For a bike that was only on sale in the US for a couple of years, the Honda CB400F had a massive impact. In many ways, it was the first Japanese sportbike: it had six gears, fashionably low bars, a beautiful engine (with a stratospheric 10,000 rpm redline) and fabulous styling.
It’s an attractive machine in stock form, and the best examples in original condition sell for $10,000 or more in the US. This very sharp custom, however, was in a rather sorry state when before it was rebuilt by Mokka Cycles of Hungary.
“The donor bike was sent to me from Wien in Austria,” says shop founder Árpi Bozi. “The project had been started by the previous owner, who lacked time and know-how.
“The current owner decided to give me the job after seeing Mokka bikes on the net. Most of my jobs come in this way, so I’m very dependent on my online presence.”
The CB400F was in ‘quite miserable’ condition, with a mangled, badly cut subframe, deep grind marks all over the main frame, a spray-painted engine and a multitude of what Árpi calls “garage built features.”
“The build plan was to make a neat-looking cafe racer, which like a good pair of jeans, fits most occasions.”
Árpi freely admits that he’s an obsessive detail freak, and it shows on this Honda. “I went full OCD this time,” he jokes. “The proportions are meticulously measured and adjusted, from the custom made seat to the headlight assembly, and using height- adjustable shocks from YSS.”
The stance is spot-on, but the mods are subtle. The brakes and front suspension are totally rebuilt, with new YSS progressive springs inside the chrome tubes. Árpi has also re-laced the 18-inch wheels with new spokes, and powder coated the rims. The tires are Continental Classic Attack vintage-style radials.
There’s a new upper yoke from Cognito Moto, and it’s been black anodized—along with several other custom-machined aluminum parts Árpi designed for the CB.
The magnificent air-cooled, inline four engine was broken down and vapor blasted for a factory original look. Árpi put it back together with new bearings and seals, and hooked it up to a stainless steel 4-into-1 exhaust system with a straight-through muffler from Delkevic in the UK. “It looks and sounds nice, and it was a piece of cake to drop it in,” says Árpi. “I had to make a custom rear bracket though.”
To remedy the dodgy frame, Árpi cut and looped a new rear subframe, added seat holder brackets, and cut of the unused frame tabs. There’s a new seat pan, custom made from steel, with the foam upholstered with a two-tone water- and UV-proof cover.
The café-style seat is also accommodates the stoplight, and the whole caboodle is easily removable via a single thumbscrew.
The rear sets are from Loaded Gun in the US, and installed with Mokka-designed brackets to give relaxed and comfortable riding position with the new clip on bars.
On the electric side, the CB400F is now wired up with a new loom connected to a Motogadget m.unit blue control box, which syncs with an m.lock RFID ignition system and m.switch buttons. Juice comes from a compact lithium battery in a custom-made battery box.
Árpi has finished off the build with a smattering of small custom aluminum parts, such as black anodized front suspension caps and bar end caps, and tiny rear stand supports—so the bike can be conveniently stored or put on display. He’s also used titanium fasteners from Pro-Bolt UK to replace tatty original bolts.
“I truly envy the owner,” says Árpi. “This is the kinda bike I’d use as a daily rider.”
We’d happily ride it too. And it’s even more heartening to see a CB400F saved from the scrapheap.
Mokka Cycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Árpi Bozi | Video by Mark & Kali