Topic: 1972 CB750K2, 33 years off the road

[bek1966]

I really like how you are approaching this project - fantastic work!

Thanks for sharing,
Brad

[BenelliSEI]

Beautiful paint! Where is John Miles?

[Delsolid]

Beautiful paint! Where is John Miles?

https://www.facebook.com/jwmilescb750

He's in Georga. I couldn't recommend him higher. I boxed up the tank and side panels a couple months ago and they are ready to come back just now. Quite a feat considering the number of coats of paint required to do it all that and the fact he was slipping me into his schedule. I think he took pity on me after I sent him the pics of the flame job on my tank 

[BenelliSEI]

Thanks! Really nice work.

[Stev-o]

Beautiful paint! Where is John Miles?

https://www.facebook.com/jwmilescb750

He's in Georga. I couldn't recommend him higher.

Beautiful!  Mind if we ask the cost of the paint job? 

[Delsolid]

Beautiful!  Mind if we ask the cost of the paint job?

Here is what he got done for me;
1. Repaired the cracked original side cover
2. Stripped the tank and removed the filler from the earlier repair (probably why it got it's flame re-paint job) then metal-worked out that dent plus the couple other newer dents without resorting to bondo.
3. Proper Candy Gold paint with the correct (for my K2) stripe job and clear coats.
4. Return shipping across the country.

Cost was $1250 and the total time was something like 10-12 weeks.

I initially was gong to do it myself but in the end the paint job is the most visible part of the bike and getting it perfect sets the entire tone for the bike. It would have cost me a couple 2-3 hundred in paint supplies and tank stickers. It would have looked OK, certainly better that it did, but in the end I only wanted to do it once and I knew he could make it 100% correct and stunning. If I did it the dents would have been "repaired" with bondo and I would have needed to replace the original cracked side cover with a repop, that would have sucked. Ultimately, going with a pro was an easy decision for me.

[rickmoore24]

They came out fantastic!

[Stev-o]

Beautiful! 

Ultimately, going with a pro was an easy decision for me.

Agreed, I would have done the same. 

[bek1966]

That price is reasonable for the amount and quality of work performed.  Fantastic work.  Thanks for sharing the information.

Brad

[Delsolid]

That price is reasonable for the amount and quality of work performed.  Fantastic work.  Thanks for sharing the information.

Brad

Yeah, when I started counting up all the individual paint layers and the work/time required between them I was glad I didn't even attempt it. 

[BenelliSEI]

Money well spent! Less than a new Yamiya kit and you kept it original. Smart play.

[Delsolid]

Drug out the Luggage Rack this weekend while cleaning up the shop. I didn't know much about it beyond that my sister-in-law said she remembers the bike always having it. I have always planned on hanging on to it for a while to see if I had a need for it. I like the look of the bike without it but if I take the bike on any trips I would need something so until I figured out what that would be I would keep this one.

I remembered it having surface rust but it being a quality piece nonetheless.

I started cleaning it up and found out it is mfg by a company called "Triple A" and the mounting hardware was stamped as being for a "HONDA CB 750 K2" and "HONDA 72 CB 750 K2". I find it interesting that they specified the K2 since the rack mounting locations on the rear of these bikes from K2 and newer are identical so I am wondering if this rack was made in the 72-73 era, otherwise I cant see why they would be so specific instead of saying something like K2-K4 or whatever had been released up to the point of mfg.

The rust proved to be mostly surface only and came right off with just a couple minutes of cleaning. There are still a bit more areas to work on but overall it is turning out a lot like the other chrome on the bike and definitely presentable. The rack itself is really stout.

[newday777]

That is a good rack. Do you have the backrest pad still?

Back in 72 the aftermarket companies were just really starting to wind up for the touring market and that rack was bought in 72 before the k3 came out. The k2 was different from the k1 taillight mount so they weren't sure what, if, the k3 would come along yet.

[Delsolid]

That is a good rack. Do you have the backrest pad still?

Back in 72 the aftermarket companies were just really starting to wind up for the touring market and that rack was bought in 72 before the k3 came out. The k2 was different from the k1 taillight mount so they weren't sure what, if, the k3 would come along yet.

Nope, no backrest.

That's pretty much inline with what I was figuring. My SIL said she thinks the rack was put on when the bike was either brand new of very shortly after so it not including the K3 as a possible application would fit with make.

[Delsolid]

The repainted tank and side panels arrived earlier this week. I finally had a bit of time this weekend to carefully put on the new trim pieces. All the replacement trim parts and decals for the tank and side panels are OEM Honda except for the lower tank trim, that apparently is unavailable. I got a set of reproductions from David Silver Spares and they look good and fit well. I was able to clean up the original fuel cap and installed it with a new seal.

I'm pretty happy with the result!

Comparing the tank now to when I got the bike is pretty funny.

[Delsolid]

It's almost ready to come off the lift. Have to do the throttle cables, fuel lines and bleed the front brake then it's time to roll it out into the sun and fire it up.

I even managed to get the wing emblems on the correct sides!

[newday777]

Sweeeet!   

[Stev-o]

Nice!

[BenelliSEI]

Looking great!

[MauiK3]

That paint looks great and...........bonus
The jewels face the right way, you'd be surprised how many times that gets missed.

[Shtonecb500]

looks really nice, im jelly of your paint job.

[Delsolid]

That paint looks great and...........bonus
The jewels face the right way, you'd be surprised how many times that gets missed.

Ha! I wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for this forum!

[HondaMan]

Beautiful work!
A word to the wise, if you install that Triple A rack: they are/were famous for causing massive steering input to the front end when heavily loaded because people refused to install the 'struts' to the license plate upper holes on the taillight (mostly ecause they didn't fit very well, or the license plate's holes were in the wrong spot to allow it).  Then the whole rack would wiggle side-to-side with any load on it at all, and this turned into cross-steering input at the front forks, very spooky. For those tourers who came to me with this issue (and Triple A racks were VERY popular, because they were cheaper than the stronger ones) who were obviously carrying heavy luggage rack loads (often backpacks were strapped to the sissy bar, that sort of thing) I would replace the rubber grommets of the tailight mounting bracket with stacked stainless washers after installing those straps.

[Delsolid]

Beautiful work!
A word to the wise, if you install that Triple A rack: they are/were famous for causing massinve steering input to the front end when heavily loaded because people refused to install the 'struts' to the license plate upper holes on the taillight (mostly ecause they didn't fit very well, or the license plate's holes were in the wrong spot to allow it).  Then the whole rack would wiggle side-to-side with any load on it at all, and this turned into cross-steering input at the front forks, very spooky. For those tourers who came to me with this issue (and Triple A racks were VERY popular, because they were cheaper than the stronger ones) who were obviously carrying heavy luggage rack loads (often backpacks were strapped to the sissy bar, that sort of thing) I would replace the rubber grommets of the tailight mounting bracket with stacked stainless washers after installing those straps.

The way the rack was installed when I got the bike the struts were installed and seemed pretty firm. I can imagine if you didn't use them it could get pretty wiggly with a big load!

[HondaMan]

It's terrific that you have the genuine K2 seats: I've ridden all of the 750 seats for distances, and the most comfortable were the K0 and the K2. The K0, because it was the lowest: the K2 because of those scooped-out thigh cuts that let you stand more easily over the bike when stopped. The follow-on ones got thinner and/or harder and were not as comfortable on long rides (1000 miles days, etc.) and the K1 seat, while at the same apparent [geometric] height as the K0, did not take into account the longer shocks that were K1 fare, making the bike feel taller and wider than the K0.

IMHO the K2 seat was the best of the bunch. I wore mine out at 70k miles and by then Honda had changed their replacement seats to have different foam that was too stiff. I opted then to make my own, which mine still sports.