1981 Honda Other

JH2NC0209BM207743

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Own a piece of motorcycle history! Up for sale is my 1981 Honda CM400A, in truly excellent condition. It is unique in that it is an automatic transmission motorcycle. Honda introduced the concept in the late 1970s, and kept it through the early 1980s, but for some reason it received a lukewarm response. Not sure why, because I think it was a terrific idea. For those of you not familiar with how the Hondamatic works, here's a description: There is no clutch to pull in when shifting. There is a conventional shift lever located in the usual place, several inches in front of the left foot peg. There are two gears, low and high. You shift from neutral to low gear using an upward tap of the shift lever with your left foot. After accelerating to about 15-20 mph in low, shift to high gear with another upward tap of the shift lever. That's it! Because there's no clutching, this bike places no stress on your left hand, wrist, or elbow (great for riders with arthritis or weakness in their left upper extremity). Incidentally, the "lever" on the left handlebar grip is not a clutch lever, but rather a Parking brake lever. There is a button adjacent to it that you push down to engage the parking brake. Personally, I don't ever use the parking brake, but that is your choice. It is one of my favorite bikes to ride, has plenty of power, and gets great gas mileage (on my rides, I average 58 mpg). This one has got to be one of the finest CM400A out there. It has been carefully maintained, both mechanically and cosmetically. It has been recently serviced, including a new chain. Seat is in perfect condition and very comfortable. Chrome is shiny and in excellent condition. Paint is also in excellent condition with the exception of a slight faded area on the right side cover. There are no dents on the gas tank or elsewhere. Features a kick start as well as an electric start. Starts on first kick, I love kick starting it. Electric start works perfectly also. All electricals (lights, turn signals, horn, instrument panel, etc) work fine. It cranks right up and runs great. It is the easiest, smoothest-riding bike I have ever ridden. This is a beautiful, pleasant-to-ride Honda motorcycle that you will be proud to own. Needs nothing, it is ready to ride anywhere. I doubt you will find a cleaner, better-running Honda CM400A. These older Hondas are becoming increasingly rare, so their value can be expected to go up over time. I purchased it July 1, 2013 from a private owner in Leucadia, California, and have thoroughly enjoyed riding it since then. I am selling it due to my having acquired a second motorcycle and I don't have time to maintain and regularly ride two motorcycles. Currently, the motorcycle has 7,178 miles on it. That figure will increase slightly as I ride it 3 times per week as part of routine maintenance. Motorcycle is licensed in California with a current registration valid through April, 2015. Included with the motorcycle are: * Original Tool Kit * Original Owner's Manual * Original color Honda 1981 CM400T/A sales brochure (with dealer stamp -- Albin's Inc in Potterville, Michigan) * Original 47-page booklet of dealer set-up instructions * Ignition key and two spare ignition keys for a total of three (3) keys Local pickup is preferred, otherwise shipping arrangements must be made by buyer. Motorcycle is located in La Jolla, California (a community within San Diego). Payment of $200 must be paid via PayPal within 48 hours of close of auction by winning bidder. Balance to be paid in cash or bank check when (or before) motorcycle is picked up. If paying balance by any type of check, check must clear at the bank before I will release the motorcycle. Thanks for looking, and good luck with your bid...