Topic: how many out there?

[heffay]

so there are officially

"A BUNCH"

 

[R. Hykawy]

In Winnipeg(Canada) where I live, I know of about 20 sohcs on the road. I think only one other person from here is a member. I currently have 4 in my garage/shed.

[Teach]

The problem is, alot of people that have them also have a more modern motorcycle that they ride regularly.  The SOHC4 might only be brought out on "special occasions", like gatherings and other times when they can be seen and appreciated by others.

[Gordon]

so there are officially

"A BUNCH"

 

I believe the official term is "more than you can shake a stick at".

[Magpie]

I think you nailed it there Teach! Especially in my case. I'll take the 750 out on special occasions like toy runs, swap meets and shows but not just for a ride generally. When I park it, after all the effort and money to get it looking like it does, I want it to be parked around people that will respect it. I've seen lookers climb on parked bikes or put their kids on them, not really caring about the bike or the owner. I've had some interesting chats with people about it. Besides the 750 seems to have shrunk or maybe my wife and I have spread out a bit. If the bikes come out my wife is right there with her helmet, so the 750 stays and the ST1100 is ridden.
Cliff.

[heffay]

reminds me of the time some unsuspecting little $hit got on top of my 350... now, not only do i cherish my 350 but, i dont want the little ones to get hurt.

I yelled, GET OFF!!!

little bugger cried with his mom for a good 20 minutes.

i felt bad... but, not too bad.  should have he knocked the bike over... he might have been missing some body parts... and not by the spill  ... hmm.  seems to contradict my first statement... oh well

[brewbrother]

I've only run into one CB rider in my area and he was riding a 73 CB750. What I have noticed is the five different versions of the military royal enfeild that roam the area. I've talked with all five owners and they share the same PO. Which makes me thing one person likes to share an experience in a excellent way.

[bill440cars]

I forgot, I did know of 1 CB750K (early 70's model) w/ a fairing (Not a Wind Jammer) and a
        California sidecar. It used to belong to the Honda Dealer years ago. Only thing is, the sidecar
        seemed to be putting a good strain on the 750. Next thing you know, he gets a pretty good deal
        on a couple of mid 70's Gold Wings (to make one out of both) and now the sidecar is being 
        pushed pretty well with the Wing power. And alas, another SOHC 750 has moved on.  Bill

[btripp]

 You know this is funny, because I see them quite often running around here in Richmond VA.  There's ton's of them.  I have no idea why.  Maybe in Richmond we have trouble letting go of the past...    (That isn't a comment on the bikes.)

 Part of it may be the counter culture at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).  Those guys love old stuff, and these perfectly achieve that sort of chic look they want.  But I also know guys who work on and ride them.  The guy around the corner from me builds cafe racers and actually races them.  He's awesome.  Last time I looked he had about five CB's along with several other bikes.

  -Ben

[fastbroshi]

Don't know of any near me.  In fact, I'm willing to bet that I'm the only SOHC owner within at least a hundred miles.

There are some in Dallas, which is near my home in Texas, (I'm currently stationed in Louisiana), but none here and I've never seen one on the road back home.

Got my brother hooked on the SOHC Fours now and he's shopping for a mid-run K to turn into a Cafe Racer.  That'll be ONE in Fort Worth (where I'm from).

Count Phaedrus and I in on that Dallas tally.  He's in Addison, I'm in Mesquite.  We've both got 550's.

[Gibson]

There are still some here in NB Canada alot more parked and threw in bushes after they wer run into the groung literly  mainly what i see on the road are 400 550 the verry odd 750 and my 350  

[TwoTired]

Gee, I see lot's of SOHC4s around where I live.

Oh wait, that's just my yard...

Never mind.

[jdpas29]

I suspect with the carbs these have, it's easier to just park them somewhere rather than attract attention by setting them on fire.

[jdpas29]

i've seen at least 3 other ones here in Montgomery, Alabama.  none of them, however, are as sexy as my K8 hotness.   

[dusterdude]

 You know this is funny, because I see them quite often running around here in Richmond VA.  There's ton's of them.  I have no idea why.  Maybe in Richmond we have trouble letting go of the past...    (That isn't a comment on the bikes.)

 Part of it may be the counter culture at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).  Those guys love old stuff, and these perfectly achieve that sort of chic look they want.  But I also know guys who work on and ride them.  The guy around the corner from me builds cafe racers and actually races them.  He's awesome.  Last time I looked he had about five CB's along with several other bikes.

  -Ben

damn ben,im glad you`ve seen em,i sure as #$%* havent.

[btripp]

Only in the City, never out in the burbs..

[rt]

...even though you possibly don't care.... Those seem to be the (official) stats for CB Registrations in the Fatherland:

Registrations 2005

CB350four below 500
CB400four 1657
CB500four 1853 
CB550 F / Super Sport 1168 
CB550 K 847 
CB750four from K0 2057 
CB750 F1 690 
CB750F2 612 
CB750 K7 647 
CB750 K6 994 

Those numbers refer to bikes either currently registered with the German Liscensing Office or unregistered less than 18 months ago. There are no stats available on imported bikes or the like.

[Bob Wessner]

RT,

Just curious, are the licensing records organized in such a way, and accessible publicly that allow you to generate these stats? I can't imagine what it would take in the U.S... act of Congress maybe.. or an FOI request. 

[cbjunkie]

Bob, German rioters wait for the "WALK" light before crossing the street

[rt]

  ...call it civilized riot - nothing wrong with that, cbjunkie.... 

Bob: most statistics are available free of charge online as *.pdf-files at http://www.kba.de/ (German liscensing Office). Detailed/spezialized ones are a 'pay-service' (surprise, surprise..). Got those stats off a German CB-forum. As those boys have always been very reliable somebody must have opened his wallet....

Below you'll find two examples of the stats publicly available

[JonnyHonda]

The forward in the Haynes manual reckons that 61,000 CB750s, were exported to the USA in the first 3 years, I've only ever seen 1 or two a year up here in the Wilds of Lincolnshire

[jaknight]

   I rode my cb750 K4 from Oregon to Phoenix, Arizona.  Took a lot of back roads and alternate routes to see the country sides and small towns so that I could see some older Americana, not the totally homogenized America like we already have in Phoenix.  But, I did pass through some larger towns, like Sacramento.  I put about 1,500 miles on my sweetheart.  I took 5 days to make a casual, enjoyable trip out of it.

   I did not see any sohc's, in fact, not a single older Honda of any kind.  I made my trip at the same time as the Laughlin River Run was going on at the Arizona/Nevada state line.  Sadly, I did see thousands of Harleys , some appeared to be broken down on the side of the road.  I stopped; they claimed they didn't need help (was it because a Honda came to the rescue?).

   I have not seen a single 750 four here in Phoenix.  I ride my sweetheart everyday, to and from work, after work, etc.  I have been riding it here for 2 years.

   Ironically, I decided to get a custom license plate through the state DMV.  The letters I picked out, 750K4, could not be issued to me.  The DMV said that plate designation had already been taken.  I never have seen a single one, but what I pick is already spoken for.  I ended up paying extra to get a VETERAN plate.  Here in Arizona, the extra money goes to the Vets Association, and the plate looks good.  I've earned the right to it, why not go for it?

   ~ ~ ~ jaknight ~ ~ ~

[heffay]

jaknight~
one reason i can almost guarantee why you don't see many sohc4s down there is the heat...  phoenix heat not good for air cooled bikes!

[jaknight]

Hey heffay,

   I am sure you are right.  I doubt that the Arizona heat is good for the bike or me.  That poor bike, and me.
Before I went for the Big4, I wasn't a really bad looking guy.  Now, the furnace heat blast from riding has made me look like The Mummy!!

[HondaMan]

I see lots of sohc4's around Denver, not including the bikes at the monthly gathering.  Just saw a 550K parked on the street today while out looking at houses.

Hey, Gordon! Nice shot of your bike, looks like in Estes Park! I love the Big Thompson canyon ride up and the "long way" past Blackhawk back to Lakewood. Lots of 80+ MPH sweepers, both ways.

Honda made about 800,000+ of the CB750. The 500/550 plus the 350/400 family altogether never reached 300,000. Most of these bikes are parked in garages: I see them everywhere when we walk our dogs thru neighborhoods. Mostly, the MTBE fuel that Denver was subjected to during the 1980s caused damage to the zinc plating on the carbs, which makes them corrode when dried out for the winter. Then, you have to disassemble and clean the white powder out of them before riding again. Many of them "won't start anymore" as a result, so they just sit around. Got my 2nd one (parts bike) for free because of that.

Unless you "pickle" them at end-of-season with a large dose of Top Oil or Marvel Mystery Oil before parking them for the season. That keeps the powder at bay pretty well. Also, pull the choke closed and put tinfoil over the holes on the ends of the exhaust pipes. This prevents "flow-thru" of air in the engine, stopping many other problems as well.