1976 Honda CB750F1 Super Sport
It was Soichiro Honda who first gave the world the modern multi for the masses when in 1969 the incredible (at the time) 750 four-cylinder CB750 upstaged the opposition.
It was a pretty neat trick! Only a couple of months earlier had Kawasaki crushed the opposition with the sheer raw guts of its 500 two-stroke triple, the Mach III. Norton Commandos still ruled the superbike roost and guys like Gary Nixon were the toughest riders in the US dirt miles using the first runs of the BSA Rocket triple. Tridents had just landed, so had the Sportster Harley XLCH, and the film “Little Fauss and Big Halsy” was Hollywood’s idea of the first real motorcycle movie since “The Wild One.”
And the Honda encapsuled it all. It was exotic, extravagant and fiery and in retrospect grossly over-praised by many who rode it.
“It is nearly impossible to ground the 750,” we read. Did you see the pictures of Craig Brown’s 750 after the Castrol Six Hour in ’71? Another gem: “Nothing has been overlooked in making the Four.” Close maybe, but not quite there. Probably the realisation that low-cost oil leak-free, multi-cylinder power had finally arrived made people too concerned with the engine and prepared to overlook some of the deficiencies in the overall package. Besides, it was so far ahead of anything else it awed the motorcycle world.
Ah, 1969 seems a long time ago, but the promise of the 750 being a great machine became reality. Never the fastest, or the biggest, or whatever, the 750 lived to become one of the most appealing machines of all time. More than 300,000 have been sold.
During this period the K-series model remained conservative, shed some speed and acceleration and became a basic touring machine in stock trim. Until recently it remained the banner-waving bike of the world’s biggest motorcycle producer, and only now with the gargantuan Gold Wing GL1000 heading the line-up can the 750 assume its rightful nature, its all round sport character. Only now can it exhibit the flair that a well-built, reliable and powerful multi offers.
Since those early days Soichiro-san has retired, replaced by the equally energetic Kihachiro Kawashima who has been with Honda for 26 years. The traditionally conservative heritage of Honda remains, but the safe and nice models are no longer the only models on showroom floors. Alongside them is the new range of sports models, in which the 750 Four is outstanding!
It has run almost full circle since its birth in ’69. Then it could cut out a quarter mile in under 13.5 seconds at around the ton, and top out near 190 km/h. But the follow-ups cast the Honda 750 in a touring mould, where speed and acceleration dropped and weight went up.
The latest 750 is still heavier than the earlier models (226 kg against 217 kg) but acceleration is better than ever. The Super Sport 750 F1 will run the 400 metres standing start at 13.1 and better than the ton, although the top speed is still not as high as the early model. For all that, pollution controls, extra muffling and more subtle manners combined with smoothness are things which set the latest 750 at the top of its class.
Behind the idea of the latest 750 is that if you want a tourer then the GL1000 is the go. Or if you have to have the 750 K Series then you can wait until the automatic version is released. But for all-round riding and some play-racing the 750 Super Sports is the answer.
It looks good and the cafe racer influence extends further than the styling! Honda’s engineers have made significant changes that alter the bike’s character completely. The most important are in the steering geometry and the frame, which contribute to a far more stable bike and one that handles better than any previous 750.
The big Honda already has a reputation for being steady and predictable. The new Super Sport does not join the elite ranks in the handling but it does join a very select group of machines that are absolutely stable at high speed except for what we could term “severe” circumstances.
It is very similar to the Norton 850 (sitting in the garage at home) which is a superb tracking machine. Once committed to a line the Honda runs that line without wavering and can be placed to kiss the edge of the highway with the confidence that it will not run off. But where the Norton takes a fair amount of body action to get it moved off the selected line, the Honda will react a little quicker at being disturbed. That doesn’t sound like the performance of earlier 750s and the improvement is due to the extra wheelbase and increased rake and trail.
And at high speed there is no hint of wheel oscillation and no shaking of the handlebars or similar imbalances that affect the Nortons and the big Kawasakis. With some enormous loads on the Honda we tried to get a tank slapper from it but there was no way the front end would offer any reaction, even on disturbed surfaces with undulations.
A lot of single disc machines exhibit funny habits when the brake is applied hard whilst half way round a corner. The Honda pulled in slightly when the brake was applied on left handers (the disc is on the left fork leg slider) but this natural torque effect is only noticed because the front end is precise and steady on all other occasions.
Apart from geometry changes the frame design remains the same. The longer wheelbase is one of the best moves made. Only on tight mountain switchback turns is the rider aware of the sheer size and bulk of the machine. On such tight roads the 750 has to be heeled over a long way for the slow corners and the 550 definitely puts it on the 750 in such going.
Overall, the new 750 is the most pleasant Honda multi to ride. In addition it is the best 750 to look at. Gone are the four individual exhaust pipes, the slightly humped fuel tank and the matching sidecovers.
And gone is the drum rear brake. The new 750 Sports has a 298 mm diameter disc at the rear. The twin piston double-acting caliper fits over the top part of the disc, just behind the rear unit and safe from harm in a spill. The use of the better caliper on the rear is puzzling. For starters the rear can be locked up easily in the wet. Under harsh braking in the dry the rear gets a dose of the chatters and tends to set the back wheel off to one side, requiring a lessening of the braking effort to straighten things out. We suspect the rear units could be responsible for the habit.
The front disc still has the spongy feel associated with the 750s since their inception and gone are the days when Honda could say its 750 brakes gave the best stopping of any street motorcycle. It’s still safe and sure and predictable though, and does an acceptable job of stopping the 750 in a hurry. A shade under 41 metres was the best stop in the test but the average was 43 metres – well above what we have done with twin disc machines (or, I hate to say it, with an 850 Norton).
The Honda sports styling would also have benefited from the addition of the twin discs at the front. However, the marketing reality is probably that Honda did not want to overdo things all at once so there would be something to add next year.
The styling alone marks change in the Honda 750 image. The contoured low profile tank with its integrated seat and rear cowling, reminiscent of the Kwakas, looks smooth and smart. The additional gimmickry that Honda can’t seem to resist includes a flush-locking fuel tank filler with an automotive type twist cap underneath. This is chained to the tank and will eventually mark the paintwork when it is left loose at fuel fills.
The seat and rear cowl combination flips up to reveal the standard Japanese electrics, battery, toolkit and neat wiring looms, plus a small, hinged compartment for storing rain gear, lunch, maps or whatever you fancy. Sidecovers are matt black with the “750 Four” logo.
But the main difference between the 750 K series and the Super Sport is the exhaust system. Successfully used on the 400 and 550, the four-into-one unit for the 750 is slightly more bulky around the collector where the four double sleeved pipes meet (yes, that’s why Honda pipes never blue -because they are thicker than they appear to be). The long, fairly bulky exhaust is also larger than the one used on the two smaller fours.
It works without fault! The system looks the best of the three models because of the straighter line of the four header pipes instead of the funny twists used on the 550. The overall appearance of the big 750 is long, sleek, mean and effective. One thing spoils it though. The high, American-style cowboy handlebars, which are far more of a nuisance than anything else on the bike. Low, flat or semi-flat bars would help get rid of the top heavy appearance around the headlight/instrument console region and finish off the sports-cafe influence which Honda is trying to create.
The bars still have the waffle grips and the clutch lever cannot be moved around to suit a rider’s preference due to the indent pin in the control switches. The wiring is still inside the handlebars, something which should be discontinued by all manufacturers. The brake lever and assembly can be twisted around on the bars (not too far because this also tilts the hydraulic fluid reservoir) but Honda has no adjustment for the brake lever itself to suit varying hand sizes. Nor is the throttle control fitted with a friction lock to help on long runs where the pull of the return spring is distracting, tiring and annoying.
A lot of Japanese machines have these inadequacies and although owners can sort it all out at home they should not be expected to.
And the last bitch on the controls. The left hand switch assembly has an up-down rounded switch for the high and low beam. This is on the inner side of the assembly across the horn and Allen head clamp screw and is very small. It is not easy to find or operate, especially with large heavy duty winter gloves or mittens on. And the up-down movement is not as simple or easy as a left-right movement. If the manufacturers had a look at where a riders thumb is positioned when riding they might find that under the assembly is ergonomically the most effective place for the dip switch. A simple left-right movement of a larger shark-fin type toggle switch under the assembly (which I have set up on the Norton 850 for the Marchal driving light) is faster and easier to use than anything else found on any production bike.
The practical and sound design of these basic controls should be of concern to manufacturers and to riders and it’s disappointing that Honda, the largest manufacturer of them all, can find time to give us silly little gimmicks like the flush fuel caps rather than more important aspects such as better controls and rear units.
We don’t think that sort of criticism too severe when you consider how long the 750 has been around. It is a favourite machine of thousands of riders. I have owned two and the 750SS appeals to most people who have ridden it. The 6000 kilometres we rode the machine were pleasant and fun, but in many ways the bike is as awkward as it was in those euphoric days of 1969.
The ground clearance has not improved greatly. On right hand turns the collector grounds at an ominously early stage. Experienced riders such as Ken Blake and ex-AMA editor Colin Murray practised some eye-catching drifts using the pipe. This is unforgiveable design on a cafe styled machine. A flat collector is obviously the answer. Clearance on the left hand side is really good. When we returned the bike to Bennett Honda and they noticed the gear lever had been worn they asked what had happened.
The answer is simply that the altered frame is so good that now, even with the Japanese tyres (Dunlop K87s, quite acceptable) the 750 can be ridden exceptionally hard on left handers. It is characteristics like this which get you with the 750. The potential is there, the character change is for real, but has anything really changed dramatically from the very beginning?
The 750 had the most outrageously optimistic speedo and tacho we’ve found on a Japanese bike. If you set out to correct it you’ll notice the instruments are sealed and cannot be fixed. New ones cost. Scream at the dealer if yours are dud or try this trick that sometimes works: Drill a very small hole in the base of the speedo or tacho, near the lower part of the cable insert hole. Then, using a fine sewing machine oil, add a a·few drops to the instrument. Works sometimes, other times no.
The changed image of the 750 results also in a change of gearing. The countershaft sprocket is now 17 tooth, which gives the Honda the added urge. It also means extra revs at cruising speeds, additional vibration around the 5000 rpm mark and far better pull for passing between 120 and 150 km/h. Touring-oriented owners will find the change back to an 18 tooth benefits comfort, fuel consumption and possibly top cruising speed.
Changes to the bike are not limited to the externals. The engine has higher-domed pistons offering a marginal increase in compression, and the valve timing has been altered to suit the new collector exhaust system. It works! The bike puts out a couple of kilowatts more and, with the lower overall gearing, definitely puts it on the city scene.
Monos on the big 750 are quite simple but the clutch may not like such abuse. The test machine had a clutch which in many ways is representative of the Honda clutch for years – one that works but always leaves the owner with the feeling it is soft and suspect, because of the very light pull and very small take-up movement.
However it did not slip or malfunction during the 6000 km test.
The engine ran smoothly, had the best carburation of any four we have struck for a couple of years, and the bike did not leak a drop of oil. The power and the stability of the 750 made it an easy bike to ride hard for long periods and the seat/handlebar/footpeg relationship was the best yet, despite the cowboy bars, too.
The footpegs may be a little too far forward as three riders found the best way (with the high bars) for fast cruising was to sit forward with the feet on the pillion pegs. Relaxed.
Fuel consumption on the Super Sport ranged from around 14.2 km/l (40 mpg) to 9.9 km/l (28 mpg) on the faster trips and a larger fuel tank is a must for Australia. The 750 did require regular chain adjustments at distances ranging from 250 to 400 km.
There is little that an owner can do to save the chains on big machines. Chain oilers have fallen from fashion with Japanese manufacturers and in our experience they do little more than spread a fine mist over the rear of the machine, the riders jacket, or worse, the chick on the back. What may help is a chain lube such as Duckhams, which lasts a long time on a road machine. The other that we have found excellent is the Mobil open gear lube.
Lighting on the Honda is acceptable for general use but not up to the speed of the machine. I will not ride at night without a driving light and the Autosport-supplied Marchal was again fitted to the 750 for the duration of the test.
After riding with a driving light you will never feel safe with just standard headlights. The Honda alternator easily copes with the use of the high beam and the 55W Marchal driving light. The two were used all the way to Sydney without any trouble from the battery or the charging rate at all. Really great.
The 750 also carried a lot of touring gear for most of the test. Here we may have exhausted the rear units a little earlier than most owners will but flatten them they will do eventually. The units, set on the hardest pre-load setting of the five, worked for about the first run to Sydney. After that the damping went away and the springs started to lose their strength. And we ended up with a traditional wallowing rear end on rough back roads.
The front forks do occasionally top out but they work as well as anything from Japan and we rated them as quite good. They control the front under all conditions and handle even the smaller humps on the smooth freeways with only a slight thump travelling through to the handlebars.
Riding the Honda hard is fun. The engine responds readily to massive revs and really gets things going with the lower gearing. The first to second gear change is the only one which required care. Most others were strictly clutchless when “café-ing” it off! At other more sedate times the clutch could be triggered or used fully depending on mood. The Honda clunk was there·with the early change jerkiness but with a little practice the transition to higher gears becomes smooth and slick. Nice when your favourite femme is on the back!
With the improved change Honda has also managed to eliminate the dreaded Japanese transmission wind up and that aggravating neck jolting jerkiness at steady throttle settings around the city. That this Oriental idiosyncrasy has been overcome is a big mark in favour of the sophisticated Super Sport.
During most of the riding the 750 proved totally stable, even in wet conditions down through dreary Lithgow, west of Sydney on the highway to Bathurst. It was only back in Melbourne using the well-travelled road to work, the Kew Boulevarde,·that the lack of total control became apparent.
In the boulevard run the Melbourne “TT” riders can indulge in racing around the wide road along the Yarra bank, and the machines which rule the run are undoubtedly Norton 850s, immaculate Ducatis plus tricked up RD 350s. The 750 was ridden hard into the main 180 degree decreasing radius off-camber (its rider preoccupied with everyday work matters) and presto, things were not going smoothly. The rear wheel got jacked off the ground and the bike bounced around on scoured and scraped rubber and metal to negotiate the turn. Such “racing” proves the limitations of the Honda design – Super Sport yes, but there are things that need to be done. The rear units in particular and the softish suspension, compared with the harsh, no compromise Norton and Ducati.
The Honda may lack in these departments but it has absolute reliability, is totally oil leak free and offers smooth balanced power. It marks a major step in the right direction from Honda.
Some of the action on the back roads where the tacho was just sitting on nine (we disregarded the tacho after a while) and taking both hands off the handlebars to find the bike remained stable without a wobble in the steering proved the bike is well on the way to being amongst the safest fast sporting bikes on the market. It will handle all types of roads including dirt and mud with ease.
Pillion passengers liked the bike. The slightly stepped seat proved to have excellent padding and a better seating position than before and the chick will not find her best set of platforms being worn out by cornering.
The accessory market around the Honda 750 is probably one of the biggest in the world. From complete frames down to clip-ons and rear sets through every type of engine mod, there are numerous brands to choose from. The big bore kits and the various pipes, plus the mags, twin discs and such have found many owners sticking with the tried and true 750 and personalising it to suit their pocket and riding preference.
Honda has its own little bag of tricks for the 750. This is the grouse factory racing stuff and is among the most sophisticated you can find.
Bennett Honda in Melbourne has some of the gear but generally it has to be ordered and flown out from Japan. The list we saw virtually rebuilt the bike. Forks were redone, new rear units (very expensive) and the Daytona racing parts for the engine were all available. Engine parts included (just a short list to give you an idea), a choice of two crankshafts, new cylinders, various type of pistons, special rods, cam chain, valves, barrels which let a new cam chain guide system be used, one which does away with the rollers and uses two slipper guides in its place. There are megaphones, tanks, special gears, bearings, an AC generator, twin discs, remote gear change linkages and seat-fairing combos. All you have to do is have the money and the inclination and want genuine Honda racing division gear rather than any other.
But apart from all the go-bits there is a reasonable selection of fairings, panniers, bags, crash bars etc, for those who cherish the big 750 for its stolid touring nature. Even in the Super Sport mould the Honda does that job very nicely. With the Hallmark bike pack on, plus some gear on the tank, the bike plunged through the night at excessive speed and covered massive mileage in poor weather without one single mechanical complaint.
And the seat is better than ever for the tourer. Plus the bike looks good and will plug the holes in the traffic as well as many medium-size bikes we know.
One of the beauties of the Honda is that even with a large load of touring gear which included the Hallmark bike pack mounted to the frame, 13.6 litres of petrol and camera gear, the 750 would pull peak revs in all gears and cruise at around 160 km/h all day without any hassle other than checking the chain and filling the tank. And even with all this gear the 750 remains stable and tracks so well one forgets it is a Japanese bike. Truck windlash does not stir the bike nor do continuous whoop-do-doo type humps, which we found on roads around Wagga.
We ran the 750 around the city, through one metre-deep water, in mud and through cold driving rain and mist. Nothing fell off, vibrated loose or forced us to stop. In addition it looks great, handles better than ever and, based on our experience with previous models, will last for years. As such it endeared itself to us, much the same as a faithful but sporting dog. It is not the best machine around for any one use, but it is about the most interesting machine that Honda has made for many years.
If the factory works on the things we bitched about it might find it perfects the product. And Honda might have to, for the 750 Yamaha is on its way and the 750 Kawasaki joins the fight for this important market section.
As it stands the Super Sport is more than a facelift. It is the best handling, large capacity Japanese machine to date. That, coupled with the reliability and the general usefulness of the bike, makes it one of the hardest to beat when shopping for a fun machine, whether you are into changing things from stock or not.
Long live the 750!
By Kel Wearne. Two Wheels, March 1976
