Topic: 47 years on a '75 CB750F

[dave500]

wow all that scap metal for one foot?you gotta be one tough bloke!

[ofreen]

Congrats, Greg! God bless you. It's really good to see you can still ride, too, and shift. That's no small thing!
Do you need a nice 'Jammer SS/III fairing mount? I've got one hanging in the garage for near 10 years, now, needs a bike.

Thanks Mark.  Considering where I was even two months ago, I am very, very fortunate.  Thanks for the offer on the mount.  The one I have will be OK.  As you know, over time it is not if they will break, but when.  Mine cracked in one place or another three times over the years.  The last time was over 25 years ago.  By that time I was set up to weld, and fixed it myself by strategically reinforcing it in certain areas.  Since then, no cracks.  It is only bent a little bit.  It will be simple to put it back where it needs to be.  You and I share an appreciation for the Windjammer, where we seem to be in the minority here.  There is no question the bike would have been buggered up a lot more if the fairing hadn't protected it.

wow all that scap metal for one foot?you gotta be one tough bloke!

Thanks Dave.  As bad as it was, there were people everywhere I went in hospitals and rehab facilities that were worse off than me.  After it became apparent I would be able to keep my foot, there was light at the end of the tunnel.  A lot of people have injuries or other conditions bad enough that the light is pretty dim.  One thing I wondered is how it would be getting through metal detectors.  I deal with prosecuting attorneys frequently in my job, so go through court metal detectors.  I haven't set one off yet.  Haven't been through an airport one yet though.

[PeWe]

You will get a card or medal that ensure your are a RoboCop guy to show at airports to avoid special investigation in a room.... Rubber gloves and vaseline .

[DaveBarbier]

Those JIS screws in your leg? Your spirit seems almost as hardy as the 750!

One good thing about the self driving cars coming is that motorcyclists will be safer. Drivers are going to be distracted, having 7 unblinking cameras driving a car is a good thing.

[ofreen]

You will get a card or medal that ensure your are a RoboCop guy to show at airports to avoid special investigation in a room.... Rubber gloves and vaseline .

Another reason not to fly! 

Those JIS screws in your leg? Your spirit seems almost as hardy as the 750!

One good thing about the self driving cars coming is that motorcyclists will be safer. Drivers are going to be distracted, having 7 unblinking cameras driving a car is a good thing.

I think the screws are square drive.  

One thing we'll have to watch out for is that with some of the talk about autonomous vehicles there are proposals to eliminate all others on some or all roads as the end game.  Motorcycles don't figure into that possible future.

[Don R]

 I bought my K3 used in 75, it was decked out with a windjammer, 360* chin guard w/ oiler. lighter socket etc. I still regret selling it, but owe my big brother for giving me a project to get me started in bikes again. I still have a windjammer on a gl1000 w/lowers this time and love it. Not on my 750's though, for me, they are for shorter rides one up.
 Congrats on getting back on and wish the best for your rehab.

[Easty]

Awesome Bike and awesome story. Great stuff - And sorry to hear about your leg! (Only just read the last bit of the thread -  )

[754]

 Great to hear you are on the mend, hope you are riding soon..

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

 

My hardware is in an autoclaved sealed bag and resides next to GZ v1.0 above my monitor. Daily reminder of almost losing my leg and how lucky I was.

See you on the road buddy.

[Stev-o]

Hey Greg....Happy anniversary and sorry to hear of your not being real lucky, I hadnt heard.

With all the idiot drivers, seems that it's not if you'll get hit but when [I've been hit twice on motorcycle and once on bicycle]

Wise decision not to commute on it, I wouldnt even consider it. Besides, not really fun.

 

[ofreen]

I bought my K3 used in 75, it was decked out with a windjammer, 360* chin guard w/ oiler. lighter socket etc. I still regret selling it, but owe my big brother for giving me a project to get me started in bikes again. I still have a windjammer on a gl1000 w/lowers this time and love it. Not on my 750's though, for me, they are for shorter rides one up.
 Congrats on getting back on and wish the best for your rehab.

Thanks Don.  I always felt a little guilty grinding out the miles on the old 750 just commuting, like it was some sort of draft horse.  But it works so well, and seems to shrug off the miles, so I kept doing it.  I think Hondaman has it nailed.  One reason the engine has such good longevity (besides the great care Soichiro took assembling it) is that it never sits for long.  Oil is kept circulating, keeping seals and sliding parts from drying out.  So now that it isn't being run daily, I'll have to do my due diligence and not let it sit too much.  It has always been happier after long rides such as the one to Delores River and back a couple of years ago.  It get stronger and smoother the farther it goes.

Awesome Bike and awesome story. Great stuff - And sorry to hear about your leg! (Only just read the last bit of the thread -  )

Thanks!  All the best stuff is back at the beginning of the thread. 

Great to hear you are on the mend, hope you are riding soon..

Thanks Frank, go back a page and you'll see we are back at it.

My hardware is in an autoclaved sealed bag and resides next to GZ v1.0 above my monitor. Daily reminder of almost losing my leg and how lucky I was.
See you on the road buddy.

Neither of us, or Frank, will ever take the ability to walk for granted, that's for sure.  Lucky is right.  Looking forward to the next opportunity to meet up.

Hey Greg....Happy anniversary and sorry to hear of your not being real lucky, I hadnt heard.
With all the idiot drivers, seems that it's not if you'll get hit but when [I've been hit twice on motorcycle and once on bicycle]
Wise decision not to commute on it, I wouldnt even consider it. Besides, not really fun.

Thanks Stev-o, glad to hear three times wasn't the charm in your case.  I think I'd get a little more paranoid than I already am if I'd been hit that may times.  The obliviousness of so many drivers these days is getting ridiculous.

[PeWe]

Many car drivers drive their car as I on my bike do not exists. I have to be aware constantly.

Worst in heavy slow going traffic where car  drivers change lanes and do what they want without look or think.
Women and people from Middle east are mostly not thinking at all or do not care about others. KIA are often cars to notice around here.

[andy750]

Now it is 42 years.  I missed the 41st year write up as I was out on a week-long ride on the GS over the 4th in 2018.  Then a couple of days after I got back, July 12th, the 750 and I were nailed by a pickup truck on the way home from work.  The 750 ended up on its left side with a hole in the alternator case and some other lesser damage.  I fared a little worse, with my left foot nearly severed.  I’ll spare everyone the gory details (I have some interesting photos), but through the miracle of modern medicine, I still have my foot and can use it as one, though I am gimpy.  Getting better all the time though.  So I was on my back for 9 weeks,  no weight bearing on my left leg for 6 months until after a bone graft in November took, on crutches until the end of February, used a cane until March 6th, when I decided to quit being a big baby and quit using that.  I have had a lot of catching up to do. 

Bloody hell Greg I am just seeing this!! Unbelievable but I am so glad you were able to survive the accident! I am amazed that you can walk at all. Please do let us/me know if we can help in anyway. I have a bunch of spares that you are welcome to. Anything! Just let us know.

Best wishes from Boston, MA
cheers
Andy

[RAFster122s]

Greg, Glad you are doing better walking and continuing to improve. Awful thing to almost lose a foot or leg...
Hang in there and keep posting the great pics.
David

[ofreen]

Bloody hell Greg I am just seeing this!! Unbelievable but I am so glad you were able to survive the accident! I am amazed that you can walk at all. Please do let us/me know if we can help in anyway. I have a bunch of spares that you are welcome to. Anything! Just let us know.
Best wishes from Boston, MA
cheers
Andy

Thanks Andy, I'm walking better all the time thanks to the work of a lot of skilled and talented people.  Not so many years ago they more than likely would have finished cutting it off.  The bike is OK again, as good as ever.  I appreciate the offer.

Greg, Glad you are doing better walking and continuing to improve. Awful thing to almost lose a foot or leg...
Hang in there and keep posting the great pics.
David

Thanks David, will do.

[scottly]

I’ve lost some range of motion in my left ankle and feeling in my foot, so upshifts are a little deliberate.  The first couple of rides left my ankle sore, but I was out for about 150 miles today and it didn’t cause my ankle much trouble, so I think riding is actually good PT for it.

If it's still causing trouble, consider a heel-and-toe shifter, like the trail 90s had.

[ofreen]

I’ve lost some range of motion in my left ankle and feeling in my foot, so upshifts are a little deliberate.  The first couple of rides left my ankle sore, but I was out for about 150 miles today and it didn’t cause my ankle much trouble, so I think riding is actually good PT for it.

If it's still causing trouble, consider a heel-and-toe shifter, like the trail 90s had.

Thanks Scott, so did my Road King, but I am doing OK.

[madmtnmotors]

You are due to update the title of your first post, which will update the title of this thread, to "42 years on a '75 CB750F" 

Glad to hear you are on the mend. 

[Gene]

This is the first I'm seeing this, glad to know they put you back together and that you're doing well.

p.s. the metal in your leg shouldn't set off the alarm at the airports. I've got a couple of jaw plates and everything is just fine. Of course, you have more hardware so who knows.

Seriously, so glad to know you didn't lose the foot and further, your life. Ride safely.

[ofreen]

You are due to update the title of your first post, which will update the title of this thread, to "42 years on a '75 CB750F" 
Glad to hear you are on the mend. 

Thanks Wilbur.  Weird to think the thread began over 12 years ago.

This is the first I'm seeing this, glad to know they put you back together and that you're doing well.
p.s. the metal in your leg shouldn't set off the alarm at the airports. I've got a couple of jaw plates and everything is just fine. Of course, you have more hardware so who knows.
Seriously, so glad to know you didn't lose the foot and further, your life. Ride safely.

Thanks Gene.  My wife has had both knees replaced and those set off airport detectors.  Not every time though.

[ofreen]

I was doing pretty well at giving an annual update on the '75 750F, but not lately, as it has been 4 years since the last one.  Where did 4 years go?  At any rate, now it has been 46 years since I bought the bike on the Fourth of July, 1977.  Even after 4 years, there isn't much to report.  The mileage accumulation has dropped considerably since I stopped commuting on it after the July, 2018 collision.  The bike rolled over 165,000 miles in August 2021 and has barely accumulated 3000 more since then.  I made the goal of getting the selling price to $170,000 last year and failed miserably.  The other bikes got the lion's share of the mileage since I don't commute to work any more and most of my miles are spent touring. We will see what happens this year.

Not much to report maintenance or repair-wise.  At 166,586 miles I did the 3000 mile checks of the tappet clearances (no change), changed the oil and filter (Spectro 20w50 HD, natch), and installed new tires.  A Metzeler Lazertec went on the front as usual.  The question was what to replace the long-since discontinued ME88 with?  That tire had over 13,000 miles on it with tread remaining, but it had been made in the last year of production in 2012.  I had never run a tire nearly that old before, but hated to give it up since I couldn't replace it with another one (damn you Metzeler)..  As it was, it still stuck to the road (sort of, had to take it easy on the rear brake), but 10 years old is 10 years old.  There was no tackiness to be felt on the sidewall at all, so the tire was dried out and compliance was noticeably lacking.  After a search for something suitable that was in stock, I reluctantly settled on the Metzeler ME77.  It was available in 4.00 size, and more importantly, was available.  I was reluctant because the ME77 has never been what you would call a long life tire, and I have been spoiled by the 15000-16000 miles I was getting with the ME88s.  Since I am not racking the miles up as fast these days, it will probably be fine. Incidentally, this new tire is the first 4.00 tire I have had on the bike since I installed the first 120/90 ME88 in 1991.  Yes, it feels different.  Twitchier.

I always try to have an anniversary ride on the bike.  I did it yesterday because I knew I would be tied up today and wouldn't have time to do it justice.  I took a few photos as usual.  And yes, in spite of the sentimental attachment I have to the bike, it remains for sale.  $168,004.40. 

Along the Snake River -




Did a little cowtrailing as usual -





Moo-


The approach end of RWY 30 at the Murphy International Airport-


The problem with using a living tree as a shoe tree is that when it leafs out, it hides most of the shoes-


Happy 4th-

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

That's a damn good price and well worth it! Looks like someone absconded with your tank badges Greg?!

Now I gotta gas mine up!

[ofreen]

That's a damn good price and well worth it! Looks like someone absconded with your tank badges Greg?!
Now I gotta gas mine up!

The tank badge is safe in a cupboard.  The little gizzies that hold them on were getting weak, so I took it off so it wouldn't be lost.  I have a new, unpainted F0 tank that I will paint the original orange one of these winters and will put them on.  The tank on it now is an F2/3 tank that's been on there since the early '90s.  I have the original, but a sad set of circumstances made it undesirable. 

I always think of your '75 F whenever I write one of these up.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

"new unpainted". Wow, I didn't know such existed. Is there a story behind this? Have I mentioned I have collected half a dozen or more cans of original blue paint in various states of liquidity? PB-3 perhaps? I'd have to check. No orange however.   

My F is worth about $140,000 less than yours but I think I have that much in it 

[scottly]

After seeing your "on the road" pic earlier today, I started thinking it was about time for your anniversary.