Author Topic: Prototype clone (Read 1274 times)

Don R · « **on:** February 27, 2024, 09:12:27 AM »

It seems like I saw pictures of a prototype 750 clone made to resemble the first bikes made for testing and trade shows. Does anyone know about one? I know one was gold with a gold stripe, I liked that idea but found a regular gold/black stripe tank set for sale first.

Laids · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2024, 10:44:12 AM »

The guy who built this bike is on this forum. Taken 2016.

jakec · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2024, 10:57:41 AM »

I would have thought you meant like this one

or this one?

bryanj · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2024, 11:03:24 AM »

Don, go to the uk forum and contact Ash, he has quite a bit of info on the original uk "press/show" bikes which were pre sandcast

willbird · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2024, 02:49:43 PM »

The original "prototype" that I read about was revealed at the Isle of Man TT. There had been rumors that Honda was making a 4 cyl motorcycle. They wired an extra two pipes onto twin and covered the engine with a small tarp and walked their new "sohc" past all of the other pits :-).

Don R · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2024, 02:57:20 PM »

Yes, those are what I was thinking of. It's funny, one has the 450 tank and the other has the 450 front end. It would be fun to build one just to see who knows the difference.
I read that Kawasaki painted their prototypes to look like cb750's for discrete US testing.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2024, 04:36:55 PM »

Don…. I’ve had a cb450 front end in my shop for ages. Always planned to put that lovely drum on my “Black Bike” K3. I thought it would stop just as well and look great. Unfortunately the Lesters came along and there it sits!

HondaMan · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2024, 07:32:33 PM »

Quote from: Don R on February 27, 2024, 02:57:20 PM

I read that Kawasaki painted their prototypes to look like cb750's for discrete US testing.

Yeah, that almost turned into a 'scandal' when it was published, I think in CYCLE mag? There was an article written by one of the guys who rode one of the prototype Kaws around in the USA, sporting Honda tanks and side covers, IIRC?

69cb750 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2024, 04:18:11 AM »

69cb750 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2024, 04:19:05 AM »

69cb750 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2024, 04:19:57 AM »

Deltarider · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2024, 05:27:16 AM »

Quote from: jakec on February 27, 2024, 10:57:41 AM

I would have thought you meant like this one

[...]

Anybody who can explain those handlebars?

Stev-o · « **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2024, 07:00:29 AM »

Quote from: 69cb750 on February 28, 2024, 04:18:11 AM

69...can you plz explain your pics?

Don R · « **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2024, 08:13:18 AM »

I'm sitting here geek smiling while spotting the different parts. I'd guess the pullback handlebars are fitted to a specific size of rider. My brother liked the bolt on pullbacks and are still on his bike out in my shop. The seat is also relatively thin.
If one of us made a set of those sidecovers in fiberglass and sent them off to Frankenbike... I wonder. I especially like the sidecover logo.
The engine looks a little wonky, the cylinder fins appear smaller, and the head fins look like they stop before they get to the top, making the cam cover appear bigger. I understand it's a hand-crafted engine, just pointing out things that look different.
I also got a kick out of the plier marks on the oil fill cap, someone didn't know it's priceless. Almost.

Swoop · « **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2024, 09:05:25 AM »

Quote from: Laids on February 27, 2024, 10:44:12 AM

The guy who built this bike is on this forum. Taken 2016.

That was mine….i still prefer the softness of the light gold (yellow) on gold to the black on gold and I will probably do another.

69cb750 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 29, 2024, 04:33:10 AM »

Quote

Anybody who can explain those handlebars?

They are setback handlebars for Japaneese test riders.

Quote

69...can you plz explain your pics?

2110 gold
2111 red
2112 dark green
2113 blue-green, photos are from this bike.

HondaMan · « **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2024, 12:41:40 PM »

Quote from: Swoop on February 28, 2024, 09:05:25 AM

Quote from: Laids on February 27, 2024, 10:44:12 AM
The guy who built this bike is on this forum. Taken 2016.

That was mine….i still prefer the softness of the light gold (yellow) on gold to the black on gold and I will probably do another.

When my tank & covers were repainted (I requested blue) in 1979 they came back gold. I added black pinstripes in the outline of the gold tank stripe decals I had on hand, making it look like 'invisible' gold stripes. They're still there now!

I have a curiosity question about the short-topped disc brake master shown above. Is there a bladder inside that thing?

Steve_K · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2024, 10:34:40 AM »

Back in the 70',s I was in the motorcycle mechanics program at Scott Community College in the eastern Iowa. They had a 750-4, and if I remember correctly had a drum front brake and the oil tank, I recall, had a hex head cap on the oil tank opening. I kinda remember that the engine was sealed and we could not take it apart. We could not even start it up to hear it. It was supposed to be gift? from Honda. That was 50 years ago, the bike was there for sure, but the details may not be correct.
I heard rumors that there was several bikes like that around the states. Maybe someone has one stashed.
Steve

Don R · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2024, 10:49:00 AM »

W0W, I remember that the same thing happened with CBX's. They were out there in the automotive shops and could be had but were difficult to title.

Stev-o · « **Reply #19 on:** March 06, 2024, 08:42:31 AM »

Quote from: Don R on March 05, 2024, 10:49:00 AM

W0W, I remember that the same thing happened with CBX's.

Not urban legend!

https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-japanese-motorcycles/honda-cbx-zmmz09ndzraw/

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 06, 2024, 09:48:57 AM »

Quote from: Stev-o on March 06, 2024, 08:42:31 AM

Quote from: Don R on March 05, 2024, 10:49:00 AM
W0W, I remember that the same thing happened with CBX's.

Not urban legend!

https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-japanese-motorcycles/honda-cbx-zmmz09ndzraw/

My best buddy, who graduated from MMI Arizona, confirms that they had a cbx that had been completely over-hauled and dyno tested every semester by raw students! probably since 1982! This was early 2000's! He says every single piece of hardware was well knackered and if you ever have a chance to buy one of the school cbx's to run far and fast!

69cb750 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 06, 2024, 11:22:36 AM »

Quote

My best buddy, who graduated from MMI Arizona, confirms that they had a cbx that had been completely over-hauled and dyno tested every semester by raw students! probably since 1982! This was early 2000's! He says every single piece of hardware was well knackered and if you ever have a chance to buy one of the school cbx's to run far and fast!

I had a 81 cbx, 500 miles, like new, never worked on by students.
Had to clean carbs, rode it up and down my street a few times, sat in my garage for a few years, sold it to some guy in Texas who came with a rickity trailer to get it.

jakec · « **Reply #22 on:** March 06, 2024, 02:02:06 PM »

Anyone who's interested in the known info about the prototype bike the information is on this page.

https://cb750sandcastonly.com/lateprototype.htm

Stev-o · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2024, 07:16:31 AM »

Quote from: jakec on March 06, 2024, 02:02:06 PM

Anyone who's interested in the known info about the prototype bike the information is on this page.

https://cb750sandcastonly.com/lateprototype.htm

Good info, thx for the link. Here's a pic of the early prototype...

https://cb750sandcastonly.com/earlyprototype.htm

CycleRanger · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2024, 08:49:29 AM »

Here's a couple color images of early '750's.

News:

Author Topic: Prototype clone (Read 1274 times)