That looks like some sort of locking cruise control on your bars... it will take a little bit of time for those rings to seat back in, that's probably where your burn off is coming from, or blow by.
I'm thinking major vacumn leak...if carb and timing, pods are not the issue...problem occurs when engine is warm...and tolerances increase,performance is lowered. If you have gum out or any carburetor cleaner available lightly spray it around the head and see if idle picks up... could possibly...
We rebuild them to the modern style sprag type clutch to replace the three roller Style the outer cover is redrilled loctited... it will not need retourqing
Yes you are overthinking it, I miss the brass ones,... like you said the plastic ones are non-adjustable so we have swapped them around to get basically the same measurement and what I call the same bounce when the carbs are turned upside down and lightly dropped like a drumstick... here's the...
Like I said it doesn't necessarily pertain to wheel bearings I've been a mechanic for over 30 years I'm fully aware of what wheel bearing replacement involves especially on a CB750, if you use stock parts for OEM style replacement parts it makes it easier for the next guy which is normally me...
Doesn't necessarily pertain to bearings...comes to any part...espially on a bike..its not always like on a car where you can just pull it over,..there's a reason why the litlle guys in Japan with there white coats and plastic hats did the r&d that they did...there smart.
Any sealed bearing will work.. and I hear this question a lot. Why not go with the OEM, sure you can save a few bucks..but you might rethink that with a "speed wobble" at 100 mph...or a rim lock up because the cheap skateboard bearings just said goodbye. Spend the extra money keep it genuine...