Identification of 750

[Eljay]

Hi Folks
I am Scottish living in Italy and I bought a 750 Four in Palmdale California in 2012 with black California Plate 942114. It has Frame number CB7501016976 and Engine number CB750E1017048. I know it is not Sandcast but is said to be a K0 from 1969. I am trying to verify this as the registration doc says 1970 but the previous owner says 1969.
I have tried to verify on various sites using the frame and engine numbers but it is confusing. It has a lot of sandcast stuff like the wrinkle tank and proper rev and speed counter, short chainguard, single cut front mudgaurd 4 cable throttle system and only 19946 miles. I have completely rebuilt both engine and cycle parts and and would finally like to confirm the actual year of manufacture. Also engine wiring loom exits casing on gearchange / chain sprocket side. Any expert out there that could tell me the actual year. ?

 

[brettp]

Try https://4-stroke.net

 

[dirtdigger]

The bikes release mid year 69 so they got registered as 69 or 70 depending on how the paperwork went. 69 and 70 both would be considered K0. Your engine is shortly after sand cast. Frame is also earlier production.

 

[Eljay]

The bikes release mid year 69 so they got registered as 69 or 70 depending on how the paperwork went. 69 and 70 both would be considered K0. Your engine is shortly after sand cast. Frame is also earlier production.

Hi dirtdigger. Your response much appreciated. Thankyou very much for your feedback. May I ask where you got the info on the engine and frame number dates.? Best Regards. Les The Scot in Italy

 

[dirtdigger]

http://www.hondachopper.com/engine/engine_timeline/timeline.html

 

[Qaxe]

That list helped me too.

 

[Eljay]

HI Again
Maybe I am a bit thick when it comes to Honda history but as I understand it from the listing you sent to me
1) My frame 1016976 was built between the frames 1000001 and 1044650 and the engine 1017048 was built between engine 1000001 and 1044806. Am I understanding this correctly. Sorry if it is a daft question.
Best Regards Les. The Scot in Italy.

 

[Qaxe]

That's right. The frame number on the spreadsheet there is the starting number. 1044649 would have been the last frame stamped for the so-called "K0".

Tangent: I say "so-called K0" because Honda didn't call them "K" anything until the K1 came out. They were just CB750 at first. Supposedly, K stands for "Kairyou" (改良) which is "Improvement" or "reform". So K1 would have been the first official product upgrade sold to the public.

I'm curious, doesn't your bike frame have a year stamp on it? I've never owned a K1 or older, but I've had K2-K8 and every one of them had the year written on the VIN plate.

 

[Eljay]

Thankyou Qaxe.
Sometimes one cannot see the wood for the trees. Your response was to the point. The frame VIN plate has 12/69 stamped on it. I sit here quite embarrassed as I concentrated on the frame number and missed the 12/69 top right of the plate.

Thankyou all for your feedback and especially you Qaxe. THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!
Best Regards
Les The 72 Year Old Scot in Italy. THANKYOU.

 

[Qaxe]

It's my pleasure. I forget why I walked into a room, or what the hell I'm actually looking for in the shed, but I can remember CB750 stuff.