HONDA CB400 (1992 - on) Review

Year: 1993

Annual servicing cost: £60

I've had this bike for about 8 years. Sounds great, quite nippy for UK roads and small compared to most other bikes. If I sell it its because I've got hold of a newer model with ABS and fuel injection.

Buying experience: Ebay auction. Bargain for £780. It would be more than that now!

Year: 1992

Annual servicing cost: £200

Best ,looks fantastic. Sounds great. Easy smooth and predictable power delivery. Handles good. Build quality and Crome excellent. Worst, no Haynes manual available, a bit underpowered for overtaking.

Buying experience: Private purchase £1600 April 2021

Year: 1997

Annual servicing cost: £200

I was surprised by the sound of the CB400. very nice crisp sound, the bike also looks much better in person than it does in pictures, the worst thing would be driving in stop start traffic. I find the bike gets very hot and very close to overheating at low speed, but this is fairly common among some 4 cylinders anyway.

Year: 1993

Our CB400 has been in the family for around 12 years and I'm a little surprised it's done so well. It's been stored outside for the last 7 years with only a hint of corrosion coming through. Engine is coming up to about 70k, though mixed KM and miles means it's likely aroun 60k, still, the engine runs fine. The gearbox is feeling it's age a bit with the occasional clunk between gears.

Year: 2002

Peach of an engine, chunky tyres, comfortable, sweet gearshift, strong brakes. Shame it doesn't look more interesting.

Buying experience: Bought from dealer / importer

Version: Revo

Year: 2012

Annual servicing cost: £50

Imported this motorcycle in 2013 as shop soiled with 1 kilometer. Loved it from the minute I started the engine, sounds way better than other much more expensive bikes. Comfort seems to improve after an hour in the saddle. CABS brakes are amazing. No fancy gimmics like the new bikes, just the ride to enjoy.

Buying experience: Imported myself, bought at auction in Japan for less than £4,000. Shipping, Duty, Tax, Fees to third parties in Japan brought the final total to just shy of £7,000!!!

Version: R

Year: 1996

Annual servicing cost: £120

Great bike. Handling, engine and brakes are all responsive. The engine gives power when you need it. Sure, if you want to race you will need to increase the fuel and air intakes but the bike will get you plenty of speeding tickets. I haven't needed many parts (only front shocks) and they were £110 fitted. Insurance has been cheap as well. It has a bit of storage under the seat which is big enough for my wet weather gear.

Buying experience: Definitely shop around for a good one. Too many youngsters have raced them so look for a more mature seller if you can.

Version: cb 400 super four

Year: 1996

Annual servicing cost: £80

As I am a pensioner, my cb 400 super four is the ideal bike for me as it is not too big in terms of bike size, I can get my feet flat on the ground which is a good thing for me, the performance suits me perfectly it's quick and versatile, and has a good turn of speed, although I haven't opened it up fully yet, it cruises at 70 mph no problem, don't want to say on here what I have taken it up to, but I am a very happy owner of a 96 cb 400 super four project big 1

Version: VTEC

Year: 1994

A good but not great bike - for me. It may be a lot better for you.

Buying experience: Bought from a bike shop, so I paid way too much.

Version: NC31 Version R F3S

Year: 1996

I bought this bike as the first 'big' bike after getting the licence originally as something to ride for a couple of years before moving to something bigger. That was seven years ago now and the bike just keeps growing on me, felt no need to change. I wonder whether I'm seeing it through rose-tinted spectacles because it is my first proper bike but even if this is the case, the bike has always delivered and has done so much for me over the years. It deserves the praise I give it.

Buying experience: Privately, was a doddle as the guy was lovely, honest, open. Bought it for 1200 and I would've been happy to pay more if I had known what the bike was actually like further down the line and how much I've got from it.

Year: 2002

I brought a 1998 CB400 Four 50th Anniversary Edition about 18 months ago. I use it for social riding, keep off motorways and only use for for A&B roads. It's a great bike, comfortable, good road holding, smooth engine, economical. The twin front and single rear discs work great. I will ask Honda UK at the London bike show why they won't bring it over here as I am sure they will sell plenty of them.

I have had a cb400 for 10 years. I have the version s which I think is the best. It has a 17" front wheel Brembo calipers, showa rear shocks, for some reason it seems a touch roomier than the standard super four. The later Vtech is too complicated service wise. These bikes should have been imported to the uk officially as they are brilliant commuters or first big bike. They are really forgiving and quite capable, long term you may get tired with the weak or revvy nature of the motor. The motor is very tough and will take a severe hammering. Motorway riding can be stressing as the engine is constantly above 7,000 rpm at 70 to 80mph. Fuel consumption is great at regular speeds and if I use motorways I cruise at 60ish. The handling and ride is great. Build quality is fantastic. Mine has a few upgrades but ideally I would like to put a cbr600 motor in it. If you are wondering whether to buy 1 or not then yes the CB500 is a good alternative but the cb400 is smoother and better built.

This bike is perfect for being restricted! i was looking for bikes to comply with my license for ages but i kept coming back to the honda. first off a 44 is ideal because you dont have to restrict it much to begin with. i have riden it without the restrictor and there isnt much difference expect on motorways. the bike its self is very stable and perfect for flicking over and pulling of cracking cornering. the equipment is fairly basic but nothing is missing. would reccomend a MPH converter to avoid confusion though. never had a problem with reliability. bit fussy in the cold but with the choke on the handlebars it makes life easier. never let me down yet. the engine and exhuast sound amazing and sounds like a much bigger bike. overall i am finding this to be the perfect bike for getting about during my restriction period. cheap, reliable and will put a huge silly grin on your face.

I've got a grey import 1993 which is terrific. Simple, cheap and is a great 'B' road bike. Motorways are easy, but without fairing the normal buffering by the wind makes it as tiring as another non-faired bike. Starts reliably and does everything on the tin. Its not an international tourer, but it didn't cost a faction of the price, but provides the same fun. I choose the routes for the most fun. I wonderful bike.

I had a 95 model that was a grey import, quite a long time ago now and quite a few bikes later I honestly think this was the best bike I have ever owned. Ok it was not all that fast but it was fast enough for fun but also suitable to ride all day without being at all uncomfortable. Lack of fairing amounted to the usual windy ride but I didn't mind it then and I still don't. The economy was unbelievable for a 4 cylinder revy machine and the engine was so smooth it really was a nice ride, so much so that I know my Father used to sneak out on a sunny sunday afternoon occasionally, he still doesn't know that I know that!! The build quality and finish was far better than any Honda's built in europe and other parts of the world and I still think that it is the same now, if you see a late Grey import they are far superior in quality of finish. When I bought it it was more expensive than alot of bikes available at the time bit it was worth every penny. I never had any problems getting any parts the insurance was cheep even though at the time I was still a young lad. My brother was so impressed that he got one aswell, although his was a bit newer and it was the SF version R, so his bike got a bolt on can, with a different front pipe which gave more ground clearence at the cost of no center stand, a black painted engine, lower gearing so that it had quicker acceleration and slightly rear set pegs with a bikini nose fairing. I am not sure but I think I read once that they made a SF version S aswell which was also a bit sporty with the normal round headlight. To my knowledge you can still get this bike new in Japan, Australia and New Zealand although now it has a Vtec engine and ABS is an option. If I had enough money now I would get a brand new CB400SF Vtec imported to keep for sunny days to enjoy a truly brilliant bike, a proper Honda. On a different note if you fancy a short tour of Brittany by bike then check out www.longwayroundbrittany.co.uk