The story goes that the Honda CB750 SOHC changed the motorcycle world forever. At the time it featured things like a front disk brake, 5 gallon fuel tank, comfort for two riders, electric start, and most importantly an air cooled 4 cylinder engine that could push the bike and rider to speeds exceeding 100 mph.
I remember being a young boy in 1973 seeing one through the window of my local Honda dealer, and sa- none of this is true and this is not some story of a kid in the 70's. I am a 20 year old millennial who has been surrounded his whole life with turn key computers with wheels that we apparently call "cars". To put this quiet honestly, I nor any other millennial has a place with these vintage master pieces because they were created in an era that is as foreign as South Korea at this point. The only information I know about that time period is what I've been told from elder folks willing to share it and after the 50th or so person, the general consensus was that the story of the CB750 changing the game held water. Mix a knowledge of a locally existing vintage motorcycle icon with a "for sale" sign with an newly popular modern trend of "cafe racer culture" and any town is destined to have people ripping around on classics.
Mine wasn't pretty at first, none are.
When I first got it home and rolled it into the light of my garage, thats when I noticed I had purchased a true piece of shit. I then dumped money into it for about 4 months and eventually the bike reached a final(ish) product that was street legal and road worthy.
Thats what she came out looking like. I am a college student who rides about 5 miles a day too and from class. To put my daily ride into perspective, In the colder months of October or November the 750 cc engine does not even get "up to temp" before I have arrived at my morning academic building. Call it a sin, sure, but at least on my way home I take off into the rural farm land of New Hampshire and open it up a bit. And by a bit, I mean get over 35, and by over 35 I mean 65, and by 65 I mean ton up or shut up cause I didn't buy the apparent icon of the 70's to look at it in a parking lot.
With that in mind, the bike is in great running order, as close to original mechanical operation as possible. For any of you looking to get you're CB750's running in tip top shape my greatest advice, just keep the damn original air-box installed. I am a mechanical engineer with knowledge of the automotive industry, what it comes down to is someone designed that air-box and put loads of Honda's R&D into it, you are not that engineer, do not dishonor him by ruining his work with you're attempt to make more power by adding "pod-filters".
With that little disclaimer of my bike being in running order I can finally attest to it's apparent iconic reputation. I've ridden modern bikes like 600's, litre bikes, enduro's, motocross, and Harleys, but the classic raw grunt of that 750 motor stands out like a Michael Cera at a black lives matter protest. I have sat and thought long and hard of how to truly explain what the power-band and torque feels like when riding a CB750 for the first time, this is the best I could do. Keep in mind I weight about 145 pounds.
1st gear: Rev it up, let the clutch out, and you're rolling. Congrats, you're riding a 1970's machine. Will it crumble beneath my legs and kill me? Who knows! Lets see. Continue to twist the throttle to find that the engines is making more noise and your not really going anywhere......
2nd gear: Shift and oh gosh, is this the same machine? By the middle-top of 2nd you're holding on for dear life and doing 55 mph accelerating faster than democrats can make anti-Trump propaganda.
3rd gear: Oh thats 65. 2 more gears to go. Hope this thing holds together.
4th gear: Gets you to 5th gear in a boring fashion. It's like watching movie trailers; you sit there with interest knowing at the end of them will be a movie you paid to see, but for some reason you hope something good will show.
5th gear: Letting off throttle at 100. Poops in pants, cries a little, swears never to do it again. (does it again an hour later)
Too sum up this machines gearing and torque, 1st is useless and I usually short shift it. 2nd and 3rd do the bulk accelerating while 4th and 5th are top gears for highways and back country roads. The sounds of the 4 into 1 exhaust is something out of an old formula 3 race. The inline 4 is something sounding like the old formula 1 engines of the 60's and 70's. It doesn't gurgle like Harley twins or Detroit iron, it screams like a Ferrari V12. If you want the real experience, just remove the silencer, it's pure bliss. What it comes down to with the Honda CB750, it's engineering has stood the test of time and it has earned its reputation as the icon of the motorcycle world. The inline 4 engine is still used on most high end sports bikes and with out the 750 leading the way it's hard to wonder where motorcycling would be. All we know is, the CB750 will always be one of the most influential motorcycle engines in history.
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