Topic: Restoring a '75 750K - Lots of questions.

[Black 750K8]

As for the tank my concern would be rust bubbles around and under the badges.

[Jayelwin]

I was wondering about the pipes. But if you look inside them you can see a smaller exhaust outlet going through a metal disk. They are not "cored out" like I've seen de-baffled pipes. I'll get another picture when I get home.

The rust bubbles makes me want to consider repainting the tank. I figure I could remove the decals, mask all the orange, refinish the rusted areas and paint that area black, then reapply new decals to cover the border between orange and black. Then maybe clear coat the orange.

or just see if someone can paint the whole damn set. I kinda like the orange - I'll have to see if someone can confidently try to reproduce it. That might be the best way to get the side covers to match perfectly.

But yes, cosmetics after mechanicals.

You really think the gauges are wrong/not original? I want to see what CB750faces.com (that ubiquitous banner ad we all look at) can do to make them pretty again.

Oh, and I'm so confused. What "K" number is my bike?

[ekpent]

A 1975 is a K5. As for exhaust baffles the HM341 used what is called a short diffuser or basically a "mouse" cap,not a baffle per say. As for speedo color a stock 75 is supposed to be a dark green with the MPH in increments of 10 which yours is but the color of your is the more blue. I'd have to get to the shop for a real look to check out all the colors again or maybe some have mentioned they can change color over time ??  Here is a 75 I have for comparison (kinda dusty) and a 75 spec link. http://www.sohc4.net/cb750k5/

[Jayelwin]

I see those just fit into the rings that are inside the pipes. Gotta get me some of those.



I think I probably have the original gauges just faded over time. My bike was originally titled in PA in july '75 and I think I'm the third owner. Mileage seems correct.

And the bike is definitely "Flake Sunrise Orange" which was a '74 color. Not sure why that is. Maybe the dealer swapped it out when originally purchased.

[Stev-o]

The gauge faces do turn a blue color when faded, so it is possible those are original. Be ready to pony up some big bucks to get those restored. A budget alternative is to find a used set.

There could be a hundred reasons why the orange tank is on there. Most likely, the original was damaged and the orange was a cheap replacement.
And then someone do a poor job trying to paint the side covers to match.

I also vote for Planet Blue! Here is one I had last year...
[sold to fund the Kaw Z1] Had mismatched sidecovers that bugged me, but I let the new owner deal with it.

[Jayelwin]

I looked again, the gauges are really blue.

Now I'm confused - if you go on ebay people are selling 1975 model gauges and some are blue and some are green. Could there be differences within the year?

[Dream750]

Don’t be too confused ... One of the production changes that Honda published for the 750 K5 was the new dark green instrument faces. These were a deeper shade of green than the previous 750 K models. Some of the K5's tend to turn blue with age as the yellow pigment fades away while others remain green. 

Blue + Yellow = Green.

I’ve seen blue aftermarket faces offered for owners who prefer the color over green.

 

[edwardmorris]

Don’t be too confused ... One of the production changes that Honda published for the 750 K5 was the new dark green instrument faces. These were a deeper shade of green than the previous 750 K models. Some of the K5's tend to turn blue with age as the yellow pigment fades away while others remain green. 

Blue + Yellow = Green.

I’ve seen blue aftermarket faces offered for owners who prefer the color over green.

So there were never blue ones on any of the Ks? All just faded away? I tore mine down recently and I was looking for a blue set to replace them with, but if they were originally green, then I guess I'm in luck since one the forum sponsors makes those. Mine's a K2 btw...

[Dream750]

So there were never blue ones on any of the Ks? All just faded away? I tore mine down recently and I was looking for a blue set to replace them with, but if they were originally green, then I guess I'm in luck since one the forum sponsors makes those. Mine's a K2 btw...

Actually, I was referring to the 750 K5 model instrument faces in reply #31. When I restored my faded and cracked USA market 750 K2 faces, I used the original green color because there was never any trace of blue.

[edwardmorris]

So there were never blue ones on any of the Ks? All just faded away? I tore mine down recently and I was looking for a blue set to replace them with, but if they were originally green, then I guess I'm in luck since one the forum sponsors makes those. Mine's a K2 btw...

Actually, I was referring to the 750 K5 model instrument faces in reply #31. When I restored my faded and cracked USA market 750 K2 faces, I used the original green color because there was never any trace of blue.

Again. pardon my confusion. What I'm trying to find out is whether my K2 came with blue or green faces originally, so I can decide what to look for in replacement faces. If mine were originally green and the yellow pigment faded away, then I can buy new green ones. But if mine were actually blue, then I'm going to have tough luck because I can't seem to fine new blue ones....

[Dream750]

Again. pardon my confusion. What I'm trying to find out is whether my K2 came with blue or green faces originally, so I can decide what to look for in replacement faces. If mine were originally green and the yellow pigment faded away, then I can buy new green ones. But if mine were actually blue, then I'm going to have tough luck because I can't seem to fine new blue ones....

No worries. See reply #9 in this thread, should clear up any confusion.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=120398.0

[edwardmorris]

Thanks Dream750 and sorry Jayelwin to hijack your thread. Hopefully this will help you out as well. So it looks like there is no such thing as original blue faces all came as green and faded away. Also looking at the shop manual supplement, it seems that the gauge CASES were painted flat black to avoid reflection. This is incredible info for me, since painting the cases is part of the reason why I tore mine open.

[Bankerdanny]

The rust bubbles around the tank logo's are more than just cosmetic. You will want to deal with that right away to avoid holes in the tank. You abolutely could just repaint the black portion.

[ekpent]

The faces did come in different shades of green though.

[Stev-o]

Seems like the '76 green faces held up the best against fading.
I never liked the blue gauges, even before I knew they were "incorrect"!

[commando1954]

According to my lists you have a 1974 k5 made between May and December 1974.Engine also from that era.

[Jayelwin]

According to my lists you have a 1974 k5 made between May and December 1974.Engine also from that era.

Thank you! I'm guessing you know based on the numbers. If my bike is a '74 then everything makes sense from the color to the petcock position to the gauge dial colors. I feel so much better.

[Stev-o]

Doesnt your bike have a VIN tag stating when it was built?

[Jayelwin]

Doesnt your bike have a VIN tag stating when it was built?

My bike has a frame number which matches the title. And an engine number. No year.


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[Stev-o]

Doesnt your bike have a VIN tag stating when it was built?

My bike has a frame number which matches the title. And an engine number. No year.

It came with a tag on the R side of the steering head.  Someone must have taken it off.

[David B]

I'm in Hunterdon County & work in Edison. Just let me know if you have any questions and I can help out.

Dave

[Jayelwin]

I'm in Hunterdon County & work in Edison. Just let me know if you have any questions and I can help out.

Dave

Thanks. I also work in Edison. I work in Executive Plaza on Parsonage Road. Right across from that new Seasons 22 restaurant.

And for Steve-O I found the manufacturing badge. November 1974.