1976 Honda CB750 Super Sport

[ChipBeck_imp]

To me it's such a shame to see all that ballast on a supersport.
It's a sportbike from the day and they aren't supposed to be laden with heavy unsightly touring junk.

It's just my own sense of what the bike should be but god, tell your buddy to take all that cheap crap off the bike and give it some respect.

So.....you don't like it like that???

Chip

[Scoobynut_imp]

To me it's such a shame to see all that ballast on a supersport.
It's a sportbike from the day and they aren't supposed to be laden with heavy unsightly touring junk.

It's just my own sense of what the bike should be but god, tell your buddy to take all that cheap crap off the bike and give it some respect.

Flyn, you have to keep in mind that for most of its life, my friend actually used the bike for touring, not too unlike someone adding hardbags and windshield to a new CB1100 -- not to mention, other than the windshield, the 'touring junk' is period correct, not much different than what a lot of people did to their Super Sports back in the day.

Myself, yes, I would get rid of the rack/backrest, and after riding the bike, I told him the windshield was doing more harm than good from a function standpoint -- it flips the wind right smack into your chops with the added bonus that it creates a lot of helmet rattling.

It could be worse; at one point this same bike had a Windjammer fairing and those cheap little hard cases on it! In the end it's his bike and I guess he will own it as he sees fit.

[Flynbulldog_imp]

To me it's such a shame to see all that ballast on a supersport.
It's a sportbike from the day and they aren't supposed to be laden with heavy unsightly touring junk.

It's just my own sense of what the bike should be but god, tell your buddy to take all that cheap crap off the bike and give it some respect.

Flyn, you have to keep in mind that for most of its life, my friend actually used the bike for touring, not too unlike someone adding hardbags and windshield to a new CB1100 -- not to mention, other than the windshield, the 'touring junk' is period correct, not much different than what a lot of people did to their Super Sports back in the day.

Myself, yes, I would get rid of the rack/backrest, and after riding the bike, I told him the windshield was doing more harm than good from a function standpoint -- it flips the wind right smack into your chops with the added bonus that it creates a lot of helmet rattling.

It could be worse; at one point this same bike had a Windjammer fairing and those cheap little hard cases on it! In the end it's his bike and I guess he will own it as he sees fit.

Flyn, you have to keep in mind that for most of its life, my friend actually used the bike for touring, not too unlike someone adding hardbags and windshield to a new CB1100 -- not to mention, other than the windshield, the 'touring junk' is period correct, not much different than what a lot of people did to their Super Sports back in the day.

Myself, yes, I would get rid of the rack/backrest, and after riding the bike, I told him the windshield was doing more harm than good from a function standpoint -- it flips the wind right smack into your chops with the added bonus that it creates a lot of helmet rattling.

It could be worse; at one point this same bike had a Windjammer fairing and those cheap little hard cases on it! In the end it's his bike and I guess he will own it as he sees fit.
oh yeah, I complete agree with you, and man it seems like most people did and still do what your buddy is doing.
But to me it signifies that the owner is completely missing the point.
In it's day that SS was a performance bike, to turn it into a commuter/tourer hurts my head and my sensibility.
It just seems ignorant to me. (not to be derogatory just meaning lacking understanding)

Although I won't be adding bags, racks, or a windshield to my CB I do understand it a little better on the current bike. It is not the sport machine that the CB750 supersport was when it was introduced.

[Scoobynut_imp]

He told me that when he bought the SS, he had considered the regular, four muffler bike, but he went for the SS as the performance was upgraded over the regular bike. I get what you're saying about him missing the point, but he is a kind of a time warp himself. I'm not sure he would even understand the point. He would probably just tell you that 'it is what it is.' You have to keep in mind that 'performance bike' was a relative term back then, and that even a bike like the Super Sport, based as it was on the regular CB750, was still plenty versatile enough to tour on, and that's exactly what he did.

But I agree, now that the bike has reached classic status and he doesn't tour on it any more, it would be better to return it to stock state. But I'm not going to harp on it to him, he'll either decide to do it on his own or he won't. It's really of little consquence to me in the end.

[DAC]

To me it's such a shame to see all that ballast on a supersport.
It's a sportbike from the day and they aren't supposed to be laden with heavy unsightly touring junk.

It's just my own sense of what the bike should be but god, tell your buddy to take all that cheap crap off the bike and give it some respect.

To me this seems arrogant (not to be derogatory, just meaning telling an experienced motorcyclist what to do with a bike he has owned and ridden for almost 40 years.)

[Scoobynut_imp]

To me it's such a shame to see all that ballast on a supersport.
It's a sportbike from the day and they aren't supposed to be laden with heavy unsightly touring junk.

It's just my own sense of what the bike should be but god, tell your buddy to take all that cheap crap off the bike and give it some respect.

To me this seems arrogant (not to be derogatory, just meaning telling an experienced motorcyclist what to do with a bike he has owned and ridden for almost 40 years.)

To me this seems arrogant (not to be derogatory, just meaning telling an experienced motorcyclist what to do with a bike he has owned and ridden for almost 40 years.)
Agreed. I guess if someone feels the 'crap' disrespects the bike, telling the owner about the 'crap' on their bike would be an even worse act of disrespect -- to an actual person. The bike is an inanimate object and has no idea it's being 'disrespected' because it has a few minor bolt-on accessories. Indeed, the 'crap' is all bolt-on and easily removed. It's not like he turned it into a bobber or chopper or some similar thing. He has maintained the bike to a very high level for nearly forty years now and that, I think, is the ultimate mark of respect for any machine. The minor bolt-on accessories are a frivolous point in my view, no offense intended, flynbulldog. I have no idea why I would insult a friend like that if he is perfectly happy with the bike as it sits.

I understand you were only stating your own view on it, but really, some things are better left unsaid; I would never tell him what to do with his bike as you suggest.

[Flynbulldog_imp]

understand and agreed

and yes DAC I do tend to be a little arrogant when it comes to bikes. I'm not trying to defend it, it's probably not a good thing, it's just one of my flaws.

[furious_blue_imp]

I remember seeing plenty of 750 SS that were outfitted for distance back then. Doesn't seem out of place to me. As far as personal taste goes, the thing that I saw back then that I wouldn't have done was to 'cafe' the bike out. . ugly stick city.. but they're free to do what they want, it's their bike (and I sure wasn't ever going to buy it :-) ).

[Scoobynut_imp]

understand and agreed

and yes DAC I do tend to be a little arrogant when it comes to bikes. I'm not trying to defend it, it's probably not a good thing, it's just one of my flaws.

It's all good, Flyn; since you acknowledge this flaw, we'll just say you're a wee bit opinionated. Nothing wrong with that. Like you, I'm more of a purist when it comes to the classics, but I don't get too worked up if people stray a little from stock. Cutting and hacking a perfectly good classic is a whole 'nother matter, though...

[Inline4_imp]

Scoobynut, I'm envious that you also have a '76 CB750 to give the 11 some "vintage company."
Back in the day, my first brand new bike purchase was a '75 CB750SS in blue.
The only thing I did to it was install a set of CB400SS handlebars and a slip-on canister (don't remember the brand) and once the original tires were worn out I installed a new set of Dunlops........state of the art street tires in that era.
There will always be a soft spot in my heart for those 750s, not just because it was the first new bike I bought, but because I loved modding it to my tastes. I hope to find a restored one someday.
Great pics man.