Honda CB400 F2
Restored with little regard to expense but there is a catch…
Classic ’70s Hondas don’t come much more iconic than a yellow F2 400/4 and this UK bike is certainly as pretty as a picture. Lots and lots of new parts and the bike is finished to a good standard but when you look closely it’s not all as good as it seems. The engine is a little smokey on start-up but cleans up when warm and runs very nicely indeed; as quiet as Honda’s little four cylinder masterpiece can be. The cam chain tensoiner locking bolt is sheared off in the crankcase; a common problem if they are overtightened and they often are. It’s not a problem at the moment because the cam chain is adjusted to the right tension (it’s automatic, just locked manually) but it’s locked in place so when it eventually does need adjusting it will need attention. Everything points to a cosmetic restoration only, so let’s assume the recorded 28,700 miles are correct and if so then it’s not a bad time to give the engine a rebuild anyway, especially on a bike that’s been treated to so many new parts recently. So, you’ve probably got a few thousand miles until the cam chain gets noisy then you rebuild the engine and finish the restoration job properly. That’s why you can buy it for £3k rather than the £4.5k it looks like. The list of new and restored parts is endless, just look at it, and the brakes are the best I have ever experienced on a Honda of this age! If you think you can do a quick fix on the locking mechanism you’ll get away without a rebuild but it’s hard to get at without the engine out and while it’s out you may as well do the whole job? Your call, for £2,950 you pays your money and takes your choice.