Honda CB400N Super Dream any good?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Saw this on e-bay I always liked them nack in the early 1980's any good for a project can you get the parts\?

.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126669079649

[Bryanj]

Much unloved big brother of the 250 wet dream.
I had one at Meads when i worked there that holed a piston and needed a new generator assembly to cure it which was expensive, balance chain can be a bit of a pain and blocked carbs can be a real nightmare, localy the dealers used to send them away once for ultrasonic and if that didnt work new carbs

[AshimotoK0]

Much unloved big brother of the 250 wet dream.
I had one at Meads when i worked there that holed a piston and needed a new generator assembly to cure it which was expensive, balance chain can be a bit of a pain and blocked carbs can be a real nightmare, localy the dealers used to send them away once for ultrasonic and if that didnt work new carbs

For some strange reason Bryan the Generator was totally different on the 400N but still unreliable and I remember my friends 400N CDi failing with only a couple of thousand miles on the clock. Funnily enough, like you said,  the carbs too were problematic and the guy US cleaned them but still ended up getting replacements from a breakers. . Seem to be plenty of spares and groups around for the Superdream though (tons of them sold in the UK) . Rex's do replacement Cdi's and the alternator stator can be repaired (it's the HT/pickup coils that fail not the alternator coils themselves).
Bit of  a Marmite one there Ted .... I personally prefer the CB250RSA single that was sold alongside the Superdream ...that's why I bought one to restore.

[Rozabikes Tim]

Mine was a great bike in doing what it should - and more when i tuned and raced it! A bit a bit characterless as standard. It just did everything well.

I had no carb or generator issues or any others not related to abuse.😱 I don't know if the later and rarer 450 version was more reliable with the generator etc. Basically the same bike in most aspects I think

[AshimotoK0]

Forum I mention here:-

https://honda-superdream.co.uk/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/livingthesuperdream

[AshimotoK0]

Mine was a great bike in doing what it should - and more when i tuned and raced it! A bit a bit characterless as standard. It just did everything well.

I had no carb or generator issues or any others not related to abuse.😱 I don't know if the later and rarer 450 version was more reliable with the generator etc. Basically the same bike in most aspects I think

I think the problems start when the bike is unused for a long period Tim...certainly the case with the carburettors ...  my mates was bought new by a work colleague who did a couple of thousand miles and then didn't use it for years. He went into all of the dealers in Hull to buy a new 400F, as he loved mine at the time ....  but they were all gone, so he bought a new 400N instead  (salesman told him faster than the 400F .. not sure if that's true or not  ).

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Thanks for the information Guys - to complicate things a local 550 has come up so clearly I am still not sure what to buy next.
I liked the 250 version but back in the day I liked the idea of a 400 more. I am going to be sensible and not rush into anything - only definites are it will be a Honda with only 1 or two cylinders that will not break the bank with essential spares available.

I'm going to Stafford show with BiL next month so I'll see what floats my boat.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276642125451

[Rozabikes Tim]

Look up CL77 (350cc) / CL72 (250CC)  US soft off road look, raised pipe, lovely looking motor. I love them but not everyone's cup of tea!!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

My main worry with smaller bikes is that my hip angle will be a problem as it is on the 400, the 500 is really comfy.

The reality is I've spent much more time restoring than riding so for me with my low annual miles it's pretty much irrelevant I guess.

[AshimotoK0]

Look up CL77 (350cc) / CL72 (250CC)  US soft off road look, raised pipe, lovely looking motor. I love them but not everyone's cup of tea!!

Agreed it's a pretty bike the CL......  the engine looks lovely but in really is a bit of a pain in the ar$e .... OK it has ball races for the cams, which is great....  But the cam is in two halves and joined by the cam sprocket which incorporates the auto advance, which can be troublesome. A lot of the heads weep oil around the steel skull insert too. There are a total of 5 chains whizzing round but the biggest pain in the flimsy kickstart cover and its associated gears and bushes..... The kickstart kicks forward weirdly, at least it does on the CB....  plus the kickstart shaft runs in needle rollers through the gearbox shaft and when the rollers seize it whacks the kickstart forward. Latter is on the CB model though and may have changed on the CL. I rebuild one these engines when I was a 19 year old student but I steered clear when I got my current  '66 CB72 and  engine rebuilt by my friend Graham Curtis  ... he does all sorts of updates/ modified assemblies/ crank rebuilds for that model. Not my favourite Honda engine though. The CB160/CD/CB175 engines are a peach of a design in comparison and lovely to work on.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I'm leaning towards a VT500e again...........🫣

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

That tidy 550 sold for £1220 .

The 400 superdream for £750.

[Athame57]

I saw a very good one near Tower Bridge recently, the first in many years. I wondered if it was straight out the crate even. I had one as a first bike when I arrived back in England in 1982, I used it for dispatch riding and it could take it. Slipping clutch , wrecked cush pads and it had a raft of minor problems but it seemed to be cheaply constructed to me. I had to give up with it by 12,000 or so. I can't recommend one can I?
One man's dream is another man's nightmare, I'd rather stay awake and ride something else!

[Athame57]

Then again, now I've seen it, I had the 250  Maybe the 400 is more of the same?

[K2-K6]

They are quite potent for a 400cc twin (i ride some when contemporary) with huge contrast to the 400 four in almost all respect.

I wouldn't count one out Ted. From memory, they're taller and more spacious than the four, with a bigger bike feel to the whole layout. The four being a very good miniaturisation in being so tightly packed into it's form.

Three valves per cylinder (Mercedes did this too) balancer shaft to mitigate vibration, 180 degree crank from memory, a nice running note to them with a "bubbly" overtone.

Comstar wheels that divide opinion, which I like on that period of bike. Not really able to true them generally so inspection should take account of that. The rims are really good quality rolled aluminium section with very good integrity though.

A good contrast to your current stable too, well balanced to moe around easily.

Perhaps even consider a CX 500 as very different project.