1982 Honda Nighthawk 450


1982 Honda Nighthawk 450, originally uploaded by evanfell.

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.

ef

By ef

Hey, I'm Evan and this is one of my motorcycle sites. You can find more about me on my homepage, or visit me on Google Plus: +Evan Fell

88 comments

  1. 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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  2. 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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  3. 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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  4. 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:

    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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  5. 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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  6. 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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  7. 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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  8. 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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  9. 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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  10. 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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  11. 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:

    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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  12. 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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  13. 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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  14. 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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  15. 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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  16. 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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  17. 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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  18. 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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  19. 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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  20. 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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  21. 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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  22. @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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  23. 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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  24. 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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  25. 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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  26. @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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  27. 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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  28. 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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  29. 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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  30. 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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  31. 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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  32. 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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  33. 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:

    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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  34. 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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  35. 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:

    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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  36. 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:

    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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  37. 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:

    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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