Lot 80
1969 Honda CB750 KO SANDCAST
ENG. CB750K 101997 FRAME CB7501019535. MILEAGE 330
$28000 - $38000
GAME BREAKER. This immaculate CB750 KO sand-cast machine is a history-maker. Because of this machine, Honda, the manufacturer of dinky little 50cc mopeds and a few nifty race bikes, became an international powerhouse of design and engineering. From the distinctive metal flake paint job to the OHC 76bhp transverse four, the CB750 KO looked like something from a James Bond movie and sounded like a jet. The CB750 triggered a renewed interest in high-performance off-the-shelf road bikes. The 750 overhead-cam in-line four-cylinder was absolutely unheard-of in the consumer motorcycle market in 1969. Prior to this engine, Ariel had the Square Four, Matchless the Silver Hawk, and even stodgy old Indian had an in-line four. But the 750 in this bike had about as much in common with those engines as a modern Formula 1 engine has with a bilge pump – no offence intended. Flat on the tank, a confident pilot could wrangle +200kph. Reliability was also a critical element. Engines were being run at 6,000rpm for 200 hours on end, and wrung all the way up to their 8,500rpm redline for 20 hours during final development. The styling was also well thought through – the side profile offers an immediate classical reference; however, as you circle the machine, the four vertically aligned cylinders over the wide crankcase give the CB750 KO a staunch, low-slung line that leaves you in no uncertainty about the premise of this particular machine. Winning France’s 24-hour Bol d’Or race in 1969 and the 1970 Daytona, the CB put the entire world on notice – the era of production-made super bikes had arrived. This 1969 750 KO sand-cast is, without doubt, one of most influential motorcycles ever produced and this is a rare opportunity for the collector of important motorcycles to secure an immaculate example. Fresh rebuild with 100% new stock, as required.
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