honda 400 auto
 

what you guys think of this thing.. late 70's CM400A.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...A/img_0721.jpg

it's an automatic..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...A/img_0725.jpg

was my dads last bike before he passed. he bought when his health started failing and couldn't ride bigger bikes any longer. we were looking for a 750 hondamatic and stumbled up on this 400 locally. neither of us knew they existed. unfortunately... he never got to ride it..

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=413485

was last registered in 90's and been sittin in my barn 5 or 6 years. i got it running well but need wear items replaced. and i need a right side cover that looks like this one on left side..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...A/img_0721.jpg

i plan on gettin it going and complete a trip we started but never finished many years ago...

That's a nice bike. :) My first motorcycle was a 1979 Honda Hawk II. You dad's bike was a stablemate to my bike. I wish you good luck making your trip! Thanks for posting the nice photos. :tup:

Any Honda from the mid sixties to the early eightes is worth having. Whether the CM400A will ever be considered a collectable or desired bike remains to be seen. That said, they were a bit ahead of their time, with the Comstars and auto trans. I don't recall as to whether or not the CM was points or electronic ignition. If it has CDI ignition, this will be the weak spot. Not through any design flaw, but just because of the age of the components. Caps dry out.

My younger brother worked at a Honda dealership in the late 70s, and said that the only drawback to the automatic was that they didn't have the capability to work on them at the time. They had to pull the engine and send it out to be repaired.

If I were in the market for n+1, (where n equals how many bikes you have and 1 represents how many more you want) something from the CM series would easily find a place in my garage.

If nothing else, fix it up in memory of your Father.

thanks, i been meaning to get to the 400 for a while but something always seems to come up, like this...

http://tpar1220.smugmug.com/Concours...2_132509-L.jpg

itsa 99 concours. i had one many years ago and sold it... always regretted it.

so... put my trusty tdub for trade nuther connie..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...w/IMAG0254.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...w/IMAG0422.jpg

i miss the lil bugger, but didn't ride it enough to keep it. so had a few takers on the trade but decided on the 99. it is in great shape considering the mileage... wait for it.....















151,000 miles!! :wtf: normally i would pass on a bike with that kinda mileage but these things never seem to quit. i checked it over and all seemed to be as it should so i said my good by's to my tdub and brought the c10 home. on my 3rd tank of fuel it hydrolocked in parking lot of store (these bikes are prone to this). i seen it when i walked out but what a pain as i hadn't even had tank off yet so was unfamiliar with the whole thing of stripping bike down.

i had it tore down plugs out and bumped starter to expell fuel from cylinders back together and down road in 40 minutes! i got it back home but knew i needed to address the issue before riding again.

so... replaced the vacuum petcock and tore carbs off to replace needles and check float heights.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...005_183135.jpg

removed airbox for cleaning..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...005_182854.jpg

completely went thru carbs with ultra sonic cleaner.. n replaced needles..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...005_135340.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...005_123929.jpg

sent bowls out to have overflow tubes installed then figured i had time so why not check for bent rods in case po had a hydrolock and didn't catch it..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...005_165319.jpg

they all checked out good so on to check/adjust valves..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...008_132815.jpg

which were all pretty tight, but screw/locknut adjusters makes quick work of that..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...008_132728.jpg

did a bunch of other stuff as well and soon as bowls returned got it back together and it runs awesome with a jet kit and foam insert added to air box. i have a funky ignition switch to deal with but think the concours is ready to go....

so now... the lil 400 can go on the lift... :clap:

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...A/img_0723.jpg

can't wait! of course.... it's 18 degrees outside! :cry:

Nice write up. I don't know I ever got along without an ultra sonic cleaner before I got the Maggot.

i have a close friend that has a bike shop, he has the ultra sonic cleaner... so i take carbs to him. i can take em apart and re assemble easy peasy but don't like thinking i am taking advantage of him, or his shop, or his time. he doesn't charge me much so i just let him do it.

the cm carbs are next. i have it running and ride it round my place but it needs some stuff, like wear items replaced and front master cyl rebuild. other than that the lil thing is good to go, it runs well and don't leak or smoke. i just needs some time which i have not had lately.. but i am gonna make some.

i have my ol 75z1 900 on lift at the moment but it needs alot! front to back and top to bottom including a 1075 kit with smooth bores. it will have to wait though.. the lil honda is up next. and i don't know how collectable the 400a is but i have not seen any till i got this one. it is totally stock and un molested and EVERYTHING works!

i plan on having some fun with it, and it isn't going anywhere unless one of my brothers wants to use it for a while... which i doubt will happen.

I'd say that you have your hands full. Tdub is next on the list but when is another story.

Found this lil beauty on my local craigslist.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/mcy/4229918684.html

looks pretty good and stock (aside from paint), which is good. you gunna go have a look?

If IIRC, the carbs on the CM are nearly identical to the CX and will require the use of the ultrasonic cleaner. They can be fussy if dirty, and check for cracks in the overflow tubes.

The MC is the same as the CX. Make sure the tiny, tiny, tiny hole ain't blocked. Can be a PITA to get open.

I'm thinking about it.

That's a very nice bike. :tup: I would at least take a good look at it. ;)

I have a friend with a CM400. I really like that bike. Its a honda twin. Sounds good.

if it not so cold today i woulda went out to barn and pulled carbs and ran em to buddies shop sometime this week. but was so cold i never left house, instead i am trying out a new version of linux on an old pc to see how i like it.

i have a buddy that rides a bike similar to the 400, his is a kz400 though..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...PA271115-L.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...PA271114-L.jpg

i am glad my 400 is not in perfect condition as it will see a good bit of gravel too.

That is awesome. Going to send those pics to my buddy. He lives about 2 miles down a gravel road.