16 years abandoned 1980honda cm400E is back to life(NEWPICS!

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Justy
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16 years abandoned 1980honda cm400E is back to life(NEWPICS!

#1 Unread post by Justy »

My mother purchased a 1980 honda cm400E new in 1980. She chose this bike because she said it was the only one in the honda show room with spoke wheels and she felt it was the most comfortable. She is a small women and needed a low, small, lightweight bike.

A few years later my parents divorced and she was forced to sell the bike to my grandfather who only had it 2 years until he died around 1984. His last wish was for my mother to have the bike back.

In the mid 80's we fell on hard times and this bike was the only means of transportation for my mother and I. I clearly remember my mother riding me on the back of this bike when I was 9 years old. My mothers health turned poor and she was to weak to hold the bike up.

She then gave the bike to my brother around 1987 and he gave it back to her 2 years later in 89.

The bike then sat for 16 years in my mothers shed, never moved or started, just buried under 16 years worth of junk. The shed had a dirt floor and whenever it rained the floor would get damp which caused the bike to rust to hell.

Summer of 2005 I dug the bike out, changed oil and gas, hooked it up to a charger and she fired up. We where all stunned that this bike would still run after all those years. I made my mind up at that moment that I would restore this bike and have it as my first motorcycle and the bike I would learn to ride on.

Through ebay, my father and a friend I met online (Thanks John!) I was able to restore this bike to its original condition with all OEM honda parts which includes a NOS gastank, NOS tailight bracket, entire exhaust, front and rear spoke wheels, shocks, left and right engine side covers, forkcovers, chain guard, front/rear sprockets, mirrors, NOS handgrips etc etc. I also repainted the entire frame along with the footpegs, fork bridge/handlebar mounts and so on. I still need to replace my left side cover and either find NOS side cover decals or have someone make me decals identical to the original . I still have a few small items to replace like some old rusted bolts,hoses and need to get my break pedal on yet. I will be spending the winter months finishing up on some more polishing and cleaning the engine.
Right before spring I will take it for inspection and a carb sync and hopefully she will be back on the road for the first time since 1989.

My mother was 32 years old when she purchased this bike as her first bike, I am her daughter and I am now 32 years old and this is my first bike as well.


first dug out of garage in 2005
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first coat of primer
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just installed new exhaust
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what it looks like today..ALmost done!
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Justine :)
Last edited by Justy on Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:28 am, edited 19 times in total.

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jk333
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#2 Unread post by jk333 »

thats a great story. do have any more pics? :D

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Justy
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#3 Unread post by Justy »

OMG yeah I think I have like 100 pics of it lol.. I documented everything I have done with this bike and also so I can refer to pics so I knew how to put it all back together lol. I may post some more though.

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ceemes
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#4 Unread post by ceemes »

Lovely story and an even lovelier bike. The Honda CM400 holds a special place in my heart, it was the bike I learned to ride on, learned to tinker on, had my first spill on, rode in the rain and snow on, had my first and only tyre blow out on, rear tyre thankfully, a beautiful little bike. I even earned my living on a second CM400 as a motorcycle courier in the late 80's.

I am currently looking at another CM400, not for myself but for the lady in my life. Sadly it is in very rough shape and needs a lot of work done on it, but I think it would be worth it.

Please post more pictures, I for one cannot get enough of these classic Honda's.
Always ask why.

Image

badinfluence63
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#5 Unread post by badinfluence63 »

justy,

Great story and what a most perfect 1st bike.

How is your mother doing? Is she happy to see not only her memory bike restored but you driving it?

Thanks for sharing this truly heart warming personal story.

PS Was the wiring harness still in pretty good shape or did the mice get to it?

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Justy
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#6 Unread post by Justy »

My mother is going great thanks. She was just came to visit me today since I just finished with the painting. She is so happy I decided to fix up this bike before her husband wanted to make a lawnmower out of it lol. I will not be rideing it till spring though, I still need to get my motorcycle liscense hehe.
The wiring harnes was just fine , just needed some cleaning, although I did find some eggcorns inside the left engine cover by the sprocket .

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Justy
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Before and after pics

#7 Unread post by Justy »

before

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after
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Last edited by Justy on Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:39 am, edited 12 times in total.

badinfluence63
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#8 Unread post by badinfluence63 »

justy,

Again I have to say what a most perfect bike. Good taste is timeless!
Thanks for sharing the before and after photos. You guys have done a good job on the restoration.

Lawn mower? I've seen ape hangers on a craftsman riding mower....... and a HD powered chain saw.

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jstark47
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#9 Unread post by jstark47 »

Justy- that is an amazing story! I take my hat off to you! :notworthy:
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#10 Unread post by gsJack »

I had a 81 CM400A Hondamatic and it had over 100k miles on it last time I saw it. I put 96k of those miles on and it was still running like new but it was badly rusted from the salt they use so heavily here in NE OH, I rode it year round a few years and then kept it for a winter bike later on.

Great job of restoring and worth the effort for it's memories and also those bike were totally dependable and would run forever with a bit of maintenance.
407,211 miles in 30.1 years for 13,528 miles/year average. Started 7/21/84, updated 8/26/14

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