1972 Honda CB750
Summary:
More fun than a greasy piglet
Faults:
All sorts of things used to fall off, stop working etc. but you get used to it after a couple of years. It only ever had to pushed home once or twice over 15 years, not too bad.
It seized a rear wheel bearing, in fact ripped it to pieces, but I managed to keep riding for a couple more weeks assuming it was the (very old chopper) back tyre giving up the ghost.
The electrics got beyond repair eventually and had it rewired.
General Comments:
More fun than just about any other bike I'd ever owned, it was at various times a stocker, chopper, cafe racer and various things in-between.
It'd run on supermarket car oil and no maintenance from year to year with no complaint, almost bulletproof, though the gearboxes were a touch fragile after all those "racing changes"
The engine had an 812cc kit with 1/2 race camgrind (taken from Honda Australia race specs) and a jet kit with an open megaphone Walker Indy race exhaust. It sounded awesome and revved like a 2 stroke, you could hold it just off the power band at 60mph, gas it and hold on. From educated guess work and comparisons with other bikes, it probably made an honest 65-70BHP.
Would I have another one? Yes, in a heartbeat, the only problem is I've got a Vmax now and if I get another bike, it'll be another one of them.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 25th April, 2010