Topic: SOHC Cb750K Exclusivity?

[BenelliSEI]

Just looking at some time lines and production counts...... focusing on just “K” model.

Considering “Sandcast” and “Diecast” KO’s as seperate catogories, the second lowest production number is for the K7 (38,000), followed closely by the K8 (39,000). Interesting......

[bryanj]

By then other Japanese manufacturers were on twin cam motors and the K7/8 did not sell well

[Don R]

  In my town by 78 the Kawasaki shop was selling bikes like hotcakes. The sales guy said their KZ650 was faster than a Honda 750. No matter, I wanted a 900 and the LTD was the choice around here, they also had snowmobiles and the jet ski, seemed like the best business plan. By then the Honda shop was trying to sell Fiat cars.
  I ended up with a new 73 cb500 and later a used K4 750 windjammer bike. The reason I didn't buy that KZ was strictly money.  My test ride on the LTD was the only time I spun the back tire or pulled wheelies on a bike.

[ekpent]

  I think Honda milked the SOHC platform a couple/few years longer then they should have as far as improving their technology and image. Suzuki made the jump from their primarily two stroke to four stroke line pretty nicely,thanks Kawasaki 

[beemerbum]

Just looking at some time lines and production counts...... focusing on just “K” model.

Considering “Sandcast” and “Diecast” KO’s as seperate catogories, the second lowest production number is for the K7 (38,000), followed closely by the K8 (39,000). Interesting......

Frankly, the '77 and '78 exhaust was an improvement in appearance. Is there a bit of oil piddling under the '78? Are the fork lowers on these bikes polished?

[MauiK3]

What were K7/8 horsepower numbers like?

[Don R]

 K7/8 horsepower levels were on a par with the K0's if I remember correctly.

[BenelliSEI]

Just looking at some time lines and production counts...... focusing on just “K” model.

Considering “Sandcast” and “Diecast” KO’s as seperate catogories, the second lowest production number is for the K7 (38,000), followed closely by the K8 (39,000). Interesting......

Frankly, the '77 and '78 exhaust was an improvement in appearance. Is there a bit of oil piddling under the '78? Are the fork lowers on these bikes polished?

Sharp eyes! The K8 (Lester’s and drilled disc) had a stripped drain plug. Shortly after the photo I changed the bottom pan. I’ve always liked the pipes on that bike and for long days, the saddle and the bars on that K8 always felt great. Very traditional design, just before motorcycles changed, a lot!

[HondaMan]

I always thought the K8 was Honda's best 1-rider 750, having the nicely dipped (front) seat design they had started on the GL1000. I saw lots of touring with the K8 bikes, always single riders. by 1976 there was a huge custom-seat industry, spawned by lowered front seats for the earlier 750s. I even designed and built my own (which is still on mine) in 1981, following their lead.

Everyone hated the 630 chain, though. It was noisy, short-lived and expensive (even the early O-ring version): the 'conversion' sprockets appeared by 1981 and sold well, usually sporting the Diamond XD chains for longer life. The 17" rear wheel's larger tire footprint handled the touring loads well, much better than did the 4.00x18 rears of the earlier bike: it didn't wear out the rear tire in a single trip, then!

[beemerbum]

Perhaps Hondaman can answer the question that has been depriving me of sleep since I got a K7. Why is the left front upper motor mount unique to the '77? As much as I liked the appearance of the 77-78 exhaust, I understand it went south with rust early on. Seems a simple 4 into one exhaust saves a lot of weight, at the expense of appearance of course. A little weight its removed using wheels from an automatic. The steel are not missed.

[BenelliSEI]

Perhaps Hondaman can answer the question that has been depriving me of sleep since I got a K7. Why is the left front upper motor mount unique to the '77? As much as I liked the appearance of the 77-78 exhaust, I understand it went south with rust early on. Seems a simple 4 into one exhaust saves a lot of weight, at the expense of appearance of course. A little weight its removed using wheels from an automatic. The steel are not missed.

I asked the same question about that unique, bolt on engine mount, a few years ago. Many answers later..... NO ONE REALLY KNOWS. Very weird.

If you removed your original 4-4 pipes, do not loose the two rear mounting plates. They are getting tough to find!

I still think the K7/8 4-4 reverse megaphone pipes are amongst the loveliest Honda ever made. I also see you can by a full set of identical replicas for 1/2 the price of a replica 341 set. Go figure.

[Alan F.]

That bike in Beemerbum's post ticks all of the boxes for me. I'll be running the A/GL alloys and a black Kerker pipe with chrome megaphone. I've just got to figure out a paint color.

[jlh3rd]

Perhaps Hondaman can answer the question that has been depriving me of sleep since I got a K7. Why is the left front upper motor mount unique to the '77? As much as I liked the appearance of the 77-78 exhaust, I understand it went south with rust early on. Seems a simple 4 into one exhaust saves a lot of weight, at the expense of appearance of course. A little weight its removed using wheels from an automatic. The steel are not missed.

yep, there's a thread awhile back. That part is not in the parts fiche. It shows the welded bung.

[Stev-o]

  In my town by 78 the Kawasaki shop was selling bikes like hotcakes. The sales guy said their KZ650 was faster than a Honda 750. No matter, I wanted a 900...

They may have been selling like 'hotcakes" but less than 85,000 Kawasakis Z1 900's were manufactured over their 3 year model run ['73-75] compared to approx 133,000 of the CB750 over the same time frame [approx 50,000 more].
I'm sure the lower sales price had a lot to do with it as well as Honda's heavy marketing campaign.

[BenelliSEI]

I do remember late in ‘79, a friend of mine bought a new K8. It had been sitting on the dealer show room floor for more than a year. I think he paid $1700 (Canadian). A new Honda Civic was $3500 and his wife was annoyed. A few years later she got a Civic and I got the bike! My first cb750K.

[beemerbum]

Just looking at some time lines and production counts...... focusing on just “K” model.

Considering “Sandcast” and “Diecast” KO’s as seperate catogories, the second lowest production number is for the K7 (38,000), followed closely by the K8 (39,000). Interesting......

Still wanting to know if the fork lowers were polished. They look great!

[Don R]

  In my town by 78 the Kawasaki shop was selling bikes like hotcakes. The sales guy said their KZ650 was faster than a Honda 750. No matter, I wanted a 900...

They may have been selling like 'hotcakes" but less than 85,000 Kawasakis Z1 900's were manufactured over their 3 year model run ['73-75] compared to approx 133,000 of the CB750 over the same time frame [approx 50,000 more].
I'm sure the lower sales price had a lot to do with it as well as Honda's heavy marketing campaign.

I'm speaking from local experience, within a couple years half the guys in our group were riding KZ's. The guy that sold me his K4 bought a kz1300 6 cylinder. The Kawasaki shop was directly across the street from the bike bar where the guys we rode with gathered. Back then I had a one beer per wheel rule, I thought I was being pretty conservative.

[BenelliSEI]

Just looking at some time lines and production counts...... focusing on just “K” model.

Considering “Sandcast” and “Diecast” KO’s as seperate catogories, the second lowest production number is for the K7 (38,000), followed closely by the K8 (39,000). Interesting......

Still wanting to know if the fork lowers were polished. They look great!

Yes.... local guy does it. Nice work.