Honda-SOHC

The topic of tyres has been discussed so many times I am surprised it has not broken the forum Search facility. It always seems to boil down to an individuals tyre preference or price.
Well my question is somewhat different. I am that stubborn sort that is never willing to pay others to do a task if I can or can learn to do it myself. In this case though, I possibly have not perfected the art of tyre fitment. Over the last couple of years I must have fitted tyres about 20 times, though I must admit on some wheels I have had to do it 3 times as each time I have nipped the tube. I have watched the YouTube how to videos and now adopt a procedure of
1.Warm the tyre
2. smear the rim with swarfega
3.fit the tyre over one side of the  rim ( usually do this with my feet, no tyre levers)
4. pop the tube in and secure the valve
5. I then stand on the other side of the tyre to get it in the rim well whilst I try to knock the rest of the tyre with a rubber mallet, but always end up using tyre levers for the final bit.
I have tried with a little air in the tube, no air in the tube, rolling the totally deflated tube into the other side of the tyre all to no avail.

One thing I did wonder is I always buy Dunlop K82 ( TT100 style pattern) and I wondered if the walls on these are too stiff for the likes of me.
I tell you what I did discover is that don't buy cheap rims as they rust where the tyre levers (metal ) have been used, so I only use DID rims now as the chroming seems harder.
Sorry for waffling on, but can anyone offer any pearls of wisdom to how I can be more successful or an alternative tyre with softer walls as I used to change tyres with my mums spoons years back.
Oh and you should have seen the look on the faces at the local motorcycle shops when I have asked for puncture repair kits " We only sell tubes Sir"
All help appreciated ( please don't tell me to go to Kwik Fit though )
Russell

Can anyone please point me towards a supplier of the M10 x 1.25 clutch cable adjuster that sits on the clutch casing. - been struggling with this for several months now to the point it has become one of the last jobs to get the bike finished.

Done a few searches on this but I think I am still struggling to understand so here goes.
I have a US import 400f I wish to register.
I have obtained the forms from the DVLA
I have taken photos of the bike as needed
I have it booked for an MOT

What I do need is to get a "Dating Certificate"
Can anyone recommend who I go to and what I ask for.
DVLA told me I need to contact Honda

Sorry, I am sure for those that have been through this process it is very simple but first time arround it does seem daunting.

Do I need to insure the bike on its chassis number ? I was going to trailer it to the MOT station

Thanks in advance

Russell

I have just had a quote fore boring my 400 barrels to 54.5mm for a big bore conversion. They said £40 per cylinder.
I just wanted to check this was reasonable as I have not done this before. What do you think?

Well in 1976 I oh so wanted a 400/4. Well nearly 41 years later I have bought one. I think I was guided by the heart rather than the brain. What makes it worse is I bought it without seeing it first, but luckily I think I have done alright. I guess I fit into the born again biker class as I moved from bikes to cars in 1977 and bought my next bike in 2010. Modern Honda's, Kawasaki's and BMW's followed, but to be honest I am a little vertically challenged and moving the bigger bikes about at home became an issue. So I now have a 1976 400/4. The wife thinks I am about to have an affair with it - she's probably not wrong.
Great forum by the way and by that I mean all of you, as clearly it is the contributors that make it special. I will try not to ask for help to often, and I will do my best to keep you supplied with pictures, as I think we all like to see as well as read. Thank you in advance.- Russell