Topic: Wonder why the SOHC seems much more popular than the DOHC CB's?

[putnaja1]

Hi All,

I've previously owned 3 '79-'82 DOHC Honda CBs, two 750's and a 900, all "F" models..  I've since sold them all, and now have a 550 SOHC..

Since I've found this website, it seems that SOHC models are much more popular and have a much tighter following than the DOHC models.  Am I off base here?  I haven't seen any resource for the DOHC guys like this great website we're on now, that's for sure!

Wonder why this is?  Is it because perhaps the SOHC models spanned more years?  (I guess '69-'78)  Or were there other factors?  I know that the DOHC models were out during the time when Honda was really gearing up on the V-fours, and maybe they planned the inline CB's obsolescence?  Maybe other manufacturer's bikes were better performers, or a better value?

Jason

[GroovieGhoulie]

For me, it's what the SOHC CBs were about in motorcycling:

Britbike styling
Japanese reliabiity
(nowadays) cheap to buy, cheap to insure, cheap to feed
parts are cheap
easy to work on

I think the DOHC bikes, while faster and arguably technically superior are too "'80s".  I don't like the styling AT ALL, among other things.  It also seems that parts resources are not nearly as available for the DOHC bikes as ours.

[Dusthawk]

As for me, My first bike that was a true motorcycle that I owned all to myself, was a CB 360T and I was hooked. Everything, from the styling to the feeling of riding a road of silk to how easy and cheap it was to operate.

Another part of it is the nostalgia aspect of the SOHC. Who knows, maybe in another ten or fifteen years, DOHC will have this kind of resource available.

But for me, I'll stick with my SOHC I named Rita.

Peace and Long Rides,

Jeff

[Noel]

Seems to me that the SOHCs were fairly revolutionary. Special bikes.

The DOHCs, while technically competent and in many ways superior to the SOHCs, had some awfully large shoes to fill and were pactically destined to be seen as ordinary. And when a pedestrian bike is combined with, well, "awkward" styling...

Nobody's really collecting Katanas either, KWIM?

[GroovieGhoulie]

Nobody's really collecting Katanas either, KWIM?

Yeah.  As fast and reliable as they are, I don't think anyone will be buying '05 CBRs, GSXRs, ZXs and YZFs in 30+ years you know?

My big rip with modern sportbikes is that they all look alike.  You paint them all identical with NO manufacturer's markings on the bike and they're damn near indistinguishable.  Only real fans know them apart under those acres of plastic.  The old bikes each had a look all their own.  You would read a comparo in a magazine and the Honda looked distinctly different from the Kawasaki which looked different from the Yamaha, which looked different from the Suzuki.  You could tell at a GLANCE, what make and model the bike was, often times, what YEAR it was, depending on what they did with the styling for a given year.  To me, that's part of what made them special.

[heffay]

If i had to pick one reason... styling.

I think the styling went to hell in a handbasket as soon as they dumped the SOHC4... to me, the DOHC4's just look dumb and 80's.

[Noel]

You may be right, GG. I do still like modern sportbikes and think the odds are good that I'll own another one someday. But they really are cookie cutter bikes, for the most part. It's hard to imagine really personalizing, say, a CBR600RR, or a GSXR750. (Unless you really like plastichrome and fur, I guess.)

And any "performance" modifications you make to the bike are likely to be steps in the wrong direction. I mean, you can put on a pipe (or just a can, really; stock headers are pretty damn good these days) and maybe a power commander (although I'd be willing to bet most power commanders are badly adjusted and detracting from the whole) but anything else you do is liable to screw things up. Can you imagine the results of ditching the airbox and going with velocity stacks on your R6?

I guess it's a backhanded sort of complement. The modern sportbike is simply so competent that it's hard to change it without screwing it up. And I'm all for "perfect" motorcycles -- I'm just not willing to trade away every vestige of individuality for it.

[Noel]

to me, the DOHC4's just look dumb and 80's.

Hehe, I can't look at an early DOHC without imagining it being ridden by a guy with a mullet and a pair of baggy neon parachute pants.

[texian_biker]

     Back in the olden days manufactuers each had their own philosophy on what the ultimate design was for a motorcycle and it gave each a sense of personality and identity.  Nowadays it is all about performance and there is really only one optimum design. 
     As i write this engineering computers at Hondasaki and Yamazuki are churning away designing bikes like the ZX1400 (197 horsepower) and the GSXR 1000 (175 horsepower 384 pounds)and marketers are fervently praying that cruiser bikes will simulate enough character to attract us old schoolers.  I gotta admit the Hayabusa looks good to me but I sure would hate to restore one 20 years from now.

[Noel]

Hell, I don't want to work on one NOW!

Another tic in the SOHC colum: A trained monkey can perform all the services and most of the repairs. I'm probably not even competent to safely remove the plastic from a modern sportybike.

[cbjunkie]

fightin' words!     eep eep eep!

[GroovieGhoulie]

Another tic in the SOHC colum: A trained monkey can perform all the services and most of the repairs.

And do it all with a hammer, a pair of pliers, two screwdrivers, and four metric wrenches.

[Noel]

Mr. Fancy Shmancy uses wrenches. Well la di da, Mr. Rich Man! 

[quietlikeachurch]

"And do it all with a hammer, a pair of pliers, two screwdrivers, and four metric wrenches."

Amen brother!  And look good while you're doing it, because it's so simple.

-Ian

[GroovieGhoulie]

Mr. Fancy Shmancy uses wrenches. Well la di da, Mr. Rich Man! 

At least I didn't say sockets and drivers!!!! 

[ofreen]

I had an '82 CB900F just like the one in the picture.  I don't understand the jeering about the styling because it is a good looking bike to me.  I put 30,000 on mine without a problem and it went like the proverbial raped primate.  The only criticism I might have about the 900F is that it may have had a little more motor than chassis.

[putnaja1]

Wow- that was the exact CB900F that I owned too- I had that same color, mine an '82..  I don't understand the styling criticism either, although I got a good laugh out of the "mullet with parachute pants" comment!  hahaha

The bike was a monster- I put flat bars on mine, and a 4:1, but that was my only mod..  I loved the brakes- triple disc with dual piston calipers all around.  I ended up selling my last one in a panic during a move (didn't have room for it...) to a guy at my work for 600 bucks..  Wish I would have found a way to keep it, but at least he got a great deal on a very nice bike.

Yikes- I just realized that I had accidently posted this thread to the tech forum and not the open forum..  Sorry guys!

[SteveD CB500F]

Yikes- I just realized that I had accidently posted this thread to the tech forum and not the open forum..  Sorry guys!

Sorted.

I didn't actually notice until you mentioned it 

[Chris Liston]

I like the SOHC's because there a simple motorcycle, the styling is great, has some of that Brit bike look and they run great.  The early-mid 80's bikes regardless of manufacturer were mostly pretty ugly with some exceptions.  My buddy had a 83-84 Yamaha Maxim 750. Now that is one ugly motorycle.  Modern styling for all intents and purposes comes right from the track, the Big 4 build bikes to win races and we get the byproduct of it.  I'm a convert to the SOHC bike coming from a sport bike background.  I miss my R6 (stupid thing to sell it) and would get another in a heartbeat.  There is just something about 0 to stupid fast in a few seconds that at least my 550F can't touch.  But I'll have my 550 probably forever and go thru a few bikes in that time. 

[Cowboy48]

I'm starting to think my luck in life (if not in poker) is changing.  I stumbled across a 75 CB750 on Ebay and bought in on a whim.  I had no idea that I was purchasing a piece of motorcycle history.  After reading all the interesting stuff about these bikes I am having a blast planning all the minor restoration/modification/upgrades that I am going to do as soon as my wife gives me my credit card back   Thanks for all the cool info guys.  Newbs like me are eating it up.

[Dave Wyatt]

The popularity may have something to do with our genral age group too.  These were the hot bikes of the day when we were coming up.  The DOHC's may have to wait on the next generation.

[bill440cars]

              I figure that the difference between the two is kind of like the 55' Chevy (not trying to put 
      ProTeal in the spot light or on the spot) and the late model Camaro. Some might like to have that
      Camaro but, there are a lot of folks who'd rather have that 55'. The 55' Chevy made a statement
      much like the 750 did when it was introduced and the other SOHC4s followed for those who
      wanted the four but not quite that big. Now while I'm one of Mopar nuts, I've got a lot of
      respect for that 55' Chevy. By the same token, I've got an 80' CB750K and I do like it but not in
      the same way that I do the SOHC4s of which I have a few examples (that aren't running at this
      time but hope springs eternal). My 80' 750K is a pretty good bike, even though I would have
      made a few changes around the rear fender and wheel area. But , I think that's what it's all
      about, changing the bikes up to suit us. Face it, the SOHC4s will always be special to us just like
      that 55' Chevy (I also liked the 55' & 56' Plymouth) Well, that's my 2 cents. Later on.  Bill     

[eldar]

He y I like the dohcs just fine, but then my bike is styled more liek them then the early cbs which I think are rather ugly in some cases. I really like the v-4s and would get a v65 in heartbeat. I would turn up most sport bieks though. I dont need super performance that I will never use. Sure the bike might do 200 but will I? Probably not, I am not that stupid to do something like that on our roads and I dont have the cash to rent track time.

[crazypj]

The DOHC had some major problems if not serviced correctly. It would eat a hole through the front of the cylinder. The main chain tensioner is pretty much between the intake manifolds and doesnt get adjusted, usually the lower nut gets loosened but that only holds tensioner into cylinder (the adjuster in the front by the exhaust pipe only adjusts the chain between the cams)
PJ

[eldar]

well anything if not serviced will have problems. Some things are just easier to work on. Aside from a few simple things, the sohc is very easy to work on. Now the V4s are a pain from what I hear.