Hyperbolic as it may seem, this particular two-wheeler previewed a model that spawned an entire category of bikes.
“You meet the nicest people at Honda.” It’s an ad that defined Big Red in 1966, and it’s one that continues to resonate with many riders today.
Still, the Japanese manufacturer’s biggest contribution to the American motorcycle industry actually came two years later, as it changed not only the brand’s image, but the bike market as a whole.
The CB750 is a bike developed by Honda specifically for the United States, as Americans value displacement above all else. – Credit: Mecom
At its debut, this revolutionary two-wheeler previewed an entire category. As such, the example featured today is particularly notable because it is the original prototype, ground zero.
Honda’s American Revolution
The bike in question is, of course, the CB750. It was Honda’s first mass-produced large-displacement offering, a model designed specifically for the US market as a means of combating stagnant sales.
Honda had already proven it could sell bikes in the United States, but the CB750 was the model that solidified the brand as a market mainstay. – Credit: Mecom
Not only was it the only motorcycle at the time to offer a powerful transverse-mounted, overhead cam four-cylinder engine, it was the first to do so at an affordable price. At $1,495, the CB retailed for nearly half of the competition.
Moreover, besides bringing Honda’s excellent reliability-enhancing engine design, the bike benefits from the convenience of electric start as well as the safety and stopping power of the front disc brakes. At the time, this was cutting edge stuff.
With a top speed of 125 mph, the CB750 is widely regarded as the first superbike to go on sale. – Credit: Mecom
More importantly, though, the CB750 established Honda as a real performance threat. With 67 horsepower on tap, a top speed of 125 mph and a 13-second quarter-mile ET courtesy of its 736cc engine, the model is widely regarded as the originator of the motorcycle term “superbike.”
Still, the CB750 proved to be a truly versatile choice thanks to its comfortable riding position, practical design and usable power. From spirited canyon rides to daily commutes to long-distance excursions, Honda’s inline-four can handle it all with ease.
The CB750 prototype has a variety of unique details, such as Honda’s emblems on the side cover of the row. – Credit: Mecom
Accordingly, it spawned a sea of imitators from Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha in the 1970s, resulting in a segment known as “Universal Japanese Motorcycles,” or UJM for short.
Very first Stateside CB750
This is the bike you’ve seen before, as the original sandcast prototype that Soichiro Honda sent to Bob Hanson in October 1968. long ago It also predates the four pre-production samples that Honda distributed to dealers in January 1969 – for the CB750 to land on American soil.
As a prototype sent by Soichiro Honda to Bob Hansen in 1968, it was the first CB750 to land on American soil. – Credit: Mecom
Honda Japan sent the prototype stateside to allow and conduct a two-day test run in the Nevada desert, building excitement ahead of the CB750’s launch. Bicycle Guide magazine to perform deep exposures.
Given its one-off status, the prototype has many parts that are unique to it and its own. Along with a set of custom-built Keihin carbs, it sports a rear-flipping seat, distinctive badging and an externally operated clutch instead of the usual internal cam mechanism (and those are just a few of the differences between the hosts. a lot other).
The restoration work has been extensive, and collaboration with many specialists is required to ensure that all details are preserved correctly. – Credit: Mecom
In any case, it is actually thanks to such details that the bike can also be identified. When it first appeared 30 years ago, it was little more than a wrecked pile of rusting parts.
But, when a passionate Honda CB750 sandcast collector named Vic World got wind of the bike, he knew he had to bring it back to its former glory. After acquiring the prototype in the 1990s and beginning a restoration project in the early 2000s, he worked diligently to ensure everything was original.
Accordingly, in addition to the engine cover molds being wood-shaped and hand-painted tank badges, this also means reproduction gauge dials by a silkscreen specialist. As you would expect from such a massive project, it took years to complete
The prototype CB750 is the only example to feature a rear folding seat, among various other unique identifiers. – Credit: Mecom
A rare ownership opportunity
However, the results were worth the effort. At The Quail 2024, CB won first place among Japanese bikes and overall Best of Show.
Now, it’s slated to cross the auction block as part of Mecom’s January Las Vegas event. If you want to know more about the listed or the bike, you can visit Mecom or check out Vic World’s website dedicated to the prototype.
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