1982 Honda Nighthawk 450
Posted on September 16, 2008 | Posted by Evan Fell | 73 Comments
This is my 1982 Honda Nighthawk 450. What a fun little bike these are. This is about as close as you can get to a perfect city commuter bike. I am of course partial to a CB350 or kin, but this Nighthawk 450 sure fits the bill pretty well too.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s bikes motorcycles were going through a lot of changes. Many were dropping their mechanical ignitions in favor of electronic systems. Consoles and gauges which were once steel were fast become plastic. Larger amounts of body work were becoming common place, and some funky wheel combinations were hitting the market.
These nighthawk 450’s are great little bikes for what they are. They are great for zipping around town or quick jaunts down the interstate. The motors are smooth, make good power, and are relatively low maintenance. This was definitely a transition motorcycle for Honda. They were beginning to make motorcycles that were styled a bit more sporty and aggressive. The same features you see on this bike can also be seen on the CB750F, CB900F, and CB1100F models of the same time period. They were using well formed fuel tanks and plastic body work that was designed more for aesthetics than it was for function.
Honda did not jump to plastic headlight buckets and gauge clusters on this model like they were about to do on the Honda Magna’s and Sabre’s. They did however switch to a real dorky style of wheel. It is styled like a Comstar Wheel, but it can be disassembled. The radial supports unbolt from the rim and hub so the wheel can be taken apart. I would bet that the singular glaring reason Honda started using these wheels was the cut costs. It is easier and faster to cast several small pieces than one large one. Personally I have always preferred a spoked wheel in every case.
These Nighthawk 450 motors were essentially the same beast as the CM400 and CMX450 motors. They really do run smooth and reliably. This is an excellent first bike for someone just getting into riding, or is even perfect for someone like myself who prefers to ride a small and simple machine rather than the big hogs and performance driven bikes that most are drawn to. In almost every case a bike like this is all you need to have a great time on two wheels. The small stature, light weight, and peppy motor make it a blast to zip around on. It is very maneuverable, and the seat is soft and wide. The Honda Nighthawk 450 is indeed a great all-around bike.
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73 Responses to “1982 Honda Nighthawk 450”
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Quick Intro
I have owned nearly every make and model of vintage Japanese motorcycle as well as a number of other Europeans and more modern bikes. I do everything from simple fixes to full restorations. I also travel and ride every chance I get.
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December 1st, 2008 @ 12:02 am
While the wheels on these motorcycles are constructed of several smaller pieces rather than one large casting, they are not bolted together. A closer look at your wheels will reveal that they are riveted and a note stamped into them warns against trying to disassemble them.
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December 3rd, 2008 @ 12:22 am
Hey man is $650 a good deal for an 82 450 Nighthawk with 69000 miles? Runs well, good tires, fair condition. I want to offer the guy $450. What do you think?
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December 3rd, 2008 @ 7:34 am
Troy – Thanks for the correction, you are indeed right!
Wes – Hard to say, how much a bike is worth varies considerably by your location. If you are on the west coast I would say that’s a decent buy, if you are on the east coast it I wouldn’t pay over $500. Keep in mind that 69,000 miles is quite a lot for the little 450 twin, it may be due for a top end refreshment soon. You can certainly do the repair yourself, but budget a couple hundred dollars to do it up nice.
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March 1st, 2009 @ 5:56 am
I live in Ohio…and after reading this I’m wondering how the guy that wants to sell me his 82′ honda 450 for $650 says it has only 10,000 miles. Is that possible for an 82? Wes said the one he was looking at had 69,000 miles…quite a difference. I know nothing about motorcycles. I’ve been trying to learn as much as possible before I make my first purchase. I don’t want to get scammed esp. because I’m a woman. Evan, what do you think? And are all 82′ honda 450s, called nighthawks?
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Evan Fell Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Hi Anna – Did you end up buying the bike? I think I remember emailing you way back but I can’t recall. Hope it has been working out well for you! Cheers.
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March 17th, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
Anna,
I bought an ‘82 450 a year ago with 2,400 actual miles on it. It sat in a garage for most of it’s life and just wasn’t ridden. I talked to the original owner so I know the mileage is right. This is in the frozen Midwest so the riding season is 6 months of the year.
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March 25th, 2009 @ 10:19 pm
Good lookin’ bike Evan. I have one just like it, picked it up last summer with just 12,000 miles on it. The previous owners did a great job of caring for it, and it still looks great, just like yours. You are correct, it is a blast to ride. I’ve been out of street bikes for over 20 years, the last one I had was a 85 Kawasaki 600 Ninja. These aren’t the powerhouses I used to ride, but alot of fun nonetheless. And nothing beats the cool factor of riding a classic! Take Care.
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March 29th, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
Interesting article, i have bookmarked your site for future referrence
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April 1st, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
Comstar wheels are the pieced together ones, so you have a typo in this. ComCAST wheels are the cast wheels. My honda-factory-manual for my CM450 verifies this. So technically you have Comstar wheels, which are the dorky version of ComCAST wheels.
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May 5th, 2009 @ 10:06 am
I bought that 82 CM450 for $500. I have had it for about 5 months and put on a couple thousand miles and it runs great!!! I love this bike!
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May 5th, 2009 @ 10:11 am
Anna,
I have learned that the mileage does not mean a whole lot if the bike is in good condition and has been taken care of. I have seen a lot of older bikes with low miles because some people don’t ride them much. I ride all the time! There are many different 1982 Models but Nighthawks can be 450cc and up. Always look on the front neck of the frame for model information. And $650 is a great deal for those LOW miles on an 82.
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May 9th, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
Anna:
This is very posssible. Keep in mind that most 450’s are meant for cruisin’ the city, not long highway stretches, which is where most miles are accumulated. I have an ‘82 450 with 9,000 miles on it. Although this is relatively low, it’s still very possible. Take a look at the bike, though. If it only has 10k on it, it should look like it’s in pretty good shape. Good luck, it’s a great bike!
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July 6th, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
Hey I’ve got a 81 cb400t hawk and I’m having problems finding a carb schematic online. Do you know where I can find one? Also, how does an air pump work in the honda carbs? Thanks for the carb cleaning article it was a huge help. My bike only runs on one cylinder until its right warm, and then after that its can be touch and go running at less than 4000rpm. any Ideas?
Thanks,
Darnell
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Evan Fell Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Running on one cylinder like that can be caused by a variety of things. First thing to check is the compression in the cylinder. After that check the valve clearances. Then open up the carburetors and check that they are clean and properly adjusted. Beyond that you’re looking at an electrical issue.
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August 13th, 2009 @ 8:19 pm
Hi Evan, you mention quick jaunts on the motorway. How do you think it would do for a 2-3 hours morning ride at higher speeds?
I’m also looking at one of these as my first bike and 90% of my riding will be to and from work on the streets but I wouldn’t mind the occasional longer ride. Does it have a lot of vibration? Only ridden off-road before.
Greatly appreciate any input, it’s hard to find!
Cheers, DR.
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December 4th, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
hay i bought a honda nigthawk cb450 4 months ago i paid 400.oo for it and it has 6,678miles on it and it is like new no rust dents on it i am the second owner of it
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December 14th, 2009 @ 10:39 am
I just bought an ‘83 Nighthawk 550 for $850.
It has 11,000 miles and is in excellent shape. Seemed like a very good value. I’m the 3rd owner, no rust, dents, etc. Does anyone know if the seats on these bikes can be changed out? I prefer a seat with less height difference between the passenger and the driver, but based on the way this (original)seat appears to fit the frame, I’m afraid I may not be able to add a more standard (ie., flatter) seat.
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March 12th, 2010 @ 11:21 pm
1982 Honda NightHawk 450 cb450sc
Runs good, 23,000 miles
Clear title
Asking $850
in Houston, Tx
Looks great but this would be my first bike and wanted your opinion.
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March 25th, 2010 @ 9:12 am
I’ve been looking for an smaller, older bike that runs well but needs a little work. I’m a girl and only 135 lbs so I needed a bike that would be powerful enough to suit me but small enough to fit me. I found a 1982 Nighthawk 450 with 25,000 miles on craigslist and loved it. The seller was asking $800 but he dropped it to $650 over the phone so I drove up to see it. I brought it home $600 dollars later and have started cleaning it up. I can’t wait to start riding! The romantic in me wants to restore it to the original look but my bank account wants to just clean it, give it a fresh coat of black paint and start riding!
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March 25th, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
Hi Elizabeth – The Nighthawk 450 makes a great first bike. Don’t worry too much about the cosmetics right away because you’ll probably end up dropping it or dinging it a bit while learning to ride proficiently. Send along a pic of the bike and I’ll add it to the site!
Have fun. Be safe.
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March 25th, 2010 @ 6:47 pm
Hey thanks for the response Evan…I’ve never had a street bike or even tried to ride one so I’m definitely going to take a class for road safety etc. I do have lots of experience riding dirt bikes, four wheelers, three wheelers, go-carts, snow mobiles, and jet skis so I’m assuming that will help. I know how to shift, I can drive a standard car and I have a healthy fear of death from working in a trauma hospital, so I’ll be safe. =) I’m emailing you a picture of what my friend jokingly referred to as my new “piglet”…since it’s not big enough to be a hog. It needs some love but is perfect for me! I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
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March 31st, 2010 @ 12:20 pm
ElizaBeth, Enjoy the bike, they are not made for transportation, they’re made for us to see life outside of a bubble. Try to take a joy ride as often as you can, everything is different when you can see, hear, feel, smell and sometimes even taste your surroundings. Be safe.
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April 3rd, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
The 1982 honda nighthawk 450 was the best 450 honda ever made. It had taller gears than the customs. It had the long chrome sleeve over the rear shock. It had styling the others could not match. The upgraded motor is nothing like the cm400.
for starters it had teflon coated parts. Factory oil cooler. External oil feed to the top end cam housing.( better oil delivery). The cm 400 engine blew head gaskets that required helicoil threads almost every time. Tallest gearing giving you 4400 rpms at 60 mph. The 450 had much better two up passing power than the 400. It had cdi ignition over transistorized. Better brakes. Chrome headlight bucket. Larger turn signal lenses. It had its own insturment lighting cluster no other 450 had. It had bird feather shapes embossed in the seat. The large chrome strip along the fuel tank was in the shape of a hawks wing. The black hightlighted comstar wheels along with dunlap qulifier raised white letter tires cannot be beat for cool looks over the comcast wheels. Those wheels were put together using liquid nitrogen dipped pins that expanded into place when warming up.
they have to be taken apart the same way they are assembled or you will ruin your wheel. I sold a 1982 wineberry red unit with 3400 miles on it for 1850.00. Average condition units will go for 1300.00 to 1500.00 retail supply and demand. nada does not work anymore on older machines. Supply and damand does so please folks dont give away your little hawk, get a fair price for it and remember cc’s does not make a bike worth more, uniqueness does.
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April 18th, 2010 @ 6:33 pm
Hey, Just bought an 82′ 450 nighthawk. First bike since 1977. Getting it on the road tomorrow and was wondering what grade gasoline do I use? I ordered owner and repair manuels but need to fill it up before they get here. Can anyone help me? Thanks, Rich
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April 18th, 2010 @ 6:37 pm
@Rich
Congrats on getting back on the road! You’ll be fine with regular grade gas. Some older bikes can be a bit temperamental with the newer E10/E15 gases, but they’ll still run fine.
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April 19th, 2010 @ 12:06 pm
Evan, Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I have one more question and I know it sounds lame, but without the book I’m having trouble removing the seat to store my paper work. I pull the lever by the helmet lock and the right side lifts up but not the left. I’m afraid to force it. Any ideas? thanks, Rich PS your bike looks great, hope to have mine that nice
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April 20th, 2010 @ 9:07 am
Evan, I read your repair blog and found the answer to my seat question. Thanks, this website has been a great help.
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April 20th, 2010 @ 8:04 pm
@Rich – Great! I’m glad my sites could help out.
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May 1st, 2010 @ 6:59 am
Evan, I’m also interested in getting an eighties Nighthawk, I’ve read through the blog and am blown away that the pricing around Toronto is $2,000 for 14,000 KM (that would be around 6 – 7,000 miles right?). The feedback seems positive although I am interested in taking small road trips – longest about 6hrs, is that possible on a 450? Also you mentioned liking the Honda CB350s, I found a CM360T with low KM for $1,500 but am a bit concerned about the kick-start, is it anything that should deter me from considering this bike? I’m a new rider and haven’t tried a kick-start before. Ultimately I’m looking for smooth ride and reliability in my first bike and would like to get a Honda, any recos?
Cheers, Suzanne
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May 5th, 2010 @ 10:50 am
@Suzanne
A very common misconception throughout the entire motorcycling community is that it takes a bike big bike to take a trip, or to have fun. The fact is, in most cases, riding a smaller bike is more fun. A 450 is plenty of bike to do a 6 hour ride – and I wouldn’t hesitate to ride one clear across the country. Even a smaller bike like the CB350 is plenty to cover that ground.
When it comes to buying an older bike – your money should be spent on a bike in good mechanical condition. A well up-kept bike from the 70’s is going to be far more reliable than a neglected bike from the 90’s. And vice-versa.
Both the Nighthawk and the CB’s make great first bikes. The CB’s have a kick-start, but they also have an electric starter – no worries there.
Good luck!
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June 3rd, 2010 @ 4:19 pm
need rear wheel for 1982 cm450c honda
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July 14th, 2010 @ 7:42 pm
Going to buy an 82 450 this Sat. Been off bikes for awhile and at 63 went to rider school at the local Harley dealership. Great fun and informative. Your blog made up my mind about the bike, I’m going for it. THANKS
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July 17th, 2010 @ 8:31 pm
Great to hear Eugene. Enjoy the bike. They’re a fun little scoot!
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July 19th, 2010 @ 2:09 am
nice review. i have 1 in my room but the seat is torn can i get a new one or are they out of production?
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July 19th, 2010 @ 2:11 am
and indicator light arms and shades where can i get these and other parts
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July 23rd, 2010 @ 1:19 pm
hi evan im planning on riding my uncles nighthawk to school this fall but on close inspection i found a lot of corrosion inside the tank. it has been parked for years, what should i do try to get a new one or can it come out. can anyone help me?
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September 2nd, 2010 @ 1:43 am
Anyone know where I can download a service or repair manual for 82 CB450SC?
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September 14th, 2010 @ 12:07 am
Just got my cb450sc 15 days ago. 14,500 miles $500. Ran so well home I immediately purchased new plates and tags and insurance $200. It’s about 6 bucks to fill up completely and is a blast. Ride it to work, and everywhere else. Gets almost double the gas mileage of my 02 Echo. If it goes another month with no hiccups I’m giving her new tires.
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September 14th, 2010 @ 8:49 am
I have a 1982 nighthawk 450, with less than 1600 miles on it. In great condition, it has been garaged for all those years. I need help in finding a right rear signal and ignition though. Can you recommend where I can find these items?
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September 14th, 2010 @ 1:16 pm
Hey Robert, you can check on http://www.hondaparts-direct.com/ they have plenty of old parts for motorcycles. Other than that I would check on EBay or maybe some junkyards.
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September 14th, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
Wes,
I would like to know the same thing. I have the same bike and need to do some work on it. Would you let me know if you find one?
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September 15th, 2010 @ 8:28 pm
Thanks for the info, just checked it out. it doesn’t have the parts either. ebay is also a no go. i can find everything except a right rear turn signal and battery. I have to check more search engines. thanks for the help.
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Evan Fell Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
You can get a universal battery down at any auto part store (Autozone, etc) or even walmart. Just bring your used battery down with you and match the size up as closely as you can.
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October 3rd, 2010 @ 11:30 pm
A co-worker gave me a 1982 Nighthawk 650. Also called the CB650SC as it has the same innards of the older CB650’s. It has 13,000 miles on it and other than creaming the tank and a carb rebuild, it’s been a dream. I ride with guys that have some really nice bikes, but people always come up to me first just loving the bike. Great site!
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October 16th, 2010 @ 12:11 pm
Robert, where did you find an original ignition switch? I’ve looked everywhere to no avail…I have the 82 450 & the universal switch in it now is causing battery & starter problems…Thanks!
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Evan Fell Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Ebay is your best bet for an ignition switch. How is the universal switch causing battery issues? Is it just not opening the circuit when the key is turned off?
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December 20th, 2010 @ 3:43 am
I like the Nighthawk bikes. One feature I like in them ( as well as in the CBF 750/900/1100 ) is the Comstar wheels.
I do not know why you call them dorky, I feel those are sporty, and a step ahead from the old fashiones spokes, which are a pain in the arse, rusitng, getting dirty, and not strong enough ( spoked wheels warp upon bumps.)
Paint your Comstars black, and they assume a more aggresive, racing look.
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Evan Fell Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Some people really like the look of the Comstar wheels. I won’t go that far, but they are OK, haha.
When it comes to strength though I agree and disagree. Spoked wheels are very strong and resilient to failure. Spoked wheels have a little give and take and can even bend and still be usable. A comstar or mag wheel however has no give, they are strong, but brittle. A direct impact on a pothole when a tire is low on air can completely split a non spoke wheel.
I’m just being nitpicky – I know what you mean
. The comstars do look good on these bikes.
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January 23rd, 2011 @ 1:11 pm
My nighthawk 450 runs great except when it’s warmed up and I’m sitting at lights idling, it hesitates like it’s going to stall but doesn’t. The hesitation feels like it cycles every 30 seconds. Any ideas what it is? I’ve cleaned the carbs and level set them. Thanks
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Evan Fell Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:05 pm
The symptom you describe is often referred to as ‘hunting’. The idle is hunting when the bike is at a light. The most common cause of this is unsynchronized carburetors – allowing more fuel and air to one cylinder than the other. The second most common cause is having valves out of adjustment – also resulting in an imbalance of fuel between the cylinders.
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Rob Reply:
January 29th, 2011 at 8:30 am
Thank you, I’ll let you know the outcome once I’ve got these sorted properly.
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February 4th, 2011 @ 3:15 am
Just bought my first bike. An ‘82 450 with 16000 miles for $500. I can’t wait to take the MSF course and hit the road. Mostly commuting but looking forward to some afternoon rides.
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Evan Fell Reply:
February 7th, 2011 at 2:47 am
Have fun learning Matt. You picked a great bike and I’m sure you’ll have a blast!
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February 7th, 2011 @ 3:51 am
Thanks Evan. All things considered it’s in pretty good shape. I’m going to go through it and give it a full maintenance and tune up. I do have a question though. When the front wheel is off the ground how free should it spin? It seems fairly difficult to spin mine by hand. Like the brakes are binding. Just curious how much it should spin or if I should think about tearing the calipers apart and give them a good cleaning. I appreciate your input.
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Evan Fell Reply:
February 7th, 2011 at 4:32 am
The wheel should spin effortlessly. Sounds like the brake is binding. This is common when bikes site for a while and is typically an easy fix. Sometimes just riding the bike around the block and squeezing/releasing the brake repeatedly will free it up. But most of the time you’ll want to free up the caliper piston by pushing it back into the caliper then pumping it back out again using the brake lever. If you do this a few times it’ll usually free right up. It’s often also a good idea to drain the brake fluid and put in fresh.
The piston can be pushed back into the caliper using a C clamp. Very simple. Just make sure the top is off of the master cylinder when you do so and have some towels handy in case the oil overflows out the top.
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February 7th, 2011 @ 5:48 pm
I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments, and couldn’t agree more with you, Evan, that medium-sized bikes like the 450 Nighthawk are perfectly good for virtually any use, including tours of several hundred miles. It’s worth mentioning that the 450 NH is a relatively large bike – longer wheelbase and higher, larger seat than most 450’s.
In addition to a 1986 450 Nighthawk, I also own a 1982 CM 450 Custom, and a 1986 CMX 450 Rebel, all of which use the same 450 engine, but different carbs, gearing, etc. The Custom feels a bit more laid-back with the lower seat and pullback bars; and the Rebel is even more so, plus higher / forward footpegs and a different exhaust sound. A new rider, or one with short legs, might consider a Custom or Rebel – or even a Kawasaki 440 LTD, which is also low, fun, and easy to find on Craigslist.
I think the best features of the Honda 450 engine are the low-end torque, and the excellent spacing of the 6-speed transmission – 5 good usable speeds around town, and an overdrive for the highway. Around town, you can put the bike in 4th or 5th gear and cruise around for a long time without shifting, if you want.
By the way, when Honda came out with those Comstar wheels in the ’70’s, they claimed to be slightly flexible, and were made with different thickness alloy “spokes” depending on the bike they were fitted to.
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February 21st, 2011 @ 1:21 am
I am looking a buying an 82 cm450c. It has about 14k miles and the owners says it was running about a year ago. he said he tried to crank it but it would turn over but not catch. He wants me to make an offer and I was thinking around $250 to $300 since its not running. I know it needs a battery and a simple tune-up, and possibly a new chain. I’m just concerned about getting into something that will need another $300 to $400 just to get it running. Any ideas would be great.
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Evan Fell Reply:
February 21st, 2011 at 3:33 am
As long as you believe the previous owner when he says it ran well before being stored, then I think you’re golden. Buy a new battery, clean the carbs, flush the oil and gas, and you’ll be on your way. Sounds like a great deal at 300.
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March 5th, 2011 @ 10:02 am
I’ve had an 82 nighthawk 450 for the last 6 years that i bought for $500. It’s bean a great bike and very little maintenance required.
now however, things are starting to go wrong, & i’m having trouble finding some parts.
I’m looking for an original, unbent handlebar, as well as a lock set for the bike to replace the ignition.
any suggestions?
thanks in advance,
nathe
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Evan Fell Reply:
March 5th, 2011 at 1:15 pm
You can get handlebars nearly anywhere with a similar bend. It might be tricky to get the exact bend, but there are dozens of universal bends so it won’t be hard to find something that will suit your needs. Any parts house carries handlebars, and usually lots of them.
The key set you’re only likely to find in a scrap yard or on ebay. You can call around to your local junk yards and see if they have a bike you can pick the locks off of, then bring them to a key maker to get a key. Or buy a complete used set with key off ebay. If there aren’t any available there right now there are bound to be some popping up shortly. Key sets are popular sales items for parted out bikes.
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March 21st, 2011 @ 5:07 pm
Love the site man. I have a question though. I’m getting an ‘82 CM450A from my grandpa, and it seems as though these 450A’s were pretty rare. Are the nighthawk and 450A engines pretty similar? A friend of mine has a mid 80s Nighthawk 500 and they look extremely similar.
Also, would you think the tire sizes are the same?
I can’t wait to pick this CM450A up in a couple weeks!
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March 27th, 2011 @ 9:50 am
I picked up a 1982 Honda CM450C w/ 12,000 miles on it last July and really enjoyed it for the remainder of the riding season. As a first time, middle-aged rider, I found this to be a great bike. Now I’ve got some work to do. Seat cover, choke cable, chain, drive and driven sprockets need to be replaced.
The rear tire is 120/90-18 mounted on a comcast wheel. The rear sprocket is 37T with each tooth looking like a crescent moon – really worn. I was planning to replace both sprockets and the chain with stock parts (34T & 17T sprockets and 530×102 chain). As I don’t understand all the ratios associated with chains, sprockets and gearing. I was wondering if going back to the 34/17tooth sprockets on the 18″ wheel will present any issues.
Also, I noticed some “bottoming out” of the tire against the inner “mud guard/fender” on big bumps and am wondering if that is due to the larger 18″ wheel as opposed to the original 16″ wheel.
I appreciate any thoughts.
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Jeff Reply:
April 11th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Following up for what it’s worth to others.
Got my bike on the road yesterday after a couple days of work. Replaced the drive and driven sprockets and the chain. Went with the stock parts and all is good. Procedures were easy to follow from the Cramer manual. I really cleaned the gunk out of that drive sprocket area!
I found that the issue with the “bottoming out” is due to the larger 18″ wheel as opposed to the stock 16″ wheel. There is simply less clearance between the tire and that inner fender so on big bumps it will always scrape a bit.
Next job is brake shoe replacement (I found how low they were when I had the wheel off.)
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March 31st, 2011 @ 1:07 pm
I just bought a 1982 450cc Nighthawk. It is my first bike, and I want to take the chain off to lube it. Someone mentioned looking for the master link to take the chain off. I can’t see any difference in any of the links. Any ideas on how to take the chain off to oil it?
Thanks!
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Evan Fell Reply:
April 4th, 2011 at 6:47 am
Hi Jesse – It’s possible you don’t have a master link, not all chains do. It could have been pressed together.
You don’t need to remove the chain to lube it. Just pop the bike up on the centerstand and spin the wheel while cleaning and lubing it up.
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April 11th, 2011 @ 5:18 pm
I need to find replacement brake shoes for my CM450C, but the rear wheel is not stock. It’s an 18″ comstar or comcast (I’m not clear which is which). Inside the brake drum/housing, it said “Max. Dia. 141.0mm”. Does this help me in any way find the right brake shoes?
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April 19th, 2011 @ 8:50 pm
I bought a 82 nighthawk cb450sc new and it has always ran great. Last week I went to open it up on the interstate and it bogged down. Idles ok but can’t go fast. I have a spair carb that I rebuilt and put on it knowing this would solve the problem but the same thing happened. I replaced plugs, pitcock, fuel line, air filter, dumped the gas in the tank and cleaned it and no better. I live in the boonies and there’s no where to take it close. Could it be points ? Does it have points ? Any ideas ? Help please.
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May 4th, 2011 @ 1:44 pm
Don,
It is the sync screw. Bench sync the carbs so that one half of little hole in the throttle plate is exposed, so that you are close. Then synchronize it completely on a running engine. I use the tubing manometer, designed according to a web procedure filled with tranny fluid. My engine sync is perfect now!
Robert
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July 10th, 2011 @ 2:25 am
I moved up fron a ‘87 Rebel 250 to a ‘86 Nighthawk 450 a few weeks ago. As a learning rider (I’ll always continue to learn) the higher seat took a bit of getting used to but it seems to make the bike easier to curve with. The engine has a lot more power on paper but due to the higher gearing it doesn’t seem that much more power until you realize that unlike the 250 the 450 can keep up on the interstate. Still I’m going to change the front sprocket to a 16t to give a bit more (6 %) guts to 6th gear. I spend most of the time around 55 mph with some hills going to my shop. Large saddlebags and a plexisheild 2 wind screen should make this a 3 season bike for me. My only complaint is the 41 mpg I now get (started out @ 38 mpg but a few tanks of Sea Foam helped clean the old carbs). I’m hoping rebuilding the carbs next winter will improve the milage unless someone has a suggestion for this 25 yr old bike with 10,000 miles on the clock. Bottom line is a bike is meant to be fun and ecnomical and this is a good sized bike for both.
Spencer
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August 16th, 2011 @ 12:55 pm
Nice, I am from Lufeng China
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December 28th, 2011 @ 3:08 pm
Hello I have a 450 82 nighthawk and in need of a new ignition email me please if you have one
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January 9th, 2012 @ 5:21 pm
Hello,
Any chance you have a clear decent rez side view photo of the 82 450 nighthawk without the tank or seat in place…you can guess what im thinking…everyone says you cant cafe one but they are such great reliable bikes and i was going to look for one to buy and do it just to prove it can be done and be done well…thanks alot in advance
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January 12th, 2012 @ 12:21 am
i have a 82 black 450 nighthawk w/ 2900 miles. been in storage for over 30 years….just redid the carbs and it runs like a top. looking fo a headlight trim and left fr & rear turn signals w/ mounting bars….after that it going on the market….asking 950.00 . if interested email me or facebook….leon lewis
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