1978 Honda Hawk/ CB 400 people

[disco honda]

I just picked up a '78 Honda Hawk (manual). This is my first bike with only 4,000 miles. I'm really geeked about it. Can I find a windshield for this bike and maybe some highway bars. What are the mpg's for the 400? Are there any real negatives of this bike for a newbie.. Thanks

[ZooTech]

I know nothing about the bike, but would like to welcome you to the forum! Help with your questions about your Hawk will be here toute de suite!

[revcbl]

Welcome to the old Honda club.
I have a 1974 cb360 and am currently in the throes of deciding whether I should buy a 76 cb750.
I couldn't find technical specs for your bike in the cursory search I did, but I'm guessing it's a four cylinder (mines a twin). Whaddya mean manual, btw?
Mine has been (and is) a great bike. I learned on it, as did at least 4 or 5 other people. It's easy to fix and enough people had these bikes that parts are easy to get on ebay or at your local junkyard.
What I've learned from riding an old honda for the past five years:
Buy a Clymer manual.
Get extra keys made if you can find the blanks (they don't make them anymore for mine).
Make friends with someone who fixes them for a living, so when you're faced with a table full of parts you can't quite remember taking off, you can call them. Alternately, find a good shop, but most of them are doing higher end sportbikes, so they may not know the vintage stuff.

I don't know your bike, but highways can be hairy on mine. Things start to vibrate strangely at around 80mph. I've never had any real problems, but I don't like the feeling. That leads me to the one downside-- the smaller bikes like mine aren't the best for long trips. Hence my current cb750 dilemma. For the city, though, nothin' beats it.

As far as accessories go, I'm sure they're out there. Check ebay. A lot of honda parts fit multiple bikes. Just don't make it too ugly.

Enjoy it!

[flynrider]

A windshield should be pretty easy. National Cycle makes about 10 of them that'll fit your bike. From tiny fly screens to fairings with lowers. Go to : http://www.nationalcycle.com/ and click on "Products by bike".

Over the years I've bought several windshields from National Cycle and have never been disappointed. They make a very good product.

[disco honda]

thanks for the reply...

[TorontoBoy]

Your mileage should be around 60-70mpg, though you might get higher. 125s can get in the 110mpg, 250s in the 80mpg range. Mileage goes up if your bike is tuned up, you're gentle on the throttle, use a slightly higher gear when cruising, don't speed (difficult, I know) and don't do much stop-n-go riding. The less cylinders the better the milege. Gas leaks are obviously bad for mileage.

New bikes don't necessarily get better mileage than old bikes. Your cb400 is built tough and might give you startling gas mileage. What you give up in performance and speed you get back in fuel economy.

[gsJack]

I just picked up a '78 Honda Hawk (manual). This is my first bike with only 4,000 miles. I'm really geeked about it. Can I find a windshield for this bike and maybe some highway bars. What are the mpg's for the 400? Are there any real negatives of this bike for a newbie.. Thanks

My first bike was a 81 CB400T which had the same engine as your 78 Hawk. It also was a six speed manual and I rode it 6 months and 6k miles and traded it on a new 82 CB750K.

After putting 80k miles on the 750, I bought a like new 81 CM400A Hondamatic about 1990 which had that same 400cc Hawk engine. I gave it away last year with 98k miles on it and it was still running like new. I was using it as a winter bike on the salt laden streets of NE Ohio and it was badly rusted.

I had to put a head gasket on it at about 30k miles to fix a oil leak and that was all that was done to the engine in all those miles except for oil and plug changes and a couple valve adjustments. Like any bike that old you might have some seal leaking problems due to dried out oil seals and gaskets, but otherwise that engine is almost bulletproof and should last you many years.

I don't remember what gas milage I got on the manual 81 CB400T, but I got about 50-55 mpg on the Hondamatic which I rode for 96 of those 98k miles. I would guess you might average 55-60 mpg on your 78 Hawk if ridden moderately.

[Joe Mc]

My Hawk gets about 50-55mpg on average. Combined Hwy/city.

Universal windsheilds are plentiful. Should be lots of used ones on EBay.

What are highway bars?

[disco honda]

just got the bike up to 60 mph..feeling pretty good though..thanks for the reply's..she's really doing great now..thanks