Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB350/400 => Topic started by: Athame57 on June 24, 2025, 12:35:11 AM
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Does anyone know if these Hendler air filters will fit a CB400F? I'm determined if anything to eliminate the hell of the fitting the airbox chamber back to the rubbers everytime I want to go near the carbs! ;D
https://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/35mm-x-75mm-power-air-filter-pod-hendler/1/023933
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I suspect some change of jetting/needles etc will almost certainly be needed when fitting pods.
I have a set of spare 400/4 carbs that are mounted on the manifold.
I can send you some measurement of the distance between the carb inlet centers and the diameter of the boss the rubber fits onto if that helps.
I'm laid low with a bug at the moment, PM me of you want me to take some measurements.
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I'm laid low with a bug at the moment, PM me of you want me to take some measurements.
Get well soon Ted :) I hope your bug ain't as bad as the phuemonia I had a while back! :o I'll pm you. ;)
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Get well soon Ted
Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk
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I know absolutely nothing about this from personal experience on my CB400F but everything I've read - and I did a lot of searching - indicates that it's very difficult to sort the carbs out with pods. I don't think I've seen a single thread anywhere that claimed it actually did anything but reduce the bike's drivability. OTOH, I'd sure be interested in it if it works!!!
I have a lot of experience with other bikes using aftermarket air filters as well as totally unfiltered velocity stacks with good results. Not sure why the same wouldn't occur with these 400's/appropriate jetting/needle changes but nothing I've read SO FAR indicates good results in doing so.
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When you look at the design of the air box and plenum chamber it is a complicated moulding and that obviously was expensive to produce. I'm sure if Honda could have got away with fitting pods to save money over the many 000’s of 400/4’s produced they would have done but obviously they were limited by emissions and importantly by the look of the bike.
My view is if Honda spent a small fortune in developing the filter system that's obviously what will work best.
If I was racing a 400/4 then yes, I'd fit pods for more air flow but that's only beneficial at higher revs, for normal everyday stop/start riding I would stick with what Honda designed.
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, for normal everyday stop/start riding I would stick with what Honda designed.
Living in London I think I had better stick with the status quo then. :( Thanks for this Dave. ;)
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Don't forget also, the airbox also serves as an air silencer. Way back in the late 60's, I bought a second hand CB250, the first of the 5 speed models. Itv ran like a stuffed pig, and Read Titan in Leytonstone were selling the latest "must haves", which was a pair of Amal Concentrics, fitting kit, and a pair of bell mouths. After spending a lot of time and dosh fitting different jets, I finally got it running reasonably well, BUT!!!, once it went over 7,000 RPM, the noise was more suited to the Cronk y Voddy Straight than the A12.
Great fun for a tear-arse in his twenties, but I got a few tugs and lectures from the local constabulary. Just as an aside, it had a TLS front brake with an oval drum, and if I ran it at high revs for too long it demonstrated quite clearly that the casting on top of the gearbox was porous. This was atn the time when BSA/Triumph had displayed the new 350 Bandit/Fury models. I was about to change hats, but they never went into production, so in 1971 I purchased a brand new CB250, Oh what a revelation, superb bike. Have stuck with Hondas ever since.
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I had the carbs on/off about 4 times one day trying to sort out an over fueling issue and just ran out of swear words. Ended up buying some pattern air box to carb rubbers from DSS and they were a lot softer than the old ones.
I find it easier to get the outside ones on first and then use a lump of wood to push the middle ones in by pushing through the air box onto the back of the rubbers.
Regards
Dave
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The last two posts on this thread ring so many bells in my head full of partly forgotten memories.
The first one was the sheer noise on acceleration in a Mini with twin bell mouthed SU's with a bit of a grill on them to keep out rocks. At 60 mph the noise in the cab made the radio at full volume inaudible.
My move from a Triumph 21 to a used 1964 IIRC Honda 250 Dream, a bike that never dripped oil or broke down plus of course the novelty of electric start. I never bought a British bike again despite the fact that they eventually improved.
Finally the struggle when I first stripped down the 400/4 carbs to do a first fire up after 12 or so years of standing. Stripping the carbs was easy compared with the effort needed to re-fit that air box chamber betwen frame and carbs, I can still remember my T shirt being wringing wet with sweat.
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I pulled the carbs three times in a couple months shortly after buying my 400 two years ago. The first time I did it, when I reinstalled the air box it went on so easily I thought, "What is everybody complaining about, this is really simple!"
The next two times I spent a lot of time trying to figure out, "How did I do that?" because both of the next two attempts were a total PITA!
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The next two times I spent a lot of time trying to figure out, "How did I do that?" because both of the next two attempts were a total PITA!
I wish I still had Meccano, because I've dreamed up a special tool! ;D
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Didnt know a percy came in mecanno!
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Didnt know a percy came in mecanno!
Ding dong. ??? What's a Percy?
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Didnt know a percy came in mecanno!
Ding dong. ??? What's a Percy?
You never heard, "point Percy at the porcelain?" 🤣🤣
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While I can't provide information on 400s specifically, I can say that I have had 'pods' on my 500/4 continually since 1995 and it runs perfectly well throughout the rev range. I did increase the main jet size and had the carbs balanced professionally with the new filters on. I also have a 4 into 1 exhaust system. It has a tiny flat spot at 2500 revs but it is hardly noticeable and it passes through it very quickly. I find the bike well behaved and simple to ride in traffic, as well as picking up very well at main road speeds.
My understanding is that the standard original setup has it's roots in emission and noise constraints, particularly in the USA market. When I bought my bike the original airbox was missing so simpler to get individual filters.
I am not dismissing that many people have endured problems with this type of setup and realise that the 400 is a different machine but I am very happy with mine and would do the same if I was building another.
Incidentally, I now have slide carbs on my CB350, Amal Concentrics with bell mouth inlet and no filters at all. This bike runs better than it ever did, slide carbs suit it very well. I know not having filters will wear it out faster but it hardly ever gets ridden these days and I have a spare engine ;D
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You never heard, "point Percy at the porcelain?" 🤣🤣
I didn't realize you were taking p$$$! ;D
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I actual meant Percy Sledge, so 14lb long handled hammer! But theother idea works