Honda CB400 Review - Page 2

Honda CB400 Review - Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 By Trevor Hedge When it comes to braking hardware I am pleased to say the performance delivered was well above par. A pair of 285mm floating discs up front are gripped by a pair of four-piston calipers on the standard model does the business but the ABS model with three-piston calipers linked to the 235mm disc at the rear are outstanding. Disappointingly the ABS system is an extra $1000 ask over the base model. In my opinion it should be standard. This is a learner machine after all and unfortunately the extra grand is causing more than 75% of buyers to keep the extra money in their pocket which is a crying shame as the system is simply brilliant and a potential life saver. If you were buying the machine for your partner or loved one it's not hard to work out which machine you would want them to have. Perhaps Honda should have made the decision for them and only brought the ABS equipped machine to the Australian market? With the ABS system the braking performance is absolutely outstanding. I believe it not only sets the standard for the learner category, but for all weather performance is equal to anything on the road, and better than most. Powering the CB400 smartly off the mark is a well proven 399cc engine brought into the 21st century by Honda’s excellent PGM fuel injection and Hyper VTEC variable valve timing systems. Rather than a truly variable timing system Honda's Hyper VTEC is a relatively simple affair that simply switches from two-valve per cylinder running under 7000rpm to four-valve per cylinder operation at higher revs. The engine pulls cleanly from the traffic lights with as little as 2500rpm onboard and revs freely through to 12,000rpm with no perceptible steps or glitches in the power delivery. Thanks to its small capacity and modest 53 horsepower the CB400 is never going to get a learner into trouble but remains just enough for an experienced rider to still find some thrills in the hills. I spent plenty of time in tight terrain with the noise needle rarely getting under 10,000rpm and enjoyed the experience immensely. An aftermarket muffler would certainly add to the aural pleasure and really let the little mill clear its lungs and sing what no doubt would be a glorious tune. The gearbox enjoys being worked hard and is married to a clutch with nice feel and engagement which also helps immensely around town.   Continue to page 3

Honda CB400 Review - Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3

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