Topic: Am I a Heretic if I like this?

[CrisPDuk]

I know it's got one too many camshafts, but I've always liked these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HONDA-CB750-CB-750-F-1979-LONG-M-O-T-CLASSIC_W0QQitemZ230098936535QQihZ013QQcategoryZ9806QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'm a bit dubious about the age on this on though?

[mrbreeze]

If you like that bike....go for it!!! It seems to be in good shape and not too pricey. Just because you get a DOHC doesn't mean we will throw rocks at you!!!!! Just don't start posting crap about the superiority of a newer model because it won't fly with us hardcore SOHC types.....ya know what I mean?

[CrisPDuk]

Don't worry too much there breezy   The 550 ain't going anywhere Except up and down a few nice roads when get home

I just like the idea of owning something a bit newer (one year, wow) that I can use without worrying about it when the weather ain't so clever


Besides, I'm fully awae of the fact tat newer isn't necessarily better, a mate of mine owns a '98 Hardley

[petercb750]

I had the first of the dohc 900's and it was a gem - good all-rounder, and was actually quite a good scratcher. A mate had the 750 like you are looking at, and he loved it. Almost as quick as the 900 anyway, and same handling etc. Go for it if you like it - there's only one person you have to please - you!  
Peter.

[heffay]

buy it now is not a terrible price if you're nearby.  it is pretty.  i'd put a set of drop bars on it and that would make it a sweet ride in my opinion.
or, gamble on it and make an offer...

[jabbadeznuts]

I was sooooo close to getting nearly that exact bike. 


I love how the side panels flow into the tank.

[toycollector10]

Yeah, that's "choice", just do it if you want to.......I really like the look of it and obviously so do you...

[Terry in Australia]

I had the CB900F version, I bought it in 2001 for 800 Aussie dollars, it was all original except for the pipe, and it was a really nice bike to ride, as quick as my Suzuki GS1000S, and it braked and handled very well too. The engines were known to be fragile though, so were no good for  "hotting up" with big bore kits, cams, etc as they could break crankshafts or rods if over-revved, and had a tricky cam chain adjustment system that if ignored (quite common) would do more damage.

I had a mate, Tom Cottom, who thought his Z1 900 Kawasaki was unbeatable, and one day on the way home from the Castrol 6 hour endurance race in 1981, a 900F went past us, so Tom took off after him, but the Honda rider showed him a clean pair of heels and left him wallowing in the corners, to the point where Tom decided that his Z1's tires were in need of replacement, (more likely Tom was in need of new underpants) and called the "race" off, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

[CrisPDuk]

To late Someone's bought it

Ah well, looks like I'm destined to stick with SOHCs, which is no bad thing

[petercb750]

I had a mate, Tom Cottom, who thought his Z1 900 Kawasaki was unbeatable, and one day on the way home from the Castrol 6 hour endurance race in 1981, a 900F went past us, so Tom took off after him, but the Honda rider showed him a clean pair of heels and left him wallowing in the corners, to the point where Tom decided that his Z1's tires were in need of replacement, (more likely Tom was in need of new underpants) and called the "race" off, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

Hey Terry - probably wasn't the tyres, more likely the hinge in the middle of the frame on the Z1 needed oiling.........
I had a GPZ1100 from new for a short while (very short) back in the 80s and Kawasaki were still installing the factory hinge then - a good thing in a straight line, but evil in the hills. After that brief defection from Honda I returned!
No doubt your mate Tom not only changed his undies, but also changed to a Honda....if he was smart.
I've got a mate here who is a pretty good rider, has a couple of modern sports bikes and a perfect Z1 like new, and when he takes it out he scares the crap out of himself and shakes his head at how they were ever considered to be the "best". Our roads weren't designed for Z1s. Nice grunt though.
Peter.

[Terry in Australia]

Hey Terry - probably wasn't the tyres, more likely the hinge in the middle of the frame on the Z1 needed oiling.........
I had a GPZ1100 from new for a short while (very short) back in the 80s and Kawasaki were still installing the factory hinge then - a good thing in a straight line, but evil in the hills. After that brief defection from Honda I returned!
No doubt your mate Tom not only changed his undies, but also changed to a Honda....if he was smart.
I've got a mate here who is a pretty good rider, has a couple of modern sports bikes and a perfect Z1 like new, and when he takes it out he scares the crap out of himself and shakes his head at how they were ever considered to be the "best". Our roads weren't designed for Z1s. Nice grunt though.
Peter.

G'Day Pete, yeah you're right mate, I had a 1975 Z1 900 which was supposed to be the best handler of the lot, but it was crap. Marzocchi shocks, progressive fork springs, fork brace, steering damper, and new Pirelli Phantom tyres made no difference at all, it was scary. I actually sold it to buy a Harley Sportster, and I'll tell you right now, to all the wankers who will tell you Harley's don't handle, well, they don't, but they still handle better than Kawasaki Z1's, ha ha!

By contrast, Suzuki blatantly copied the Z1's engine for the GS750-1100 range, (some engine parts are supposedly interchangeable) but totally redesigned the frame, and the big Suzy's were lauded as probably the best handling Jap bike of the 1970's, and the overall best bike in the world, at the time. I've got several GS Suzuki's and even now, they are still great bikes, with the same "Grunt" as the Z1, but still fun to ride fast once you get off the freeway! Cheers, Terry.

[bill440cars]

        Hey CrisP, Too bad about the 79' 750. I've got one of those unmentionable shh! 80' Cb750Ks and it's a pretty good runner. I've about finished attaching a sidecar to it. Between the DOHC 750F & the K, I'd rather have the F but, I couldn't pass up the deal I got on my 750K, you know? And, for the record, I'm not gonna be without some SOHC4s in my garage.

                                                         Later on, Bill