New member from Bicester

[zebedee85]

Hi folks,

Great to see a UK SOHC4 forum. I've used this and the US one to get me out of so many tight spots along the way of maintaining these great machines that I felt I ought to stop lurking and join in.

Bit of history - After I had passed my CBT I was looking at various bikes as you do, and my other half suggested I check out some older ones since I liked 'retro stuff'. She probably didn't realise the impact of that throwaway statement.

I bought a knackered CB125J from ebay as spares or repairs, intending to do up my first bike on a budget. Nothing worked. The forks were pitted, the clutch seized, the front brake seized, the exhaust rotten, the spark plug seized in the engine, the piston had rusted solid in the barrel, the carbs gummed up, the electrics were shot. The only plus point was that my mate and I managed to get it into his Volvo estate to drive it back from Luton. 

Fast forward, that project taught me a lot about patience and what not to do. Eventually I got it working for a short period, but it didn't last long and the piston seized again, and broke the con rod sending it punching through the front of the crank case. That was a difficult push home. I got rid of it and passed my test.

My first proper bike was a CB400-four which I loved. The design was great and there just isn't anything modern which has such great looks, holds its value and is so mechanically tangible in the way that all the features operate.

I had to get rid of it to put a deposit down on a house, but since then I've owned various machines. I had an imported Cb550K US spec for a while which wasn't quite my bag. I had a few modern bikes in between before settling on the current set up:

CB550F which I have just finished making oil tight. Top end is rebuilt (with new later rocker cover to fix the noise from worn shafts) and I'm about to embark on a rear shock adventure trying to cure the excessively harsh ride from the replicas. 

I have also just picked up a CB750F1 which is the only affordable way to see what the fuss is about in terms of the original engine. I quite like it, it sounds, goes and feels like a one ton bag of bees. Pics of this one to follow. The CB550F1 and I got lucky with the light last year. So I've attached a pic (I hope).

If I can't provide technical tips being only a hapless amateur on here, I hope to at least provide moral support.

[Trigger]

Welcome to the mad world of the SOHC, love the 550F1's and F2's.
Great looking OEM exhaust, do you have another one tucked away ? been on the hunt for a good one of these for a few years now.

[Nurse Julie]

Welcome. Have fun on the forum.

[zebedee85]

Cheers! Sorry Trigger, no spare. If ever I was to crash on the 550 I would use my body to project the exhaust, I figure spare parts for me are more readily available and cheaper.

[hairygit]

Hi Zebedee and welcome. Nice looking bike, but your new choice of a 750F1 is superb, the best looking of the 750's in my book! If you're after a stock exhaust for it, you'll be hunting the holy grail, I've been after a set for years! Also, we welcome all SOHC Honda's from the humble C50 to the mighty CB750, so you should enjoy it here!

[mike the bike]

Welcome to the forum,  Z.

Good of you to show a picture of your bike.  You refer to yourself as a hapless amateur but it sounds like you're not afraid to get your hands dirty,  which is a sign of respect in my book.

[zebedee85]

Cheers Mike, nice to have the encouragement.

[Johnwebley]

welcome to the fun and friendly sohc uk forum,

 great place,lots of advice and help,and some wicked humour !!

 love lots of pictures

[AshimotoK0]

Welcome ... funny I sold my 1st Varnish Blue 400/4 in 1980 to put a deposit on a house too. It's still on the road somewhere according to DVLA.

Used to go to Bicester  a bit in the early 90's on business...nice place as I remember ..  I think the company was called 'Golden River' or something like that ... we made piezo electric traffic sensors at the time for the DoT

Have fun here ! .... Ash

[Laverda Dave]

Welcome to the forum, have fun.
Whenever a deposit is required for a house it was always the bike that goes first and inevitably it was a CB400/4 

[philward]

Hi Zebedee - welcome to the forum. Great looking bike. Great to read your background which probably mirrors a lot of us on here. Enjoy the forum
Phil

[Seabeowner]

Hi and welcome zebedee. Is that shiny orange I see. I have one. It is a US import that came with a few bits missing and now looks pretty much like yours. It has the original suspension that I find too soft. (My 500 with original suspension is much firmer fore and aft). Original silencers in sound condition are indeed rare beasts. I have a reasonable one, but it's running with a Motad at present.

[mike the bike]

I sold my GS850 to purchase my house.  I then went 5 years with no bike, not something I wish to repeat.

[Laverda Dave]

First the synth went followed by the drum kit, the Jawa speedway bike and then the car, finally the 400/4 had to go  .  No bike for three years  , I took up cycle speedway to get a taste of two wheels again, I broke my arm doing that 

[Trigger]

I sold my GS850 to purchase my house.  I then went 5 years with no bike, not something I wish to repeat.

That was one expensive GS850 or one very cheap house