Topic: 550 vs 750 - pros and cons - let's say K model (or F - w.t.h.)

[Gene]

I'm toying with the idea of finally getting a 750.  I've had 550's off and on through my life, but my darling wife thinks it might be time for me to consider a 750.  Yes, she's a gem.

Pro for me on the 550 is agility - it's smaller, a little lighter, weaves around traffic a tad more easily.  But, I've never ridden a 750 so I don't know that it's any more nimble.  I've heard the 750's are a little top-heavy so I don't know if that affects control in any way.

I've also heard that the 750's are a more comfortable for a longer ride.  My 550 is essentially a commuter, but a 750 may allow me to take it on longer trips, say from North Orange County CA to San Diego - specifically to Del Mar (Or north to Santa Anita ).  If the 750 has more stability and is more comfortable 2-up I would likely consider it. 

Any opinions?  I'm just putting out feelers here at this point but curious what you folks think. I know we have both rabid 550 and 750 fans so I'm looking for a real-life comparison.

P.S. - I'm a bone-stock guy, not opposed to mods (and likely considering quite a few for my O.B.) but prefer a straight-up seated position.  What I have always called a "proper motorcycle" - I mean absolutely no offense to the cafe or chopper crowd.  It's just what I prefer.

Gene

[shoemanII]

have had a cb350f, 550 and a few cb750's. 

you'll find the 750 feels lighter than it is, in town certainly.  vary stable on the highway, and dropping the bars just a smidge, say 10mm, will provide nice turn-in without twitchiness.  on my projects i always remove as much weight as possible; a purely stock bike may feel a bit ponderous at very low speeds (parking lots, etc) but i have no experience there.

imo, the biggest cb750 downside is having to remove the engine to replace a leaky valve cover gasket, or other top end work.  conversely, you have to split the cases to repair the starter sprag on a 550.  for your needs, i'd go with the 750 and install a frame kit when the time comes.  this allows top end work without engine removal.         

[rb550four]

I love a good 550. I don't like riding double on it though,  not enough hp for traffic or hills.
I thought I might grow up and get a 750 , I have tried a couple out, thought they were top heavy and not as nimble.
Both that I have ridden 2 up on have had stock flat seats, my wife was new to riding, didn't ride well. I especially hated the part when we had to slow down ,  like coming up on a stop sign and all the passengers weight slides up the seat pushing all my weight forward until balls were mashed into the tank....if she rides with me now, she'll be on a 80 or later 650. seat is better for her , not as much passenger sliding. Has more power than the 550, and the suspension just feels better...rides nice with two and has decent power.
  I know the 650 wasn't either of your choices.
The 78 550 seat/ and frame may be a good one to try....but only with a 650 engine.
Oh , and I almost forgot , the 750 with a touring seat... really ugly but comfy. still top heavy.
 Well that's my 2 cents.

[Stev-o]

I have both, a 550 & a 750, and love them both for what they are.  Here are my thoughts:


The 550 is a med sized bike, relatively lightweight.  It is easy to push around the garage, very fun to ride, is very nimble and loves cornering and accelerating up to 9k rpm. Fun!
On the negative side, riding on the highway at 60 mph and being passed by a semi makes me a little uneasy.   The bike is light and you can feel the air wake from the truck move the bike.  This made me sell my 550 a few years ago and buy a 750.

The 750 is a great bike, legendary! It's a full size bike and rather heavy, which is good and bad.  Pushing it around the garage, I have to be conscious that don't lose control of it (hasn't happened).  The bike is fast, although my current 750 is actually an 836cc.  It handles well, but doesn't feel as agile as the 550.  It is very fun to ride and feels very stable and sure footed on the highway, great for a trip. 

If I was told I had to choose one, I would say no, I don't have to, I want both!
When I sold my 550 a few years back, I missed it.  So I bought another, actually 2, I now have a K & F model, although the L model is not roadworthy yet. 

My suggestion is to buy a 750 but keep your 550. 

[Trad]

I think it boils down most to what feels more comfortable to you according to your size/weight, riding history, and riding style/terrain. There will always be trade offs and it's good to research them (Like posting this thread). I would urge you to try and put some hours in a 750 before you buy one. It's a lot different than a CB550.

[Bailgang]

I pretty much agree with how Steve-o put it. I miss my 550 because it really was a blast to ride and I wish I still had it because now that my wife is wanting to ride a bike of her own it would've made a good first bike for her.

[brewsky]

I have both, a 550 & a 750, and love them both for what they are.  Here are my thoughts:


The 550 is a med sized bike, relatively lightweight.  It is easy to push around the garage, very fun to ride, is very nimble and loves cornering and accelerating up to 9k rpm. Fun!
On the negative side, riding on the highway at 60 mph and being passed by a semi makes me a little uneasy.   The bike is light and you can feel the air wake from the truck move the bike.  This made me sell my 550 a few years ago and buy a 750.

The 750 is a great bike, legendary! It's a full size bike and rather heavy, which is good and bad.  Pushing it around the garage, I have to be conscious that don't lose control of it (hasn't happened).  The bike is fast, although my current 750 is actually an 836cc.  It handles well, but doesn't feel as agile as the 550.  It is very fun to ride and feels very stable and sure footed on the highway, great for a trip. 

If I was told I had to choose one, I would say no, I don't have to, I want both!
When I sold my 550 a few years back, I missed it.  So I bought another, actually 2, I now have a K & F model, although the L model is not roadworthy yet. 

My suggestion is to buy a 750 but keep your 550. 

+1
I have both (late model K's) and agree 100%.

I will add that the late model 750 seats are the most comfortable ever made for touring IMHO.

[DH]

What steve-o sez....And after riding a 550k for a week, then going back to a 750k is an eye opener. you feel the difference
in a big (but not bad) way till you re aquaint yourself with the bigger bike. You can't throw a 750 around as easily, and it is top heavy
compared to the smaller bike. The 750 is more powerful and isn't as sensitive to wind. Slightly top heavy and seat height a little too tall
are the main disadvantages w/ the 750 that I noticed comparing both my bikes. But the big one is my favorite. .And yes, I'd take the big bike on a long trip and or with two up. It does good around town and gets better mileage than the 550. BOTH do what they were designed to do very well, which them a blast to ride and own..

[Gene]

Thank you gents - this helps a lot.  Cal - I should give Don a call, we've e-chatted a couple of times - he's basically right next door.  Which reminds me - I owe a call to Alacrity as well . . . .

Seriously, thank you for the input.  And, btw, I would keep the 550 (and my 360 . . . maybe I have a "problem"

[Don R]

 I haven't owned a 500 for years but when comparing the 750's my 76 F felt a lot bigger and less nimble than any of the earlier K's I've owned. That said, the F was my favorite bike to ride, I gave it triple discs with a new set of Avons and loved the handling and stopping power. Alas, I needed to sell one and chose to keep my two 750 K0's.

 

[Steve_K]

I have one of each. I also have a 86 GIXXER.  If I had to give one up, it would be the CB750.  The 550 turns so well and I can rev thru all the gears and not get in too much trouble.  The GIXXER is just FUN but it is hard on my old body.  That said, I would regret not having the CB750.  There,  like in politics, no clear answer.  I do like rev happy engines and the 550 and the GIXXER love to rev.
Steve

[Gene]

like coming up on a stop sign and all the passengers weight slides up the seat pushing all my weight forward until balls were mashed into the tank....

HA!  Yes, yes, I am familiar with this issue . . . .

And thanks Steve and Don.

[seanbarney41]

I read in some british mag that the 550 and the 750 have nearly identical power to weight ratios.  Never done the math, but having owned both, sounds like it could be true.  If you are tall, I think you will find the cb750 a revelation.  If you are short, the cb750's advantages are not so noticeable.  From a purely riding perspective, I like my cb750F3 the best.  The best brakes of any sohc, really good handling after some small updates, and really good power too.

[SierraCB]

The 550 feels cramped to me at 6'1".  I will say the 750 is a large bike, especially K7-8 when the tank seems like a behemoth. I like the 750 for the silky power band and a little more down low grunt... The long wheelbase also is great when cruising.

[Gene]

Speaking of the difference regarding size of the rider - I should state that I'm about 5' 10" - 190 pounds +/- which is probably why the 550 has always felt about right.  I'm going to investigate this elusive 750 phenomenon though.  Gotta find one to try out . . . All of this is very helpful.

[Retro Rocket]

Speaking of the difference regarding size of the rider - I should state that I'm about 5' 10" - 190 pounds +/- which is probably why the 550 has always felt about right.  I'm going to investigate this elusive 750 phenomenon though.  Gotta find one to try out . . . All of this is very helpful.

Hi Gene, I'm 5'10" and about 155 pounds and I bought my first 750 in 1979 at 16 years of age, ridden plenty of them and never for a minute did they feel too big, I've ridden GS1100's and Z1000J Kawasaki's and plenty of other bikes too which are bigger and liked them too, never felt overwhelmed at all, the 750 is small compared to the GS/Z bikes.....

[Stev-o]

Speaking of the difference regarding size of the rider - I should state that I'm about 5' 10" - 190 pounds +/-

The 750 will fit you fine. 

[edwardmorris]

Speaking of the difference regarding size of the rider - I should state that I'm about 5' 10" - 190 pounds +/-

The 750 will fit you fine.

+1

I'm 5'9" @ 175lb and love the 750. I have the stock exhaust so can't go too crazy on turns but it does handle very well.

[Gene]

Finishing this thought.  I've had a 750 now since July.

The 750 handles just about as well as the 550, maybe doesn't turn as "tightly" but it handles very similar to the 550.  The 550 shifts a lot smoother, probably because of the smaller engine.  I haven't found the weight to be a problem at all, the 750 seems very well balanced.

I prefer the 750 just for the giddy-up.  When you roll that throttle it's ready to go. I ride both, still, and for any 550 guys wondering where that magical 6th gear is - it's a 750.  It is interesting how much smaller the 550 feels now after riding the 750, but it's still a great bike and has become my around-town and/or "back-up" bike.

Just wanted to tie this up.

Happy Holidays you wond'rous bastiches.

[Steve_K]

One note on passengers sliding forward when braking.  Instruct your passenger to place their hands on the gas tank to keep their weight off of you.  Of course, when gassing it or cruising,  hands on your hips is OK!

That works on sport bikes, quite well.  Passengers do need to pay attention when riding.   I have heard of passengers sleeping on Goldwings and other touring bike. 

Steve

[markreimer]

I have a '74 750K and a '74 350F - the biggest and smallest four cylinders of that year! The 750 is obviously much faster and heavier, fast enough that I can get my hair to stand up if I'm riding like a hooligan 

But the 350F is honestly a much more fun bike to me when I'm just out riding solo on a twisty road. It's slower in every way possible but so smooth and it just loves spinning up to 10K over and over again. I've ridden 2-up on it (NOT recommended haha!).

I've done 25,000km of touring on my cb750 and have seen a huge chunk of central and Western Canada and US. The 350F has been on a 4,500km tour as well!

If I had to choose one, I'd keep the 750 because it's a much more stable highway bike, and with the right handle bars and riding position, you can have a reasonably 'light feeling' bike in the city.

But as a general comment, I personally feel small bikes are way more fun to ride. If I didn't like touring and just rode around town and the country roads, the 350F is all I'd ever need.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I've had both.  The 550 is more nimble and in my opinion better balanced.  The 750 is a better highway/higher speed cruiser, but it is a heavy pig - especially when pushing it around the garage. 

[Stev-o]

I bought a 550, liked it but felt I needed the a 750.
Sold it, bought a 750, missed the 550 so I bought another.

Simple answer - need to have both!

[eigenvector]

I have the 550, but I have a DOHC 750.  I'm 6'2" and I find the 550 fits me just fine, it's the 750 that feels cramped.  Most of that has to do with the position of the shifter in relation to the pegs, seat height, etc.  But in general I really prefer the 550 to the 750 - I don't use the 550 in the freeways, strictly streets and backroads only.

[DickL]

I'm 5'8" 200 lbs.. The 750K0 that I have is a stretch for me to get my feet on the ground at a stop. Im '66 and it wasn't a problem when I was 20. So I also bought an 850 lb 1999 Valkyrie. I can get my feet flat on the ground but the Valk is a bear in the garage.

DICKL