 2 problem with battery charging, traded it in for a CX 500 shaft drive it was a better bike
Had the yellow tank version of the CB400F. Unfortunately, divorce happens. Kept mine in the living room if I was not riding it. You could eat a meal off the tires it was so clean.
About a year ago I saw a proposed drawing of another 400 four by Honda but never saw anything more about it. Another 400 four would make a perfect cafe racer as a 200 horsepower bike is not practical on the street for me.
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Thanks for the video and history lesson, I appreciate your knowledge, but I just have a few things to say. 75-78 would be four years of production, wouldn't it? Those were just the right size and hp for city riding. And with a megaphone 4 into 1 exhaust they sound incredible. I got to ride one when I was about 18 that was yellow with black side covers. You said it had a reported top speed of 93.5 mph. I had a Yamaha RD-250 that would do 90 (indicated), probably 85 actual top speed and it was a lot slower than the 400 I rode. Both were bone stock. I have to believe the 400 had enough power that the sprockets could be changed if you wanted to get a higher top speed without sacrificing too much pulling power. My recollection of the feel was that it handled well and had sufficient brakes (of course, I only weighed 120 lbs. in those days) and decent suspension. Now, I wouldn't compare it to modern bikes with their massive inverted forks, super strength trailing arm with single damper which both are adjustable or the modern engines with massive power. I would however put it up against a modern 400 in the fun factor. Also, you mentioned that the engine was buzzy, maybe in the UK that just means noisy or clattery but in the US it means that it vibrates, I just want to submit that the engine was super smooth and balanced. I don't recall any annoying vibration at all. Now, my 2000 Suzuki Hayabusa has a wicked vibration at around 8 grand.
You mentioned valve adjustments. Unlike most modern bikes where you have to remove the camshafts and cam tray to shim the followers, Honda had a great design on those air cooled engines where they have a round plug you remove from the valve cover and have access to adjust the valve lash. no need for gaskets and such, maybe an o-ring if it has deteriorated.
That bike you are showing is one clean bike, I didn't see a spec of corrosion on it.
They were available in the U.S. in '75, '76, and '77.
thanks for a nice video i do have question,does it have only one key for ignition seat and gas cap?because i just bought a barn find 1976 honda 400f and the key was lost so maybe i should go to locksmith but please let me know if takes only one key,thanks
Sadly I can’t give you a definitive answer but hopefully someone else reading this may be able to . The bike that I reviewed had two keys . One for the ignition and the other for the tank . I don’t know if this is how they sold them originally?
The 350F was not "slow" at all, 170kmh sitting upright on a naked 350 is not bad. 6:50 did grandma do the testdrive?
sorry for the silly question but i am not an expert. I am thinking about buying one of these bikes as my first bike. Can you find spare parts and new tires for such bikes?
@@cyberbarbaro Not sure many of us are really experts but some parts are tricky / expensive .. OE exhausts etc but tyres are easy enough . Suspect there will be a facebook group that specialises in this ? Prices have softened since the covid price boom so some nice ones out at sensible money …
One reason in us why was the rd 350
How many horsepower ? Wish you would have started the bike
37bhp . Sound recording wasn’t close to natural sound so didn’t make the edit . 👍
@@michaelmam I was there on the day one of my friend's University fellows brought around a blue CB 400 four. Being the outspoken young fellow I was back then my first words were... "But where are the other three pipes?" Followed by... "That single can looks huge and awful". A 350 Four? They look timeless. Those "cafe" attempts of the 400 and the 750F1 or whatever it was left me stone cold. Gee I'm so old fashioned! Cheers.
I am 26 I ride a 74 kz 400. They are not meant for museum.
Have fun 👍
Bellissima ❤❤
Passenger pegs on the swing arm, ouch, I remember being on the back of bikes at the time, my god, it was not for the modern times, made the pillion ride not so comfortable !
😂 you are right !
Sound????
Hand it over, I want it
😂
It went like a 250 that's why.
Behave ! did Ton all day !😉
😂 on the speedo …
The indicators look like the larger US type.....
👍 I thought that too but wasn’t completely sure as I haven’t looked at one , in the metal , for a few months . I mention that it had a couple of non standard features but only identified the fuel cap which I knew wasn’t period . Thank you for commenting.
Yep those are off the cb550 four super sport
Beautiful. There was supposed to be progress, but each year the products are getting uglier and of lower quality.
In my experience , every generation of bikes has some great looking bikes and some less so . Looks are though , entirely subjective …🤷🏼♂️
Had one...... heavy frame crappy brakes boreing not for me cb360 more fun
The one and only bike I owned was one of these and I loved it.
"Turbine like" is true. The first time I let it really hit those higher rpms is one of those never-forget moments.
My favourite bike back in the day. A little beauty. ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for that wonderful description of that lovely 400F Michael. David Watt has looked after it too. It’s a lovely classy classic of the 70’s era. Any of the Honda 350/4 up to the 750/4 series bikes are just lovely and sound fantastic too. Thanks again for showing us this well cared for example.
Thank you Gary . Always good to hear from you 👍
Oh some Americans loved it. It was my first real motorcycle and I put 65,000 miles on it. It moved me from NY to Florida and back for college. I loved that bike and only sold it when I had to stop riding for a year after seriously breaking a femur in a non-riding accident. I still miss that bike 40 years after selling it.
Had one.preferred my 360 twin.the 400 was heavy and not much guts for a four.didnt like it as you can see.
the worst thing about these bikes was the camchain adjuster bolt is above the air filter at the front of the bike and seizes up after a few years and then the owner puts to much pressure to loosen it and it snaps off flush with the casing..u then have a nightmare to remove it
Willy yes can happen , mind blowing style back in 75! loved it....Still DO.
I cant believe you didnt even start it up,,,i know what it sounds like and its good.....
Engineer brother had one of these. I put 2000 miles on it and loved it for the accurate handling and crisp controls for the time. They weren't fast though. There was a hill I tested my bikes on. My CB 350's did 80mph. The 400F also did 80 mph. My CB450 did 90 mph. My Suzuki GT550 did 115 mph, all speeds indicated. It was curious that the 400F, the 450 and 550 were all 32 HP machines on the Cycle dyno. 50 years later I'm riding a CB500F a bike that is massively popular in Europe, and you can't hardly give away on this side of the pond. The 500X sells out first here.
It's a us version larger indicators and larger complete tail light unit.
Had a 76 yellow one. Great little bike and my first road bike. Bought it around 1980 when I was 20. By then the Kawasaki 900z’s were the big dogs on the block.