02-13-2014, 11:29 PM
The following is from Motorcyclist magazine, some of us got to hear
Bob tell this story in person at the AMA's Vintage Motorcycle Days in
2009:
In 1967, Bob Hansen was American Honda's national service manager. He
recalls the first time he heard about the CB750 while on a trip to the
home office in Japan to discuss products for the American market.
The CB750, which was just chosen as “The Motorcycle of the Century” by
Motorcyclist Magazine, was known around Honda as “Project 300”. Hansen
was taking a tour of the research and development department where he
was going to meet Soichiro Honda for lunch.
There was one section of the facility that was closed off to his
group. When Hansen inquired about the forbidden area, the guide told
him, “I can’t take you over there. We’re testing a new engine for a
big motorcycle.”
Hansen was intrigued. He guessed that Honda was adapting the 598 cc
twin-cylinder engine from the N600 automobile for use in a motorcycle.
That made sense since it was then the largest engine Honda built.
While seated to the right of Mr. Honda at lunch, Honda leaned over and
said, “Mr. Hansen, we are hard at work on a new motorcycle, a big
motorcycle, the King of Motorcycles.”
Hansen said, “Great—I just hope it’s not a twin!”
This went through the translator, then Mr. Honda looked worried. ‘Why
would you say that?’
Hansen explained that twins were seen as outdated and even the Triumph
was currently working on a triple. Hansen recommended a four-cylinder.
“We have experience racing four-cylinders,” Mr. Honda said.
Hansen replied, “Exactly.”
Hanging on Hansen's wall today is a framed letter from Honda. It
reads: Because it was your idea to Mr. Honda to build the four
cylinder CB750, we are sending you the very first pictures of the
production version.
In the fall of 1968, three CB750s were sent to the Nevada desert for
testing along with a van full of tools and Japanese engineers. Hansen
hand-picked two of his staff, Bob Jameson and Bob Young, to
participate in the testing.
The team ran from Boulder city to Searchlight 50 miles each way for
nearly 5000 miles in 5 days. Their only directive was to never leave
the red zone on the tach. They tried to see what would break first on
the new motorcycles.
Nothing broke.
Jameson was blown away. “It was a total breakthrough in motorcycling.
At that time I’d ridden just about everything. These first CB750s were
like going straight from the Stone Age into the Computer Age. And they
were so fast!”
Bob died in his sleep last night. He was 93.
Sorry took me a while to find it online. Read the original article on it years ago. ...and it appears it was in Nevada and not California.
the Honda S600 sports car btw was chain driven, not sure about the N600 would have to do some research.
Bob tell this story in person at the AMA's Vintage Motorcycle Days in
2009:
In 1967, Bob Hansen was American Honda's national service manager. He
recalls the first time he heard about the CB750 while on a trip to the
home office in Japan to discuss products for the American market.
The CB750, which was just chosen as “The Motorcycle of the Century” by
Motorcyclist Magazine, was known around Honda as “Project 300”. Hansen
was taking a tour of the research and development department where he
was going to meet Soichiro Honda for lunch.
There was one section of the facility that was closed off to his
group. When Hansen inquired about the forbidden area, the guide told
him, “I can’t take you over there. We’re testing a new engine for a
big motorcycle.”
Hansen was intrigued. He guessed that Honda was adapting the 598 cc
twin-cylinder engine from the N600 automobile for use in a motorcycle.
That made sense since it was then the largest engine Honda built.
While seated to the right of Mr. Honda at lunch, Honda leaned over and
said, “Mr. Hansen, we are hard at work on a new motorcycle, a big
motorcycle, the King of Motorcycles.”
Hansen said, “Great—I just hope it’s not a twin!”
This went through the translator, then Mr. Honda looked worried. ‘Why
would you say that?’
Hansen explained that twins were seen as outdated and even the Triumph
was currently working on a triple. Hansen recommended a four-cylinder.
“We have experience racing four-cylinders,” Mr. Honda said.
Hansen replied, “Exactly.”
Hanging on Hansen's wall today is a framed letter from Honda. It
reads: Because it was your idea to Mr. Honda to build the four
cylinder CB750, we are sending you the very first pictures of the
production version.
In the fall of 1968, three CB750s were sent to the Nevada desert for
testing along with a van full of tools and Japanese engineers. Hansen
hand-picked two of his staff, Bob Jameson and Bob Young, to
participate in the testing.
The team ran from Boulder city to Searchlight 50 miles each way for
nearly 5000 miles in 5 days. Their only directive was to never leave
the red zone on the tach. They tried to see what would break first on
the new motorcycles.
Nothing broke.
Jameson was blown away. “It was a total breakthrough in motorcycling.
At that time I’d ridden just about everything. These first CB750s were
like going straight from the Stone Age into the Computer Age. And they
were so fast!”
Bob died in his sleep last night. He was 93.
Sorry took me a while to find it online. Read the original article on it years ago. ...and it appears it was in Nevada and not California.
the Honda S600 sports car btw was chain driven, not sure about the N600 would have to do some research.