If you were to buy a 1978 Honda CB400F right now, the sale will likely cost you just a few hundred to a couple thousand depending on the condition of the motorcycle. The CB400F is quite common, especially in the custom scene, and its inline-four makes for a very sweet and worthwhile engine to build off of.
It’s safe to say that the Honda is pretty popular, and it’s exceedingly rare to find one in pristine condition, with one mile on the clock, and with all original parts. So it’s no surprise that this particular CB400F in yellow sold for a whopping £15,975 EUR ($21,604 USD) when it was offered. A plain and ordinary CB400F went for a spectacular amount that can even rival some limited Ducatis. It rightfully claimed the title as the most expensive 1978 CB400F sold at auction.
This production run in particular is the CB400F2, which featured a minor restyle on its fuel tank with revised decals. The name of the shade of yellow the auction unit is in is called Parakeet Yellow, and 1978 marked the final year of availability for the CB400F.
Its one-mile odometer reading and all-original composition carried its price tag to the stratosphere. As for its specifications back in 1978, it only made 37 horsepower and about 24 pound-feet of torque, and its peak power was achieved at 8,500 RPM. The CB400F built upon the success of its predecessor, the CB350F. The model’s engine came with 408ccs of displacement, a single overhead camshaft, and was air-cooled. It boasted a top speed that was just a hair over 100 miles per hour, which was good enough for the time.
Of course, the bike wasn’t the only auction lot sold. Silverstone Auction featured a total of 120 motorcycles available, and the most expensive bike sold was a 1936 Brough Superior SS80 82cc which went for £61,875 EUR ($83,717 USD). Now, if this CB sold for that price, I'd be in utter disbelief. Eighty grand for a Honda? Fifteen sounds a lot more worthwhile.
