Would you go back to an old 750?

[PowerDubs_imp]

I owned a '76 CB1100, but my favorite bike period of my life was when I was in the Army and had a '82 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD.

Many years later after I got out, and met my wife- I found another LTD exactly like mine on Craig's list- my wife drove me there to check it out in case I wanted to ride it home.

I looked it over- then rode it down the street and back- told the guy thanks I would think about it- and got back in the car. It just felt bad. I couldn't put a finger on exactly what- and maybe it was a little bit of everything. It just wasn't the same.

That's why I got my CB1100. Old look, modernish feel. So no- just like an old muscle car- best left to look at.

[Tom_imp]

I owned a '76 CB1100, but my favorite bike period of my life was when I was in the Army and had a '82 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD.

Many years later after I got out, and met my wife- I found another LTD exactly like mine on Craig's list- my wife drove me there to check it out in case I wanted to ride it home.

I looked it over- then rode it down the street and back- told the guy thanks I would think about it- and got back in the car. It just felt bad. I couldn't put a finger on exactly what- and maybe it was a little bit of everything. It just wasn't the same.

That's why I got my CB1100. Old look, modernish feel. So no- just like an old muscle car- best left to look at.

I feel the same way. I really want to love riding them but progress has improved bikes too much to ignore

[1973cb750]

id ride any Honda inline 4 and any Kawasaki inline 4 regardless of year and type weather its a cb350 four or a kx or csr1000 ill ride any i do love the sohc 750 four though

[cooldrum_imp]

I enjoyed the 750 thread. My 1st bike was a 1980 CB750F. I loved it. I am also currently shopping for a bike as my beloved CB1100 was totaled. A guy near me has 1979 CB750F with only 3,500 miles on it. He's done a beautiful job putting back on the road. I took it for a spin around the neighborhood and I just didn't love it compared with our modern bikes. I definitely don't want a project and don't want a choke either. That being said, the bike is sweet. I'd like to try it out on the highway before really dismissing it. I took an 82 CB900F for spin a year or so ago. The old bikes just aren't as tight, if that makes sense, as the newer ones. They also have to warm up. I just want to ride.

Hi Tom, Each time I go to the garage, I do go back to my old CB750 K4 that sits next to the CB1100 (2013 model). There's over 40 years of technology between the bikes and they are both rewarding to ride. The 750 has carbs, points and condensers and you do need to warm it up. After that it's just linear power all the way to redline like the CB. If you've bought a new bike, any make during the last decade. You really can't compare to bikes 40 or 50 years ago. There's been that much progress and the CB750 led the way for all companies to step up and make the current bikes we enjoy today. The old bikes demand your attention when riding especially when it comes to brakes. You need to plan ahead and it requires more effort. If you want to just ride and not wrench, then you have many choices out there. Just sharing my perspective here. The old and new CB's are great motors, probably the last of the "air cooled" bikes for the street we'll see from Honda. Enjoy the road whatever you ride. Cheers!

[Tom_imp]

I enjoyed the 750 thread. My 1st bike was a 1980 CB750F. I loved it. I am also currently shopping for a bike as my beloved CB1100 was totaled. A guy near me has 1979 CB750F with only 3,500 miles on it. He's done a beautiful job putting back on the road. I took it for a spin around the neighborhood and I just didn't love it compared with our modern bikes. I definitely don't want a project and don't want a choke either. That being said, the bike is sweet. I'd like to try it out on the highway before really dismissing it. I took an 82 CB900F for spin a year or so ago. The old bikes just aren't as tight, if that makes sense, as the newer ones. They also have to warm up. I just want to ride.

Hi Tom, Each time I go to the garage, I do go back to my old CB750 K4 that sits next to the CB1100 (2013 model). There's over 40 years of technology between the bikes and they are both rewarding to ride. The 750 has carbs, points and condensers and you do need to warm it up. After that it's just linear power all the way to redline like the CB. If you've bought a new bike, any make during the last decade. You really can't compare to bikes 40 or 50 years ago. There's been that much progress and the CB750 led the way for all companies to step up and make the current bikes we enjoy today. The old bikes demand your attention when riding especially when it comes to brakes. You need to plan ahead and it requires more effort. If you want to just ride and not wrench, then you have many choices out there. Just sharing my perspective here. The old and new CB's are great motors, probably the last of the "air cooled" bikes for the street we'll see from Honda. Enjoy the road whatever you ride. Cheers!

Hi Tom, Each time I go to the garage, I do go back to my old CB750 K4 that sits next to the CB1100 (2013 model). There's over 40 years of technology between the bikes and they are both rewarding to ride. The 750 has carbs, points and condensers and you do need to warm it up. After that it's just linear power all the way to redline like the CB. If you've bought a new bike, any make during the last decade. You really can't compare to bikes 40 or 50 years ago. There's been that much progress and the CB750 led the way for all companies to step up and make the current bikes we enjoy today. The old bikes demand your attention when riding especially when it comes to brakes. You need to plan ahead and it requires more effort. If you want to just ride and not wrench, then you have many choices out there. Just sharing my perspective here. The old and new CB's are great motors, probably the last of the "air cooled" bikes for the street we'll see from Honda. Enjoy the road whatever you ride. Cheers! Here here. One of the fun things about he old 750s is that they're faster than my 2013 CB1100. At least mine was. I may or may not need that feature anymore.

[LongRanger_imp]

I owned two — a ‘70 CB750K0 and a ‘78 CB750F2. No way are they comparable to today’s bikes. Braking, suspension, handling, safety are all deficient compared to today’s bikes.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Yea- but simply a social constraint, not a physical one.


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[tommymck]

Well, sure... If one is concerned with top speed, a vintage bike isn't likely to measure up either because it won't get there, or because you'd be insane if you took it there. But for zippy riding on backroads or as a pleasant daily commuter, a CB750 can be a fun and reliable ride. I don't find that it needs warming up any more than any other bike, and very little concessions need to be made for its age.

[GoldOxide_imp]

... I have done this, but gingerly pushing the bar on a vintage bike (and cage).

Ultimately the driver is responsible for safe control of the machine. So hopefully commonsense prevails as the rider discovers the safe-abilities of an older bike, using pre-ride checks.

It would be a drag to blindly hop on a vintage ride that had a not-so-obvious broken frame weld and proceed to do the ton. I reckon we would all try to sort out the risks before a spirited ride.

[tommymck]

You guys must be more he-man than me. The CB750 will do highway speeds of 80 to 85 comfortably all day. Any bike over 100 mph on a public roadway is a bit crazy according to the risk profile that I like to maintain, but doing wide open throttle in 5th gear on a 50 year old suspension with the brake setup as it is doesn't leave much of a margin of error when emergency input is required.... and the odds of emergency input being required at 110 vs 85 is significantly more than the corresponding percentage increase in velocity. That's why I consider it insane, but that's me.

If I'm going to the track, give me an S1000RR (or something equivalent) along with a full on racing suit and of course a vintage bike isn't going to be optimum for that. But if a CB750 K2 with a top speed of around 115 leaves you wanting on public roadways in terms of maximum speed, I'd like to know what roadways you are on so that I can avoid them