Topic: 47 years on a '75 CB750F

[dave500]

good on you ofreen,its truely great you still have this bike,good on you!

[ofreen]

That is truly amazing Greg. 
Honda should use you as a testimonial and compensate you with a new CB!

Too bad for me you don't work for Honda, Stev-o.  I've thought a few times Honda has missed an opportunity by not capitalizing on the relays, especially the 2011 world-wide one. I think Jerry or somebody let them know about it, but there wasn't a response.  Seems like people putting serious miles on 30-40+ year old bikes would be something they could capitalize on.  But their attention maybe would have mucked things up, so it could be just as well.

I love this. I'd put money on the designers not having any sense of just how far these things could go if properly looked after. They just did the best they could with the technology of the time, and projected per-unit cost estimates. That they totally 'nailed it' would probably make them pretty happy, assuming they're alive. Kudos to you for outstanding care and feeding!

Phil, I am sure you are right. I doubt the engineers were looking for this kind of longevity out of these bikes.  How are you going to sell new ones if the old ones won't wear out?

Honda quality. I remember back in the mid 70's Hondas were my bike back than and at the time I had a 1976 CB550 and several years before it I had a 1974 CB360. My best friend was A Kawasaki guy. He was always on my case about how fast these 2 stroke smokers were, but I remember telling him these Hondas will be running years and years down the road when the Kaw won't.
Hey buddy what did I tell you

I used to have similar conversations.

I don't know if you know, but Craig Vetter sells parts for the Jammer- you can buy the "snap vents" for reasonable coin, and they make a big difference on the road.
I put 1500 miles on my F2 last weekend, Iowa to Devils Tower and back.  Great road machines.  I've got a windjammer II on mine...

Thanks, Andrew. I think National still offers a windshield with the vents.  I used to see people run without the windshield in the summer back when Windjammers were everywhere. I've always been too lazy to try it.

Greg, after just reading this entire post, I want to tell you I enjoyed the great story.  As I am in the middle of bringing a 75 750F back to life after being parked for 14 years, you have renewed my enthusiasm.  Congrats, happy 4th of July and keep that odometer turning.
Stickman

Thanks. Good luck with the bike, it will be worth it. As you have probably heard, the '75 Fs were hand assembled by Soichiro himself, so they are pretty special.

Great testament to Honda longevity!  Nice to hear someone enjoying a particular machine for so long. 

Honda still makes great motorcycles - I have a 2003 GL1800 that I bought new in the fall of 2003.  It currently has almost 70,000 miles, or actually 112,000 Km on it, with (knock-on-wood) no problems or engine repair required.  I haven't even had to adjust the valves yet!  Just the regular oil and filter change every 10,000 Km, which actually is more frequent than what Honda calls for.

There are a lot of Gold Wings out there with 200 to 300 thousand plus miles.  I hope you have all the time you need to wear that bike out. It will take some doing, I think.

Thanks to everybody else for their comments.  I appreciate it.

[andy750]

Greg as always you are an inspiration. I am enjoying these yearly updates!

Keep them coming!
All the best
Andy

[ofreen]

Thanks, Andy. I have to return the compliment. I am always impressed by your exploits on that K4.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Greg,

I finally had gotten through to them 3/2011. Wilbur was to have met up the reps at the Honda tent at the Daytona 200. When he went looking there was no one to be found. Seems there was a disaster in Japan about that time that may have contributed to the absence??

Perhaps someone needs to contact Honda's Red Rider magazine?!

[ofreen]

Thanks for the info, Jerry. It would have interesting to see what they would have done with it. As it was, the 2011 relay was a thing of beauty. Would Honda of America's involvement made it better by exploiting it somehow? Hard to say now.

[70CB750]

Good for you, ofreen.

Always interesting to look back ln things that you drag along on your life journey.

[ofreen]

Good for you, ofreen.
Always interesting to look back ln things that you drag along on your life journey.

Thanks. Although from the bike's perspective, it has been dragging me along. 

[bjatwood]

Congratulations Gregg!
My K3 has "only" 34,000 miles on the clock. Just getting broke in I imagine...LOL
I'll have to ride it to 92 years of age to catch up with you 

[ofreen]

Sounds like a worthy goal to shoot for, Brian.

[Don R]

I was worried about mine getting to 14 thousand miles lol. Half of them were in the last 3 years.

[ofreen]

Now it's 37 years and counting.  Another quick year has gone by.  The bike is still going strong. The only issue is the fuel mileage has been dropping.  The symptoms are consistent with needle jet set wear.  Decreasing fuel economy, rich running, black plugs and no need to use the choke on start-up.  I've gone through this twice before.  Unfortunately, OEM needle/jet sets are no longer available from Honda, and the Keyster needles are no good (unless they've improved them).  But I was able to scrounge 4 genyoowine Honda sets.  I haven't taken the carbs down yet, but will report back when I do. 

Also, the bike remains for sale, the price now is $146,422.  For that price I'll install the needle jet sets.  Anybody interested better jump on it now, it ain't getting cheaper.  If Pimpzilla ever gets out here, that will likely bump the price up a grand or so, maybe more.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Hows the compression? Must be good cause its just now broken in!

Where did you find a NOS needle jet set? You been in my basement? I'm hoarding. Thought I was going to take them out of the plastic until I found the Webbers :-) I've only had mine for 39 years but yours has an extra 110,000 miles.

[mrbreeze]

Happy Birthday to your bike Greg. Damn....that things got some serious miles on it by you and to think it hasn't been torn into yet. I went through my carbs I guess around 2006-2007 and I was gonna get OEM needles & jets. I had heard about not using the ones from the kits (I got K&L's from Dennis Kirk) so I just cleaned up the old ones and reinstalled them. Anyways...they still stocked them back then. I can't remember the price but that they were sold as sets (one jet needle and one needle jet). I remember pricing them along with the intake rubbers and clamps and it was like $200. They wanted a fortune for the clamps.
So just roughly Greg........how many sets of tires have you put on your bike over the years?

[Stev-o]

Happy Birthday.  How many miles now, Greg?

[HondanutRider]

Happy Birthday.  How many miles now, Greg?

I believe he implied it earlier - 146,422 miles.

Yes, happy birthday Greg!

[Schnell]

Awesome thread, Greg!

[CoachDoc]

On June 9th I celebrated the 40th birthday of my all original '74 550. No where near your mileage, but it still looks and runs like new. Thanks for reminding us how many of these bikes are still with their original buyers.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

So Greg, when ya gonna start riding that thing? 

[ofreen]

Hows the compression? Must be good cause its just now broken in!

Where did you find a NOS needle jet set? You been in my basement? I'm hoarding. Thought I was going to take them out of the plastic until I found the Webbers :-) I've only had mine for 39 years but yours has an extra 110,000 miles.

Your basement, eh?  I'll bet you have a treasure trove of F stuff there.  I used parts finder to find them. They are out there, but the supply is drying up.

I haven't checked the compression, or done a leakdown.  I think about it once in awhile just for curiousity's sake, but never get around to it.  It still doesn't use much oil.

Happy Birthday to your bike Greg. Damn....that things got some serious miles on it by you and to think it hasn't been torn into yet. I went through my carbs I guess around 2006-2007 and I was gonna get OEM needles & jets. I had heard about not using the ones from the kits (I got K&L's from Dennis Kirk) so I just cleaned up the old ones and reinstalled them. Anyways...they still stocked them back then. I can't remember the price but that they were sold as sets (one jet needle and one needle jet). I remember pricing them along with the intake rubbers and clamps and it was like $200. They wanted a fortune for the clamps.
So just roughly Greg........how many sets of tires have you put on your bike over the years?

Howdy, Fred.  I paid $21 per set, so about 90 bucks with the shipping.  I'll get back to you on the tires, I've got all that written down in the Clymer manual I bought a month or so after getting the bike, along with all the other maintenance details since I've had it.

Happy Birthday.  How many miles now, Greg?

I believe he implied it earlier - 146,422 miles.

Yes, happy birthday Greg!

That's it. 

So Greg, when ya gonna start riding that thing? 

I have a few things I want to do to it before Pimpzilla gets here, such as fork fluid change, grease steering head bearings, swap out that crappy old clutch cable I put on last year, the aforementioned needle jet sets, etc.  Just got back last night from a Colorado ride (and Utah, New Mexico and Nevada) on the GS this week.  Didn't get near you, though, or I'd have given you a call.  If I'd remembered about the hoard, though, I might have tried harder to get to the springs.

Thanks to all for the nice comments.

[ofreen]

Another year gone by already, 38 years now, and the bike sits at 151,494 miles this morning.  It is still running perfectly.  There are only three entries in the bike's maintenance log since this time last year.  I've changed the oil twice, checked tappet clearances twice, swapped in new needle jet sets last summer to replace worn ones, installed new carb to airbox boots (third set on there since new), replaced the wrecking yard clutch cable with a new one, and replaced the left fork seal damaged from a rock nick on the tube.  That's about it. 

The maintenance log for this bike is in the Clymer manual I bought for it on 8/17/77.  The entries long since filled up the section provided in the manual and have since been written on additional pages inserted into the book.  Looking through it, even with all the entries, it is striking how few of them document repairs, most of them are for routine maintenance, tires, chain and sprocket replacement, etc.  I didn't start the log until 8/88 when the bike had 25,600 miles on it, but since then about anything done to the bike is included.

Yes, the bike is still for sale.  $151,494 this morning and I'll throw in the Clymer manual, and the owner's manual that came with the bike.  Act quickly as the price continues to rise at a dollar a mile.

[Wobbly]

Greg, I have mine now for 38 years also. I bought the K7 new for about $ 2,000 (replacing an F1). I need to find the "The Time Tunnel" (remember the series?) so I can get me a few more at that price.
Happy Birthday to your bike and to America, today on the 4th of July.
I be back in the Alps and Dolomites with my K7 next week. While I have dramatically aged, the bike still looks awesome. That's the beauty of the old Hondas: Unlike with the wives, you can keep them beautiful instead of having to replace them with something new ever so often.

[Stev-o]

Another good year, Greg. 

Just curious about your maint: How closely did you follow Hondas 3000 mile tune up recommendation?

And what was the average mileage between oil changes?

Thanks

[ofreen]

Greg, I have mine now for 38 years also...Happy Birthday to your bike and to America, today on the 4th of July... That's the beauty of the old Hondas: Unlike with the wives, you can keep them beautiful instead of having to replace them with something new ever so often.

Thanks Wobbly.  At times it is strange to contemplate riding the same bike for so long.  I've had a lot of bikes but this one has been with me the longest by far.  If someone had suggested to me back in the summer of 1977 that I'd still be riding it almost daily in 2015 I'd have thought it highly unlikely.  As for wives, mine came along about 2 years after the 750 did and she is holding up very nicely herself.

Another good year, Greg. 
Just curious about your maint: How closely did you follow Hondas 3000 mile tune up recommendation?
And what was the average mileage between oil changes?
Thanks

Howdy Stev-o.  I've stuck with a 3000 mile oil change interval for the last several years with a filter change every other oil change.  I used to stretch it to 4000 miles years ago, but with the summer heat here in Idaho settled on the shorter interval some time back.  Not that it appeared to make any difference.  As I've mentioned in other threads, I've been using Spectro 20w50 conventional oil for many years now and unlike other oils I've used, see no change in shifting or engine behavior at the end of the change interval on hot days.  I check the tappet clearances every 3000 and very rarely need to adjust anything there.  The cam chain tensioner drill is done every 3000.  The K&N air filter gets cleaned every 10-12000 miles.  The Dyna S has been in there since 1990 so nothing to do there.  Spark plugs last a very long time with the Dyna ignition and 3 ohm coils.  There is nothing much else on Honda's maintenance schedule for the engine, an attribute of the simplicity of design.  The rest of the stuff is attended to as it wears out.

[Stev-o]

Ah, forgot you had the Dyna on there.  I have one in my K4 as well, sure makes maint a lot simpler.