Ride a street motorcycle?
If it’s anything other than a cruiser, there’s a good chance you are piloting the offspring of this Honda CB750.
The waves created in 1969 when Honda launched its CB750 KO are still splashing to this very day. With the introduction of its transverse, inline, 4-cylinder motorcycle engine (aka straight-four engine), generations of bikes followed as variations of this central theme.
This was also the first major production motorcycle to utilize a disc brake (front only).
The bike in the photo was manufactured as part of Honda’s first model year (from July 1969 to June 1970) and is part of the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum collection.
This bike represents a watershed moment in motorcycle history. British bikes dominated the high-performance motorcycle world up until this machine hit the showroom floors. Honda raised the entire standard of motorcycle performance and reliability and shifted the balance of manufacturing power from the UK to Japan.
I had a green 1973 with drop bars,Koni’s and a 4 into one, my first big bike and set me up for a lifetime of Honda’s, Super reliableand tough as old boots, also heavy with dodgy handling, I loved it.
Classic bike!
I ride a 1982 CB900 Custom. This bike is smooth, fast, and pretty. I have ridden a lot of scooters and motorcycles. I don’t think I’ll find a better combination of comfort, speed and reliability. (I did have to replace the electrical rotor twice, but that is a 15 minute operation.
I never owned a CB, but I had a 600 and then an 1100 Shadow. I really liked the bikes. The engines were great and I never had a problem. Unlike the engine, the fit and finish was OK. Infact, everything was plastic, and I once cracked the directional housing just by cleaning it. That was disappoining. Though I ride a BMW bike today, which I adore, I would still get another Honda in a heartbeat. They’re simply great bikes. Scott
Had a 1978 750K, then spent a lot of $ and time getting mounts for a Spirit of America Eagle hack to attach to it. Made for a great rig. Loved riding it with and without the chair on it. Even rode it through a surprise blizzard one November to Duluth. Made it with no problems, but passed A LOT of cars and trucks in the ditch or stranded in the middle of the highway. My only complaint was the seat, and chain maintenance. Took the seat from a 1981 Suzuki 1000G (suzies had the best seats in those days) and remodeled it to fit the 750 pan. Took a little creativity and sewing, but then I had a real comfortable ride. Eventually traded it off for a 1980 Suzuki 850G with a Velorex sidecar, so I finally had the shaft drive and comfortable seat I wanted. Both of those bikes were among my favorites of all time, and I wish I had both of them back.
I bough my first CB 750 red in early 1970. Rode it every day until 1973 and bought another one. It no doubt was a super bike at the time and I put 125,000 miles on the first one and close to that on the 2nd 750.
I have had several bike since that time and now still ride a super bike called a Boss Hoss.
Adrian
Did anybody have the four into one made by Dennis Murray that he called the Scientific Design? The sweetest sound on the road.
Hello
well i was riding when the honda hit the streets(and i mean hit)a ill handling vibrating boat anchor.By todays standards an absolute piule of the proverbial but by the standards of then ? well at least it didnt leak oil and it generally (unlike british ,italian and american bikes)would go further than the end of the driveway without breaking down.
As for finish it was as bad as you could possibly get with chrome that only needed moments to corrode suspension that wasnt ,and spare parts prices that were close to what one would pay for virgins in todays world.
The brakes ? ok a disc but a disc nonetheless(it was absolute rubbish and was not even close to a 4 leading shoe drum)
It wasnt a great bike but it was one that showed the world what a bike could be.We could well rave about its power and such but keep in mind that around the same time the japanese were making two strokes that also didnt handle stop or last(just like the honda)but holy snapping arseholes batman they went like stink.An example was the kawasaki 750,and 500 triples,they got you corner to corner with a rush you cant imagine(getting around the corner was the beginning of true fear)
So dont let your fading memories forget what the honda 4 was but dont let your age imagine what it wasnt
Anyone riding a 4 cilinder bike whould know the answer but probably doesn’t. It’s my understanding that the marketing guys, after watching the 250 fours race and hearing the now famous four cylinder howl, promoted the “4″ in a srteet bike.The 1969 CB 750 was a technological revolution. I had a ‘73 which, I recall was basically the same as the ‘69. It wasn’t the best handling bike though.
Several of my motorcycle buddies had Honda 750’s and the 500 spin-offs. Me, I went from British Metal and Oil Leaks to the Z900 Kawasaki. Still miss the Z. Currently riding the Honda VTX1800C which I like almost as much.
My first bike was a Honda 350. I traded my 67 Corvette for some cash and the bike. It was a fun ride.
[expletive deleted] Honda go Yamaha!!!
I have a 82 CB900 Custom which is virtually the same bike with 45K on it and it still flies any time you ask it.
Even though I’ve never owned one, I imagine anyone that’s ever riden or owned a motorcycle is aware of the reliability and longevity of the Honda 750s.
A friend of mine who sadly passed away a year ago had a 750 Four with over 250,000 miles on it that he bought new in 1978. He loved that bike!!!! We’d always kid him and ask why he didn’t buy a new bike and he’d always answer; When I find a better bike, I’ll buy it……… RIP Phil We Miss Ya……..
That was the machine that started it. I had a 1970 cb 750 K, Gold one.
I put 60 thousand, hard miles on. It was my main transportation as I did my military time.
Never seen a ring ding do that or out run it. Many tryed.
Currently riding a 1998 st1100, with 70 thousand miles on it. In August I will be going out to Idaho from Orlando Fl
Love those Hondas
I had one K3, golden.
What a treasure!
All true, but my ring-ding 500 Kawa triple would run away and my 750 ring-ding Kawa triple would fly away … they made the smoke that CBs ate.
Got one then.
Threw away the pipes. Threw away the seat. Threw away the front fender, rear shocks, headlight, fork springs.
Added Cafe everything, and a fork brace.
It made for a great highway racer that never would break.
Dang thing is probably still running.
1hen2ducks
Nippon Reliability, Balance and Performance in one package.
I knew the answer to that one!! I remember a printed conversation between Mr. Honda and the European makers. When asked how many units Mr. Honda was to bring to the states he said 50k. The Europeans said that was a good number of units for a year. Mr. Honda said, “No, that figure is for a month!!”
awareness is the most important survival key that a
motorcyclist can have.