Topic: How many SOHC Honda Fours have you seen..?

[754]

I am thinking for me, conservatively 3-5,000 , maybe even more..

 At times we would go places where you would see several hundred or more in a day !

 Just putting this out there, as those who got into them in the last 2 decades, missed the times where they were everywhere.. an endless parade of 750's and 500's...

[Kong]

I lived in south Florida in the early to mid 1970's, I'd bet I've seen ten zillion of them.

[Kong]

I thought I should add to that.  Sometime back around the summer of 1971 there was a Honda shop up in Fort Lauderdale that essentially cornered the market on 750's.  I remember it well, you could call them on the phone and they'd prep one and have it waiting for you at the shop door for $1,425 plus tax.  They sold so many bikes it was astounding.  I drove a friend of mine up there (both I and 3 of my friends bought new 750s from them) to get his.  We got there about 8:00 in the evening, and he had to stand in line to pay for the thing. It was like Christmas time at Wal Mart.

I think by about 1975 or so it was actually hard to find an American bike on the streets on south florida, other than the couple of outlaw clubs.  Harley was still two owner's away from its reformation and the bikes were junk. The british bikes were already in trouble and Japanese electronics and oil-tightness sent them their death-blow.  So to ask how many were seen in a county of over 2,000,000 people is really kind of hard to say - hence the term "Zillions".

[KingCustomCycles.com]

Enough to wonder if every shed I drive past contains one.

[MCRider]

I thought I should add to that.  Sometime back around the summer of 1971 there was a Honda shop up in Fort Lauderdale that essentially cornered the market on 750's.  I remember it well, you could call them on the phone and they'd prep one and have it waiting for you at the shop door for $1,425 plus tax.  They sold so many bikes it was astounding.  I drove a friend of mine up there (both I and 3 of my friends bought new 750s from them) to get his.  We got there about 8:00 in the evening, and he had to stand in line to pay for the thing. It was like Christmas time at Wal Mart.

I think by about 1975 or so it was actually hard to find an American bike on the streets on south florida, other than the couple of outlaw clubs.  Harley was still two owner's away from its reformation and the bikes were junk. The british bikes were already in trouble and Japanese electronics and oil-tightness sent them their death-blow.  So to ask how many were seen in a county of over 2,000,000 people is really kind of hard to say - hence the term "Zillions".

Was that Burke's Honda on Old Dixie Highway? I worked there in 1971/72. We were the third highest volume dealer in the country. Actually a small shop, but he warehoused bikes in a separate building and we were setting up bikes out of crates late every night

[Kong]

You know, I think that may have been the name of the place.  It wasn't very large at all, even by the standards of that time but there were people lined up to buy bikes.  At any rate we were down in the south end of Dade county and it was still worth the trip north, there was no one else that even came close in price.

[MCRider]

You know, I think that may have been the name of the place.  It wasn't very large at all, even by the standards of that time but there were people lined up to buy bikes.  At any rate we were down in the south end of Dade county and it was still worth the trip north, there was no one else that even came close in price.

It just about had to have been Burke's. Man I can tell you stories...

But to put a number on it, I'd say it was 3 per business day, maybe more, and I was there about 6 months, so that would be 550 or so, plus the other shops I worked at (I was a wandering Hippie soul back then) gotta be in the thousands.

Burke's... muy buenos recuerdos

[ekpent]

"Back in the Day" all the seperate Jap dealers were spread around town,Kalamazoo here,just little shops until they were all bought up by one outfit which is M&M Cycle now or cyclepartsnation on the web. One guy sold Yamaha and Bridgestone as well as chainsaws,etc.  Our Honda shop back then was a little hole in the wall that was called Millwood Honda and along with the motorcycles also sold Schwinn bikes.Perry Harley sold Kawasaki. Man how times have changed.   Eric

[CrankyOldGuy]

It's amazing how many Honda dealers back around 1970 were small .. almost like mom and pop shops.  I remember driving 70 miles for a tuneup on Saturday morning ... they would put a big fan in front of the bike for a few hours to cool it down ... then do the tuneup.  The mechanic had a wooden leg and he would check the carb synchro by putting his hand over the end of the exhausts.  This method seemed to work quite well.  I think he was an old WWII mechanice. You would see half a dozen 750's there on a Saturday morning.

In 69 there were a few 750's around here ... by 75 everyone seemed to have one.

I saw a few travelling around this past summer.  Hopefully one will be mine.

Harry O.

[jleavesl]

I would guess (at least since I started paying attention) around 7.  There just aren't many of them out there anymore. 

John

[Retro Rocket]

Geeze Frank, i would have to say "thousands" as well. I remember going to the drive in movies when "stone", a biker movie that was huge here in Aus was first shown and there would have been Hundreds of 750's there,  mixed in with a pile of 900 Kawasaki's and various British bikes.......very cool for a young bloke....

Mick

[Kouros]

Imagine this:

1972 Tehran/Iran - Hot summer night and the sun is just settling and city is alive as the weekend is just starting. Bars are full, cinemas are buzzing and everyone is in ticket lines to see "Last Tango In Paris". Across the street  from the cinema you can see Bob's Big Boy and parking lot is full of CB750s and Hondas roll in and out. As the midnight approaches all motorcycles start and everyone races to meet uptown at a special spot for local food and drinks (Fast and Furious style 1972) ;-)

The CB750s where the work horse back then as they were used for pleasure, work and commuter. One could not help but see 1000's of them per day. As a 12 year old, I certainly had my share.

In 1974 at the age of 14, I bought my own brand new CB750K but only enjoyed it for couple of years as I left the country for USA. We used to just call it the FOUR.

In 1978, during and after the hostile takeover of the Mullahs an Islamic Republic many self claimed leader were shot by assassins who ride 2 up on a CB750K (passenger would be facing the wrong way with a AK-47). They'd weave through traffic, do a drive-by, and be gone in seconds. They were heroes to us kids. Sometimes they were called the angels as they had a huge Honda Wing logo on the back of their jackets.

Shortly after 1979 all motorcycles over 250CC were illegal and banned in Iran. They were all collected and the revolutionary guard used them to protect themselves.

Toady, I'm 50 and I'm building my own 1974 CB750K in memory of the "Angels".

-K

[Prospect]

Imagine this:

1972 Tehran/Iran - Hot summer night and the sun is just settling and city is alive as the weekend is just starting. Bars are full, cinemas are buzzing and everyone is in ticket lines to see "Last Tango In Paris". Across the street  from the cinema you can see Bob's Big Boy and parking lot is full of CB750s and Hondas roll in and out. As the midnight approaches all motorcycles start and everyone races to meet uptown at a special spot for local food and drinks (Fast and Furious style 1972) ;-)

The CB750s where the work horse back then as they were used for pleasure, work and commuter. One could not help but see 1000's of them per day. As a 12 year old, I certainly had my share.

In 1974 at the age of 14, I bought my own brand new CB750K but only enjoyed it for couple of years as I left the country for USA. We used to just call the FOUR.

In 1978, during and after the hostile takeover of the Mullahs an Islamic Republic many self claimed leader were shot by assassins who ride 2 up on a CB750K (passenger would be facing the wrong way with a AK-47). They'd weave through traffic, do a drive-by, and be gone in seconds. They were heroes to us kids. Sometimes they were called the angels as they had a huge Honda Wind logo on the back of their jackets.

Shortly after 1979 all motorcycles over 250CC were illegal and banned in Iran. They were all collected and the revolutionary guard used them to protect themselves.

Toady, I'm 50 and I'm building my own 1974 CB750K in memory of the "Angels".

-K

Very interesting.  I wonder what other non traditional uses there were for the cb750. 

[d3buttz]

This post has me wondering now, and researched on the internet with no answers, How many 750's  650's 550's 500's & 350's were actually produced then shipped and sold in the US per year?

[thehammer]

Imagine this:

1972 Tehran/Iran - Hot summer night and the sun is just settling and city is alive as the weekend is just starting. Bars are full, cinemas are buzzing and everyone is in ticket lines to see "Last Tango In Paris". Across the street  from the cinema you can see Bob's Big Boy and parking lot is full of CB750s and Hondas roll in and out. As the midnight approaches all motorcycles start and everyone races to meet uptown at a special spot for local food and drinks (Fast and Furious style 1972) ;-)

The CB750s where the work horse back then as they were used for pleasure, work and commuter. One could not help but see 1000's of them per day. As a 12 year old, I certainly had my share.

In 1974 at the age of 14, I bought my own brand new CB750K but only enjoyed it for couple of years as I left the country for USA. We used to just call the FOUR.

In 1978, during and after the hostile takeover of the Mullahs an Islamic Republic many self claimed leader were shot by assassins who ride 2 up on a CB750K (passenger would be facing the wrong way with a AK-47). They'd weave through traffic, do a drive-by, and be gone in seconds. They were heroes to us kids. Sometimes they were called the angels as they had a huge Honda Wind logo on the back of their jackets.

Shortly after 1979 all motorcycles over 250CC were illegal and banned in Iran. They were all collected and the revolutionary guard used them to protect themselves.

Toady, I'm 50 and I'm building my own 1974 CB750K in memory of the "Angels".

-K

way cool. but if you plan on doing an assasination nowadays i'd go with something like . . . a gsxr?

[Old Scrambler]

Frank.........I sold 18 in one day back in '71..........averaged about 2 per day at Thrifty Lad Honda in Santa Monica. I was still riding my sandcast until '72...........very common to see a few dozen in a short run up Pacific Coast Highway. The most I have seen at one time recently was about 20 at the Sandcast Only display with a few of our SOHC member bikes at the 2009 Vintage Motorcycle Days in Ohio.

If you rode around the BARBER FESTIIVAL grounds this past October, there were more than 50 of OUR bikes to be seen, but not all were ready to ride home. 

[754]

Dennis, one of my best memories of BuB 08, was you telling me about your days at the high volume dealer.... was very interesting.. as was that fellow on the small bike doing wheelies and donuts for 1/2 hr straight..

 Sounds like there is at least 3 members here that worked at the big selling dealers..or maybe more..

 Some cool stories coming out of the woodwork, the one from the Middle East is quite interesting..

 Keep them coming..

[Stev-o]

at least a half dozen....

[ekpent]

Speaking of 18 thats how many 750's I am sitting on right now. Here's a shot of 10 of them I just put to bed for the winter in the front part of my shop with 8 more in the back work area along with a couple Suzuki's and Yammies. And my wife thinks I may be a Hoarder      Eric

[Stev-o]

Is that your IRA?!?

[MoMo]

Make it at least four that worked at large dealerships in the 750 era.  I worked at Devon Honda, Riff's Cycle Center and Montgomeryville Cycle Center-all were big and in the Philly suburbs.  When I was the service manager at Riff's there were at least 10 people just in the service department.  At Montgomeryville probably the same amount.  Can't say how many sohc fours I've seen-maybe a gazillion.    Larry

[ekpent]

I tell the wife I am just "investing in Japananese steel" but she doesn't always see the humor when I drag another poor soul home to be saved  

[Damfino]

And my wife thinks I may be a Hoarder      Eric

I think she's right...and I also think you should send some of those down here to Indiana for me to hold for you...you know, as part of the first step toward your recovery as a hoarder! 

[754]

 ekpent, did you look like one of the Freak Bros.. back in them days...

[ekpent]

Don't I now    Shoulda seen me when I had long hair.