'83 400 Shadow back after a rewire.

[AllanB]

Seems the secret to an 80s Japbike rewire is a speedo with all lights built in @B700 (plus elecronic Tacho @B700), a couple of relays and a B500 wiring kit and all that 37 year old complicated Honda wiring <deleted> is gone, back to simple. Moved the CDI units to the back, well away from hot engine location.

 

Rode the bike back this morning and it runs fine, still a few things to do, make up an air filter box and still waiting for the twin pipes to give me a nice sound from that V-twin, it ain't no HD, but here's hoping for a decent note.

 

After a year of illness looking forward to get back on the road notwithstanding the restrictions, nice to have the old gal back. We also found a major blockage in the water system durung the stripdown.

 

Done some minor "chopping" or rather took bits off and a paint job, lots to do in my Aircon'd shed. My stepson inheritted my CRF250 who set about modding everything, so will get the old mirrors for free.

[cornishcarlos]

Photos ???

[canthai55]

Nice to see you back.

[Kwasaki]

A VT400 Replica must be rare.

[AllanB]

27 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

A VT400 Replica must be rare.

Called the NV400, a Japanese home market import there were a few here. It was identical to the VT Shadow series quite popular in the USA.

 

Will post some photos tomorrow, not finished yet though.

[liddelljohn]

Excellent  news , many modern bikes and 80s jap bike have overcomplicated wiring looms which can be simplified and made  robust  , also after many years the wires , connectors and components often weaken or rot ,, well done , enjoy fully once thsis nasty time of virus is over

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, liddelljohn said:

many modern bikes and 80s jap bike have over complicated wiring looms

No they don't cdi & icm are pretty simple wiring harnesses on many old bikes not so much on new bikes.

You wanna complicated one try checking out a Goldwing. ????

[AllanB]

15 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

A VT400 Replica must be rare.

Called the NV400, a Japanese home market import there were a few here. As you can ss it was identical to the VT Shadow series quite popular in the USA.

 

This morning made up an air filter "pack" made up of the original mesh and some oiled sponge... and just stuffed it in. There isn't any room to do much else since the original air box now houses the CDIs/brackets, HT cables and coollant expansion bottle. That seemed to have stopped the popping on over run, will check the plugs after a while.

 

So, work to be done, twin pipes, but the company is closed for a month, new fork gaiters and some sort of luggage rack..oh and the seat. Then a lot of tidying up, including a rethink on the airfilter.

 

But the engine is strong and torquey, gearbox 100% and shaft drive too, just wish I had a bit of artistic flair to make it look amazing.

[Kwasaki]

Not my thing but looks good, tidying is a personal thing be sure someone ear can give some ideas.

As for your airfilter is there any way a cone type will fit they come in many shapes and sizes.

I found what I wanted. 

 

 

[AllanB]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Not my thing but looks good, tidying is a personal thing be sure someone ear can give some ideas.

As for your airfilter is there any way a cone type will fit they come in many shapes and sizes.

I found what I wanted. 

 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, AllanB said:

No post. ????

This is why I put cone airfilters to replaced the ugliest restricted piece of Honda airbox design that slows the bike. ????

 

[AllanB]

I could just about get a 65/75mm flexible in, turn through 90deg then get a small pancake filter in, having trouble finding one. Do they call them pancake filters?

[AllanB]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

This is why I put cone airfilters to replaced the ugliest restricted piece of Honda airbox design that slows the bike. ????

 

That's given me an idea, thanks.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, AllanB said:

I could just about get a 65/75mm flexible in, turn through 90deg then get a small pancake filter in, having trouble finding one. Do they call them pancake filters?

I got my cone air filters from Ali Express if you do a search on there website it will come up with flat circular airfilters, off set ones and all sorts of shapes and sizes, which may suit your needs, they give detailed measurements of the filters and the opening size needed.

[AllanB]

On 4/13/2020 at 12:02 PM, AllanB said:

Called the NV400, a Japanese home market import there were a few here. As you can ss it was identical to the VT Shadow series quite popular in the USA.

 

This morning made up an air filter "pack" made up of the original mesh and some oiled sponge... and just stuffed it in. There isn't any room to do much else since the original air box now houses the CDIs/brackets, HT cables and coollant expansion bottle. That seemed to have stopped the popping on over run, will check the plugs after a while.

 

So, work to be done, twin pipes, but the company is closed for a month, new fork gaiters and some sort of luggage rack..oh and the seat. Then a lot of tidying up, including a rethink on the airfilter.

 

But the engine is strong and torquey, gearbox 100% and shaft drive too, just wish I had a bit of artistic flair to make it look amazing.

Update on the Shadow.......

After going over the entire fuel system with new hoses and clips, carbs set up anf bench tested, what's next?

I hope I have solved another problem, the bike was never that comfortable for me, or the missus. Built for the Jap home market, well I am 6ft and all legs, so time to redesign the seat, laidback slouching never did my old back any favours, time to turn the riding position into a Bonneville style and keep my back straighter, legs less squashed too. Did this using a mixure of hard and medium foam, with conveluted top to allow underbutt airflow and finshed in a groovy crocodile skin.

 

A bit more room for the piilon and I think it suits the bike, all for B750.

 

See above and below for the difference.

 

 

 

 

 

[AllanB]

Had decel backfire ever since I bought the bike and found this video. 

 

I ordered two straight pipes to replace the tatty and poor sounding old rear box, but due to the virus the plating shop is holding things up. Once the new pipes arrive and are fitted I will go ahead and try to tune the bike. Funny I have been looking for such a video for years and it arrived by accident (or however Youtube works) this morning. Furthermore the bike is a VT model, similar to mine, although bigger and newer.

 

Maybe useful to others.

[teacherclaire]

On 4/13/2020 at 5:09 PM, Kwasaki said:

This is why I put cone airfilters to replaced the ugliest restricted piece of Honda airbox design that slows the bike. ????

 

That's indeed an ugly looking piece. 

[teacherclaire]

3 hours ago, AllanB said:

Had decel backfire ever since I bought the bike and found this video. 

 

I ordered two straight pipes to replace the tatty and poor sounding old rear box, but due to the virus the plating shop is holding things up. Once the new pipes arrive and are fitted I will go ahead and try to tune the bike. Funny I have been looking for such a video for years and it arrived by accident (or however Youtube works) this morning. Furthermore the bike is a VT model, similar to mine, although bigger and newer.

 

Maybe useful to others.

My suggestion for not so experienced guys like this one in the video. Buy a "Gunsone Colortune", it lets you look into the combustion chamber and comes with a mirror for deeper threads.

 

Then you tune your carbs until you have a nice and blue color. Yellow indicates too rich. 

 

   Works for all engines and it's quite affordable. 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, teacherclaire said:

My suggestion for not so experienced guys like this one in the video. Buy a "Gunsone Colortune", it lets you look into the combustion chamber and comes with a mirror for deeper threads.

 

Then you tune your carbs until you have a nice and blue color. Yellow indicates too rich. 

 

   Works for all engines and it's quite affordable. 

They good so I'm told but only on certain bikes, totally impractical trying to use on my Fireblade unless you bench test. 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, teacherclaire said:

That's indeed an ugly looking piece. 

Yeah and about a 4mph top end loss. ????

[AllanB]

Finally got the bike finished, took MrsB out and after setting the tyre pressures, yeh not a bad ride. 

 

Built my own airbox from blue PVC water pipe and a sponge sleeve and the backfiring on decel has pretty much gone. So a good bit of guess work, as I made the filter area about 20% larger than original, the original airfilter would no longer fit due to moving the CDIs and expansion bottle.

 

The clutch was a bit sticky for a while, with it stalling twice while engaging 1st, but that got better and it still aint pretty and haven't got that sound that Glen Miller was looking for, but it works...fingers crossed.

 

The carbs are not bad now, float chambers set correctly, will get the plugs out after a run and tappets all good. 

 

The new Bonny style seat is really comforatble for two, the tank wrap is done, but needs a proper paint job. Next year, maybe a different style.

 

So now the shed is tidy too after so many months.

 

[dddave]

Great job and some imaginative solutions.  You created a unique ride that looks good.

 

I used to love restoring old Honda's I'd find abandoned.  Boston is a university town and in the 90s, every year after graduation there would be dozens of abandoned bikes chained to utility poles.  CB 400s, 550's even a 750. A CX500 V-twin was a favorite, impossible to kill.  CDI's were always the most difficult part to source.