Topic: New Horse in the Stable 1972 cb750 (pics)

[Prospect]

Well after 7 years of searching for a gold cb750 I've finally found one at a decent price.  I went to look at it today and the seller had many phone calls and emails because you don't see too many of these in Canada.  Many are very rusty and if not they command a high dollar.  I was pleasantly surprised that there isn't much rust. The paint is faded, tank is rusty with a couple of dings and the seat is rotted out.  I checked the compression on 1 and 4 and it's 100 and 120.  It's as expected for a bike that's been sitting for 14 years.  I'm just finishing the work on my cb350f so this one will wait till next winter for a proper restoration.  32K miles with some kind of a raised handlebar.  Chrome is pretty good.  

Questions,

Is that a stock rear rim or ??

Vin is cb750-1118660 that's a k1 or k2? Manufactured on the 9th month of ?? year.  Can't tell because the year is missing on the vin plate.  Registered as a 1972

We're these engines painted black (around the fins) like in the picture?  I've seen some painted and some not.  

[nancy]

Gidday Prospect - looks tidy enough. I can't really tell you about the rim - can't be sure from that profile but the tyre sure looks way oversize not just for the bike spec, but for the rim. IMO.
No - I don't think the motor should have any black paint. Also th eside cover should be gold - not black. Minor things to change.
Regards
Mark

[Retro Rocket]

Rear rim is a non standard 16 inch rim, engine barrels should be alloy coloured, just like the rest of the engine, could be F2 barrels or just painted.

Mick

[JMichael]

Speaking of the rear rim, I built a chopper from a cb450 many, many years ago and the trick thing to do was have a shop lace a Harley rim to the Honda hub. That's what it looks like someone did to your bike. If not a Harley, something else, though in those days the Harley rims were the biggest available.

Mike

[Prospect]

Yes, that back rim looks odd.  The PO did a lot of highway riding and maybe wanted a bigger tire for stability.  

[Retro Rocket]

Yes, that back rim look odd.  The PO did a lot of highway riding and maybe wanted a bigger tire for stability. 

That tyre would make it handle like #$%*......It would track like a #$%* and fall into corners...

Mick

[Terry in Australia]

I can't open the pics (bloody defence department firewall.......) but those numbers indicate that it's a K1 mate. Cheers, Terry.

[harisuluv]

k1, obvious from just the painted headlight ears and bucket.  side covers are off something else which explains the non red jewel emblem.  of you got old school k1 gauges then that pretty much tells the whole story.  made in 71, not sold til 72, which accounts for the 72 on the title.

[ekpent]

The tail light back fender is a 72 or later,can't tell if it has a grab rail for mounting blinkers. A 71 would have HM300 exhaust pipes and a 72 would be HM341. Which do you have?. Side cover emblems are 73 or later.Stock 71 rear shocks would have a black painted inner body and top mount.Is the chain guard metal or plastic.71is plastic.Does you left hand handlebar controller have an extra button at the bottom.72 was the only year for the turn signal beep stopper button.Good Luck on it looks like a nice start.

[MCRider]

As mentioned, rear rim and tire not stock, handlebars from a "scrambler" CL450 or CL350. Lots of interchanged parts seems like. Brace across handlebar is clue. Interesting. Any other evidence the engine has been pulled? Usually done when cylinders are painted. I'd (you'd) be interested in why.  Oil on the third fin up on the head indicates pucks or cam holder hold down bolts are leaking.

nevertheless nice find.

[Prospect]

Wow Guys thanks for all the info.  I'm not that familiar with the cb750.  I've owned and restored a cb350f and cb400f but this will be my first attempt at a 750. 

Great score!  Wow, that back tire is huge! 

Btw, If you happen to remove the fuel tank I'd like to see a photo of the carbs from the top down. Thx.

I'm picking the bike up in tow weeks so I'll take a pic then.

The tail light back fender is a 72 or later,can't tell if it has a grab rail for mounting blinkers. A 71 would have HM300 exhaust pipes and a 72 would be HM341. Which do you have?. Side cover emblems are 73 or later.Stock 71 rear shocks would have a black painted inner body and top mount.Is the chain guard metal or plastic.71is plastic.Does you left hand handlebar controller have an extra button at the bottom.72 was the only year for the turn signal beep stopper button.Good Luck on it looks like a nice start.

Here are a couple of more pics to clarify.  It's a HM341.  The chain guard looked plastic.  There is no grab rail for the blinkers. Not sure about the rest.  I'll know when I pick it up.

 

k1, obvious from just the painted headlight ears and bucket.  side covers are off something else which explains the non red jewel emblem.  of you got old school k1 gauges then that pretty much tells the whole story.  made in 71, not sold til 72, which accounts for the 72 on the title.

Yes the side covers are definitely off something else.  I guess the missing year on the vin plate is 71.  The gagues look like post k1 which explains why there is no holder for the neutral, oil light etc.

I'm curious as to why the engine was pulled.

[MCRider]

Re: Instruments: They must be K2: clues being no idiot lights (K2 and beyond) and the band type mounts (K2 and earlier).  The K2 had a cluster of idiotlights integrated into the handlebar clamps. You have K1 style clamps.

All this is just for curiosity sake. Hope you have a lot of fun sorting it out.

[Retro Rocket]

K3 to K6 side covers and badges as well....

Mick

[Stev-o]

Looks nice, you get a good deal?

Some guys painted the jugs so the oil leak would not be so noticable, may not be a big issue.

Start collecting [correct] parts! And don't chop it!!

[Brown Bomber]

The vin number should also be stamped on the left side of the head stock directly on the frame.

[andy750]

You have a mixed exhaust - upper pipe is an HM300 pipe and lower is a HM341 pipe on one side but two HM300s on the other side. I have a lower HM300 if you need it (I think for that side) - you can tell by the difference in the baffles.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=77751.0

I like those bars!

good luck
Andy

[ekpent]

Good Eye on the baffle spot Andy - 

[Prospect]

Looks nice, you get a good deal?

Some guys painted the jugs so the oil leak would not be so noticable, may not be a big issue.

Start collecting [correct] parts! And don't chop it!!

I guess a "deal" depends on your geographical location.  In big cities in Canada there are very few deals to be had.  Things have really gone up in price in the last 5 years.  You really have to go outside of the cities to find anything.  I paid $1175 which I consider a good price but not really a steal. 

You have a mixed exhaust - upper pipe is an HM300 pipe and lower is a HM341 pipe on one side but two HM300s on the other side. I have a lower HM300 if you need it (I think for that side) - you can tell by the difference in the baffles.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=77751.0

I like those bars!

good luck
Andy

Thanks Andy.  I'm going to have to get the bike running (which will be winter 2011) before I purchase any parts for it. 

[Brown Bomber]

Did you find the full vin # on the other side of the headstock yet?

[Prospect]

Did you find the full vin # on the other side of the headstock yet?

Yes, the vin on the headstock matches the plate. 

[Terry in Australia]

$1175 isn't a bad deal mate, it's a "Bitsa" (bits of this, bits of that) but is essentially all there, all you need is a back wheel and it'll be a good daily rider, while you save for it's restoration, or whatever you're going to do with it. Cheers, Terry.

[MCRider]

Gotta agree with Terry, not a bad price. Bike has "patina and provenance".   

Suspicious the corner of the plate with the year got broken off. But other than that the plate lookes original. I've had one off before and its virtually impossible to put it back on like factory.

I think the clutch cable passes by that spot and since it has different bars, they may have experiemented with different cables and one hooked the corner and bent it up, to be broken later as one can't leave a scab alone.

[Prospect]

Great score!  Wow, that back tire is huge! 

Btw, If you happen to remove the fuel tank I'd like to see a photo of the carbs from the top down. Thx.

Finally got the bike home.  Here you go!

[Prospect]

Re: Instruments: They must be K2: clues being no idiot lights (K2 and beyond) and the band type mounts (K2 and earlier).  The K2 had a cluster of idiotlights integrated into the handlebar clamps. You have K1 style clamps.

All this is just for curiosity sake. Hope you have a lot of fun sorting it out.

Yes, there is no cluster of idiot lights or wiring for it.  It must have had k1 instruments that were changed at some point. The wiring for the integrated instrument idiot lights are probably inside the current k2 instruments.  Or is it possible for a late k1 to have k2 idiot cluster that was removed (including wiring) to accommodate the bigger handlebars?  So at the moment there is no way of telling if you're in neutral or if you have oil pressure etc.

[MCRider]

There would not be any idiot light wiring inside the instruments you have. There would be openings/connectors for the handlebar mounted cluster to plug into inside the headlight shell. Many people have put lights they've bot from radio shack into the headlight shell or a homemade handlebar cluster and plugged them in to the open, usually female, connector in the shell.