In 1989, Honda unveiled a modern reincarnation of the greatest lightweight fours ever produced, the CB400F. The new Honda 400/4, known as the CB-1 — aka the NC27 or CB400F — boasted a liquid-cooled four-valve engine, beefy perimeter frame, Pro-Link rear shock, and three-spoke mag wheels:

“Putting out almost 55hp and a redline of 13,500rpm made for one screaming demon.” –Evan Gregory, Protoworks Manufacturing

The CB-1 eschewed the modern full-fairing trend in favor of the naked styling of the original, and surprisingly enough, this exotic liquid-cooled four was available in the US and Canada! Cycle World was simply in love with the new machine:

“A reincarnation of the standard motorcycle…the sort of bike everyone rode before sporting riders went replica racer crazy.”

Unfortunately, the bike was short-lived, axed after 1990 due to poor sales. But that’s where enthusiasts like father/son duo Bill and Evan Gregory of Ontario’s ProtoWorks Manufacturing Inc step in. Says Evan:

“It’s a shame it didn’t stick around longer, but at least there are those of us who are willing to keep the flames of the CB1 burning hot. With vigorous enthusiasm we are determined to keep as many of them as possible on the road.”

Evan and his father are both certified machinists with a vast repertoire of skills in their arsenal: CNC, CAD, 3D printing, metal fabrication, engine building/tuning, and more. Father Bill built a ’79 Suzuki GS750 in the early 80s and went superbike racing:

“Although only modest success was earned on the track, valuable technical knowledge was gained regarding motorcycle performance and design modifications.”

Now the father/son team are determined to make their living in the custom motorcycle market, building restomods as a platform for developing and marketing a range of high-grade components through their new company, ProtoWorks Manufacturing Inc:

“Our objective is to take particular models that represent milestones in the industry or bikes that have become somewhat iconic and transform them into machines that represent current technology and styling tastes, while maintaining recognizable aspects of their original lines.”

The CB-1 you see here is a 1990 model that has undergone a massive transformation, including a bespoke swingarm, Kawasaki ZX6R rear wheel and front end, Kawasaki Ninja 300 tail, LCD instrument display, relocated electrics, custom silencer, and a vast array of 3D-printed or hand-fabricated parts to graft the various pieces into a final product that looks like it was factory-built by Honda’s own R&D team.

The level of execution and detail is stunning, and the CB400F decals are a particularly nice touch — not only do they hark back to the bike’s predecessor, but the CB-1 was marketed as the CB400F in certain markets. Overall, this is one of those bikes that we want to ride as much as ogle — which is part of Evan and Bill’s driving philosophy:

“We don’t build bikes for show. Each has a practical function and is intended to be ridden…Each bike is built for performance and styling, intended to be exploited on the road.”

Below, we get the full details on this sleek 400cc restomod — can’t wait to see the CBX they have in the works!

Builder Interview on&& Bikebound

#Honda #Custom #Bike