CB400SF Cafe racer?
Discussion
So I just bought a cb400 from a friend kind of on a whim. I have always liked these bikes but was thinking of making it into a cafe racer project as I need something to keep me occupied now my current project is drawing to a close.
Anyone have any experience of this or advice as to whether this is a good / bad idea and where is good to source parts?
Anyone have any experience of this or advice as to whether this is a good / bad idea and where is good to source parts?
Cafe racers should have a maximum of two cylinders in my opinion, it just doesn't work on a four cylinder bike, plenty of images of bad conversions on google image search.
I'd improve the brakes and suspension, update the front end and the handling and fit a nice exhaust, then leave well alone
I'd improve the brakes and suspension, update the front end and the handling and fit a nice exhaust, then leave well alone
As Jazoli says, leave it well alone. The Superfour look is rubbish in Cafe Racer guise, motor looks wrong.
My SF has had a few mods and from experience I’d recommend the following:
Nitron rear shocks. Unbelievable difference
Cartridge emulator in the forks.
Hyper pro progressive springs in the front
Front fork brace
Braided hoses
HH Brake pads
Full filter and fluids change
Great little bikes and I’m loving mine especially now it’s suspension is sorted.
What model is yours?? Year?? Carb or EFI?
As for parts you can get pretty much everything at Webike Japan, Wemoto UK or David Silver Spares
My SF has had a few mods and from experience I’d recommend the following:
Nitron rear shocks. Unbelievable difference
Cartridge emulator in the forks.
Hyper pro progressive springs in the front
Front fork brace
Braided hoses
HH Brake pads
Full filter and fluids change
Great little bikes and I’m loving mine especially now it’s suspension is sorted.
What model is yours?? Year?? Carb or EFI?
As for parts you can get pretty much everything at Webike Japan, Wemoto UK or David Silver Spares
Edited by Steve Bass on Wednesday 3rd January 08:32
Thanks guys! To be honest I don't know much about the bike, my wife runs an export business from Japan and mentioned that she has 2x2 metres of air in a container coming over so I called my buddy who I used to ride with in Japan and asked if he had anything to fill it with. I have always liked these too and being his old bike I know it will be nice so looking forward to seeing it at the end of the month. I know I need a new guage cowel as he mentioned that it was damaged so I will get that now and maybe do the cafe racer on the Vulcan I have gathering dust in the shed....
Right, having given this lots of thought I agree, I love the CB 400 but it needs some work so I am going to restore it and keep it as it is, original and beautiful.
SO... I am back to square one, what base to buy for my cafe racer project? I am selling my Vulcan and Dragstar to fund the project, ideally I am after something air cooled and in a perfect world with a kick start so I can remove as much of the ancillaries as possible...
What do you think? And even better if someone has one and wants to swap or px with a Vulcan or Dragstar ping me!
SO... I am back to square one, what base to buy for my cafe racer project? I am selling my Vulcan and Dragstar to fund the project, ideally I am after something air cooled and in a perfect world with a kick start so I can remove as much of the ancillaries as possible...
What do you think? And even better if someone has one and wants to swap or px with a Vulcan or Dragstar ping me!
TokyoRich said:
Right, having given this lots of thought I agree, I love the CB 400 but it needs some work so I am going to restore it and keep it as it is, original and beautiful.
SO... I am back to square one, what base to buy for my cafe racer project? I am selling my Vulcan and Dragstar to fund the project, ideally I am after something air cooled and in a perfect world with a kick start so I can remove as much of the ancillaries as possible...
What do you think? And even better if someone has one and wants to swap or px with a Vulcan or Dragstar ping me!
XS650 is the obvious choice for a Japanese "big Brit twin".SO... I am back to square one, what base to buy for my cafe racer project? I am selling my Vulcan and Dragstar to fund the project, ideally I am after something air cooled and in a perfect world with a kick start so I can remove as much of the ancillaries as possible...
What do you think? And even better if someone has one and wants to swap or px with a Vulcan or Dragstar ping me!
What's your budget? You can pick up a "proper" British bike still for a couple of thousand of you're not fussed about matching numbers, etc. and you're willing to do some work.
Others to consider - Kawasaki Z440 twin?
Maybe a big single? Couldn't get a big take and put short forks/shocks on.
Royal Enfield is another obvious choice. The engines got a lot more reliable and modern about 10 years ago.
I don't see why a cafe racer can't have more than 2 cylinders as actual cafe racers took the fastest thing available and made them faster regardless of the number of cylinders... Plenty of Tridents / Rocket 3s were given the 'cafe' treatment back in the day and they've got more than 2 !!
A few years ago I was offered a 400/4 that was described as scruffy, so I looked at what else could be done with it. After lots of searching I considered turning it into a 'Yoshi' rep after finding a lovely looking one on the internet. If you search for "400/4 yoshimura cyclone exhaust" it's the blue one comes up and I think that's stunning. Unfortunately when I looked at the 400/4 it was so far gone it would have only been useful as a rusty boat anchor, but the plan is still there.
So, why not turn the CB into a Freddie Spencer replica from the 80s? Wide bars, cut down seat, decent suspension and tyres. It'd certainly be different to every other single cylinder, clip-on'ed, small seat hump'd cafe racer out there and it'd be a laugh hustling a small 400 down your favourite back roads.
A few years ago I was offered a 400/4 that was described as scruffy, so I looked at what else could be done with it. After lots of searching I considered turning it into a 'Yoshi' rep after finding a lovely looking one on the internet. If you search for "400/4 yoshimura cyclone exhaust" it's the blue one comes up and I think that's stunning. Unfortunately when I looked at the 400/4 it was so far gone it would have only been useful as a rusty boat anchor, but the plan is still there.
So, why not turn the CB into a Freddie Spencer replica from the 80s? Wide bars, cut down seat, decent suspension and tyres. It'd certainly be different to every other single cylinder, clip-on'ed, small seat hump'd cafe racer out there and it'd be a laugh hustling a small 400 down your favourite back roads.
srob said:
bongtom said:
God I hate cafe racers or rather the douch canoes who “ride” them.
You hate rockers? I assume you ride a scooter?!
I'm a rocker
I'm a roller too baby
I'm a rocker
Down at the juke joint me and the boys were stompin'
Bippin' an a boppin', telling a dirty joke or two
In walked this chick and I knew she was up to something
and I kissed her right there out of the blue
I said "Hey baby, meet me I'm a tough guy"
Got my cycle outside, you want to try?
She just looked at me and rolled them big eyes
And said "Ooh I'd do anything for you 'cause you're a rocker"
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