Topic: 1974 Rickman Honda

[BenelliSEI]

Good news. The three new windscreens that came with the race bike are drilled and they fit both fairings perfectly. Still more carving to do, but getting close. Determined to use an original Rickman part.

[BenelliSEI]

None of my fairing mounting brackets have headlight mounts. I have a Lucas 7” headlight pot (plastic), on my shelves. Thinking I might just bond it into the fairing. A five wire connector plug and the fairing would be easy to remove complete with turn signals and head light.

[Stev-o]

Hi John...what a great project!  Following...

[BenelliSEI]

Hi John...what a great project!  Following...

Thanks Steve…. It’s “been sitting on a back burner” for way too long! Time to get it done. I played with the fairing a bit more today and it’s definitely NOT the correct one. Mmmm.

[Stev-o]

Hi John...what a great project!  Following...

I played with the fairing a bit more today and it’s definitely NOT the correct one. Mmmm.

I like the race fairing, you not gonna use that one? 

Just think what a thrill it would be to have that bike on the Mosport track?!

[BenelliSEI]

Hi John...what a great project!  Following...

I played with the fairing a bit more today and it’s definitely NOT the correct one. Mmmm.

I like the race fairing, you not gonna use that one? 

Just think what a thrill it would be to have that bike on the Mosport track?!

I do have the race fairing and molds too. I’ll probably lay up a thicker new one  (the race part is paper thin). +10 years ago I went to a Motorcycle Race School at Shannonville, for two days. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but decided that was close enough.

[BenelliSEI]

Still playing with the road fairing. Might work out with a bit more trimming....

[Stev-o]

Still playing with the road fairing. Might work out with a bit more trimming....

Question for the expert [you, John!]

Did the Rickmans always come painted in "Rickman Red"? 

I just watched the short video as I know very little about Rickman and find it interesting that they used the [heavy] OEM exhaust and the "breadbasket" air filter.

[BenelliSEI]

Steve…. Great video. The original tanks were f’glass, that alloy substitute looks identical and stunning. The Rickman CR750 Honda was always the bright orange kit. Later Kawasakis were green. They were designed to accept all the parts from your Honda cb750, although many people used a lighter exhaust. I have a super light Hindle that will be going on. This pic is from the first time I had it together (lots of zip ties and string!).

[seanbarney41]

I feel like I have seen lots of yellow ones, both Honda and Kawasaki.  I am certainly not an expert on these, just a long time fan.

[BenelliSEI]

I feel like I have seen lots of yellow ones, both Honda and Kawasaki.  I am certainly not an expert on these, just a long time fan.

I have too, but I think those are painted. As far as I know, the originals all came with an orange gel coat (actually unpainted) as mentioned in this period ad.

[69cb750]

I get the idea this sort of thing was more popular in uk then usa

Long Itch Diner
Southam Road Southam Road,
SouthamLong Itchington CV47 9QZ
Any of our uk friends been there ?
https://www.longitchdiner.co.uk/

[PeWe]

We had a Rickman agent in  Stockholm area back in the days. Even in the first half of the 80's.

If I had knew the future I should  have bought a Rickman or a Martin I saw in Swedish bike magazines commercials.

I had a Rickman Metisse  with Triumph Bonneville 650 in  parts I bought rather cheap.  I had to sell it not yet a running bike1983 to keep my dear K6 on the streets. I remember the shiny frame and fiberglass body.

[seanbarney41]

I get the idea this sort of thing was more popular in uk then usa

Long Itch Diner
Southam Road Southam Road,
SouthamLong Itchington CV47 9QZ
Any of our uk friends been there ?
https://www.longitchdiner.co.uk/

for sure...also in  France, Germany, Italy and Japan and Australia.  Rickman was was just one of many companies that provided, probably the most well known.  When you get right down to it, a cafe racer is just a vintage road bike modified with a road/circuit racing influence.  Road racing was not prominent in the U.S. at least until the rise in popularity of AMA Superbike class which rules dictated builds were based off stock bodywork, seat and handlebars, so until sport bikes came along, the few Americans modifying their stuff for road racing may nave looked somewhat different.

[seanbarney41]

Also 69cb750, I never quite know when you are interested or not.  But if so, here is the best collected body of knowledge on the web concerning 1970's efforts at improving cb750 performance.
satanicmechanic.org/index.shtml

[scottly]

I get the idea this sort of thing was more popular in uk then usa

Long Itch Diner
Southam Road Southam Road,
SouthamLong Itchington CV47 9QZ
Any of our uk friends been there ?
https://www.longitchdiner.co.uk/

Cafe racers in general or specials like Rickman, Seeley, and Dunstall? I took this pic of a Rickman in the parking lot of Laguna Seca race track in 1979, and the pic of my Seeley in San Luis Obispo, CA, also in 1979. The yellow Dunstall is/was a member's bike here in the USA.

[69cb750]

Also 69cb750, I never quite know when you are interested or not.  But if so, here is the best collected body of knowledge on the web concerning 1970's efforts at improving cb750 performance.
satanicmechanic.org/index.shtml

Z1 is the best way to improve CB750 performance.
I have donated several 836 kits to kmr.
Did you come to the museum this year?
I did not see you or Eric this year.

[seanbarney41]

Also 69cb750, I never quite know when you are interested or not.  But if so, here is the best collected body of knowledge on the web concerning 1970's efforts at improving cb750 performance.
satanicmechanic.org/index.shtml

Z1 is the best way to improve CB750 performance.
I have donated several 836 kits to kmr.
Did you come to the museum this year?
I did not see you or Eric this year.

Not gonna argue with that.  Well, more horsepower is not the only goal of the road racer.  I only made it to a couple Wed. cruise-in this last summer.  I did hope to see you on more of your bikes.  I was at the show, saturday did the swap meet all day.  Sunday just hanginaround.

[scottly]

I have donated several 836 kits to kmr.

Who or what is kmr?

[seanbarney41]

I have donated several 836 kits to kmr.

Kalamazoo Metal Recyclers...the local scrapyard
Who or what is kmr?