First Honda four, back in 1979.

[Tony.B]

Thought some of you might find this amusing. Way back in '79, as a 17 year old looking for my first 'proper' bike after my moped, a blue Suzuki AP50; I was reading an article in Motor-Cycle Weekly, (I preferred it to MCN). They featured a 250cc conversion for the 400/4 offered by Hertfordshire tuning company, Jock Kerr racing developments. All my mates were buying RD, XS and various Honda 250's, and I've always liked to be different. Anyway, after trading in my Suzuki at Keith Manning motorcycles in Wokingham, I found myself the proud owner of a Honda 400/4, in red, reg number NDP 85R.
I booked it in with Jock Kerr's for a few week's time, and had to just wait. Naturally one Saturday when mum and dad went shopping, I couldn't resist taking it out for a quick blast up the A30 to Blackbushe airport. I only went about three or four miles, but it scared the life out of me, after a 50cc moped, it seemed like a rocket ship!
Long story short, after they had converted it to a 250, which consisted of sleeving the cylinder and using smaller pistons, which left the combustion chambers mushroom shaped, it wasn't much faster than a 125, if that! It was frankly dog-slow, you had to take it to 11,000 in 5th, lay flat on the tank, and you could just about get 70 on the clock. It wouldn't even pull 6th gear.
If I had my time again, I wouldn't have bothered, but it was kind of cool to be 17 years old riding what looked to be a 400.
And yes, that's me in my avatar back then, you can just about see the 'L' plate on the bottom of the rear mudguard.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

So was that to get around the 250cc rule for L plates yet still have four cylinders?
Might have been easier to go for a 250 Dream or Super Sport they were pretty nippy back in the day.

[Tony.B]

So was that to get around the 250cc rule for L plates yet still have four cylinders?
Might have been easier to go for a 250 Dream or DupercSport they were pretty nippy back in the day.

One of the arguments put forward by Kerr's, was that you didn't need to change bikes, especially back in those days with HP etc. You could have the same bike first as a 250, then a 400 when you passed your test, and then later use one of their big bore kits, or other tuning goodies. They did all sorts, including turbo kits, though mainly for the bigger fours.
I wonder if anyone on this forum had any experience of Jock Kerr's?

[Bryanj]

Yes, i had a 600 kit for a 500 but it left the liners so thin it was unusable

[SteveD CB500K0]

180cc version of a CB125S (room mate at Uni - not mine)

It was a dog.

As Bryan says, the liners were too thin and the head gasket kept blowing. Then it blew up completely.

There have been threads on here before about Jock Kerr…


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[Bryanj]

His race bikes were ok but they didnt have to last long

[Tony.B]

Interesting, I'll have to peruse the forum some more...........

[Rozabikes Tim]

Wasn't he a sidecar racer too?? World champion etc...

[Tony.B]

Wasn't he a sidecar racer too?? World champion etc...

You're thinking of Jock Taylor!

[Rozabikes Tim]

Wasn't he a sidecar racer too?? World champion etc...

You're thinking of Jock Taylor!

Doh! That will be the one!