1982 Honda CM450E review from United States of America

The bike's clutch was slipping, had to replace it.

The tank was banged up and I replaced it with a tank off of a CM450A.

The right side cover was missing, replaced that.

A few misc. parts were broken or missing (i.e. turn signal lens, frame bolt, headlight adjustment, etc.)

Both tires were dry rotted, replaced both tires and tubes.

Two spokes broke on the bike somewhere along the way. Had the rear wheel re-laced when I had the tire put on. I chose to use someone with some experience for this one.

Since I've been riding the bike, only spokes have required maintenance... other than typical fluid changes and all that.

All other maintenance I performed myself.

Overall this is a really great little bike. It's great for a beginner, which is why I got the bike.

I rode dirt bikes for a long time, but never on the road... so I wanted something a little more "tame" to start with. However, I learned that this bike is pretty powerful. It's light weight, and has a pretty powerful motor, I think I've seen that it's around 45 hp. Once I gained some experience, this bike is a blast. My bike handles very quickly because I have straighter bars on it.

Braking is a little "iffy", definitely need to engine brake by downshifting if you're carrying any kind of speed up to a stop.

My only issue with the bike is the comfort. The "king/queen" seat is a little uncomfortable, and causes me to get pretty cramped up on the tank (I'm only 5'9"). I've been looking for a straight seat that would fit the bike, but to no avail. I'm pondering customizing a seat.

I definitely feel like I was riding after getting off of this bike after about 20-30 miles. I would never attempt a 100-mile+ ride on this bike. NO WAY!

Someone of shorter stature or a female would be a perfect fit for this bike, in my opinion.

This is a great commuter bike... no doubt about that. Good in town, and short small highway trips. And I average about 55-60 mpg on it. Good stuff!