10 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Honda CB750

Up until the late '60s, if you wanted some serious go to match the show on a motorcycle, your choices were more-or-less restricted to British manufacturers. For the time, they were good, no doubt, with single- and twin-cylinder engines dominating the segment, but no external competition was at play.

UPDATE: 2024/03/10 16:15 EST BY RAUNAK AJINKYA

The Honda CB750 stands as one of the most significant motorcycles ever. There are a lot of reasons for that significance. Given that, we have updated this list to include a few more highlights of the iconic Honda CB750.

This changed in 1969 when Honda entered the fray with its CB750. Remember that this was a breath of fresh air for the time, thanks to being the first production motorcycle featuring an inline 4-cylinder engine, disc brakes, and some age-defying styling. With hindsight, it's easy to decipher the impact the world's first 'superbike' has had, but it's fair to say that Honda probably didn't realize what an icon it had created in the late '60s and early '70s.

All the information in this piece has been sourced from Honda's official releases. For missing information, other reliable sources across the internet have been referenced.

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12 Greatest Motorcycle Ever, Or Not?

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When a motorcycle is regarded by some as the greatest motorcycle ever, then it deserves a detailed look. This 'superbike' was a game-changer. It took on the competition with its quality and performance, featuring electric start and disc brakes.

When it was showcased at the 1968 Tokyo Motor Show, the motorcycle world sat up—no more so than Kawasaki, which had its own 750cc in the works. The Honda CB750 took on the competition, and in Japan, it became known as 'Nanahan', or a 750cc motorcycle.

11 Facing The Competition

Price When New: $1,495

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The creators of the Honda CB750 were intent on entering the American market, where, in the '60s, a lot of attention was being focused on the industry. Honda first cracked the U.S. market in 1959 with the Honda Super Cub C100, one of the first models sold there.

It was now snapping at the heels of the British market and causing a fatal bite that would see the Japanese motorcycle industry only get stronger. Its price alone was hurting the competition. It was affordable and reliable.

10 A Great Backstory

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Honda experienced success with its motorcycles throughout the late '60s. But Soichiro Honda, the company's founder, saw an opportunity to enter the American market. Soichiro then decided to develop a bigger bike to take on the competition. A chance observation of a police officer riding a Triumph in Europe helped shape this vision.

Of course, the other side of the story must include the influence of American Honda's Bob Hansen, who met with Soichiro in Japan, and a senior engineer named Yoshiro Harada.

9 Honda CB750 Inline-4 Engine & Performance

Maximum Power & Torque: 67 hp & 44 lb-ft

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When it came out, this was an air-cooled, transverse, SOHC four-cylinder motorcycle paired with a five-speed gearbox. The front disc brake and electric start were pioneering features in the motorcycle world.

Like all things, the CB750 evolved. By 1979, it featured a newer dual overhead cam engine to keep up with Kawasaki and Yamaha. But it was losing some of its edge compared to the glory days of the earlier models.

1970 Honda CB750 Engine Specs

Displacement	736cc
Engine Type	4-stroke, Inline 4-cylinder, SOHC
Power	67 hp
Torque	44 lb-ft
Cooling	Air-cooled
Compression Ratio	9.0:1
BorexStroke	61x63mm

(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)

8 Harada Delivers A Design Achievement

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It was called the 'Universal Japanese Motorcycle'. Yoshiro Harada, who designed the CB450 Twin, needs to be mentioned for its design. Harada was intent on beating the competition and creating a 'superbike'.

Some of Harada's design goals reflected his ambition for the bike, including comfortable ergonomics, reduced vibration and noise, a four-cylinder engine, and a reflection of Honda's Grand Prix racing, to name a few. And he delivered! The bike's aggressive styling makes this one mean superbike with reliability and speed to match.

7 The CB750's Equipment Levels

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It's worthwhile noting that the Honda CB750 is a product of several decades past, and motorcycles back then had nowhere near the kind of equipment that we're used to seeing on today's machines.

All that said, the CB750 was equipped with basic clocks that gave you the speed, revs, and odometer but no fuel gauge. These aren't exactly the best quality, but they were fitting for the time. Aside from that, the only other notable inclusions were a grabrail and a center stand.

6 Performance Of A Superbike

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When it was first introduced, the Honda CB750 was touted as having top speeds of 120 mph and delivering 67 horsepower and 44 ft-lbs of torque. However, the CB750 also offers comfort with its impressive performance.

With its nice riding position, the brakes that were praised even back in the day, a nod to the genius of Harada, and its great handling, it is no wonder the CB750 is still much loved. Reliability cannot be understated. However, its performance is underscored against the background of Honda's racing pedigree.

1970 Honda CB750 Performance Specs

Top Speed	123.2 mph
Standing 1/4 mile	13.5 seconds/100.9 mph
Braking Distance (60-0 mph)	41 meters
Braking Distance (30-0 mph)	10 meters

(Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs)

5 Racing Pedigree

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Honda's racing legacy in the '60s cannot be understated. The arrival of the Honda CB750 was set against such a background, with even Harada highlighting Honda's past racing achievements in his quest to create this 'Superbike'.

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Fast-forward to the 1970 Daytona 200 with the awesome Dick 'Bugsy' Mann, whose racing legend shone bright with 24 wins. Riding a CB750, Bugsy took home the victory.

4 The Evolution Of The Honda CB750

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The Honda CB750 evolved over time. The K1 took on cosmetic changes with a different palette of colors. The K2 was sporting different color options and modified rear shocks, among other minor changes. 1973 saw the side reflectors and taillight enlarged from earlier models.

The K5 came with two color options, Flake Apricot Red and Planet Blue Metallic, not forgetting the enlarged indicators. Smaller changes were made, such as to the speedometer. By '78, "750 Four" was added on the side, along with upgrades to the seat, among other changes. 1979 saw the introduction of the "10th Anniversary CB750K" edition.

3 Special Editions

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We first saw the Nighthawk CB 750SC in the early '80s, flaunting either the Cosmo Black Metallic or the Candy Flair Blue exterior. By 1983, there were different colors to choose from. The Nighthawk 750 boasted the DOHC four-cylinder engine.

Honda never stopped there. In fact, in 2007, a new CB750 arrived, trying to recapture the past glory days. And let's admit. Looking back at the history of this 'Superbike', it would always be a challenge to out-rival the legend of the past.