Topic: Can you ID this bike?

[luckyboy984]

Hey all, I just joined up on this forum because i recently bought a Honda on eBay. I've been searching and searching and can't quite figure out what model it is (A,K,or F). It's a 76 cb750. I read on the website that one of the giveaways was a bright green or light green gauge set, but I can't tell what green this constitutes as     Any input would be appreciated. I'm picking the bike up on saturday.

[GeoffT]

Nice bike!

Bit of a novice myself but you've come to the right place. It'll be identified here before you know it!

Bet you can't wait til Saturday. Don't forget to let us know how she rides.

[kghost]

Serial number on the frame will identify the year.

Definately a post K2. Probably a 74 or 75  K, by the looks of it

[Bob Wessner]

If it's a K, check the engine/frame numbers here;

http://hondachopper.com/K.classification.html

[Clyde]

Going on the colour of the instruments it is a K6. You will need the frame.engine numbers to confirm

[luckyboy984]

Wow, what a quick response. Thanks guys. I'll make sure to check the frame/engine numbers once i get my hands on it. I think i'm going to like it here 

[mcpuffett]

you will we do      mick .

[Chris Schneiter]

Going on the colour of the instruments it is a K6. You will need the frame.engine numbers to confirm

Yeah, I agree. I have a '76 K6 and the instruments are the same color. The indicator light panel looks like mine too.. Was '76 the only year they were that color? Did '76 have 2 into one pipes? (mine has the wrong pipes)

[Mark M]

All K's are 4-4 pipes the F series had 4-1, most will have aftermarket pipes by now.
There's little point in trying to identify the year from things like the colour of the clocks, that will only tell you about the year of the clocks. Most of these bikes will have had lots of parts swaped arround with other years, most parts are reletivly interchangable even after they were 'improved' year on year. Use your Frame number first then see if you have a matching engine number (no not the same number but from the same year/model) these are normally within a few hundred of each other, but once again they are interchangeable. You could find an engine from any year 70 onwards in there. Unless you are thinking of a show bike rebuild, it's more of a matter of interest as to which year your bike is anyway.

[Geeto67]

After so may years a lot of these bikes become a mish-mosh of parts. Going fromn the gauges alone the clocks in incriments of 10 mean that the gauges are either 1975 ot 1976 K bike. As for the rest of the bike you can look it up by vin number but an easy way to tell an f is to look at the right side frame behind the engine, there will be extra mounting tabs to mount the master cylinder. That is not an f frame because it uses a k seat which is the other area which F's differ from K's (the seats open on opposite sides and the mounts are bolt on on an F but not a K). A look at the headstock plate will tell you what year the bike was made if you need to confirm if it is a 76.
 You know it isn't an A because A's are all automatic transmissions and A frames really only fit A motors because of the automatic (you can make a standard SOHC fit but it won't look right).

I think I have seen that bike before and figured out it was a 1976 cb750K K6. Just beacus the frame is one year doesn;t mean the engine is not another so igf you are going to check the vin number also check the engine number. I once saw a 1975 K5 with a sandcast engine so anything is possible when dealign with 30+ year old bikes.

[luckyboy984]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. Picked up the bike this weekend. Looks in much better shape in person. Still haven't gotten it started yet, waiting for keys through mail from owner. 

I checked the VIN and Engine number but can't match them up in the model guide.

VIN: CB750-2559513

Engine: CB750E2-448793

There's also a black pastic cover/container under the tank on the left side that says CB750F on it.

As some of you mentioned, these bikes are mix and matched parts by now, but any help identifying would be great. Thanks.

[78_SaltLick]

Well. I think the tank is from a 75? Thats the only year they made a blue tank.

[Gordon]

You've got a 1976 K model there.  Both numbers match that year and the only factory color was candy antares red which looks like what your side cover is painted.    http://sohc4.us/node/16

Good luck!  I'm sure we'll see you around here.

[Geeto67]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. Picked up the bike this weekend. Looks in much better shape in person. Still haven't gotten it started yet, waiting for keys through mail from owner. 

I checked the VIN and Engine number but can't match them up in the model guide.

VIN: CB750-2559513

Engine: CB750E2-448793

There's also a black pastic cover/container under the tank on the left side that says CB750F on it.

As some of you mentioned, these bikes are mix and matched parts by now, but any help identifying would be great. Thanks.

that black plastic cover/container is the airbox, they all say cb750f (at least all the 72-76 ones I have seen).

the 1976 frame numbers start at Frame #: CB750-2540001. Your frame number is 2559513 , which indicates it is well into the 76 production. the 76 engine numbers start at CB750E-2428762  and your number is 2448793.

That blue is not a factory color or paint job (I should know I own a factory 75 blue bike in it's original paint). The sidecover is pretty close to the candy antareis red but is a little dark and the paint looks oxidized. If you decide to paint it the factory color in the factory method you will need to spray a silver base and then a red candy paint over it. Then apply the decals and clear. Decals for the 73-76 are commonly available (small stripe variations between years). You could also get a basecoat clear coat metallic that is close and most people wont know the difference.

Juging from the pics it looks like most of the factory stuff is there. Off hand the chain guard, rear backrest, and exhaust  are not original to the bike. The bolt holding in your idiot light cluster looks like a home depot special and not the chrome bolts the factory used, check your bike for the correct hardware throughout chances are you will find more unoriginal fastners. Check for any torn up screwheads on the engine, you'll wanna replace those with Stainless Steel allen head screws.

The important thing is to just have fun with the bike, k6's aren't worth a whole lot so pretty much the sky is the limit on what you wanna do.

[78_SaltLick]

Which years are worth something? Just curious...i would think they are all worth the same....

[Geeto67]

Which years are worth something? Just curious...i would think they are all worth the same....

Early Sandcast 1969 are worth the most of the SOHC hondas reaching prices that would make a triumph bonneville  owner bulsh. for a while there was a guy making sandcast cb750s out of NOS parts for $20K a pop. Most sandcasts will be $4K-$12 depending on condition.
After that the 1969 die cast and 1970 k0 bikes seem to be worth the second most. People like these bikes becasue they look like sandcasts but you can actually use them (plus a lot of people think this is the best looking years). The fact that they share a lot of parts with sandcasts makes them kinda expensive for getting parts. Remember these are the fastest of the breed and the model upon which the entire cb750 reputation is based. It is not uncommon to see a $4K 1969 cb750. for 1971 and 72 there seems to be a niche market within the cb750 hobby because the bike got more reliable and was only slightly detuned. A lot of people like the paint colors for those years and the smaller taillight bracket. it isn't uncommon to see a $2K-$3K k1 or k2 provided the bike is in great original or restored shape. from 73-76 the k bikes all seem to be worth about the same with 73 and 74 getting only slightly more (less than $200 difference) than the 75-76 and that is probably mostly due to color. I have seen clean examples of 73-74 sell for $1800-$2000 and '75-76 sell for $1500 - $1800 for really clean nice bikes (although I got offered $2000 for my '75 the other day is it really is whatever somebody is willing to pay).  Most average cb750s from 73-76 can be picked up for a grand. I suspect they are worth less than the earlier bikes because of their reputation for being detuned. The K7 and K8's used to be the lowly bike  on the cb750 totem pole, a lot of people shunned them because they were not styled like the k1-k6 bikes and they were bigger and heavier. There seems to be a cult following for the k7 and k8 these days and they tend to trade for about the same as a 75-76. Supersports are their own thing with the eariler 75-76 bikes trading for more than the 77-78 despite the 78 being equal in performance with the 1969 bikes and having better brakes. This I suspect has to do with the comstar wheels which most SOHC'ers loathe. Hondamatics are their own thing, most die hard SOHC'er either love them or pretend they don't exist. Figure on paying about $1200 for a good condition hondamatic.

These are just my own observations on the prices for bikes in my area, which is New York City. I have seen great condition bikes go for far less in cities like San francisco and for more or about the same in New Orleans. Ebay is equally as incosistent. It all depends on what the buyer looking at you bike want's to pay. 

[luckyboy984]

Thanks for the input guys. I wasn't sure if the engine and frame numbers listed implied a series, i thought either its that number or its not. Still have a lot of stuff to learn. Thanks again everyone!