FL-400R Pilot Specifications

Engine: Water Cooled, 397.1cc,  2 Stroke, Single Cylinder
Bore and Stroke: 80mm x 79mm
Compression: 6:2.1
Carburetor: 32mm Piston value, Reed Valve
Coolant Capacity: 2.16 quarts
Ignition: Capacitor Discharge, 17.0dg BTDC at 2,000rpm
Sparkplug: NGK BR7ES. 0.7 to 0.8mm
Starter: 12V Electric and Pull Start, Recoil Type
Electrical: 12V-160 W @5,000 rpm
Clutch: Automatic
Transmission: V-Belt Torque Converter with Forward, Neutral and Reverse via Stick Shift in Cockpit
Suspension: 4 Wheel Independent  A-arm Suspension
Length: 96.4 inches
Width: 50.5 inches
Height: 57.2 inches
Wheelbase: 62.2 inches
Ground Clearance: 9.3 inches
Fuel Capacity: 4.23 Gallons
Tires: (F) 22 x 7.0 - 10  (R) 24 x 11 - 10
Rim Bolt Pattern: 10x5 4/110 (F) 10x8 4/130 (R)
Brakes: Front, Dual Hydraulic. Rear, Single Hydraulic
Dry Weight:  1989 - 592.5 1990 - 605.0 pounds
Head Light: Two round, 12V head lights with High and Low beam mounted on front fenders. 25 Watts x 2
Tail Light: 12V - 5 Watt
Color: Monza Red with White Wheels
Speed: Reported up to 70 mph with mods.
MSRP: $5799.00
Average Used Price: $4300 (if you're lucky) to $13,000

1989  Pilot Brochure

Positives: Everything is right about the Pilot. Great power and handling. Protective roll cage, body and head net. Good ground clearance. Water cooled engine. Comfortable seat. Steering wheel has idiot lights to tell you what's going on. Just a cool machine to look at. A work of art.

Negatives: This is not a cheap machine to purchase and maintain. Be prepare to shell out a lot, and I mean a lot of money for a Pilot. It's in high demand which is ironic since Honda couldn't give them away when they were built. Rumor has it Honda was still selling these 89/90 units till 1993. Cost was an issue, but I believe there were other factors at play. It's complicated and parts are difficult to find. Not impossible, just difficult and when you do find one, whip out your wallet. Plastic parts are getting difficult to find from Honda.

What to Watch For : Very little, unless the machine has been very abused. Most Pilot owners took good care of their machines. Most damage happens to the front end where the Pilot had a ridiculous weak bumper. Some Pilots may be highly modified so be sure to do your homework and don't be afraid to ask questions. The are minor differences between the 89 Pilot and the 90. A few tweaks here and there. The 1990 Pilot had a different muffler (called a sub muffler) and guard, larger upper A-arms in the front and a flag mounting base. Even the gas cap change to prevent fuel from leaking from the tank if you ended up on your top.

The end result is a  minor change in weight for the 1990 model which gained about 12 pounds. Despite these minor differences, the 89 and 90 are identical.

When looking at a Pilot, the most important thing to check is the compression of the engine. While the engine is warm, it should read between 149 to 156 psi.

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