50th Anniverasry CB400/4 Feature in CBG

[Laverda Dave]

This month's CBG has an 11 page feature on the CB400/4 to celebrate its 50th Year.

[AshimotoK0]

Problem is Dave ..there are SO many articles on the 400F it's like old hat now ..  regurgitating the same old content from other magazines previous issues..

I think they should just reprint my mate Graham Curtis's 400F restoration project he did for Classic Motorcycle Mechanics back in the mid '90's and perhaps bring it back up to date again with extra features. Like listing sources of the best resto stuff not available back then. Like Diego (pikis) Decals for the tank etc. and also telling prospective buyers that, to date and as far as I am aware,  nobody sells repro double-skinned exhaust headers ...unless you count the exclusive run done by Sankei this year but as far as I know not being sold by the likes of Yamiya, DS or CMS etc. They could also seek out the girls in the publicity shots to add a bit more glamour to the occasion. May be knocking on a bit now though.

They would also, for a 50th year celebration,  have been better doing a feature on the  UK Press Bike JGC 606N , owned by a member on here IMHO. But perhaps that may be in the pipeline for another magazine, who knows.

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[AshimotoK0]

Here is the link to the resto articles.

This link will self-destruct by this evening so grab it while you can.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n10azjpxm2fe498f5bmqe/honda-400-4-restoration.pdf?rlkey=la5ubzje3kkk1q42cc8hpmc2v&st=h6kaaadd&dl=0

[Laverda Dave]

I do agree with you Ash, the articles are always a rehash of what has been said many times before with the same old issues being highlighted of cam chain wear and sticky tensioners etc.

What does grate a bit is every time a magazine writes a feature about a CB400/4 (or any other sohc) they always go to the expert, David Silver for spares advice and of course he's going to plug his own company in the article and state what is available to buy from his company. Don't get me wrong as no doubt without DSS a great deal of spares would be unavailable and I know he is in business to make money but it would be a nice gesture if he gave a discount to VJMC or forum members especially considering all the free publicity he recieves from the articles and the people who restore the bikes using his parts! Maybe a 10% sale of parts in January when we are all busy getting on with our restorations, just something would be nice (and I don't mean free P&P!). There are other people who can supply parts, Nurse Julie for starters and then theres all the invaluable advice and help given on this forum without which most restorations would be impossible or very difficult to complete, its a shame the magazines fail to mention the other alternative suppliers and just stick to the same old people such as DSS and CMSNL. CBG have however spoken to the owners of the three bikes in the feature (all three bikes have stayed in the same family) and this does give the article some real life perspective.

Thanks for posting the restoration articles, I'll be reading those 

[AshimotoK0]

I know he is in business to make money but it would be a nice gesture if he gave a discount to VJMC or forum members especially considering all the free publicity he receives from the articles and the people who restore the bikes using his parts! Maybe a 10% sale of parts in January when we are all busy getting on with our restorations, just something would be nice (and I don't mean free P&P!).

UKPete on this forum summed it up succinctly "basically, he wouldn't give you the steam of his own p*ss"  Bit harsh I know but I think club discount would be a great gesture...in Grahams write-up Tippets of Surbiton  gave him a 10% club discount.