Topic: Deciphering VIN on CB750

[Powderman]

According to this chart there were 7400 sandcast and 53400 non sandcast 70 models made for a total of 60800 units. Yet it shows 71 models start at 1053399, there's 7401 units missing. What gives?
http://www.sohc4.net/cb750k-serial-numbers/

[HondaMan]

According to this chart there were 7400 sandcast and 53400 non sandcast 70 models made for a total of 60800 units. Yet it shows 71 models start at 1053399, there's 7401 units missing. What gives?
http://www.sohc4.net/cb750k-serial-numbers/

The K0 engine changed a bunch to become the K1, as did the frame accessory parts. The engine cases don't interchange unless you alter a few things, so they were not really the same parts: I suspect they just sort of 'started over'?

I am a little suspect of the 7400 number of sandcasts: it has long been known to be about 7800+ instead. I have #...8338 K0 myself, and it is not nearly K1-ish enough for me to rebuild it using K1 parts. This has made the rebuild of it a little slow.

[Powderman]

According to this chart there were 7400 sandcast and 53400 non sandcast 70 models made for a total of 60800 units. Yet it shows 71 models start at 1053399, there's 7401 units missing. What gives?
http://www.sohc4.net/cb750k-serial-numbers/

Is your K0 a sandcast? Great info, but it doesn't answer my question. What was the first sandcasts VIN # ? They all have numbers in the millions with the first one supposedly 1000001.

The K0 engine changed a bunch to become the K1, as did the frame accessory parts. The engine cases don't interchange unless you alter a few things, so they were not really the same parts: I suspect they just sort of 'started over'?

I am a little suspect of the 7400 number of sandcasts: it has long been known to be about 7800+ instead. I have #...8338 K0 myself, and it is not nearly K1-ish enough for me to rebuild it using K1 parts. This has made the rebuild of it a little slow.

[kmb69]

.......
I am a little suspect of the 7400 number of sandcasts: it has long been known to be about 7800+ instead.
.......

7800+?  Where has that long been known?
The US Honda Parts Catalogs show the Sandcast parts: Cb750E-1000001 - CB750E-1007414
There would have been another ~400 Sandcast engines for that 7800+ to be true.
Granted, there were a FEW Sandcast engines in France with much higher numbers, but not 400.
I just happen own CB750E-1007419 and it is DEFINITELY a die cast engine.

[Powderman]

I own #1644. So back to my original question if there were 7400 sand cast and 53400 K0's how could the K1 start at 1053399?

[Stev-o]

Could there be Sandcast motors without VIN numbers? (Used for replacements for broken cases)

[Powderman]

Could there be Sandcast motors without VIN numbers? (Used for replacements for broken cases)

Highly doubt they had any left after the short production run.

[oldhatt45]

Could they have used those 400 sandcast parts/engines/etc. for their racing program???  Testing, modifying, whatever would take a decent number of bikes and according to what seems to be pretty well known, Honda did want to get into racing and do well. 

Charlie

[kmb69]

I think the SOHC4.net chart is wrong. Notice the weasel words in the preface:

"The CB750 had a production run of 9 years during which a total of, roughly, 553,400 motorcycles were made. The K1 was the most popular single model with sales figures of about 77,000."

There were not 53,400 K0's. Pretty sure the chart below is considerably more accurate:

Kind of like the the SOHC4.net Sandcast intro which is chock full of BS. I have requested this be corrected or removed but it is still there.

http://www.sohc4.net/cb750-sandcast/

[Powderman]

This chart on the forum shows production numbers that the other chart doesn't.
CB750K PRODUCTION DATA

The CB750 had a production run of 9 years during which a total of, roughly, 553,400 motorcycles were made. The K1 was the most popular single model with sales figures of about 77,000. The second most popular model, the K2, also sold in large numbers, a total of 63,500, due primarily to the fact that this model was in production until 1976 in all markets except the US and Japan.

Model   Production
CB750 Sand-cast   7,400
CB750 K0   53,400
CB750 K1   77,000
CB750 K2   63,500
CB750 K3   38,000
CB750 K4   60,000
CB750 K5   35,000
CB750 K6   42,000
CB750 K7   38,000
CB750 K8   36,000.



Is this chart not accurate? Is there a more reliable chart to show production figures for each year?
On a side note, how many of us knew that the K2 was made for 4 years? The production numbers on this chart and the VIN charts don't match by over 16000 bikes that can't have a VIN.

[kmb69]

.......
1. Is this chart not accurate? 2. Is there a more reliable chart to show production figures for each year?
.......

1. NO, it is NOT accurate. It is obviously WRONG when compared to the Honda Parts Manuals.
2. Not to my knowledge.

[gschuld]

FWIW, my K0 was made in 6/70 with a 423xx serial number with a 425xx engine number.  By the end of the K0s they were producing a bit over 5000 a month.   My understanding was that 6/70 was the last month of the KO production and the K0s ended in the mi 44,000s.   I could certainly be wrong though

George

[Don R]

The Sandcasts are also K0's. it appears the Sandcast count is included in the K0 numbers.

[kmb69]

1. The Sandcasts are also K0's. 2. it appears the Sandcast count is included in the K0 numbers.

1. Well, technically they are not. Neither are K0's technically K0's. Honda did not apply the "K" designation prior to K1. Prior to the K1, they were just CB750's. A few years later Honda actually published ONE document, that we know of, in Europe calling the pre-K1's, K0's. The Sandcast and K0 nomenclature has been applied by us - the owners.

2. Quite possible on that goofy SOHC4.net chart.

[Dream750]

I own #1644. So back to my original question if there were 7400 sand cast and 53400 K0's how could the K1 start at 1053399?

Those K1 engine (1053399) and frame (1044806) serial numbers on the SOHC4 chart look transposed. According to the Honda published chart below, those serial numbers would belong to a Netherlands market 750 K1. Either way, K1 engine numbers will begin with 1044806.