Topic: K0 questions sandcast v. diecast

[toycollector10]

"spaghetti framed piece of sh*t that doesn't handle and doesn't brake" as someone once got in my face with.

This was a response to a post I put up in another motoring forum discussing a recent TV programme about "the worlds top 10 motorcycles".  The 750 was number 2 or 3, can't remember.

The flamers mother probably wasn't even born when the 750 started production I'm guessing, just some ignorant kid.

[martini]

We're related? From Adam and Eve or closer?

Didn't Mom tell ya?

[clarkjh]

"spaghetti framed piece of sh*t that doesn't handle and doesn't brake" as someone once got in my face with.

This was a response to a post I put up in another motoring forum discussing a recent TV programme about "the worlds top 10 motorcycles".  The 750 was number 2 or 3, can't remember.

The flamers mother probably wasn't even born when the 750 started production I'm guessing, just some ignorant kid.

Or first time on a bike jumped on one that wasn't tuned up and running right.

James

[Magpie]

He probably crashed it and it would never be his fault of course.
Cliff.

[clarkjh]

You know it, every wreck I've had was always someone/something else's fault but not mine

Slack tire, my fault, I knew I had a slow leak.  Lost my balance at a stop sign on an incline I dropped it.

Damn, no it wasn't my fault.  Golem....

[bowhunter]

The sad part is that they believe it!

[jsaab2748]

There is an interesting book out called "Honda Motorcycles" by Aaron Frank that is a history of the Honda motor co. There is a large chapter about the 750, with all the behind scenes facts. According to the author, the 750 was first built with sandcast engines because Honda got cold feet at the last minute
before the bike went to market. They were afraid that the bike may not sell due to Ralph Nader types
in the U.S. Due to this fact (which proved to be totally false as we all now know) they held off spending the large amount of money required to build the necessary tooling to build the diecast engines. Once the bike hit the market, demand became very high, thus justifying the expense of developing tooling for diecasting
If you're really into Hondas, this book is EXCELLENT......And that folks, is our history lesson for today..

[toycollector10]

An older mans' taste in rides is pretty much related to what got his attention when he was 17 or 18. So in 30 years time my 18 year old son might be turning heads with a stock original 2005 Hyabusa. I dig '60's and '70's American muscle cars, wouldn't own a new BMW, just not interested. My guess is that you younger guys, 30's and 40's, are into F models, and Bob and me and other oldies have K0's simply because of the generation gap. Cheers

[cbjunkie]

well it's funny you should mention the concept of age tying into the model type leanings...i was trying to suss this one out not too long ago myself...

i'm 36 but i can def. say that my dad's taste in bikes influenced mine a good bit, brit bikes, then jap bikes, BUT, also, the only bikes i can remember drooling over when i was a younger one were the old military bikes, flat pullback bars and olive drab - i don't even know what they were to this day, but i've always liked them.

[dusterdude]

tc,if i had bigger balls,a busa would probably turn my crank too.

[6pkrunner]

An older mans' taste in rides is pretty much related to what got his attention when he was 17 or 18. So in 30 years time my 18 year old son might be turning heads with a stock original 2005 Hyabusa. I dig '60's and '70's American muscle cars, wouldn't own a new BMW, just not interested. My guess is that you younger guys, 30's and 40's, are into F models, and Bob and me and other oldies have K0's simply because of the generation gap. Cheers

[rant on]
-Bingo bingo bingo!!!!! I've got 7 Mopars that were around in my youth and last count have 15 CB750s also from my youth. I'd sooner have a core CB750 with the availability of parts to make her new again than a new Hayabusa - today's cars and bikes have absolutely no allure to me. Yes better handling, quicker, faster, blah blah blah. I have way more fun on a CB at 45mph bolt upright than the Hayabusa at 45 degrees at 130mph.
 All these are toys and the toys from the good times of my life hold more sway than a high zoot machine that holds no relavance to me in the least. While an Enzo Ferrari is a nice piece, the original Lamborghini Countach ( pre S model) still strikes me harder as it was around at the same time of the big inch muscle cars and CB750s.

[/rant off]

[Gordon]

Well, I'm 30 but my taste in cars and bikes tends to lean more towards the late 60's early 70's models, before I was even born.  But I guess growing up in the 80's it was a little difficult to get attached to much of anything as far as styling goes.  Some of the ugliest cars and bikes ever made, IMO! 

My dad rode a Yamaha Maxim through most of my childhood, was never really impressed with the styling, but I was glad, and still am, that he rode.  He quit riding after a bad wreck in the late 80's, but I think he's getting the itch again after constantly hearing about my bikes and the time I spend in the garage working on them.

[GroovieGhoulie]

Well I just turned 25 and my current lust is a 750 K0, so I guess the age theory is shot. 

The only bikes I like are vintage Japanese and British.  If it was made after 1978 (to allow for ALL the kickstarted SOHC bikes), they I don't want it.

I got into the SOHC Hondas because my dad would talk in good terms about his old Hondas.  He had a '76 550F and had notthing but good t osay about it, so when the time came that I wanted a bike, the only thing I considered was 1970's Hondas.

Now I'm hooked and the only bikes I want to own that are not Hondas are Vincents.

[toycollector10]

Hey Groovie, one of the guys at work has a Vincent. He went away on holiday so chained it to the bumberbar of one of his cars in the garage. came home and forgot that he had it chained up, backed the car out and dragged his bike over on its side and messed it up quite a bit..    Ouch

[GroovieGhoulie]

Hey Groovie, one of the guys at work has a Vincent. He went away on holiday so chained it to the bumberbar of one of his cars in the garage. came home and forgot that he had it chained up, backed the car out and dragged his bike over on its side and messed it up quite a bit..    Ouch

That hurts. 

[Ted Nomura]

In looking at K0s out there I have some questions:

I really want a K0 when I get a 750.  Are there any mechanical differences in the die-cast and sandcast aside from the casting technique?

The die-cast are more common but I see them for sale less.  What is the price difference between a sandcast K0 and a diecast K0 all else between the bikes being equal?

How much of a nightmare are the carbs to sync really?

I want the K0 because someone said that they had the most "hairy" personalities of the 750s and were more oriented towards the sporting character than the later models, which kept getting increasingly refined at the cost of power and more weight.  It was the K0 which set the world on fire and while later models may be smoother or easier to ride, I want the unrefined, flawed original.

Any advice for a K0 wannabe?

Mr. John Wyatt's excellent Original CB750 book, published in the late 1990s finally gives facts to the "K0" myth.
CB750s with frame #CB750 1044826-1044947 and engine #CB750E 1044848-1045147 are true CB750K0s. They're basicly the original 1969-1970 CB750s with 1971 CB750K1 carburators and dual throttle linkage. There were only 121 of them. None of the "sandcasts" are true CB750K0s and only the first 4148 of them had the original smooth oil filter caps which were replaced under warrantee with finned units. The first 7414 engines were "sandcasts" but many were replaced with diecast units because of the damage caused by broken main drive chain. If you want to buy an early "sandcast" 1969 CB750s, take extra caution by examing the main drive sprocket, which should be 16 teeth (I mistakenly mentioned earlier that it was 15), not 17 and the inside main cases are not damage repaired.

[elisent]

Only go after early # sandcasts if you are looking to do a concourse restoration. The last 3000 sandcasts have more in common with 69 and 70 diecasts than they do with earlier sandcasts. There are alot of # to # differences with the first few 750s. Ko technically means a few bikes in the mid 40,000. I and many other people use KO to identfy the first 40,000 plus 750s. Technically wrong, but now accepted. Early 69s had unique gas tanks ,carburators, choke levers,seats,horn mountings, oil filter covers etc... Try finding the crappy original 28 stamped carbs or the smoothe oil filters. The first 3000 750s had many changes compared to the later ones. I ride my sandcast, but forget about them if all you want is a rider. Just my opinion, Eli

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