Topic: Help with Serial Numbers

[chips1953]

I've been investigating my bike and have some questions about it's year of manufacture.
I've looked at the serial number listings on SOHC and the other sites specified, but it does not tally with what I have.
The first thing is that it has Japanese Decals where " Helmet Holder" should be, the Hydraulic Fluid caps are in Japanese, so I guess it must be an original Japanese Import to the UK. The Colour is Candy Antares Red and the Clocks are Green, but the frame Number is CB750F-1016372 which is a !975 F series bike, but the colour is wrong and the Engine Number is CB750E-2528988, which suggests it has had a replacement engine, but some must have changed the engine and the colour of the bike unless there was some differences with Japanese models.
Does anyone have a clue?

[bryanj]

If you write to Honda in Slough and pay the £30 (ish) they will get the date of manufacture from Japan and issue a "Proof of Date of Manufacture" letter but they only work to frame number as Japan has no record of engine numbers fitted on the line.

If you want more exact details pm me

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

My AMERICAN Honda parts catalogue States: "engine no.: 750F/76-2515094 to subsequent" as a cb750F 76 and "frame no.: 750F-1000001 to subsequent" as CB750F which is 1975.

The 76 UK 750F bike had a few differences from the US bike. Turn signals and front fender being 2 differences. To my knowledge there was never a 1975 F0 sold in the UK, only a 1976. The F bike was never, to my knowledge, sold in Japan. The Japanese K bike had a indicator light also to show when you exceeded the Japanese speed limit but I do not know if it was installed on all years of K's.

What's the redline on your bike? Are the clocks light green or dark green? Does it have a rear disc brake?

How about posting some pictures?

[chips1953]

Thanks for the reply.
The bike has an indicator on the top of the central top yoke nut, and this has been explained to me as a speed indicator.
The picture of the top shows this.
The front fender has only a single stay at the rear of the fender, which seems to be different to the UK versions, and the blinkers are much larger than the UK version.
When I got the bike I was told it was an American import, but the Japanese writing tells me otherwise.
I'll take more shots of the chain guard and other items, which may show things to identify the bike.
I was wondering if Military Personnel who were stationed in Japan may have imported it to the US and then it was imported to the UK.
The rear brake is disc.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

The single front stay is the same as the US model. The larger turn signals are the same as US also. The speed indicator I have never seen on a F. The rear master cylinder is all aluminum which started with 1975 serial number 1010687. The color is a 1976 US model color, not 1975. The darker faced clocks are 1975 US color. The clocks are relocated forward. The handlebar bolts are hex in the US not allen. It has been my impression that 1975's went to serial number 10015054. The Japanese stickers are interesting. What I think you have is a 1975 & 1/2 General Export of some sort. Go to www.cmsnl.com and search around. They have the most extensive worldwide model listing of anyone.

Edited my original post to read "AMERICAN" Honda parts catalogue.

[Hinomaru]

chips1953, A bit of a mystery going on here and just to add ...

Reference:  "Original Honda CB750 - The restorer's guide to K and F series 750 sohc models 1968-78 by John Wyatt.

John Wyatt's book shows a Japanese market CB750F1. Some of the differences were:

Japanese decals on the fuel tank and helmet holder. The master cylinder cap and headlight is Japanese market. There is a red speed warning light in the steering stem center. Green clocks with the speedometer in km/h. Front fender has only a single stay at the rear of the fender. The rear blinkers in your photo match the ones on John Wyatt's F1 example.

At this point the evidence suggests a Japanese market bike.

[chips1953]

Had a quick look on cmsnl website and I think it may be a 1976 General export KPH model. Have to take the spouse to the pub now, I'll check further tomorrow. Thanks very much for all the help so far. If it was General Export it may have been via US military personnel exported to the States. Is KPH allowed to be run in the US, or do you need to change to MPH. If so my theory is shot.
The Chain Guard is interesting, I'll post a shot of it tomorrow.
Thanks again.

[Hinomaru]

From my earlier post above:

A few pics from Wyatt's book that shows this 1976 F1 to be a Japanese market bike.

(Sorry for the poor picture quality as my cheap scanner only goes so far )

[chips1953]

Thanks for the pics Hinomaru.
You seem to be very close with this post, the only difference is the rise of the bars, mine are much higher, that is before I removed them.
i looked on Amazon for the book you have and to my dismay it's £149.00 sterling. Ouch!
I will post the pic of the chain guard for info.
Thanks

[chips1953]

I've got a couple of shots of the bike that are just about visible so that I can confirm the Japanese origin of the parts on the bike. The interesting one for me is the Guard sticker, where it stipulates the bike as CB750F, I was wondering if the export versions had a similar sticker. The bike does not have VIN plate, as the other 1976 UK version of CB750F1 I have.
Hope you can see the shots OK.

[bryanj]

If it hasnt got a vin plate that usualy means it is definately not a US market bike. I think it was 78/79 before all markets had the steel vin plate. US had them earlier as mandatory regulations changed quickly and the bike had to conform when built (not sold) so the vin plate had a date of build on it. The bars are no never mind as they were probably changed when the fairing was added.

Sounds to me like you have a late 75 or early 76 bike, the numbers could easily be right as the referance books are for US models and may not be correct for Japanese "Home Market" bikes---They could also have had the red a year earlier too.

Unfortunately as i said in the pm all Honda can confirm is the date of build of the frame on the line as they did not keep records of engine number fitted nor colour

[chips1953]

That's really helpful so far everybody. I think I'll get onto the DVLA initially, because the V5 (logbook) says it was built in '78, so I'll see if I can change that, and maybe ask where it was imported from.

[bryanj]

DVLA will only change it with an official dating letter,

If from Honda they should do it over the counter if from any other source (VJMC or similar) they will want to inspect the bike at THEIR convenience, I can talk to you on a landline any evening Sunday to Thursday  inclusive if you wish ( my tarrif wont let me call mobiles except vodafone!) PM me a number if you wish

[Hinomaru]

The pic of the Japanese chain guard decal looks to be for tire data.

The part I can read is: Front tire - 3.25 X 19 Dunlop F6, Rear tire - 4.00 X 18 Dunlop K87.

Looks very similar to the Japanese home market 750 "K" model tire decal. 

[chips1953]

I see that the decal is very similar, and that both have MARKII inscribed in the lower right hand corner.