Original CB400/4 parts availability

[Nurse Julie]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the decline in new 'Original' parts availability for 400/4's?.
I know there are lots of micky mouse copies available that have been superseded god knows how many times and are called 'Genuine', they fit and do the job but are not 'Original' to the 400/4. Yes, although they are Genuine Honda, which as we know fit many other models as well, they are not anything like the original parts?. I know Yamiya are an excellent supplier but they don't sell everything you need and Long John Silver lists parts as 'Genuine' but they are mainly poor alternatives and totally different to the Originals. CMS do a fair good job too but far from perfect. Are we begining to see the decline in these parts as has happened with other models in the SOHC/4 model range......or is it just me? 🤔🤔🤔

[Athame57]

I have. I would put it down to passing time slowing down the first generation spares (ie genuine Honda) and hope I'm really buying those when I've responded to the advert. However I can't tell the difference between genuine and pattern when I look at my switchgear, I bought a mixture of both (?) from DSS. If something looks the same, works, looks right and fits does it really matter? What really p*ssed me off about DSS was the pattern fuel tank for my CB400F2....it didn't fit. In the end one of their mechanics tested one of theirs from the batch they got on cb400 and found there was a problem, it was cured by trimming back the mounting rubbers so the tank could pass over them. Relief because I'd spent hundreds on painting, decals and fittings too.

[AshimotoK0]

Loads of people are still hoarding them .. not guilty honestly m'lady

Most of the NOS parts sold in the last 15 years will still be out there somewhere and  still in pristine nick unused, or fitted  on bikes but never run.....unlike when they sold years before that when they were bought to keep bikes running as go to work vehicles and would have rotted out as quick or quicker than the originals did. So give it a few years and a lot of NOS parts will probably re-surface again 

Try finding a set of exhausts NOS for a 400/4, Bomber, CB72, CB250K etc for sale now....  but I know of at least two sets of each languishing in peoples lofts as 'rainy day' spare parts ... and that doesn't include the ones I have     ..... Funnily enough it is easier to find NOS parts now (that's NOS not New) than it was in the mid eighties until the likes of DS came along, as there was no internet, eBay etc or chances of locating easily in the States. Yea you could order a lot new from Honda still but they were eye watering expensive. My pristine yellow 400/4F2 was valued at about 750 in the mid eighties but was written off by the insurance company  due to the cost of a new tank  and seat  far exceeding the value of the bike.

[royhall]

Plus the high number of 400/4's being restored is using up parts availability. Just looking at the number of 400 owners on here alone gives some idea. It's got to easily be the most popular SOHC. As we all know parts come to market in a trickle and are therefore snapped up quickly. Just bought Genuine pistons and rings for the 350F and they came one item at a time from all over the world.

[Laverda Dave]

I agree with everything said previously. Now I'm recommissioning the 400/4 I'm going to do my very best to refurbish all the original parts as they were all genuine NOS from DSS back in the late 80's\90's.

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

DSS front guard  doesn’t fit  properly. can’t get Front stay on . Emailed them and they say yes not an easy fit hmm ? Also switch gear for 400/4 Chinese the wires are different colours to original from Honda What’s that all about ?

[Nurse Julie]

Yep, those mud guards can be a bugger to get on correctly....fine once they are fitted though. I bought mine about 4 years ago, so not sure if same manufacturer though. The switch gear wiring is anyones guess.We have not bought pattern replicas for any of our 'proper' SOHC/4's but my mongrel CB550/4 has cheap Chinese ones fitted (£7 including delivery ) and somehow Graham managed to work out the wiring colours. I have know other people that have fitted the Chinese replicas to 400/4's and they managed it without too much agro.
Edit...just noticed you have a single stay model, is that because the front stay didn't fit or did it only come with the back stay?

[royhall]

The second stay is a sod on those you have to force the mudguard blade quite hard to get it on. Keep it dry as well as they rust like a bugger.

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[Nurse Julie]

The second stay is a sod on those you have to force the mudguard blade quite hard to get it on. Keep it dry as well as they rust like a bugger.

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Not a spot of rust on mine Roy, very good quality chrome in fact.

[royhall]

Bit hit and miss really. Some are good some are rusting in the box. Mine is okay but I have to keep on top of it. My mates is rusty as hell, same supplier. He's going to have it rechromed

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[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Yeah , front stay won’t fit .as you can see the back stay pushes the front down to far .I was thinking of drilling main bracket holes bigger to  get some movement . Crome looks good but undersealed it just in case .

[Nurse Julie]

Try fitting the blade only to start with and only do fixings up very loosely, this gives you wiggle room. Then do the same with the stays, only very loosely and then go round and tighten everything up, it should all pull into place.

[taysidedragon]

DSS front guard  doesn’t fit  properly. can’t get Front stay on . Emailed them and they say yes not an easy fit hmm ? Also switch gear for 400/4 Chinese the wires are different colours to original from Honda What’s that all about ?

This is probably a silly question, but are the front and rear stays the same length? Could they be slightly different and only work the other way around.?
I didn't fit any stays to my short aluminium guard so not familiar with the standard setup.
Good luck with the fettling. 🔧☺

[taysidedragon]

DSS front guard  doesn’t fit  properly. can’t get Front stay on . Emailed them and they say yes not an easy fit hmm ? Also switch gear for 400/4 Chinese the wires are different colours to original from Honda What’s that all about ?

Ok, it was a silly question! I was just looking at NurseJulie's  400f in the out and about section and remembered that the rear stay has the cable guide slot in it. Duurrrr! 😕

This is probably a silly question, but are the front and rear stays the same length? Could they be slightly different and only work the other way around.?
I didn't fit any stays to my short aluminium guard so not familiar with the standard setup.
Good luck with the fettling. 🔧☺

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Thanks for the input guys .I will give it another Go when it stops raining ! I thought it would be an easy job Ha , As for the dodgy switch gear you live and learn .! Go news for spares for my bike I bought another in bits with spare engine so should bleep me busy for awhile .Oh did I mention it’s on the other side of the country .