1974 Honda CB

Clear

It is with a heavy heart that I am listing my recently restored CB450 for sale. I spent 2 years and several thousand dollars restoring this bike from the ground up. Every inch of this bike has been gone over with the exception of the transmission which I believe to be in great condition. The bike ran fine many years ago but was left sitting for a couple of years and the carbs got gummed up. At that point, rather than fix the carbs, they let the bike sit another 25 years or so until I bought it from them. I immediately disassembled the bike completely and repaired or replaced everything on the bike that needed attention. I had no intention of selling the bike when it was completed, but I was going to ride it some and then possibly put it in my game room with my other two restorations. However...I recently bought a new project and I need to let some old projects go. I need the room in my garage, and the cash won't hurt either. This bike was recently featured in the March/April issue of Motorcycle Classics magazine with a short story and a before and after picture. As you can see from the pictures, it is quite nice. It is NOT without a flaw or two, though. There are a couple of small nicks on the frame from putting the engine back in. The handlebars are slightly lower than stock, and the gauge faces are black instead of green. I also changed the color to match a 1971 CB450 because I think it looks much nicer. The tank has been lined and professionally painted. The decals have been clearcoated. I have added a plastic chrome strip along the bottom of the tank since the pictures were taken. If you are looking for an original CB450 show bike, keep looking. If you are looking for a REALLY nice looking and running CB450 with a couple of upgrades, this is the bike for you. I have put something like 48 miles on the bike just riding around town and I can tell you it gets ALOT of attention. Most people who see the bike have just two words to say about it, and the first word is "HOLY". The bike fires right up, even after sitting for several weeks, and settles into a smooth idle within 30 seconds or so. I have not ridden the bike on the highway, so I don't know how she will act at speed. I've kept it mostly to back roads where the speeds are 45-55 MPH. There might be some small adjustments to be made after you get her out on the highway, but I kind of doubt it. The cylinder head was sent to Charlies Place in San Francisco where he totally rebuilt it. It has all new valves, all new valve guides, and a brand new electronic ignition. I also installed new Dyna coils to compliment the ignition. The cylinders and pistons looked like new, (less than 6000 miles on the bike) so I honed the cylinders and installed new factory Honda rings. The engine sounds nice and tight with absolutely no unusual noises of any kind. I tried to put modern tires with a retro look to them on the bike, and it worked. The rear seems kind of skinny to me, but it's the correct size so maybe I'm just used to seeing modern sized rear tires. Nothing has been chromed on the bike with the exception of the exhaust flanges. There are some pieces that COULD be chromed to be perfect, but I didn't see the need. If I don't sell the bike, I will probably have those items chromed at some time in the future. The following is a list of parts and outside expenses needed to complete the bike. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, but they are probably minor. Mirrors (NOS) Grips (NOS) Handlebars Master cylinder (aftermarket) Gauge faces Steering stem nut and washer Handlebar bolts One lower handlebar bracket (used) Clutch and brake levers Clutch cable Throttle cable Headlight brackets Headlight shell (aftermarket) Turn signal lenses (aftermarket) Fork seals Fork boots Front brake hoses Instrument bulbs Front brake caliper (used) Both tires Both tubes Front engine mount bolts Exhaust pipes and mufflers (used) Side stand spring Shifter rubber Kick start rubber Gas cap Gas cap latch Gas tank decals Paint job Rechrome exhaust flanges Rear spokes Rear brake shoes Tail light lens (aftermarket) Seat cover Grab handle (used) Swing arm decal Helmet holder decals Negative battery cable Stainless steel valve adjuster nuts Stainless steel cam cover bolts Stainless steel side cover screws Misc paint Misc bolts, nuts, and washers Rubber boot for front brake line Ignition key Carb kits Footpeg rubbers Complete gasket set Clamps for carbs (NOS) Chain Sprockets Front fender (used) Petcock Tool kit Battery Battery strap Piston rings Valves Valves guides Electronic ignition Coils Spark plug wires Spark plugs caps Head work Air box hardware If I think of anything else, I will add it. A few notes...There is no buy it now price. The auction runs to the end.I won't reveal the reserve. Bid what you are willing to pay and let the chips fall where they may.Please don't ask me to take your check from Timbucktoo for several thousand dollars over the final price and mail you the difference. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. A $500 deposit must be made within 24 hours of auctions end, by Paypal, and the remainder to be paid within 7 days. All funds must totally clear my bank before the bike leaves my garage. If you're picking the bike up, bring cash.Shipping is the sole responsibility of the buyer. I will work with whatever shipper you choose to get the bike to them, but I have no way to crate the bike, so it will need to be picked up as is. I have used Uship.com before, actually before the shipping wars show came on the boob tube, and had good luck with them.And finally, there is NO WARRANTY on a 40 year old bike. It is being sold as is/where is with no warranty expressed or implied. Thanks for looking and please let me know if I can answer any questions you may have. Please look very closely at the pictures. On Apr-24-13 at 11:27:40 PDT, seller added the following information: Two things I remembered and wanted to add... 1) If you look closely at the pictures you will notice that the front of the rear fender has been painted silver. It had some battery acid stains on it and after purchasing two other fenders that were in worse shape than the original, I painted the bad part silver. Its barely noticeable, and if I end up keeping the bike I will most likely have the fender rechromed at some point. 2) The turn signals were flashing very slowly and I was unable to find a NEW flasher unit. Everything I could find was a used unit and I didn't want to end up with the same problem I already had. So I wired in a heavy duty flasher from a car and it works great. You can't see it up under the tank, and the old flasher is still there as are all the wires.On May-01-13 at 13:13:23 PDT, seller added the following information: I have gotten requests to see before pictures, so I have added some.