So, I got my hands on this old Hondamatic 400 a while back. Wasn’t actively hunting for one, you know, but it sort of found me. Saw an ad, looked a bit rough around the edges, but the price made me blink. I’ve always been a bit curious about these “automatics” Honda put out, so I figured, why not? Let’s see what this thing is all about. Hauled it back to my garage to start poking around.
First Impressions and Odd Controls
Got it up on the stand. The first thing that really grabbed my attention was the left handlebar. No clutch lever! Nope, just a brake lever there, which I later learned was for the parking brake. Took me a second to process that. And where the tachometer usually sits, there was this simple gear position indicator. Just showed Neutral, ‘1’ for Low gear, and ‘2’ for High gear. The bike itself, a CB400A, had that classic Honda look, but that transmission setup was the real puzzle I wanted to solve. It felt like stepping back in time, but with a weird twist.
Figuring Out This “Hondamatic” Business
I started looking into how this whole Hondamatic system actually ticked. Turns out, it’s not really a full automatic like you’d find in a car. It’s more of a two-speed semi-automatic thing. Honda used a torque converter, which is clever, as it means you don’t need to work a clutch. You still have to pick your gear, though. There’s a Low gear, which I guessed was for getting started or chugging through town, and a High gear for when you’re out on the open road. You select these with your left foot, using the shifter, pretty much like any other bike, but without the dance with the clutch lever. Just click and go, supposedly. Sounded straightforward, but I had a feeling the actual riding experience would be unique.
Taking Her for a First Spin
Alright, moment of truth. Got her fueled up, checked the basics, and fired her up. She rumbled to life, a bit grumpy at first, but settled down. I clicked the shifter down into ‘1’ – Low gear. Twisted the throttle, and off we went. It was surprisingly smooth. That torque converter just eased the power in, no jerking, no stalling fears. Felt a bit like a big, beefy scooter when pulling away. Once I got a little speed, I tapped the shifter up into ‘2’ – High gear. There was a noticeable shift, a change in the engine note, but all without me having to touch a clutch. My left hand kept twitching, wanting to grab a lever that wasn’t there! That took some getting used to.
I spent a good couple of hours just cruising around, getting a feel for it. You learn pretty quick when to use Low and when High is better. Low gear had decent pull for hills and slower, stop-and-go traffic. High gear let the engine relax a bit at cruising speeds. That little gear indicator was more useful than I initially thought, simple as it was.
Some Quirks and What I Noticed
Riding this Hondamatic definitely came with its own set of peculiarities.
- That parking brake on the handlebar? Actually came in pretty handy, especially when I parked on a bit of an incline.
- Engine braking was different. Softer, less direct than a regular manual bike, again, thanks to that torque converter doing its thing.
- You had to be quite positive with the gear shift. Not in a bad way, but you could feel you were moving something mechanical in there.
I heard these bikes could get up to around 85, maybe 95 mph if you really pushed them. I wasn’t trying to break any speed records; I was more interested in how the whole Hondamatic system behaved in everyday riding. It felt competent enough, not a rocket, but certainly capable of keeping up with traffic and enjoying a weekend ride.
My Final Take on the Hondamatic 400
So, after spending some real time wrenching on it and riding it, what do I think of the Hondamatic 400? Well, it’s a fascinating machine, a real snapshot of Honda trying something new back in the day. It wasn’t a mainstream hit, and you don’t see many around, but I get what they were going for. Trying to make motorcycling a bit more accessible, maybe. It’s got a personality, that’s for sure. Not for the purist who loves working a clutch, but it has its own unique charm. I’m glad I took the plunge and got to experience it firsthand. It was a fun project, and I learned a fair bit. Definitely a good story to tell, and a cool piece of engineering to have messed with.
