Honda NS400R

(RIP) Tunneruk

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Oh lord, what have I let myself in for ...... :blast

The bike itself is absolutely awesome, very original and in lovely condition .....

The bodywork is absolutely shite!!

I guess I'll have to find a decent painter to sort that out :D

IMG_6783 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_6785 by tunneruk, on Flickr

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Echo the comment nice project Chris. Farmboy on here has a lovely NS400. He could be worth a pm for early advice and suggestions.
Steve
 
I just love the smell of a 2 Stroke in the Mornin!

It can't be that simple....just plastics

I do have a few little jobs to do on the chassis, Paint the forks and a couple of little brackets here and there, one of the oil pump pipes is a little leaky and I'll probably paint the exhausts.

Aside from that it's so good that I'll just have to clean it I think!

I hung the panels on it before I went home last night .....

IMG_6797 by tunneruk, on Flickr
 
I suppose being a 400 it wouldn't have suffered the same abuse that the 250's would have, also dont recall seeing many about either, so i supose its entirely possible this one was looked after mechanically, track day/ club race bike maybe?

I seem to recall the VFR4 & GSXR4 were way more popular and the next increment up from the RGV250 & TZR250 & NSR250.

Then they only made them for a short run 2 years it seems....wonder why?, though I wonder if the NS400R was the 250 engine with some tweeks and another cylinder added as a v3 as opposed to a purpose designed tripple, using the V to avoid the heat build up in the mid cylinder. Seems alot of trouble to design an engine to go to for a short run?
 
It's absolutely never been a track bike. All the breather hoses are in position with the original clips, the frame doesn't have a mark on it and the wheels are in beautiful condition. They were mainly a Japanese market bike, only 300 official UK registered bikes and only 100 of those in Rothmans colours.
 
I remember one line of a bike mags review when it was launched made me chuckle...
''Below xxxx thousand revs it hasn't got enough power to pull a greasy stick out of a dogs bum''

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
Then they only made them for a short run 2 years it seems....wonder why?, though I wonder if the NS400R was the 250 engine with some tweeks and another cylinder added as a v3 as opposed to a purpose designed tripple, using the V to avoid the heat build up in the mid cylinder. Seems alot of trouble to design an engine to go to for a short run?[/QUOTE]

They actually went to the trouble of designing the engine just for the road bike, the v3 NS500 race bike the two cyclinders where at the back of the engine, the 400 they are at the front.
 
I probably won't paint the bodywork until well into the new year but I want to get everything else done and ready to accept it's new clothes when they're done.

I'll be doing the fork seals when I paint the forks.

The "comstar' wheels are bolted together using a bolt system which requires a 7 pointed torx type bit ... feck knows where I'll fine one of those!

I fixed the oil pipe and bolted on the exhausts with new gaskets. Wheeled the old girl outside today to clean off the best part of 10 years of dust .....

It is in genuinely superb condition. I'll be doing some light localised restoration here and there but basically all it needs is cleaning!!

IMG_6931 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_6932 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_6963 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_6965 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_6967 by tunneruk, on Flickr
 
Cracking bike. What a find.

I bow to your knowledge in these matters, and its very difficult to tell from the photos, but I cant help thinking that these days peeps tend to prefer an original bike, perhaps with that mellow patina that that one seems to have , rather than an unoriginal repainted bike.

As I say cant really tell from the pics, but might it not be a wiser move to restore the paintwork with detailing/correction rather than obliterate the original? Its only original once etc etc......and of course I could be talking out of my arse, so feel free to respond appropriately!
 
Cracking bike. What a find.

I bow to your knowledge in these matters, and its very difficult to tell from the photos, but I cant help thinking that these days peeps tend to prefer an original bike, perhaps with that mellow patina that that one seems to have , rather than an unoriginal repainted bike.

As I say cant really tell from the pics, but might it not be a wiser move to restore the paintwork with detailing/correction rather than obliterate the original? Its only original once etc etc......and of course I could be talking out of my arse, so feel free to respond appropriately!

I'm going to do local repairs on the rear panels as they're not too bad at all. The tank has a dent on one side, the nose cone is awful and one side of the belly pan has a graze on it. I'll do it about right, I won't restore anything for the sake of it ;)
 
The "comstar' wheels are bolted together using a bolt system which requires a 7 pointed torx type bit ... feck knows where I'll fine one of those!

Do you have a picture and some measurements?

I have a set of 1/2" bits I bought that I thought were torx but they arent...kept them just in case.
 


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