Alissa's 1981 Honda CM400T
Everybody loves a feel-good story, right?
Here at Dime City Cycles, we have been blessed with a multifaceted collection of customers who continue to amaze us with their extraordinary skills and passion. The most recent thing of beauty to hit our inbox is courtesy of a father-daughter team from the land of ten thousand lakes.
This is the heart-warming build story of their 1981 Honda CM400T, as told by Alissa, in her own words...
"My dad is a badass. Anything with an engine is his forte. He has quarter-mile track cars, raced with my brother at SCCA courses, and taught my siblings and me how to ride motorcycles and dirt bikes. I learned to ride a motorcycle on a ’71 Honda 350Four. I even took it to college one summer, and while training to be an airline pilot, I used it to get back and forth between campus and the airport.
After getting my first airline job, I gave the CB350 Four back to my dad. Many years later, we both moved to Minnesota and we renewed our Motorcycle License together. My dad and I then took our Motorcycle Permit test together, and he and my husband were at the DMV cheering me on when I did my Road Test. My dad was the one who mentioned pursuing a Cafe Racer project. After a quick Google search, I decided I definitely needed to have one! To get started, my dad found and surprised me with a newer, very low mileage, nearly mint condition, ’81 Honda CM400T.
My dad started making modifications right away. He is the labor behind the project— and I picked out the colors. We did all of the work in his shop— with the exception of the fresh coat of paint on the gas tank and side covers, and the reshaping of the original seat with detailed upholstery.
With the help of DCC parts, we’ve changed the exhaust, moved the footpegs back with new linkages, changed the handlebars and mirrors, changed and rewired all of the lights (installed a 7” British style headlight bucket and Bike Master LED headlight, Lucas LED taillight, and Koso Stinger LED indicator lights), and completely updated the brake system and assembly. He even took the time to polish the engine!
The white paint on the gas tank and side covers were chosen to match the paint code of my first car love— a ’96 Honda Prelude. That car lasted me through over a dozen ND/MN winters, through flight training, and through my first airline job.
The gold stripe (which was a design we found online) matches my dad’s ’68 428 Ford Fairlane Torino— the first race car I ever rode in. My dad was even able to get the license plate carried over from the Prelude after we sold it— MSAV8R.
The CM400T lives with my dad. I’m based in Washington, D.C., but whenever I’m not flying a Boeing 737 through the skies, I catch a flight home and my dad and I cruise around lake country in southern Minnesota. This Cafe Racer ties together both of our interests in such a unique way and tells a story of our adventures together that have truly molded and influenced me over the decades.
We want to extend a big THANKS to DCC for their excellent parts and customer service, and for being there for us every step of the way to make this build happen!
Thank you, DCC!
With a high five,
Alissa and Greg"
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DCC PARTS
- DCC-CBK: DCC Customs Rear Brake Cable Conversion Kit
- 03-6441: 36' Goodridge Shadow Stainless Steel Universal Brake Lines
- 03-6455: Goodridge Straight Black 10mm Banjo Fitting
- 03-6456: Goodridge 15 Degree Black 10mm Banjo Fitting
- 116-0055: Black Front Brake Master Cylinder for 7/8" Motorcycle Handlebars - 14mm Piston
- 1742-0385: 10mm x 1.25 Black Brake Banjo Bolt
- 45108-300-003: Piston Seal - Brake Caliper - Front - CB350/500/550/750
- LAFA45: Brake Pads - FA45 - Honda - EBC
- 66-65068-GBPC: Classic British Style 7" Round Headlight Bucket
- 019-186: Keihin VB, VD & VE Series Main Jet #120
- HE015K14: Koso Unlimited LED Indicator Signals
- 225-1007: Lucas LED Tailight Assembly
- 32100-FR-SM: Sparck Moto Universal Flasher Relay
- 15-2594: 7" LED Headlight Beam w/ Integrated Amber Turn Signals
- DCC-BEMIRROR: DCC Original Black Aluminum CNC Bar End Mirrors
- DCC-RSLINKAGE: DCC Originals Universal Rearset Linkage Kit
- DCC-RS10: DCC Universal Rear Set Foot Controls with Logo
- 60-45700: Chrome 16" Shorty Slashcut Mufflers
- 0200T: 2" Stainless Steel T-Bolt Clamps
- 0630-0830: Driven Racing SBK Street Grips
