Author Topic: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!  (Read 6232 times)

Online McCabe-Thiele (Ted)

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #15 on: April 20, 2022, 06:29:03 PM »
Great start to your 'Born again' years Ted.
Time to dump that 27 year old lid though :o. I always find AGV's fit my head just right, Arai's pinch my forehead. Tip if you wear glasses, put the lid on and then feed the glasses in then do up the chin strap, I dont know why but I cannot get my glasses on if I do the chin strap up first.
If you want comfort buy a heated jacket, they wire straight into your battery, get the one with sleeves the vest ones leave your arms cold! And if you can afford it get the controller for it, that way you can turn it up and down easily. I never have mine on above low, its as warm as toast. Mine is a Keis.

Thanks for the tips Dave didn't think an old Honda could cope with the load of heated clothing- I have to ask what's wrong with a 27 year old helmet is says BS6658 plus I paid extra for the airtex style leather lining.
Do they somehow loose there structual integrity with age?
Honda CB500 K1 (new pit dug out ready)
Honda CB400 four super sport (first money pit)
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Offline smoothoperator

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #16 on: April 20, 2022, 06:40:06 PM »
Eagerly awaiting the adventures of 2nd gear.. well done.  👍
Very funny, can't better that.  ;D
Steve
2017 Triumph Bonneville T100
1977 Honda 400 Four Restored April 2022

Offline Oddjob

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #17 on: April 20, 2022, 06:45:41 PM »
I've got a heated under jacket which also accepts heated pants and gloves. The jacket is great, really warm, the gloves are fine but the pants are more like cowboy chaps, just a front with no back, they go onto your legs with velcro. I made the mistake of not wearing any long johns the first time I wore them and found the velcro was pulling all the hair off the back of my legs everytime I stopped at traffic lights, wasn't a nice experience.

I wore the jacket and gloves right through the winter of 2011 as I had to use the bike for a 30 mile commute to work, then 30 back. They were great. However that was on my 1300 and I severely doubt the 400 would cope with the extra demand although there is an uprated generator available which doubles the output. Costs around £500 though.

They reckon UV degrades the helmet but if it's been in a wardrobe it may still be ok. Just don't fall off and test it and you'll be fine.
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Offline Seabeowner

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #18 on: April 20, 2022, 07:30:27 PM »
Most entertaining, well done Ted. I have the hearing aid/glasses issue, It seems to take an age to get ready to go out for a bike these days.
Phil
1971  CB500K0  Candy Jade Green or Candy Gold
1973  CB500K1  Candy Ruby Red
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Offline Johnny4428

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #19 on: April 20, 2022, 10:16:20 PM »
Ted that’s a cracking report on the first outing albeit short which just added to the comedy. Made me chuckle. 🤣🤣🤣
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Offline Spitfire

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #20 on: April 21, 2022, 10:35:13 AM »
Love the first ride story sounds a bit like mine, ten years off the bike while abroad, two years restoring it, helmet lining falling to bits, trying to wear glasses for the first time with a helmet and minor mechanical problems.
In the end bought an open face AGV which worked great with glasses, then trying to get headphones for my sat nav that worked despite the tinitus.
All worth it though, so looking forward to hearing about ride number 2.

Cheers

Dennis
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Offline Oddjob

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #21 on: April 21, 2022, 01:56:06 PM »
I don't need to wear glasses when riding/driving but I do like to wear sunglasses instead, I like to ride with the visor open and I find that the glasses help with the wind causing my eyes to tear and also protection again wasps/bees hitting the old eyeball which hurts like a motherf*****. Anything up to 80mph and the visor is always open. Unless it's raining etc.

I use a Shoei X-Spirit 2 & 3 and both are ok with glasses. The 3 is really good with inbuilt headphones as well.
Kids in a the back seat cause accidents.
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Online McCabe-Thiele (Ted)

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #22 on: April 21, 2022, 03:21:11 PM »
Well this afternoon safer in the knowledge that the bikes charging  system is working I decided to play it safe do a re-run on the estate at the back of us before going to fill up the petrol tank.

Bike fired up with plenty of popping and banging (note to self:- check the timing dynamically next) plus there could be some slight exhuast leaks up at the clamp ends. Now with an additional five forward  gears get it into third gear all is well until I become aware that I can see less and less out of the front of the helmet. I had my summer hair cut last week at No:2 so start to assume that the helmet is short of top hair padding.

Now it's full on Benny Hill as the helmet continues to fall further down almost covering my eyes completely - at this point the inside of my Visor is like a mini sand storm and there is dust in my eyes so I have to come to a standstill. I notice what looks like bright yellow Dandruff on my shoulders and can taste something powdery in my mouth.

I slowly ride back home with my helmet fully back at a jaunty angle. On taking off my crash hat a huge circle of yellow padding falls onto the kitchen worktop.
Yes I need a new helmet as the inside is now in the bin as is the rest of it.

Amendment/Update my oddometer now reads a heady 1.4 miles - now need to wait until the weekend when I plan to buy a new crash hat.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2022, 05:59:39 PM by McCabe-Thiele (Ted) »
Honda CB500 K1 (new pit dug out ready)
Honda CB400 four super sport (first money pit)
Link to my full restoration http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,23291.0.html

Offline Johnny4428

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #23 on: April 21, 2022, 06:09:17 PM »
That’s hilarious Ted! Think you deserve a treat of a new helmet. Reminds me of my first helmet that I bought second hand (Toptek) I think, fine looking forward but if you turned your head to the side the helmet would start turning on your head. Was quite a luxury to get a new one after that when the funds allowed.
1952 Cymoto on Triumph bicycle.
1961 Matchless G3
1974 Honda CB550K1. Running resto,
1978 Honda CB550K3.
1999 ST1100 Pan European 50th Anniversary.
1975,1980,1984,1986 Honda C90’s
1973 Honda CB750K3

Offline Nurse Julie

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #24 on: April 21, 2022, 06:30:13 PM »
Brilliant 2nd episode Ted. Reading your posts and imagining the scene is far better than anything that's been on TV for years.
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Offline Moorey

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #25 on: April 21, 2022, 09:44:49 PM »
The next gears didn’t disappoint  :) looking forward to the rest of the gearbox. 👍 by then we could be into double figures mileage wise.  2x1  :) ;)
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Online McCabe-Thiele (Ted)

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #26 on: May 17, 2022, 06:11:42 PM »
Just a brief update I still haven't managed a decent ride out on the 400.
Post Covid my right eye has been causing me issues but am happy to report that the condition seems to be easing on it's own albeit at a glacial melting pace.
Yesterday had a visit to Dermatology to have an "iffy" mole removed from the middle of my belly. I kid you not it was barely 2 mm in diameter. Painless procedure with only 5 sutures needed to close the resulting quarry dig. Clearly it would be stupid to ride the bike until its healed up. Appointment for stitches to be removed on the 27th May so if its a clean heal I'll be looking for a dry warm day on or about 30th May 2022.

Watch this post for what will be a long awaited trip from Derby  to Ashbourne & back.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2022, 09:43:55 AM by McCabe-Thiele (Ted) »
Honda CB500 K1 (new pit dug out ready)
Honda CB400 four super sport (first money pit)
Link to my full restoration http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,23291.0.html

Offline Spitfire

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #27 on: May 18, 2022, 12:45:40 PM »
As ever take your time and make sure that your health comes first, my daughter works in a Derm clinic and it is frightening what those innocent looking moles/marks/lumps can do to you.
My late father in law had one on his head which my daughter did not like the look of so she asked her doctor colleague to have a look at it and it turned out to be cancerous and was duly cut out.
Hope the next ride goes well.

Cheers

Dennis
1976 CB750F

1977 CB750F2 In bits

1964 BSA A65R In bits

Offline Moorey

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #28 on: May 19, 2022, 11:45:23 AM »
 
   The trouble with waiting is the clock keeps ticking. ;)

Online McCabe-Thiele (Ted)

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Re: My first ride on the 400/4 more like an Ealing Comedy!
« Reply #29 on: May 20, 2022, 04:45:19 PM »
 
   The trouble with waiting is the clock keeps ticking. ;)
At the moment my body is telling me to wait never mind the life clock running down!
Just wearing my seat belt is uncomfortable as the diagonal  part of the belt pulls on the scar.

Bruising is still coming out hence tenderness / soreness. Currently no sign of infection or bleeding so fair progress for my age.


Honda CB500 K1 (new pit dug out ready)
Honda CB400 four super sport (first money pit)
Link to my full restoration http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,23291.0.html

 

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