Should I buy this Nighthawk? 1986 CB450, 6k miles, $700

[kevbrown]

Hi -- new user here, apologies if this isn't the best forum for this post.

I got my motorcycle license this past summer, and I've been riding my wife's Rebel 250 for the past few months, and now I'm ready to move on to my own, slightly bigger bike.

I found someone locally selling a 1986 Nighthawk CB450, asking about $700 for it.  It's got just under 6k miles, it started right up (even on a cold day), the engine sounds very even and smooth, it rides nice and smooth, and I could not find any rust anywhere on it.  The only real problem I noticed while riding is that the front brake either has way too little stopping power, or else the lever needs to be pulled much harder than I was pulling it; either way, stopping was a little bit scary.  Other than that, it's got a few superficial issues: the seat is a mess, one of the front turn signal stalks is bent, and both front turn signals need new covers.

For a basically rideable bike, $700 sounds like a really good price -- almost too good.  But I don't know what other problems might be lurking just down the line, and I don't want to sign up for hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs over the next couple years.

So without being able to take it to a mechanic first, does it sound like a sane bet to pick up this bike?

Is the brake problem likely to be a cheap fix or an expensive one?

And are there other common problems in a bike of this vintage that I should look out for and try to fix or maintain before they actually break down on me?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give!

[happycommuter]

  Front brake hydraulics probably have air/water in the lines and need to be bled.  Job can be done for like $5 if you have an 8mm box wrench.  Or the brake lever bolt could be too tight/need lube.  Or just brake pads.  All pretty minor stuff.
I suggest you look around for blinker lenses and stalks.  I've heard that part availability for 450s is not superb.  These can be replaced by aftermarket stuff though, and the seat can be reupholstered.
I highly doubt you'll be in $1K total* before everything is perfect.  A great choice for a first bike.

*1k including purchase price.

[cjbear11]

$700 for that bike is a great deal. I would buy it personally. You will not get to the 1k range for repairs. New tires would be the most expensive thing. These bikes are easy to work on, and used/new parts are available from a few different sources. You can find all of the parts you need on ebay usually. I would also say that the front brakes probably just need a fluid change and a good bleeding.

[mattrowe19]

I would say go for it. The 450 is a great bike. Reliable, decent power, and super easy to work on. If you do the repairs yourself, including the brakes, it should be a cheap fix. Pick up a manual and do the work yourself. You'll save a ton of money. Plus, when you decide to upgrade, you'll easily get your purchase price back if you fix the previously mentioned items. This forum can help walk you through anything on these bikes.
Btw,  to the forum!

[Poligrafovich]

Pick up a manual and do the work yourself.

Yes. The economics of a bike of this vintage are attractive, but only if you're your own mechanic. The good news is it's absolutely doable, and you've found the place to get any help and encouragement you'll need.

 

[floridahawk]

    Buy It, you have fun riding and work on (the bike) her.

[KarlJay]

I actually think that's an excellent starter bike, plus you can stick with it for years of fun and cheap commuting.

Nice looking bike to boot!

[Bad Boy]

I remember seeing this bike on the local Craigslist, you must live in my area.

Buying a bike this old does involve some risk.  You do not know what the hidden problems lurk and without much experience you may not recognize the symptoms.  Bikes do deteriorate with time.  Particularly the rubber parts, seals and hoses start leaking.  Watch for rust in the fuel tank, dirty carburetors, and rust in the brake hydraulics. Like mentioned earlier, you would want to do all the mechanic work yourself.  Paying a mechanic to work on a old bike would get too expensive as compared to paying more up front for a newer bike. 

There is a fair risk that it may not be as dependable as you would like or you may be plagued with continual maintenance problems.  A bike like this would be suited for someone experienced in bike mechanics and can go through it and bring it up to good repair.  You would not want to depend on it for transportation.  As a project and for recreational riding it could work for you.

Knowing the risks and limitations and if you are willing to learn to work on it and have the time, interest, and tools to do so this is not a bad choice.  The mileage is low and it is not badly corroded.  This is a good sign it may have fewer problems.

A bike with this few miles on it has been sitting unused for most of its life.  Things needed to check:
Tires, they start getting hard and slippery after about 5 years of sitting, replace
Chain, if it has gotten too rusty, replace
Service the brakes, change brake fluid
Check hoses, hose clamps, filters, change oil
Repair broken lights, seat
Get a shop manual and perform the general maintenance.

[kevbrown]

Thanks for the welcome and the advice.  I'll go for it.

As for the mechanical work, yeah, I was definitely planning on doing it myself.  I don't know much about motorcycles, but I'm mechanically inclined so not afraid to start taking things apart -- especially as this is going to be a weekend rider, not a daily commuter.

Thanks again.  Detailed pics to come when it's in my garage...

[Baileyman]

As for the mechanical work, yeah, I was definitely planning on doing it myself.  I don't know much about motorcycles, but I'm mechanically inclined so not afraid to start taking things apart -- especially as this is going to be a weekend rider, not a daily commuter.

That's the same place where I was when I bought my older Honda's.  The guys and gals here talked me through a top end rebuild and have lent their advice on numerous other occasions.  And I have replaced lots of rubber bits on my bike, but she's got 46K + miles and had definitely not been garaged her whole life.

 

BaileyMan

[marriedman]

A quick work on the soft brakes. The brake lines are probably old and soft. You can replace them with steel braided lines and that will increase the stopping power because the hose will not expand while braking. That means that all your braking power makes it to the caliper.

Of course new rubber ones will be an improvement over old ones, but steel aren't that much more.

[Hawk4Tony]

  And good to hear you're going for it. Hope to see those photos soon. Like me I know you'll find great help from the forum members.

[Bumblebee]

The only real problem I noticed while riding is that the front brake either has way too little stopping power, or else the lever needs to be pulled much harder than I was pulling it; either way, stopping was a little bit scary.

Start simple:
All new brake fluid. Full flush of the system. Take your time, don't get in a hurry.
Check the condition of the hardware - sticking pistons, plugged ports, etc.
Check for a partially or fully stuck caliper piston.
Then move on to brake lines.

[HunteR151]

 

[detdrbuzzard]

the cb450 nighthawk turnsignal lenses are different than the ones on say a cm450 but they do interchange. there are seat covers on ebay for that job. if you change your front brakes yourself take the old pads to the shop with you so they can match them up with the right ones