Topic: golden year for the cb750

[paulages]

this oughta be a doozy of a thread. break out the gloves!

anyway, my brother just got a '77 cb750K. while standing around looking at it at our club's shop, we got to talking about what would be the best year to look for when scouting a cb750 sohc. forget the sandcast collectable factor, but definitely weigh in overall aesthetics right along side (if not over) the engineering improvements made towards the end of the era. oh yeah, and pretend it's gonna be a cafe racer. what's the golden year?

[GroovieGhoulie]

For a stocker, I'd vote for the K0 (sandcast or diecast). 

My reasons/favorite features:
Voluptous curves (fatter tank and sidecovers)
more attractive decal design
black "HONDA" on tank
louvered side covers
8500 RPM redline
ducktail seat
body colored airbox, fork ears and headlight bucket
headlight switch to turn the light off
warning lights in the gauge faces
cut front fender
glasspack exhaust
smooth oil filter cover
aggressive tuning (fat jetting, early-in spark advance mechanism, short geared sprockets)
small tailight and winkers
no silly brake fender
silver brake caliper
dished, concave master cylinder cover
recessed ignition
ignition located down on the frame
half millimeter thicker frame tubing than later models (stronger)
half millimeter thicker hub metal making for stronger hubs as well
The best color Honda ever made a bike: Candy Blue Green
ETA: I prefer the black killswitch

The above reasons are why I am seeking out a K0 when I get my 750.  Preferably a museum-quality diecast with all the above features.

For a Cafe: I am going to make mine out of a K1-K3.  I like the earlier bikes better.

[dafrpa]

I'm a fan of part mixing. I've stuffed a '77K motor in a '74 frame with older carbs and 400F drag bars with a K-series Kerker pipe on a 4->1 Mac header. That thing was a beast. I was eyeing a new 599 or SV650, wincing when it came to price, before I remembered that my Dad had a nearly complete 78K sitting in his garage awaiting restoration. It had been there for at least 5 years....rambling on... So now, for less than the down payment on a new machine, I have it cleaned up with a 76F tank and grab bar/taillight mount among other cafe/performance bits. I would vote for 77/78K as the power output had been brought back to '69 levels, and the later F motors put out more. The '77 carbs may have float needle clips, which are useful if adding performance upgrades, but they were gone by '78. As far as aesthetics go...it's a personal thing, but the late K tanks seem wrong for a cafe to me, so I plunder and pillage wilfully to get a factory-look cafe.

[theunrulychef]

I'd go w/ dafrpa & the "SOHC draft".  How about an early K frame for quick city handling & pretty bubbly side covers, F2/3 motor w/ the big valves, 77F carbs w/ the pump & adjustable needles, 75F swingarm & disc brake w/ an alloy 16" rear, 75 GW front end w/ thicker forks, dual disc, and alloy rim, SS tank of course, and a handmade glass seat like on your 550.  There you go - the Golden cb750 cafe  .  It would probably only cost a grand or two in parts. You weren't planning on riding any when you finish your 550, right? 

[supersport_CB400F]

Any of the early 750 models that Honda produced are sort of nice in a lump of metal way, but after they introduced the 400F, it became the star of the Honda’s production that’s why even to this day, the new Honda 400 models live on it’s reputation. 

[ProTeal55]

I have to vote for the early CB bikes, like anything from 75 and down.
Dont kill me for saying this, but I just dont like the look of the big tank/mag wheel bikes that came
in the later 70's and early 80's.

My 2cents, and I am entitled to it ! 

[bwaller]

If I was looking for a stocker, give me the 1970 model. I could care less about sandcast cases, or half the things GG has mentions, but I prefer the look of the early model years. I consider myself a modified purist, as good as these bikes were out of the crate, I know some improvements were possible. So my K3 is easily recognized as a Honda 750, but has lots of little trick items that improve the overall package. When I build another it will be the other K3 I have waiting in the corner. (of course after the 550 is done & the two other 400's!) I always chuckle to myself when I ride with the local co-horts with their new bike exotica and pull up somewhere, a crowd always seems to gather around the old 750. They are cool bikes, nuf said!

[eldar]

See now I like the 78K. It has a more cofortable seat for both rider and pass. The fender has only 1 brace instead of the 2 which really detracts from looks. The tank holds more so I can ride on longer and I like the longer tank. It is kinda the start of a teardrop shape. the Engine is stronger, mechanically than the ay of the others. It still weights less than an F2! I likew the larger turn signals. They might be bigger around but they are not as thick looking.

[paulages]

yeah, believe me, i'm not planning on tearing into a new project anytime too soon. i can't wait to tear up the streets on my 550!

i definitely like the styling of the earlier models, as i'm mainly into the britbike style (but love the japanese ability to actually make it work well). TUS---that's kinda the type of answer i was looking for. if i couldn't pick frpm a million bikes, i'd probably go somewhere early, but to build a cafe racer it would be nice to know which parts from all the models add up best.

i rode the '77 K around a bit, and though the power is considerably greater than the 550, i'm still glad i went with the smaller bike. i'm 5'7 and 150#. it's certainly better than the '79 750K i have, but it's still a bit heavy to me for something that's supposed to be a city "racer". i do like that once you learn on one of these heavy bikes it's all uphill from there...

[dusterdude]

k0-k1

[ProTeal55]

I was sure Duster was going to pick the K8 

[eldar]

Nope. remember he is a closet k8er!

[BobbyR]

I have a 78 CB750K so I think it is the best looking. It is retro, but not too retro.

[Geeto67]

Best investment value : 1969-1970 cb750K0: the prices are really getting up there for early diecasts, sandcasts are out of this world.

Best perfromance per dollar: 1977-78 Supersport: as fast as the first cb750s, but with three discs and the ability to run modern tubeless tires, put her on a diet and it's all good.

Best bike to hack to peices: 1977-78 K bike: people don't like these as nearly as much as the 69-76 bikes because of the looks, the fact they are heavier, and they can still be had for half of what a 1973-76 cb750K goes for. Plus purists won't chastize you for building something cool like they will when you cut up an earlier bike (you should have heard them when I put clipons and removed the front fender on my K5).

Best bike to get oldtimers talking: 1969-76 K: rode my 75K bike through manhattan today and got stopped 7 times by people asking about it. People love these bikes.

Best dare to be different cafe racer: 1975-76 cb750F: heavier than a K but sportier looking. he best looking supersport and looks too killer when cafed out. The tank and the spoke wheels just look right with a fiberglass racing seat.

Bikes with the best paint colors: 1969-1976 cb750K: Sunrise Flake metallic, Planet Blue, The early turquoise, gold, and red, Candy bacchus olive...need I say more.

[Bob Wessner]

Best bike to hack to peices: 1977-78 K bike:

Oh, oh, now you're in trouble. 

[jawshunter]

That was pretty cold about hacking up the 77-78 K, after all, they are better than 79 and up. I have a 78 and 75 and the 75 is in my opinion a much more appealing bike to look at ( the 78 tank is quite ugly ). I think I will get a pre 77 tank and paint it to match the 78 side covers and then move the seat forward a couple of inches to fit it up. This should make the 78 more appealing and the 78 seat with this style tank should look good. Oh, my vote goes for 71-76.

[mrbreeze]

I pick K5 just because!!

[kaysystems]

K0
Love the side covers, and synching those cable carbs gives me something to do on Sunday afternoon before a ride.

David

 

[Geeto67]

That was pretty cold about hacking up the 77-78 K, after all, they are better than 79 and up. I have a 78 and 75 and the 75 is in my opinion a much more appealing bike to look at ( the 78 tank is quite ugly ). I think I will get a pre 77 tank and paint it to match the 78 side covers and then move the seat forward a couple of inches to fit it up. This should make the 78 more appealing and the 78 seat with this style tank should look good. Oh, my vote goes for 71-76.

I didn't mean for it to be cold, but there are several reasons why I feel this way (remember it is my opinion not a fact):

- The 77-78 sell for less than 69-76 K bikes overall.
- They are heavier than their predecessors with no appreciable hp gain.
- The engines are bulletproof, and most of the earlier stuff swaps over.
- They have worse ground clearance than their predecessors in stock form
- They are more stable on the highway at speed.

I"m not saying that they are not great bikes, they are just a little more expendable than the other models.

[eldar]

ahh you got it all wrong. The correct bike to chop is asandcast. get rid of them and bye bye goes the "sandcast" tag ebayers like to use! As for ground clearance, I suppose the mufflers are bigger and maybe hang lower but that is easily corrected. It is called getting rid of the old honda reverse megephones and getting much cooler looking slash cuts with a slide bracket!
They are lighter than the f2 and have been going for about as much as the k2-6 models lately. the 69 - k1 are still more sought after.
the 78 carbs have the best floats of the bunch. I DONT need to turn of my petcock when I stop for more than 5 minutes!!

[eurban]

Geeto-

If you put any faith in period magazine reviews . . . the 77/78Ks and Fs performed (1/4 mile dyno HP etc) better than any of the earlier bikes including the sandcasts. The mid year bikes in particular suffered in the performance categories.  So if the 77/78s are heavier (something like 40lbs than the Sandcasts) and supposedly performing better then I would call that an appreciable gain in hp!

[paulages]

just a recap...so if i got my hands on a '78K for $500, complete but disassembled, any sohc cb750 tank would fit? and other aesthetics? (such as spoked wheels)

...yes, i have my sights on my next project.

[eldar]

Any tank will fit on any cb750 sohc. The lengths are different and so are the seats. So if you change the tank, you may need to change the seat. One thing though. the hinges on the 77-78 are on the LEFT side, the earlier models are on the right. Spoked wheels are standard on the K. The F has the comstars. $500 is good and in a way, disassembled is nice as you can clean and paint any part you need to and the bike will look very good once together.

[nteek754]

OK gotta chime in here  I been rideing theses dinasores for 32 years now  (dont regret a mile) but  Im hearing alot about the power of the 77 78 Ive got two 77s one 70 chopper with  78 engine and last but far from least my Baby 1973  now this one will smoke that 77 now  I am running pods and kerker on the 73 and the 77 has a 4 into 1 dont know what brand not mac  either  I did put a kerker megaphone on it to get a bit better sound but  nothing like the full kerker sound and performance  I ran that 77 against my sisters 74 750 kerker and  k 7n filter in stock box  did a roll on so was just bike for bike  she smoked me and I out weigh her by at least 75 pounds and no I havnt detuned the 77 just thought they piged them out with the new style carbs  but  I will stop babbleing  my vote is for the 76 and down but really like  the  71 72 73 emblems on the sidecover the chrome font  and yeah I ride with a good bunch of Harlay guys and  hmmm they walk up to the old HONDA  gotta love it I do seven fifty four ever

[Jonesy]

I've thought about this now and then. If I could parts swap, here's what I'd probably do, keeping with stock parts:

For the powerplant-
-K2 Engine (head, cylinders, cases...)
-K0 cam (supposed to be hotter)
-K1 Carbs
-K6 Clutch (GL-1000 anitrattle type)
-K0 Ignition Advancer (more aggressive advance curve)
-750A Crank/primary drive (used a Hy-Vo chain instead of twin roller chains)

For the rest of the bike-
-K3 Frame (welding was better and not as prone to "head shake")
-K1 Fuel Tank (more slender looking)
-K0 Airbox
-HM300 Mufflers (Richer, throatier sound)
-K0 Sidecovers (I love the "intakes" on the sides)
-K1-K6 Seat
-K0 Tail light
-F-type rear swingarm and rear rim (for disc brake in back)