What to buy and how much to pay

There are basically two models; the early Varnish Blue or Light Ruby Red F1 version or the later F2 in Parakeet Yellow or Candy Antares Red. There are some subtle differences between the two models, one of the most obvious being the swingarm mounting of the pillion pegs on the swingarms of the F1. To be honest there’s seems to be little difference between the F1 and F2 models in terms of cost; availability and condition are far more important. The bike has enjoyed a massive resurgence of late due in no small part to David Silver and his dedication to getting innumerable parts remanufactured. This means there’s a lot of decent replica stuff out there. Not that this is a bad thing unless you are hugely concerned about originality. Project examples start as low as £500 with top class mint examples hitting £4000-£4500. Anything much over this is either wishful thinking or box fresh rare. Compare these prices to a Yamaha RD400 at more than double then see just what a classic bargain the CB400/4 actually is. The left-field choice would be a Mocheck Harrier bored out to 460ccs complete with period add-ons; price here would totally dependent upon condition. Arguably it’s that singularly unique exhaust that makes or breaks a CB400F so if it’s missing or damaged haggle accordingly. What would we buy? Oh obviously an F1 in red… everyone knows they’re the fastest!