RealClassic – August 2019

1976 HONDACB400FFACTFILE

Engine Air cooled ohc 8-valve

transversefour

Power 37bhp@8500rpm

Compression 9.4:1

Bore /stroke 51mmx50mm

Capacity 408cc

Lubrication Double trochoidal gear-type

pump (6.2 pints)

Ignition CB Points and IgnitionCoil

Carburetion 4x 20mmKeihin

Clutch Multi-platewet

Gearbox Six speed positivestop

Electrics 12V battery, 156W generator

Frontbrake 10.5”disc

Rear brake sls drum

Frame Tubular steel cradle

Frontsuspension Telescopicforks, 2-wa yhydraulic

damping

Rear suspension Swinging arm, 2-wayhydraulic

dampers,adjustable preload

FrontTyre 3.00 x18’

RearTyre 3.50 x18

Wheelbase 53 inches

Seat height 31 inches

Fuel capacity 14 litre(3.1gallons)

Fuel economy 55mpg

Weight 392lbwet

Acceleration 14.8s quartermile

Topspeed 106mph

Pricenew £669

38 I AUGUST 2019 More old bikes online: Real-Classic.co.uk

andthefive speedsworked (clue there) and
Iboughtit.This Enfield Ifully restored and,
apartfromthe le ading linkforks, it looked
similarto the dreadful Super5I’d owned
whenIwas 16.Istill have the Continental
today, and have ridden morethan 12,000
miles on it.It’ll be passedto my eldest son
when he takes his biketest.
In 2007 Iboughtarare, 1963 unit
construction Bullet 350 and,because there
wasroom inmy garage,Ialso purchased a
non-running1962‘jelly mould’Conti nental

250. In fact, in the past 13years almost half
     adozenRoyal Enfields have come and gone,
     and aTriumph T100 Daytona passed through
     too. Idowatchthe priceofBritish bikes,to
     gasp and have alaugh, andrecently Icouldn’t
     resist goingto see aConstellation 700 in a
     local dealer’s showroom.TheNortonhad
     gone andIwas missingatwin, soIbought
     the Constellation and have clocked up 350
     miles on it.
     In 2016 somethingremarkable happened
     –Iboughtaforeign-built bike.Itw as another
     RoyalEnfield,anEFI Classic 500.Itook atest

Max powerof37bhpcomes onlineat 8500rpm, withtoptorque of 24lb/ftavailableat 7500rpm. Back in

the 1970s,thatgavethe CB400Farespectable topspeedwhich justtopped theton

When Jamesbought hi sbike, thesupplying dealer had given the fourKeihin carbs an overhaul.It’sa

time-consuming job,soo wnersarewell advisedtorun thecarbs emptyafter each rideandturn the fuel

offto avoid ethanol-associatedgumming up

When buying,check thatahigh tickoverisn’t obscuringaworn primarychain orcamchain. Neither job

is simple or straightforward: thecamchaintensioningbolt is exposedatthe front of the engineand

proneto seizing