Author Topic: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....  (Read 578 times)

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Offline Neuxstone

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The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« on: January 10, 2023, 04:50:26 PM »
I could write a book about all the anomalies I've found while doing a frame complete rebuild on my '75 F0, but I don't want to relive what I've been through.
 The second set of fork tubes I ordered (51410-341-702) for it were incorrectly listed for my bike on the 4into1 website as fitting the F0, so I did some digging. they insisted they were correct for the bike, but after digging for some hours I found my bike needs fork tube 51411-392-003.
 The sales/service person said someone switched my forks from another model (assuming he could be right), but I couldn't find any Honda models with the (35mm) dia. configuration going thru all the parts books. Which leads me to believe the F0 and F1 have the oddball forks.
 
 Does anyone out there Know the configuration of the early "F" forks?
 
I took pics of the "K" forks next to my, what I assume are my F0 tube bottoms. (having trouble with attaching photos from dropbox)
You will se the bushing at the base if the fork is smaller on the "old fork" and the undercut is only a couple inches from the bottom compared to the "new", or K fork I was sent. 

Offline scottly

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2023, 06:18:34 PM »
The F0,F1,K7,and K8 shared the same forks, which had longer lowers than the earlier K bikes.
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Offline HondaMan

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2023, 06:50:54 PM »
The F0,F1,K7,and K8 shared the same forks, which had longer lowers than the earlier K bikes.

...and that 'nnnnn-392-nnn' part number...
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Offline Don R

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2023, 07:14:37 PM »
 I believe the F0-1 replacement tubes are an inch longer than the 72-76? K. There was a set in the for sale section recently. 23 13/16"? They do interchange. I noticed some of the internal parts were different but fit the same tubes. 
 
« Last Edit: January 10, 2023, 07:16:27 PM by Don R »
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Offline Don R

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2023, 07:18:24 PM »
 Forks by Frank also look different but fit and work fine.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
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Offline Neuxstone

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2023, 11:49:30 AM »
Thanks all...
  I'll try Frank, but from what I'm hearing from ya'll is these must've been switched out by some masochistic person in the past...
I'll Keep this post up for another day or so to see if anyone ran into this. BTW these are the shorter version, so spring length wont allow the longer tubes.

Offline newday777

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2023, 11:53:25 AM »
Thanks all...
  I'll try Frank, but from what I'm hearing from ya'll is these must've been switched out by some masochistic person in the past...
I'll Keep this post up for another day or so to see if anyone ran into this. BTW these are the shorter version, so spring length wont allow the longer tubes.
Don't take it down.  Someone may not have seen it that Don't come around often.....
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My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline scottly

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2023, 07:42:45 PM »
I could write a book about all the anomalies I've found while doing a frame complete rebuild on my '75 F0, but I don't want to relive what I've been through.
 The second set of fork tubes I ordered (51410-341-702) for it were incorrectly listed for my bike on the 4into1 website as fitting the F0, so I did some digging. they insisted they were correct for the bike, but after digging for some hours I found my bike needs fork tube 51411-392-003.
 The sales/service person said someone switched my forks from another model (assuming he could be right), but I couldn't find any Honda models with the (35mm) dia. configuration going thru all the parts books. Which leads me to believe the F0 and F1 have the oddball forks.
 
 Does anyone out there Know the configuration of the early "F" forks?
 
I took pics of the "K" forks next to my, what I assume are my F0 tube bottoms. (having trouble with attaching photos from dropbox)
You will se the bushing at the base if the fork is smaller on the "old fork" and the undercut is only a couple inches from the bottom compared to the "new", or K fork I was sent.
First of all, 4into1 isn't the best resource for parts fitment information. ;) It would help if you could provide pictures of what your original fork tubes look like, as well as what you were sent (twice??). ALL of the 750s had 35mm fork tubes. I'm not sure what you mean by "bushing" at the base? These pics are of a K7 tube, which is the same as the F0/F1, with the 392 part #. What does the 4into1 site show for a K7 or K8?
Don't fix it if it ain't broke!
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Offline Don R

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Re: The Great CB750F0 Fork Mystery.....
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2023, 09:28:00 AM »
 I've noticed a difference inside but assumed the internal measurements of the fork tubes were the same and the outer measurements of the damper rods contact areas allowing different damper rods to still fit. But I did only assume.
  In my case I was using the 21 13/16" long #341 fork tubes for a 550. I've found the 341 number forks with 550 and 750 tubes. Since I was also lowering it for drag racing I didn't use the longer F0 lowers.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2023, 09:31:46 AM by Don R »
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.