Test rode a Honda CB1

[sys49152]

Preface :  I am by no means an experienced rider.  I bought my first bike (gs500f) last year in July, and have only put 5K on it so far.

A good friend of mine wanted to pick up a good beginner bike that was cheap, and cheap to insure.  He was looking at used gs500's and ex500's.  He wasn't interested in a cruiser, and preferred the gs500, but they aren't as common here in Toronto as they are down south -- the ex500's are available in large quantities and for relatively cheap.. about $4k.  

Anyhow, he stumbled on a post (incidentally on an ex500 newsgroup in Toronto) for a 1989 honda cb1 (400cc inline four, liquid cooled).  The gent selling it was asking for $2800, or $3000 certified (required for ownership transfer and to insure the bike).  He doesn't really know anyone who rides, besides me, so he asked me to test ride it.  

Wow, what a blast!  The bike red lines at 13,500rpm!  It's been rejetted and has a new exhaust -- it sounds terrific!  Not obnoxiously loud, but much better than my stock gs500f exhaust.  The bike had a bit of damage on the tank (lowside), and the petcock needed to be changed (slight leak).  The front tire is also due for replacement.  Besides that, everthing else looked fine -- chain, sprokets, fork seals, pads, cables, hoses).  Again, I am by no means an expert, but what little I do know was more than my friend.

We offered $2600 and bought the bike the same day.  The local bike shop is having it fixed, and it should be ready soon.

Just thought I would share the experience.  I can't believe how wonderful that 400cc inline four felt.  I wonder if this bike is a distant relative of the new honda inline four (600cc) bikes?  I think it was available in North America for 89/90, but available in Asia (maybe Europe) for much longer.

On a related note.. this is the same friend of mine who managed to drop my bike while practicing for his test (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11620&highlight=)

[geekonabike]

It would be nice to see some 400cc-class bikes brought to the US, but probably ain't gonna happen.  I saw a couple of these CB400 Super Four VTEC's when I was in Taiwan.  Look like fun!

--Mike D.

[etam]

I heard about that bike... but I was worry about replacement parts for a 15+ yrs bike.. at least no longer available here...

Yeah.. 400cc inline 4 with a pipe should sound/perform much better than our lawnmover.

Let's get together this summer and I can see it in person!

later...

Ernest

[geekonabike]

I don't know.  If our twin is a lawn mower, the fours might be vacuum cleaners.

[tkm433]

Preface :  I am by no means an experienced rider.  I bought my first bike (gs500f) last year in July, and have only put 5K on it so far.

A good friend of mine wanted to pick up a good beginner bike that was cheap, and cheap to insure.  He was looking at used gs500's and ex500's.  He wasn't interested in a cruiser, and preferred the gs500, but they aren't as common here in Toronto as they are down south -- the ex500's are available in large quantities and for relatively cheap.. about $4k.  

Anyhow, he stumbled on a post (incidentally on an ex500 newsgroup in Toronto) for a 1989 honda cb1 (400cc inline four, liquid cooled).  The gent selling it was asking for $2800, or $3000 certified (required for ownership transfer and to insure the bike).  He doesn't really know anyone who rides, besides me, so he asked me to test ride it.  

Wow, what a blast!  The bike red lines at 13,500rpm!  It's been rejetted and has a new exhaust -- it sounds terrific!  Not obnoxiously loud, but much better than my stock gs500f exhaust.  The bike had a bit of damage on the tank (lowside), and the petcock needed to be changed (slight leak).  The front tire is also due for replacement.  Besides that, everthing else looked fine -- chain, sprokets, fork seals, pads, cables, hoses).  Again, I am by no means an expert, but what little I do know was more than my friend.

We offered $2600 and bought the bike the same day.  The local bike shop is having it fixed, and it should be ready soon.

Just thought I would share the experience.  I can't believe how wonderful that 400cc inline four felt.  I wonder if this bike is a distant relative of the new honda inline four (600cc) bikes?  I think it was available in North America for 89/90, but available in Asia (maybe Europe) for much longer.

On a related note.. this is the same friend of mine who managed to drop my bike while practicing for his test (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11620&highlight=)

The cb-1 as you already stated is part of the 400cc class of bikes which never made it in North America mainly due no restriction on size of bike someone can buy as their first bike unlike most of the rest of the world where the 400 class was big.  In Europe a first time buyer can not just go out and buy a 600 class or larger bike as in the case in the US and because of this regulation the smaller displacement bikes are available such as CBR250, CBR400 the 400cc version of what is called a Hawk-gt in the States, GS500 is available in a GS400, the Suzuki Bandit 400 which was short lived in the US was sold in a Bandit 250 in other parts of the world, Sukuki offered a GSXR250 and GSXR400 and the list keeps going as to what was not offered in the United States in the way of small displacement bikes.

As for the CB-1 its motor is a detuned version of the CBR400 which is the little brother of the CBR600 family of bikes.