Author Topic: 400/4 restoration  (Read 5371 times)

Offline Coppertop1234

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400/4 restoration
« on: January 25, 2026, 09:58:49 AM »
Hi all
thought i would start a thread with my present project
bought the 400/4 off ebay
seller says was a previous project bike of an old man who rebuilt bike in 2019

bike delivered as described
should be an easy project as it is mostly there
day 1 got her fired up engine sound enough rides through gears ok
plenty to play at
wrong bits that pop out
wheels
forks  and wheel retainers
brakes
mudguard
paintwork
exhaust
chain guard rusted
back light rusted
rear mudguard salvageable i think

i will post some pics when i remember how to
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration

Offline Laverda Dave

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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2026, 11:15:27 AM »
Good luck, always nice bike to restore with plenty of spares around with the exception of genuine rear mudguards. The pattern ones can be difficult to fit.
Nurse Julie has all the o-rings for the oil pump and carbs in viton and also the rear suspension bushes.
Ken (Oddjob) did have some HD cam chains, he may have one left. He also makes replacement carb felts, these are $5 each from the USA!
On the subject of carbs, be very careful when you pull them apart, the black plastic fuel feed pipe from 1-2 and 3-4 will break for fun if you twist them getting the carbs apart and they are becoming very difficult to obtain now s/h.
Did you have any backlash in the drive chain from pulling off when you test rode the bike? If you did it will be the cush drive rubbers in the clutch basket that have gone rock hard. You should replace these as a matter of course given the age of the bike. They are not a replacement part but a former member on here under the name of Max makes a kit with the set screws. Well worth doing.
1977 Rickman Honda CR750
1999 Honda VFR 800FX
1955 750 Dresda Triton
1978 Moto Morini 350 Sport
1978 Honda CB400/4 'The Flying Banana'
1982 Laverda 120 Jota
2020 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
1990 Honda VFR400R NC30

Offline Coppertop1234

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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2026, 02:45:27 PM »
Cheers for info

previous engine rebuild seems fine no issues at present -she fires up and seems to run fine

tinkering time to play away

I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration

Offline Coppertop1234

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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2026, 02:49:10 PM »
a few pics from advert engine now partly cleaned black removed back to alloy.
exhaust is way too loud put some wadding  i n baffles and its maybe bearable for now but think it has to go back to stock - new DS muffle ordered  decent downpipes needed next.
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration

Offline Coppertop1234

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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2026, 02:50:05 PM »
few pics
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration

Offline Coppertop1234

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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2026, 02:51:56 PM »
few pics
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration

Offline Coppertop1234

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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2026, 02:55:35 PM »
My garage dont look like the pictures - no bike lift of fancy bits - all old school stuff but floor seems further away these days. :)
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration

Offline Coppertop1234

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  • Posts: 328
  • As long as the wife is happy
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Re: 400/4 restoration
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2026, 03:30:01 PM »
I will start a new thread in projects for how we get on with resto.
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc  
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250  
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1 
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1 
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650   Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1  Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream    Restoration
1977 CB400/4  - The last one - Restoration