Honda 400/4

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

Introduced in 1974, the Honda 400/4 was based on the popular 350/4, but also took cues from the larger CB750. 

The bike was designed to suit the European market with cafe racer styling, featuring a sturdy duplex full cradle frame, straight narrow handlebars and semi-rearset footrests, a low well-centred mass providing agile steering.

The formidably quiet and smooth 408cc engine gained a reputation for performance and reliability with a 9,000rpm spread of power delivered through a delightful six-speed gearbox. Developing 37bhp, the 9.4:1 ratio engine thrives on revs. Carburation is by a bank of 20mm slide/needle Keihns and ignition is by 12v battery and twin coils.

The 400/4's trademark styling cue is the four-into-one exhaust system which swoops across the front of the engine to coalesce into a single pipe on the right hand side of the engine, a cosmetic benefit that also provided access to the oil-filter housing.

The bike received a rapturous welcome from the press, as typified by this summary from Cycle World: “What Honda has done with the 400/4 is to capture a spirit. There are riders who prefer precision to power, nimble handling to bulky status, just as there are people who would rather ride well than ride easily.” But this recognition was not enough to save the greatest sporting middleweight of its generation from being withdrawn in 1978 as it cost as much to manufacture as the 750 at two-thirds of the retail price.

First registered in August 1976, this 400/4 is said to have been maintained to a very good standard with numerous receipts in the history file, and has also been fitted with a sports exhaust to boost the power output. Said to run and ride well it has an MOT until November 2014 and also comes with seven expired MOT certificates

Please note that an Experian check reports this bike was reported stolen and recovered in June 1999.