Topic: Ouch! CB750 F1 a Biking Lemon?!

[GoatBaSS]

Lemon? Lemonade has been made.
My 75 was back on the road today and I had to change out the handlebars and did a dual disk swap with a CBX (lowers comstar brakes) and a rear comstar swap. I had it sold it got it back and rode it today after some clutch issues among others. It is nothing to look at but it is damn hard to do when you are passing EVERYTHING. It came to me with 4 into 2 pipes and my moto guzzi owining friend said it sounded good. It seems heavy and the seat height is a huge difference, but with shorter bars and all still feels as reliable as it ever has been. As for all the extra weight it is noticeable but my 72 k has been bored out to something large and hauls so my comparison is a bit off.
They are two different beasts. Beautiful Beasts. I am going to hate to have to sell her but I need the car. But she ran like a greyhound today and I will take her to Barbers next week where she will find a new owner.
As for the slagging of the "F" I think at the time everyone wanted more from a machine that was heading into the history books. I would take either. And have...

[stickman]

I don't need a magazine article or fancy smancy test rider to tell me what I like.  Opinions are just that, everybody has one but its mine that counts.  If something looks good or bad to me, how someone else views it will not change my mind.  As for the performance, I have owned a lot of k and f models and the K0 and K1 are stronger and the F2 and F3's are stronger than the F and F1's.  I currently am riding an F1 with stock gearing and I am turning 4500 rpm's at 60mph.  yes, they beefed it up AND geared it down to increase performance.  Not happy with how much the engine is spinning at speed so I have a larger counter sprocket on the way to gear it up one tooth.  I am more concerned with longevity now and less on sheer performance.

[HondaMan]

i got my stock system NOS from a small country honda dealer close down, now it is hangin in the shed....lol for when i return the F1 to standard again.

peace

Now, that sounds like a retirement plan! 

[cben750f0]

yeah its nicely wrapped and rust protected... was way too low though so has a slight mark on the underside of the pipe, so swapped it out the next day for the transac pipe

peace

[gregk]

I've owned a yellow lemon for almost 30 years.  just turned over 50,000 miles and only had to replace tires, batteries and other expendibles.  i take the bike on a tour ( 5,000 km) every summer and am able to travel at 110 to 120 kph all day.  It does use a bit of oil on the hot days but I expect that.  Oh ya, it has a  slight weep from the cylinder head.  It also chews up chains and sprockets but all in all a decent period bike.

greg

[754]

I do know this..

 I late August, I offered up 2 78f motors, one complete (with carbs) and one missing pistons and maybe alt cover..they had to be picked up, by the end of that month..

 .. and folks  just absolutely fell all over themselves ..not calling..
 in fact.. not a single call or response...

  which I found quite strange, considering how rabidly some 77/78 owners defend their machines, and spend endless time posting about how they were the be all/end all of the single cam 750s.. who knew.. eh!

[KRONUS0100]

magazine article is crap.  I love my F1.  Handles well and plenty of power.

[MacM2010]

I read a similar article in an American bike magazine my friend found in his uncle's garage.  The writers were more luke-warm than calling it an outright "lemon," but they still weren't impressed.  The styling seemed to be their biggest issue, but they were also disappointed that the motor was so similar to the K bikes.

To me, though, that just makes it a fast K with better brakes.  Which is pretty good, if you ask me.  But I'm partial...

[BeSeeingYou]

I do know this..

 I late August, I offered up 2 78f motors, one complete (with carbs) and one missing pistons and maybe alt cover..they had to be picked up, by the end of that month..

 .. and folks  just absolutely fell all over themselves ..not calling..
 in fact.. not a single call or response...

  which I found quite strange, considering how rabidly some 77/78 owners defend their machines, and spend endless time posting about how they were the be all/end all of the single cam 750s.. who knew.. eh!

It may have more to do with location and having to be picked up than anything else.  How great is the demand in your area?  Just about any 750 motor, other than a sandcast or other early ones, are pretty common and cheap.  I would not drive 300 miles to pick one up when I can find it "next door".

[754]

 I realize that travel is a make or break, in a deal like that..
 but there was no "wish I was closer".. nothing zip..

 I would not sell them for that today, but wanted to go on a trip..

 Bur even breaking them into parts.. I am thinking a head and cam.. without towers& rockers.. should be worth around 175ish

.. I would sell one of those got to be an upgrade for an F lover..