Topic: Honda Trivia - The meaning of the 'K'

[Glenn Stauffer]

I was doing some work on the website and looking at the pages from a Honda 30th anniversary tribute to the SOHC/4 CB750 that I found on the Honda Italy site a long time ago and I came across this:

"... K1 coding which stood [for] the Japanese 'Kairyo 1 go' meaning 'Improvement No. 1' in English."

I can't recall ever hearing that explanation before.  The Honda tribute is online at http://sohc4.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=89&limit=1

I'm glad I grabbed it from their site when I did because I can't find it online any more and it is a nicely done tribute.

[Raul CB750K1]

Coincidentially, my Suzuki GZ250 is coded K1 for 2001, K2 for 2002 and so on. I always thought it was an indication of the model year.


I keep a copy of all the pages of the tribute you mention. If you want them just let me know.


Raul

[Jonesy]

Coincidentially, my Suzuki GZ250 is coded K1 for 2001, K2 for 2002 and so on. I always thought it was an indication of the model year.

I used to think that too, with the CB750 "K" designations falling roughly within the last digits of the calendar years of production. But, I have other bikes that have K0 designations that were built in the mid-70's, so that doesn't follow the pattern.

[Magpie]

In the book by Mark Haycock called Honda CB750 The Complete Story during a meeting of American Honda and Honda's R & D department, Mr. Honda is quoted talking about Honda's new big bike "Oh yes, it will be known as the King of Motorcycles". It was at this meeting that the reps from American Honda suggested the big bike should be a 4 cylinder.   Chapter 4, page 28. it's a great book! So the CB750King was born!
Cheers,
Cliff.

[DammitDan]

So what's the F stand for then?

Come on, someone say it... 

[6pkrunner]

There was quite a discussion over the actual useage of K0 for the 1970 CB750. Since Kairyo meant imporvement or better version how could you have an imporvement  or a new version of 0? Since the K1s and up had already been assigned their update version numbers that left the 1970 out. But it was decided that there were enough changes between the 1969 and 1970 models to assign a version number. Only candidate was 0.

The article was a good read anyway.

[Magpie]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF....ast!?

[Jonesy]

Freakin' Fast!!! 

[chung]

We invented "K0" to distinguish the original model from "K" being generic for all those later models. There is no "official" "F0" either.

I might be wrong but that's the way I remember it. No such thing as a "K0" untill about 15 years ago?

[Magpie]

There may not be an official FO but it seems I've heard or been told to FO at times.
Cliff.

[74cb750]

F means fusia, fun, fantastic, futuristic and "Finally got it right"

[Raul CB750K1]

Something like software versions: MS-DOS 6.2.1... first version of the second improvement of the sixth release...