Honda CB400

Not so much

OVERVIEW
The gradual roll-out of learner approved motorcycle schemes, allowing newbies to ride mid-sized bikes, has been the best thing to happen to the motorcycle market in many years. Bringing in 250 restrictions all that time ago was dumb, and it's taken two decades to fix the problem in most states.

One of the reasons it's so good is we now get to ride little jewels like Honda's CB400, from a capacity class which simply wasn't viable under the old 250 regime. Then, people would get straight off the 250 after a one-year apprenticeship (assuming they didn't just sit it out) and hop on to something much, much bigger. Now, there's good reason to get something that's a reasonable size to start with, and stick with it for a while.

A lot of folk will inevitably head straight for a 650 - the biggest capacity allowed under the current rules - but I'm not convinced that's always the smartest thing to do, and the CB is a terrific argument for reconsidering that tactic. Physically a 400 is substantially smaller than a 650, while still offering a decent amount of performance - and certainly at a more realistic level than any 250 four-stroke can hope to achieve.

The 400 class has become popular in Japan because for years it has represented a major hurdle in that country's graduated licensing system. Making the 'leap' past 400 to a licence for bigger bikes is a major challenge, so many opt to stay in this class. Honda says the CB is its top-selling model in Japan (regardless of capacity), and the version we're getting is the fifth generation. What that tells you is it's likely to be well-sorted.

EQUIPMENT
So what's between the wheels? In some respects, it's a surprisingly traditional motorcycle. If you ever owned the fondly-remember CB400 from the 1970s, you'd recognise much of the basic layout. The steel twin-loop frame is tied to the road via fairly conventional suspension, albeit with piggy-back reservoir shocks on the rear.

Braking comes as two alternative packages: a conventional four-piston twin disc set-up up front, or a three-piston set with ABS, both with a single-pot rear disc. The ABS is cheap at just $1000 extra and, if it were me, I'd buy it as a lifetime insurance policy for the bike.

The powerplant has had pretty much all the corporate technology thrown at it, to make it as slick and flexible as possible. It scores the in-house fuel-injection, among the best out there, plus VTEC variable valve timing. We've had the latter before, on the VFR800.

There's a sensible size 18 litre fuel tank, a decent stepped seat, plus a good-sized pillion grab handle. Think of it as the typical universal Japanese motorcycle, albeit in modern form.

ON THE ROAD
Throw a leg over and you very quickly realise just how compact this thing is. It's low, narrow where your legs reach for the ground and it generally feels unintimidating. That said, there's a contradictory sense that you're on something that has a little substance - it looks like a 'real' motorcycle, just shrunk down to a more manageable scale.

I'll readily confess to being most interested in how the VTEC performed, given it was not a raging success on the VFR800. The variable cam timing is supposed to give you the best of both worlds: an engine that plugs away happily at low revs, then turns into a four-pot screamer on demand. In retrospect, I suspect the problem with the VFR was the V-four was already a super-flexible powerplant, so any technology that fiddled with an already good package had its work cut out.

In this case, this VTEC really helps. The system was debuted on this model way back in 1983 and the benefits are obvious. There's a surprising amount of low-end grunt on tap, even if the spec sheet looks unimpressive, while the engine spins out a very linear increase in power until it hits max around 10,000rpm.

For a potential new owner, it means you're not forced to keep it in some high-rev powerband and row the gearbox along to keep up with traffic, while the delivery of its top end is entirely predictable. Keep in mind, this 400 is delivering just over 50 horses, which is plenty.

In fact, the smooth delivery and crisp throttle response makes playing with the engine a lot of fun.

The chassis delivers on making the most of the engine, offering light and responsive controls. Steering is medium speed, with a progressive turn-in that doesn't get put off unduly by mid-turn bumps. The suspension has ride height adjustment at both ends, but nothing for damping. Its stock rates are good solo and suit most situations, obviously with a bias towards comfortable road rather than track use.

Braking on the standard version is powerful with good feel. We would nevertheless upgrade to the ABS variant.

Pillion accommodation is respectable. Keep in mind this is a compact bike, so it's well set up for an across-town jaunt, but I would not be planning a round Australia trip two-up. Solo? No problem, particularly given it has a big fuel tank and sips juice at around 18-plus milometres per litre.

There's really not much to grizzle about. It's not racetrack-sharp, but you know that going in and it's probably a better road bike for it. Tall riders will find it a little too small and are more likely to be looking for a full 650.

To me, it feels like a particularly forgiving and fun package. You can certainly throw it at just about anything and it will do just fine.

There's a lot of appeal in that jewel-like engine, with plenty of performance to keep you interested in the long term. And anyone out there looking for a low seat height without sacrificing performance is probably going to love it.

THE ORIGINAL
Honda's first four-pot 400 was released as the CB400/4 or CB400F in 1977. The 177kg machine claimed a healthy 37hp and was a development of the earlier and less sexy-looking 350. Its sinuous four-into-one exhaust was a styling highlight and the bike was a respectable performer for its day. Worth next to nothing a decade ago, they're now very collectible and a good example can fetch several thousand dollars if it has the original pipes.