Description
Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
Honda had already established themselves as a premier manufacturer of small bikes in the US by the mid 60s thanks to their stellar reliability and ease of use – the “you meet the nicest people on a Honda” slogan didn’t hurt, either. But the biggest bike they made was the 450, and that wasn’t selling as well as Honda had hoped. A senior engineer named Yoshiro Harada toured the US in 1967 with the intent of getting dealers to shift more CB450s, but he soon learned that American riders were clamoring for more displacement. So he went back home and the Japanese firm started working on “the king of motorcycles.”
The following year, Honda introduced the world to the four-cylinder CB750 at the Tokyo Motor Show in October of 1968. Considered by many to be the first “superbike”, it was an absolute game-changer of a motorcycle.
Best of all, the CB750 didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Despite features like a 296mm front hydraulic disc brake, five-speed gearbox, quality lighting, electric starter, and industry-defining reliability, it was a shockingly economical bike. The CB also got a compact five-speed transmission with a wet multi-plate clutch, hydraulic fork, dual rear shocks, and a rear drum brake. Weighing in at 495 lbs, the CB750 and its tubular steel duplex frame wasn’t exactly light, but the powerful engine put down 67 hp at 8,500 rpm and was capable of reaching speeds of up to 125 mph.
When challenged by the Kawasaki Z1, Honda released the 750F featuring a sportier 4-into-1 exhaust, slimmer yet larger gas tank, and rear disc brake. This new exhaust system brought minor adjustments to valve timing and carburetion which increased the ponies on the Super Sport despite the 12 pound weight gain.
To celebrate 10 years of the CB, Honda released the 10th Anniversary Edition in 1979. Limited to 5,000 examples stateside, the main difference was the dual overhead cam shaft as opposed to the single overhead on previous models. Aesthetically, it was outfitted with black Comstar wheels and 10th Anniversary logos on the side covers.
Manufactured December 1978, this example is VIN: RC013003837. The seller stats, “This is my father’s bike, he bough it brand new from Dutchess Recreational Vehicles in 1979, he rode it for 6 years and sold it to friend in 1985. In 2015 my father and I went and picked the bike back up, it had only 1,000 more miles on it than when he sold it in 1985, unfortunately his buddy didn’t take pristine care of it over the years cosmetically. My father is done riding, he’s getting older and I’d like to see someone who has the means to restore it to former glory get ahold of it.”
The odometer shows 51,028 miles.
Maintenance:
Per the seller, “The carbs were cleaned in 2015, new spark plugs at the time, and it presently had a new battery. Ideally, it could use a full restoration cosmetically and mechanically, while it does run I am aware it needs a new stator, a new clutch as it still has the original clutch from 1979.”
Modifications:
Kerker exhaust.
Crash bars.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on IRC Grand High Speed and Metzeler Lasertec tires with date codes of 1218 and 4218.
The sale includes two keys and a mirror.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located in Hopewell, New York, this Honda is offered on a clean New York title. Have any CB750 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
