79 I had an unrestricted FS1E. Didn’t know at the time that it would turn into a collectors item. Just in my short ownership, my machine had several seizures and a rebore. It did little to prepare me for the insanity of the RD250LC that followed at 17. It's very easy to remember these old bikes through rose tinted glasses.
You should have got a Suzuki AP50. At least 10mph faster and totally reliable. 😂 I got an aircooled RD250 later. Seized it up due to blocked strainer in the oil tank. I think the problems are often neglected second-hand bikes rather than any particular make.
Back in 1972/3 i sold my Suzuki 250cc Super Six , and purchased a new Suzuki T500R , in candy lavender and white at a price of £499 from a dealer near Boston in Lincolshire ,being based at RAF CONINGSBY there were a few lad`s there with some of the bikes shown here ....Those were the days .....
You are spot on about the Suzy GS750/1000 being a better alternative. It was a sleeper, and very solid. It had handling way ahead of its time. Any of the 70s and early 80s Kawasakis had near- dangerous handling. 2 of my mates died in mild cornering wobbles when they hit a bump. The Suzy would not kill you like that.
The Suzukis were good engines and good frames, but they were also a bonfire looking for somewhere to happen. The electrical system design was a complete piece of sht, prone to burning out alternators, rectifiers and regulators. I know. I spent a lot of time either fixing the results of the incipient bonfire or providing a fix that stopped it from happening. At my last count waybackwhen I'd done eighteen 550s, 750s and 1000s. Suzuki finally fixed the problem with the introduction of the 1100 engine.
I would not say the entire electrical system in all fairness But the do use very cheap regulator rectifiers no doubt about that, alternators could be better too on some bikes
@@daigriffiths399 A honda RR bolts onto the suzuki and is an easy wiring upgrade. That solves the only problem the GS had. The Honda RR is about 20 dollars on the 'Bay
If you are saying that the cb750 four is an "over rated" bike, it is obvious you have never owned one. Lets not forget the time of its research and development, the mid 60's, it was of it's time and served its purpose massively. During the r+d period it was redlined for 20 hours non stop on a test bed with no blow up. The model went on to have a very good shelf life for the time and its testament to its greatly deserved "classic" status is the fact that it is one of the classics that always commands and gets a high price. One of the greatest bikes ever built. Oh and the Z1 is over rated now??? really???
@@bikerdood1100 Imagine it in the brown and beige world of the 70's. I wonder are the modern paints used in restoration perhaps a little too bright? They might be the right colour. But the depth of finish and application might be just a little too good.
@@bikerdood1100 Yes but remember the bike didn't really change that much from the 70s all the way up until the 80s until the introduction of the 750 Nighthawk which got a horsepower boost And we barely can't count the latest model the CB 750 Hornet because it's a 2 cylinder model
Back in 1978 I got into a race with two 750/4’s. I was surprised that my 1975 Norton Commander 850 took care of both bikes. The Suzuki you showed was called the water bottle here in Australia. I built from the ground up a 650 Yam Special. I bought a burnt out wreck for $25 in 1977. It was a 76 model and when I’d finished building it up it cost me $300 ( which was a lot of money back then. Some said it was a Japanese BSA ( which I disputed lol ). I ended up selling it in 1980 for $1,200. That bike was and is quicker than the modern day Yamaha 650’s. I rode a Z1 once and yes I felt like a sail when she got up and going. Fortunately you could buy bikini fairings for the bike. Oh and it scare the crap out of me because the single front disc couldn’t really pull you up once she lifted her skirt. As per usual I do/did enjoy your videos.
In '75, my brother and I bought new Hondas. I chose a 750, my brother a 550. His was nothing but trouble; the cam ran in the aluminum top cover, no bushings or bearings. The dealer finally installed a top cover from a CB 500 Four, which fixed the problem. A factory fix was implemented starting with the 1978 models.
Seem to remember the 3 cylinder Suzuki 2 stroke called 'the Kettle' in UK, The Original Honda CB750 was more of a tourer than a sports bike to be fair and sold in large number in USA where they loved the fact it started when required, did not cover your garage floor with oil and got you back home... I soon found with Japanese bikes you did not need to carry a toolkit..
Your 60bhp 115 mph norton took care of a 70 bhp 124 mph cb750 did it. Were the Hondas brakes. Bindings. I rode both and the norton wasn’t in the same league
Anyone remember the small 'Used bike mags?' Real reviews from owners of bikes. It was noticeable how many Japanese bikes, although reliable, seemed to wear out quickly. There was a article many years back, where it said, Honda used very poor quality alloy.
Had a VT250 for a few years It was very flat and you really needed to keep it revving Never saw 100mph however It was quite a nice bike to ride but it often amuses me know to think that it claimed similar hp to my BSA but really not the same thing at all There’s 35hp and then there’s 35hp and a stack of torque The Honda was a good bike but not exactly one to get passionate about
The CB750 is not overrated. It changed the course of motorcycling history and blew everything else out of the water. The 550 wouldn't have existed without the 750
Honda CB750 had issues with the oil ways in the cam block getting clogged and seizing the cam , a mate brought one that had sat for three years, and he didn't follow my advice to change the oil. It ended with half the cam seized and snapped, leaving the inlet value open while he was riding and burnt the bike to the ground..... also K5 and later has an extra bolt added around the cam chain tunnel.....
Put 100,000 miles on my '75 Honda 750 K5 (purchased new) without any problems. 3000 mile oil and filter changes, and a Lockhart oil cooler helped things along.
I had a CB750 F2 SOHC 2018-2020, after an initial test ride and then months of tarting up the frame and paintwork I was met with this same problem, age of the oil wasn't the issue but a small chunk of gasket material had worked free and clogged the oil jet....my dad who had ran a K0 for many thousands of miles without fault in the 70's was speechless after having sung their praises for so long...killed my interest in owning another classic machine!
Well that’s the problem with Japanese for you Great when new, complicated and nasty when old. We have old and new machines and find old Brit bikes simple by comparison
if you never changed the oil. And the 750A automatic was terrible for that. Keep the oil clean however and you'll have no problem. I owned five of those and repaired many others. They are one of the best bikes ever made.
I owned a FS1/E DX but have to agree they are way over priced. The common phrase used by bike mag road testers of the 70's Japanese bikes was 'hinged in the middle' to describe the wallowing handling. You are right, the GS750 is an underrated machine, I remember being flat out on my T140V Bonnie as my mate over took me on his GS750 he changed gear. I ended up with a GS750 soon after...
Great collection of bikes indeed. I miss those days. Thank you for sharing and bringing back so many fond memories. Take care guys and ride safe. Cheers
I wasn't impressed by the bulk or the tinselly styling of the Suzuki GT750, and even less impressed when I finally go to ride one. Too heavy, too tall, and nowhere near as good to ride as the Yamaha XS650 which I decided not to replace then. The XS was easily the best bike I owned before I bought my first BMW (R65) in 2007, but I couldn't imagine doing 500,000Km on it.
@@bertmeinders6758 I had a 1979 XS650 Special in red. I miss that bike. Bought it new. It was between the Yamaha or a 650 Bonneville. Now I'm thinking I should have bought the Triumph?
First CB750 I saw (the gold/ orange one) was in Glasgow in the early weeks of its release. Was ridden by an old guy with a pipe in his mouth, a dispatch riders coat and a pudding basin helmet and a WW2 gas mask shoulder bag that was commonly used to take your “piece” to work. (Piece = lunch sandwiches). High handlebar screen too. Looked so incongruous I wondered if it was a put up job to get people double taking the bike to boost sales. The dealer there then was Rattrays, they used to make a famous built to fit bicycle called the Flying Scot.
I think the Suzuki GS1000 is the real deal. I bought a running 78 last year in Austin , Texas for $900 with a bunch of extra parts that I sold for more than that. So I basically got a free bone stock bike with nice original mufflers. I love these bikes s they re really comfy and outperform the KZ models . The Seat may be one of the best I’ve ever sat on for a long trip. These bikes never got the respect they deserved on the street but they kicked but on the track
Well said buddy, couldnt agree more, gs1000 a fantastic and very under rated bike...$900 !!!.... you lucky b•stard !! 😁....kawasakis are the most overated bikes in history, so nice to look at...but appalling handling tank slappers ✌🍻
Oh..id better go and pay 20.000 quid for a z1 then just so i get noticed, i'll wear a t-shirt with 'i love zeds' on the front so everyone knows im a real man, i can alternate between wearing the 'zed' t-shirt and the i love VW t25s' t-shirt i wear to get noticed at other obsessed geek meets 😂🤣😂🤣.....maybe then...someone will care...and luv me 😂🤣😂🤣.....i think i'll re-mortgage my house tommorow, ive just seen a kwaka h2 for sale...only 25.000 quid, oh...hang on, for 4500 quid i can buy a mint rd350 that'll piss all over that overated overpriced smoker !!!... no matter WHAT anybody says...kawasakis are THE most overated OVER PRICED bikes on earth.....love em all you want, ive NOTHING against them but the above...
A little known fact is Kawasaki and Suzuki collaborated on the head design of the 4 cylinder bikes. They even use the same size shims in the buckets. Suzuki was abandoning the 2 stroke and the rotary and needed a hail mary engine. They also lost their shirt on the water buffalo. Suzuki made scores of heads to come up with the twin swirl effect in the combustion chamber that was the ticket. The 4V engine was the precursor to modern superbike engines.
Just given one!.. you either have some top friends or are one lucky fella . Collectors items landing in your lap in the box is pretty unreal. Congratulations!
Me and a bunch of my friends had 70's Honda inline fours with 4/1 pipes we flogged them mercilessly, lubed the chain, changed the oil, repeat. A friend with British twin, and the puddle underneath, seemed like he was in the shop about half the summer
@@scottmcburney8938 I never had a problem with the Honda 750s. Seemed impossible to break them. Of all the two strokes I had the most reliable was the Suz T-500 even after extreme mods. I have to say that later when I had a Suz 750 4 stroke it was better than the Honda 750 in every way. My brother had the Honda 750 night hawk in the 80s and my 82 Suz out handled it.
@@rachelthompson9324 Those old SOHC Honda's weren't performance bikes, they were just solid fun reliable transportation. The 80's sport bikes were yet to come, we were kids then, just out or finishing high school. My friends had 400/4 super sports, older cb 750's, I had a 500/4. The Yamaha 2 strokes were the fastest thing in the mountains, the R5 or Rd400's. Good times, I'm 64 and still riding for now.
The Hondas weren't has robust as history portrays. I had a CB 400 Four, it needed major work by 20,000 miles. I bought a CB 500 Four from a dealer, but it never ran right, they ended up completely rebuilding the engine. Later I had a Suzuki GS750. Superb. Handled great with Ace bars on, engine was bulletproof. I bought a CB 750 Four F2 from a well known dealer (Padgetts), They wouldn't bring it out to let me hear it running, stating it would mean moving a lot of stock, but it wouldn't be in the showroom if not right. Bought it (13,000 miles), 1/4 down road it broke down. Sounded like a, bag of nails. After a few attempts at putting it right they eventually rebuilt the engine. Though it was never right. Pxed it for a car. The Yamaha XS650, always regretted not buying a 650B model. But didn't know much about them, so bought the 400 Four. In hindsight should have bought the Yam.
Counterpoint: in 1979 I bought my first bike, a 1976 CB400F. It's 2024 and I still own it. Never let me down, not even in those early years when I was an enthusiastic, but inexperienced and ham-fisted home mechanic. Funnily enough, before buying the Honda I went to see an XS650. I didn't buy it when it turned out to have low compression on one cylinder...
As interesting counter point I ride a large Guzzi Have owned it for many years and many rides across Europe It’s big, very comfortable two up, handles and stops very well and has shaft drive I also own a modern Honda Would I give my Guzzi up for a cb400f or an XS I’ve never been that drunk I’m a non drinker incidentally
@@bikerdood1100 Rode quite few British parallel twins in my time, never found one that did not turn my fingers white..... My bike now is a Suzuki SV650 90 deg V twin - no vibration at all from tickover to redline at 11K, and reliable as a swiss watch...
@@bikerdood1100 Parallel twins have bad primary balance and bad secondary balance due to 'rocking couple' due to distance between cranks.. Modern parallel twins have balance shaft to try to cancel out vibration.. I never rode a British parallel twin that was smooth through the rev range, and the larger capacity the worse the vibration. There was a good reason that Japanese wiped out British motorbike industry, and then wiped out the British car industry... They made a much better product.
Well secondary balance and rocking couples are technically speaking different Having a balance shaft does not always guarantee smoother running Essentially the case in singles I do think vibes are very much overplayed. I used to listen to old boys telling me how bad Brit bikes were, then I road one and realised there’s a lot of bull shit out there We recently tested an A7 which was as smooth as many Japanese bikes Better than some
😂nice way of thinking about distance The problem with some peoples reaction to the video is that for many bigger is better. The CB750 must be best because it cost more and is bigger right ? Well no actually the 500 and the 550 Andre better all around packages If people don’t like well like you and your trusty 500 I’d says that’s too bad Here’s to another 100,000 k sir
I’ve still got a complete rotary inlet FS1 engine block lying around here. I even own a matching aftermarket water cooled cylinder head (!) which I at the time put on my Zuendapp in stead. This was possible because the spacing of the cylinder bolts is the same. One only had to use the longer bolts from Zuendapp’s own watercooled TT model. Why go through the hassle? At that time watercooling was the ultimate. It worked perfectly!
@@bikerdood1100 Could be but they have little in common elsewhere. Probably more a coincidence. If I remember correctly ( but would have to check it to be sure) the diameter inside the heads flange is actually bigger then that the bore of the Zuendapp cylinder. So the head volume was probably bigger on the FS1 as well. Without any discernible disadvantages during use on the Zuendapp.
As a former owner of some (tuned) Zündapps and a (tuned) FS1, the Zündapp was the choice for me. The Zündapp brought me all over South and West Europe, no hassle. The FS1, after the fourth time a stuck engine within 1000 km, was not he (reliable) machine I wanted! My brother bought my FS1, put a new crankshaft, piston etc etc, and took it racing. The engine got stuck again, and he broke his wrist. That was the end of the FS1.
@@DanielNoest I basically spilled all my FS1 experiences with the former description. I found them interesting as such but kind of cheaply built. Not that my Zuendapp was very dependable, mind you. But at least it enabled me to get around and develop a lasting love for the whole concept of the motorcycle. Recently donated all it’s remains to my daughter in law. Maybe one day …. 😁
My new 1977 XS650 was probably the best all round bike I’ve ever owned, I’m now 65, I also owned a GT500, if you were lucky you could pass two petrol stations before needing to refuel, my mate rode the 500 and I was on the 650, we rode the full length of Wales, he fueled up more than twice for every tank I used
There is nothing overrated about the CB750. The most I've seen a CB750's sell for is $30k and I've seen it happen more than once. It's a legendary motorcycle and a classic all wrapped into a bundle of reliability. I've always adored the look of the 1970's & 1980's motorcycle body shape. I love the big chrome headlight in the front, it makes it look so vintage. Especially the long chrome pipes. I've always been a lover of motorcycles...especially the CB750 1970-1975 models. The prettier they are the better. The motorcycle industry owes so much to the CB750.
That’s stupid money in all honesty As I said it’s a large beast with overly soft suspension very much built with the US in mind but in Europe where we have Corners the 550 is in reality a better all round bike And much cheaper too Perhaps it’s biggest problem was that it was in production for much too long with Honda concentrating on its cars You do understand that overrated is not the same as bad ?
All great bikes, ive rode many of them.matter of fact a friend had a 1968 suzuki 50cc, what a cool machine.it was very powerful for a 50cc. All those bikes shown command big bucks in USA, if in good condition.thanks for eye candy .
I had a Honda CB750 F1 in the early 2,000's. In that pale yellow. Bought it from ebay complete minus carbs for £350! Some of the people on the forums were right up their backsides. I told them I used Wilko 20/50 oil & they went mad ! Also I don't understand the Sandgate owners who think they are a different breed of owner. Got rid of it as I realized I liked my XT 500 more (which l still have & thrash)
@@buxvan Sand cast only refers to the early 69s or the first few bikes that were made, due to the way the engine cases were formed. Their rarity makes them valuable, not because they are any better.
Thanks for the chuckle, Buxvan, Whether you were genuine or winding up those pompous anoraks, I applaud your mischievous manner & humour. Those originality box-tickers are entitled to their pontificating (there is room for them amongst us all), but to those whom criticise & bemoan owners later updates & improvements, however, those who ride (or have ridden in the past), understand the reason for braided hoses & lines, digital ignition for points, better pads, shoes & rubber hoops, halogen bulbs; their ignorance of accepting sensible, even respectful improvements to our older classics makes their "Originality" argument somewhat foolish... ... especially for an owner who wishes to continue riding his beloved classic for many more miles each year & not only from their transport van/trailer to the show stand. Often these critics are so beligerent, they fail to realise how foolish their comments can sound when they actially speak with a fellow classic enthusiast. & stuff those who bemoan my GSX1100S full Yoshimura pipe. There are limits of bad tast IMHO, but it is individual choice as to me, the chrome toast rack engine block covers (especially on 70's Zeds) bring a definite grimace, much the same as whitening the teeth of The Mona Lisa. Its all for enjoyment & the owner reserves his right to choose & be happy with his "customising".
In 1977 , my older brother and his girl both bought one each, 1973 rd 60 left over at Franks Yamaha in Hudson MA they got tired of them very quickly and I bought them both for pennies on the dollar. being a junior in High School I rode them all over including down the hall at the local high school, past the library , the principal's office, and down a short set of stairs to the field house and out of the building, but I digress I learned how to ride a motorcycle pretty dan good. I ran that for 3 years and just parked them in the family garage where other siblings took over. That in time was replaced by the big kawi's of the time 1979 SR 650 then a 81 csr 1000 but I fondly look back on those little rd screamers as my Friend John used to call them..
You got stones, hoss! Bold choices but fair. The over inflated prices on the CB750 is why I bought a 79 CB650 to park next to my CB350, which is my daily ride. Excellent work as always, buddy.
You do get that I’m not saying they are bad Right ??? But they are overrated and now vastly overpriced Is a Z1 worth paying a ton of money more than a Gs1000 No
I totally understand what you are saying. I agree. I meant that I bought 2 great motorcycles because they were not overpriced cb750s. We're on the same page, man.
I had the Suzuki GT250 new in 1975. I miss that old bike it was quick for it's size. A bit heavy but rode smooth good for travelling. 36 mpg. Running 70. Loved that 6 speed trans and the left hand kick start. The orange was a head turner. Most ppl that saw it couldn't believe it was just a 250. It was a fat bike. I would love to have one again
I can recall, back in the 1970s, walking into a motorcycle shop and seeing a brand new Norton Commando 850..... It had just 5 miles on the clock... however, underneath was an oil drip tray, which had a puddle of new oil in it. When I asked the salesman about the drip tray he said.. "Oh they all leak a bit of oil... in fact, if there is no oil in the drip tray, there is none in the bike either" - I didn't purchase it.
In 1972 a friend and I took my Honda K1 ( his BMW 69RS broke ) from Heidelberg to Imola Italy for the first 750 race on the continent. 1 tent, 2 sleeping bags and everything else was strapped to the Honda. Still cruised down the autobahn in the fast lane when asked to. Put 50,000 miles on that bike, never left me stranded.
My GS1000G is an absolute fine touring machine with bulletproof engine. And they don't cost 30K either. I had a Z1 back in the 80s and didn't like it much due to the handling. The GS1000 16V motor dominated drag racing for years and is a better platform.
The Yamaha XS650 seen here us a very late model 'chopper' variant designed for the American Harley sensibilities. I think it is cool but maybe harder to the eye with its small fat back wheel, chopper(ish) seat, mag wheels, etc., but the earlier XSs were much nicer Brit looking machines. Taller and leaner, with a conventional seating plan. The early green and gold models with front drums and spoked wheels look classic.
And then the Meriden Co-op did Yamaha the honour of copying the black low-rider XS650 Custom, with their T140D variant with the stepped seat and mag wheels. Wot? Triumph copying Yamaha? G'wan gerroutov'ere!
Those XJs were great family of machines robust with good all round performance. The styling Is of its time which likely means it’s disregarded today So they remain relatively affordable. Great bikes though
Well it’s not that they aren’t good but the are well over priced and having prices that high puts younger people off classic bikes which is bad for everyone
Mr Difazzio gave me the lecture about my bike being illegal for a 16 year old on L plates. Maybe due to looking similar to the Honda cub range is why I never got attention from the old Bill. The Yamaha U50 (not the later V50) of 1971 was kickstart and unrestricted. Laid out flat, down a steep hill, I could hit 60 mph. Next was a Suzuki A100. Great bike that took me all over the country and my ride to work bike. Top speed I recorded was 82 mph but given the optimistic nature of Japanese speedo's back then, I only claim 70, which was pretty good with my bird on the back. That too was like a push bike with an engine. Disc valve inlet and oil mixed via the pump, which I became intimate with, thanks to Duckhams 2 stroke oil.
My XS 650 was a constant companion. The Kirkers, enhanced spark and drag bars without the stock bar end weights to dampen vibrations were all that honey needed to turn it into perfection.
I had an FS1E dx...paid 400 quid for it, back in the day. It also only 400 miles on it...wish I'd kept the bloody thing. Strangely at 62, I also have an RXS100....what a cracking little bike and will do 65mph, sounds great with the spanny on it and it's worth about 1500 quid! It's original apart from the exhaust and really is a cheap usable classic...just turned 40, so will be tax and mot exempt very soon 👍
I owned a CB750K1 with 4 into 1 hanco trumpet and oversized main jets and sports airfilters, air cap fork upgrade and Marzocchi rear shocks, what a beast :).
@@bikerdood1100 actually, back in the day, it wasn’t too much. It came with the pipes, so jets and shocks and filters I fitted myself. All up about 400 Aussie dollars. Did my own paint too. It was a rat bike :).
@@bikerdood1100The cb550 was perhaps the best handling Japanese bike of the 70s, you couldn't have paid me to change it for a cb750. I just went through the hornet's nest of a comment section, I enjoyed the format. Classic Bike magazine did something similar many years ago, showing over priced classics and more sensible alternatives.
A 1976 GT750 was my first street bike. Rode it to high school; as the only guy with a bike it made me just cool enough not to get hassled by anyone. That bike is long gone but I've had various GT's in my garage ever since
The Z1's not overrated. It's severely overrated. The CB750 wasn't trying to be sporty, an endeavor in which it succeeded entirely. It was the CB750 that first made me wonder if the industry could even produce a 500lb bike that would handle. It was the Z1 that convinced me they couldn't.
Overrated I think not you obviously no nothing about them they won the Castrol 6 hour race three years in a row on a tight track Amaroo Park Sydney Australia production bikes too dead standard plus numerous race wins world wide and in drag racing was King
Couple of things here really No ? It’s Know Also I’m not American I know where Sidney is Production racers are never dead standard as you put it Different suspension units for a start and no way anyone would be racing on those standard bars Be serious You do know that overrated is not the same as bad Right ? Watch the video and pay attention Instead of forming opinions ahead of time Fact People pay ridiculous money for them If you watched properly you would have noticed the price tag on the one featured Z1 better than a GS 1000 No Suzuki is definitely not perfect but it’s a better all round package Dead standard 😂😂hilarious
Here it shows that you no nothing about the Castrol 6 hour race the bike are standard shocks are original fitment one year a Suzuki was disqualified for removing the horn to allow better air flow and engine's were striped and checked for the first 3 places absolutely no improvements over standard
Never want to ride a GT750 kettle again. Worst speed wobble at 90mph I have ever experienced. I still get a cold shiver 40 years on thinking of that day.
I had a 750-4 in the 70's. Test rode it on a straight road, which was a mistake. I had a Dresda box swinging arm, air forks etc.. sold it quickly when I realised even with the upgrades it was horrible in corners! The brakes were terrible. Thank God I had kept my Triumph TR6R.
To my knowledge the Z-1 900 also had a roller bearing crank, which the Honda 750 did not. Another poster talked about wobble on the kawi. Yes I got a high sped wobble in the rain once, Miraculously, it quit. BUT I took the damper off an H-2 and put it on the Z-1, which had the fitting for it from the factory. No idea why it wasn't installed at the factory like the H-2
Roller bearing crank is often seen as an advantage, this is not actually the case and wear rates on a bush bearing, given a good oil supply is superior. Note that modern SuperBikes don’t use roller bearings. The fact that Kawasaki and Suzuki did at the time is a carry over from their days producing two strokes. From a stability point of view part of the problem as I say in the video was the high handle bars designed to appeal the US market which robbed the rider of much feel.
I’ve been riding these bikes since 1963. The British parallel twin was nearing peak development at this time. Many consider my 1970 Triumph Bonneville 650 to be the peak: lightweight, superb handling, and compact. For most any sort of competition that involved corners, it would run away from the Japanese twins. But the excessive vibration, unreliability, and short service life of the engine limited the bike’s everyday usefulness for most riders. Any trip on American freeways was dreaded. The Japanese were able to engineer reliability and comfort into the platform. The addition of electric start was perhaps the nail in the coffin for British twins. The XS 650 was considered to be a refined version of the concept, and although heavier and lacking the nimbleness of the Triumph, was far more comfortable, reliable, and suited for the American market. Kenny Roberts did well on racing versions fitted with an appropriate chassis. Not everyone uses ultimate performance as the prime consideration in bike purchase. I owned many bikes from both countries, but when planning for a multi day ride it was always on a Japanese bike. I stopped too many times on my Brit bikes on the freeway collecting parts that had fallen off to consider riding them far from home.
The Suzuki Water Buffalo shared a lot of its electrics with the Honda 750. Both of those bikes were not overrated. I owned several of both and would own either again, except now the prices are through the roof for good examples. And say what you want, but the Honda 750 changed the face of motorcycling big time. People wanted them instead of troublesome English bikes and Harleys. And the Hondas never had a reliability problem if they were maintained, and if you think otherwise , you weren't there at the time.
The video is not saying they are bad machines It’s more about how people regard them today Unrealistically ignoring many other fine machines I make this abundantly clear in the video Strange people struggle with this very simple concept
@@bikerdood1100 Popularity is the reason. Hondas, even before the 750s (the 350 and 450 come to mind) were better bikes, period. I remember this period in motorcycling very well.
@@adotintheshark4848I’ve owned several 20 year old Hondas and trust me it bloody wouldn’t 😂 Honda were always mean with the grease at the factory so just getting the wheel off can be a ball ache on and that was only 3 year old CBR And before that was 8year old CX that blew its cam chain at under 35,000 miles incidentally when we tour the NC500 in Scotland last year the 5 year old Honda was the only bike that gave trouble and I was on a Royal Enfield The only reason I’d use the Honda is because it’s a CB500x and gives great gas mileage. So in breath would I trust any 20year old Japanese bike in a trans America road trip Not without putting a new alternator and regulator/ rectifier in as a bare minimum I wouldn’t. I’ve leaned this from touring thousands of miles in Europe
My eldest stepson had a disc-braked Suzuki 750 water-bottle; a nice bike, but, as you say, thirsty when the throttle gets wrung. One thing noticeable is that these bike, with the exception of the tiddlers, all had comfortable seats, for both the rider and the passenger. Regrettably, the same can't be said of most modern bikes.
Out here in Canada, nice XS650s are not yet overpriced yet. I was just on Marketplace and there are a couple of nice-looking examples on offer for $2500Cdn, but if you want to spend even less for a similar Japanese twin you can look for the very rare Suzuki GR650 Tempter. They were only offered for a couple of model years and sat unsold in showrooms for many years afterward, but in this case rarity does not mean inflated prices: a proper running example will set you back half of what an XS650 will.
Nice 1980's Harris T140 Bonneville there at 07.15 - I've got one those beauties in my stable and it's both very smooth to ride and totally reliable - Other myth-busted is l've also got 3 Japanese bikes of roughly the same vintage in the shed and the Harris is the only one that doesn't leak oil.
When these bikes first came out, my mates and I thought they were the ants pants. My first ride on a CB750 was a massive disappointment. My little RD250 left them in the dust up to 100kph and left them for dead through the corners. Both the CB750 and the Kawasaki Z900 had the nasty habit of tank slapping going above 160kph going in a straight line. [Why steering dampers became popular - yeah, a steering damper ought to do it . . . . not] As for the Suzuki 750 'water bottles'; very fast on the straights but diabolically bad through the bends. Aka 'widow makers'.
I owned a 72 XS650 red and white beauty. If I can remember correctly a 77 cb 550 fun bike. And a KZ1 1000 ltd fast with questionable brakes. 😅. Two wheels are fun .I bought a triumph thruxton 900 last year needed a fountain of youth. 😊
Had a Yamaha TX750 import from Fort Worth Texas back in the late 80's (even had red indicator lenses on the back) and had mates with Triumph Bonnies and XS650's swapped bikes with both on occasssions and the impressions I got was the TX had the power delivery of a Bonnie (the XS has a big heavy crank to rev whereas the TX & Bonnie pick up noticeably quicker) but without the vibration a bit like a more powerful 400/450 Superdream (nice trick is to put 6 speed box out of a superdream 250n in a 400 dream ), had T/GT 500's, T's are nice but need the maintenance (points & plugs) to get the best whereas GT's are softer and easier to live with.
Interesting that you used the term "overrated" as an apparent synonym for "overpriced" at least as concerns their present day collector value. Moreover, when justifying the argument based on an examination of their contemporaries, you pointed to Nortons, Lavardas and Triumph as having at least equal if not better performance. I won't argue that the European bikes were (in some cases) lighter weight, more powerful or maybe better handling. But the important factor here is the game changing nature of the Japanese bikes' impact on the US and global markets in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Mass produced, yet higher build quality (on average) than European contemporaries. Generally, MUCH more reliable and longer service life. Highly innovate designs with ground breaking technologies. I'm not being overly critical here as I thoroughly enjoy your channel and am grateful for the content and the work you put in... but, in this case the underlying thesis feels flawed or misses the mark. The big road bikes mentioned are all justifiably iconic and frankly, probably worth exactly what collectors are willing to pay.
It’s a sad fact of life today that the two come hand in hand. The video is not about their historical context but If you were in the market for a classic because of their reputations people tend to desire certain bikes above all others which leads to inflated prices. The unfortunate effect is many then think they can’t afford a classic but if they look at the alternatives maybe they can. If you look at the my other videos you will note that a history lesson is not required As for collectors, well bikes are for riding not to made part of some rich A holes portfolio. If these bikes aren’t affordable to younger riders they won’t take any interest in them then there’s simply no future for classic bikes. Collectors are in these terms the problem and not to point too fine s point on it can kiss my ass Perhaps you failed to grasp the point somewhat ?
Excellent video !! I had everyone of the big bikes shown except the Suzuki Water Buffalo and the Z900 Kawasaki! Instead I had the Titan 500 ! I am glad that Kawasaki reintroduced yhe Z1 ! My bike of choice would be the W800 Cafe ! I always wanted a Norton with a 65 hp combat engine ! Say la Vie ! 🙏👍
@@bikerdood1100 The last of the Norton's to come if the line sold here for approx $1800 Can ! I should have bought one ! Still lots of them around ! When I retired at 55 , I got rid of 2 work ( farrier ) trucks and 6 motorcycles ! I've been bicycling for 10:years now ! When my legs give out I will buy another motorcycle ! I we ould like one of the new 125 Super Cubs ! Al and all one of the best dual purpose units that I have had was my Suzuki 650 V- Stroma ! For: weight , size , mileage , comfort and 5 speed ! 👍
Agree about the cb550, great value and a great bike, a goldilocks of a bike, for some reason the 400/4 seems to get a bigger following even though it's slower than a 400 superdream? I have no idea why people buy 2 strokes especially the GT750, I had one back in the day and like you say the fuel economy was rubbish and as with all my Suzuki 2 strokes it seized due to the pump failing. As for the FS1E why are old overweight blokes thinking it could possibly be a good idea to buy and try riding around on these bikes, they were dangerous back when we were 16 and are deadly now, obviously they are going to loose a lot of money once the market moves on a few years and nobody has any historic reason to want to buy one. As for the Kawasaki Z900 yes it's a legendary bike like the Le mans mk1 or Laverda Jota so I can actually understand the prices on this one, for me I'd buy a Z650 which was a better handling bike and genuinely nice to ride, I had one back in 1981 and it was a wheelie machine and looked super cool in Kawasaki green, not too expensive to buy nowadays, somewhere between £3000- £5000 for a really good one or I guess you just buy the new retro Z900rs if you don't want a classic. I really enjoy your videos, you must spend a lot of time researching and coming up with ideas, keep them coming.
Don’t understand the 400/4 myself Too small and buzzy The prices of the FS1E honesty beggar belief I was honestly going to put the z650 in as an alternative, it is a better all round package
@@alan-sk7kyand the H100 engine fits in the MT5 MB5 with honda. I thought the RXS100 was always a lot nicer than the YB100 they sold at the same time for a wile.
Having had both as a teenager, the only thing the fizzie had over the AP was being more tunable and that's it. Otherwise the AP was more reliable (auto oil) and had a 5 speed box. Dood you're being a tiny bit hard on the Z1 but otherwise I agree 100% for once 😀
I had a Yamaha 400 enduro back in 1976,it was junk right from the factory. Technicians couldn’t figure out why it kept burning out head lights. My friends rode their Hondas while my bike sat in the shop
Something to consider over across the pond you folks had/have different bikes than here in the US. The dual purpose bikes of the 70's are second to none. I wish they would make them again. The simplicity of the bikes with wanted fun and performance. No bikes today are like they were. I have a '78 GS750E and I'll take it over any new bike. It has a personality and it works damn good.
Have covered dirt bikes I’ll admit sometime ago however. The bike companies seem to mainly want to sell very high price adventure bikes Like the BMW GS. Can’t imagine anyone sees a GS a serious trail bike, it’s a two wheel truck. No one seems to want to make a simple effective bike. I suspect this is because the profit margins are tight on small bikes. There is definitely a market for simple machines. The global sales success of the Royal Enfield 650s shows as much for road bikes Why other companies don’t build a simple dual purpose bike Who knows 🤷🏼
I still have my 1983 CB1100FD in lovely condition after all these years. Having owned many modern bikes the 1100F rides like a bucket of sh#t, it's not fast & can't stop - but it is so beautiful!!
my m8 over the road (in his 70's) has almost finished restoring a 1972 750 four, although it looks a bit different to the one here, it has lower sporty bars for one, and i was joking saying i'll have to have a go on it when finished. po faced he said i wouldnt make it to the bottom of the street before it spat me off lol, as i havent got enough experience, and i believe him
If I had known that the CBX wouldn't sell well I would have went shopping to see if I could get an okay price. I just figured such an awesome bike would be marked way up.
Nope Was expensive when released but they sold very slowly They sold around 27,000 in total. Good numbers for a small European company of the period. Not so much for Honda, by Hondas standards something of a flop
The GT 750 was a very fast bike with full roller bearing internals. Mid range acceleration was something else and it became the basis of the legendary race bike ridden by Barry Shean which conquered everything.
Sort of true although Mr Sheene’s bike ran in a very different chassis Most modern two strokes, that’s post World War 2 with a few exceptions, as always run roller bearing internals incidentally
The Japanese bikes from this period were so much better looking than the majority of todays bikes, many iof which are ugly and hideous looking imho of course.
I had a 1972 XS 650 and it ran forever. My Triumphs had 1940s technology in the early 1970s . The Triumph was prone to break downs at any time but the Triumph is and was my favorite Bikes and I have had a lot of them. So I guess a Bike doesn't have to be perfect to be the Bike any of us.
Never had an XS Had a triumph 750 from 1973 which contrary to pub talk proved rather reliable Only problem while we had it was a dodgy alternator. Honestly had more problems with Suzukis over the years 😂
I had a honda cb750K2 a great bike loved it,had later model F2 then the CB 900 bol,dor F2C which I love and still ride to this day.Put a yushimura kit in the 750 anf hang on..Best bikes I've ever ridden long trips in Australia.
OK... I am an old fart, so my experiences and opinions may be tainted. But I am also a retired motorcycle dealer, so those same opinions do have a bit of weight behind them. The CB750 was such a ground-breaking bike, changing the motorcycling world in one fell swoop. BUT, it was produced in such prodigious quantities that I cannot take it seriously as a collector's item commanding eye-watering prices. Great engine, in an average bike. 550 was in many ways better, as you state, and a REALLY sweet package, almost as quick/fast due to the lower weight. Suzuki's Water Buffalo was a stunner, albeit heavy and certainly not nimble. But they did truly last forever...and I know, as I was a dealer for them. Unless you're a hard-core classic tourer, the Buffalo isn't a sensible choice. I have had several 500 Titans and would always choose that bike over the 750. The Yammer was the "modern" twin, with electric start and Japanese reliability and oil-tightness. But it was behind the multi-cylinder times when new. And again, I can't accept the current values...I'd opt for a CB450. The only thing I can criticize about the Z1 is that they've become stupidly expensive. I'd go for a Suzy 1000 or 1100, especially the early-1980 ones. I know nothing about the Yammer tiddlers...gimme a Honda CB200 with the cable-operated disc brake instead. Now, for my sleeper...ANY CB350 Honda, which don't seem to have become overpriced, yet...
People are all too often about names Sometimes at the expense of reality Being the best known doesn’t necessarily mean the best I’d genuinely go for a GS over a Z1 As for the XS it’s always been popular and from a personal perspective I do find 4s uninteresting
If you mean the CB350 four cylinder it’s an interesting machine but like it’s 400 sibling it’s too small to work well as a four and while it sounds good the tsp win cylinder opposition is better
@@bikerdood1100 Somehow I missed this reply when you left it. And, no, I wasn't talking about the 4cyls...the 350/360 twins are decent value these days and dead reliable. For the price of a 400F, I'd buy a CB-1, which does everything better/faster and handles MUCH better and is, well, 'modern". I was still a dealer when these came out and, like the Hawk GT, they sparked comments but wound up growing moss on the north side on the showroom. Pity, as they were great bikes, and the Hawk has something of a following. The CB-1 was faster and still doesn't have many cogniscenti. Silly public...
I always hankered for Yamaha's 650 when I was young and I eventually bought a TX650. It looked great but I distinctly remember one day being very unimpressed as I overtook a car and it just seemed a bit weak and unimpressive. Not as sweet as my CB500 I owned a few years earlier. Never wanted a parallel twin again. I had a Ducati 750 F1 later and there is just no comparison to those bikes. 90 degree V twin good, parallel twin bad! Although maybe me and Yamaha just don't get on as the only new bike I bought was an XT500 scrambler which was really disappointing. I thought my Honda XL250 was better. Bigger is not always better for some people.
@@bikerdood1100 Yes, my Yamaha 650 may have needed tuning or something. I loved my Suzuki RG250 parallel twin but of course, two stroke. Anyway, thanks for your work and greetings from New Zealand!
When I purchased my Moto Guzzi Mk2 LeMans back in '79, most of my wannabe biker mates were on CB750's. At first I was a bit pissed at the spaghetti bike jibes and other BS, but I soon realised that they must have been jealous, of the looks, power and torque, handling, braking, top speed, ease and cost of maintenance, etc etc. My bike had everything over their underwhelming H's.O.S.
We are spoiled here in the States because we can still find these bikes with the exception of the KZs really cheap. I rode a 650 Yammie Twin for years . What a great dependable bike although they are heavy turds which handle a bowl of mush. The best ones to get are the early ones and forget about the Specials. I don’t think they are overrated maybe overpriced. Too bad Yamaha kept making them with improvements. They were retro when retro wasn’t cool. But the XS650 are hard to find here now because of the Street Tracker craze , which I think has subsided. It’s hard to find just a plain old 650 that someone hasn’t butchered into a Kenny Roberts lookalike
Complete bs, the Honda CB 750 and other Japanese bikes wiped out the European bike industry that mainly delivered completely out dated ever vibrating and oil leaking engines.
Is the video about or really mention European bikes Nope The Bs is here is an inability to grasp the subject matter I’m comparing almost exclusively to other Japanese bikes Rocket science it is not
The Honda CB750. Overrated. Overpriced maybe. Overrated? How do you overate the Motorcycle of the Century? Yes it had the flaws you mention. But...in the history of motorcycling, there are 2 eras. Pre Honda cb750. After Honda cb750. That is the real measure of the bike.
Motorcycle of the century For me it’s not the complete package Good solid engine although not actually as quick as some would have you believe but the chassis is mediocre It took until the Suzuki Gs before they were competent handling bikes coming out of Japan and even then there was far Too much emphasis on the engine and far too little on the frame The fact that you called it the motorcycle of the century sums it up
@@bikerdood1100 I agree with you about the CB750s flaws. But that's not really the point I was making The CB750 was Revolutionary. It offered riders something motorcycling had never had before. Stone axe reliability, all day 80mph cruising and people could actually afford to buy one. Yeah I've owned Honda fours, and a Gs850 as well as a heap of other bikes. My point is simple. In the history of the motorcycling, the Modern era began with the CB750. It changed everything. And that's why, even with its flaws it's deservedly the Motorcycle of the Century
Sadly it is not I that have completely missed the point of the video by a wide mark, but it’s easy to be an arm chair expert who isn’t going to buying or riding any of the bikes in the video any time soon
Hi Bikerdood not sure what happened to my previous comment. My T500 has popped up on couple of your videos, I was at Bridgenorth last summer. You are welcome to do a video road test on it if you want, just reply and we can make arrangements.
At my first job a guy had a GT750 in lavender then got the then new GS1000, which he sold after a couple of months because he preferred the GT, never got my head around that.
Character Some bikes suited some people better Having more power and speed will not make the bike more enjoyable to the rider There’s so much more to a bike than facts and figures My old BSA is very enjoyable to ride Not especially fast Just full of character and a joy to ride
LOL!!! "Overrated"??? The Honda CB 750, the Suzuki GT 750 and the Kawasaki Z1 900??? Those three sit on TOP of my DREAM BIKE list. These bikes are ICONIC FOR A REASON. They were WAY, WAY more groundbreaking and reliable than anything that came out of your beloved UK (sour grapes much?).
Iconic they are But Does that mean they make the best choice for someone looking for a Classic Japanese bike ? I offer alternatives for this very reason Please note that this video is specifically about Japanese bikes and doesn’t say that they are bad bikes at all It’s not complicated Clearly too difficult for some Nothing to do with British bikes and some are mentioned only as a bench mark Do note that the alternatives mentioned are other Japanese bikes 🙄 I clearly need to make my videos simpler in the future 😂
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
79 I had an unrestricted FS1E. Didn’t know at the time that it would turn into a collectors item. Just in my short ownership, my machine had several seizures and a rebore.
It did little to prepare me for the insanity of the RD250LC that followed at 17.
It's very easy to remember these old bikes through rose tinted glasses.
Which is why I made the video really
In Spain many women deliver mail on Eco Chinese scooters , have one here kick or electric start ,v cheap has sticking throttle cable !
You should have got a Suzuki AP50. At least 10mph faster and totally reliable. 😂 I got an aircooled RD250 later. Seized it up due to blocked strainer in the oil tank. I think the problems are often neglected second-hand bikes rather than any particular make.
My Dad wisely wouldn't sign for an RD250 for me after my fizzy but I had a Suzuki GT185 instead. Made up for it with RD350 YPVS 😊
Back in 1972/3 i sold my Suzuki 250cc Super Six , and purchased a new Suzuki T500R , in candy lavender and white at a price of £499 from a dealer near Boston in Lincolshire ,being based at RAF CONINGSBY there were a few lad`s there with some of the bikes shown here ....Those were the days .....
Nice
Candy Lavender (or its US equivalent) was a GREAT color. I am looking for T500 I can afford but so far in 2024, no luck.
Had a 550 Four for a few years. The bike just purrs and never needed anything but love and adoration. Honda is legendary…
Nice bikes
You are spot on about the Suzy GS750/1000 being a better alternative. It was a sleeper, and very solid. It had handling way ahead of its time. Any of the 70s and early 80s Kawasakis had near- dangerous handling. 2 of my mates died in mild cornering wobbles when they hit a bump. The Suzy would not kill you like that.
Well if not better certainly cheaper for some reason and indeed better handling
The Suzukis were good engines and good frames, but they were also a bonfire looking for somewhere to happen. The electrical system design was a complete piece of sht, prone to burning out alternators, rectifiers and regulators. I know. I spent a lot of time either fixing the results of the incipient bonfire or providing a fix that stopped it from happening. At my last count waybackwhen I'd done eighteen 550s, 750s and 1000s. Suzuki finally fixed the problem with the introduction of the 1100 engine.
I would not say the entire electrical system in all fairness
But the do use very cheap regulator rectifiers no doubt about that, alternators could be better too on some bikes
Yes the GS 750 was a cracker and still a great bike today.
@@daigriffiths399 A honda RR bolts onto the suzuki and is an easy wiring upgrade. That solves the only problem the GS had. The Honda RR is about 20 dollars on the 'Bay
If you are saying that the cb750 four is an "over rated" bike, it is obvious you have never owned one. Lets not forget the time of its research and development, the mid 60's, it was of it's time and served its purpose massively. During the r+d period it was redlined for 20 hours non stop on a test bed with no blow up. The model went on to have a very good shelf life for the time and its testament to its greatly deserved "classic" status is the fact that it is one of the classics that always commands and gets a high price.
One of the greatest bikes ever built.
Oh and the Z1 is over rated now??? really???
Just watch the video and pay attention rather than listen to you own bias
Also note the price of the Z1 in the video
Seriously
Right on!
It's the colours of the 70s that stand out for me. The pink of that Suzuki or the yellow of the FS1E. Lovely.
The pink is a bit much
Definitely vibrant is the word
@@bikerdood1100 Imagine it in the brown and beige world of the 70's. I wonder are the modern paints used in restoration perhaps a little too bright? They might be the right colour. But the depth of finish and application might be just a little too good.
I had two magenta Suzuki 750s, one with expansion chambers and a shaved head. That thing was loud and fast!
@@adotintheshark4848 Wonderful!
@@bikerdood1100 they also offered a chartruese/green model that year (72), not nearly as "loud".
That 750 Honda is definitely not overrated my dear!
Do try and understand the context of the video
It doesn’t mean bad
I do make this abundantly clear
Abundantly
@@bikerdood1100 Yes but remember the bike didn't really change that much from the 70s all the way up until the 80s until the introduction of the 750 Nighthawk which got a horsepower boost And we barely can't count the latest model the CB 750 Hornet because it's a 2 cylinder model
Back in 1978 I got into a race with two 750/4’s. I was surprised that my 1975 Norton Commander 850 took care of both bikes. The Suzuki you showed was called the water bottle here in Australia. I built from the ground up a 650 Yam Special. I bought a burnt out wreck for $25 in 1977. It was a 76 model and when I’d finished building it up it cost me $300 ( which was a lot of money back then. Some said it was a Japanese BSA ( which I disputed lol ). I ended up selling it in 1980 for $1,200. That bike was and is quicker than the modern day Yamaha 650’s. I rode a Z1 once and yes I felt like a sail when she got up and going. Fortunately you could buy bikini fairings for the bike. Oh and it scare the crap out of me because the single front disc couldn’t really pull you up once she lifted her skirt. As per usual I do/did enjoy your videos.
Thanks
Interesting comment
In '75, my brother and I bought new Hondas. I chose a 750, my brother a 550. His was nothing but trouble; the cam ran in the aluminum top cover, no bushings or bearings. The dealer finally installed a top cover from a
CB 500 Four, which fixed the problem. A factory fix was implemented starting with the 1978 models.
The Suzuki engine you spoke about was called a water Buffalo!
Seem to remember the 3 cylinder Suzuki 2 stroke called 'the Kettle' in UK, The Original Honda CB750 was more of a tourer than a sports bike to be fair and sold in large number in USA where they loved the fact it started when required, did not cover your garage floor with oil and got you back home... I soon found with Japanese bikes you did not need to carry a toolkit..
Your 60bhp 115 mph norton took care of a 70 bhp 124 mph cb750 did it. Were the Hondas brakes. Bindings. I rode both and the norton wasn’t in the same league
Great video. Another in a series of overrateds would be very welcome.
🤔
Anyone remember the small 'Used bike mags?' Real reviews from owners of bikes. It was noticeable how many Japanese bikes, although reliable, seemed to wear out quickly. There was a article many years back, where it said, Honda used very poor quality alloy.
Well it’s because by then we were starting towards todays throw away society
Those mags were full of bx. 250 Superdream "90 mph"
Imagine my disappointment when I bought one!
@@TomBartram-b1c On the clock, downhill with a following wind. Yes had one. As before, they were day to day reliable but longevity poor.
@@TomBartram-b1cmade us all want a VT250F
Had a VT250 for a few years
It was very flat and you really needed to keep it revving
Never saw 100mph however
It was quite a nice bike to ride but it often amuses me know to think that it claimed similar hp to my BSA but really not the same thing at all
There’s 35hp and then there’s 35hp and a stack of torque
The Honda was a good bike but not exactly one to get passionate about
The CB750 is not overrated. It changed the course of motorcycling history and blew everything else out of the water. The 550 wouldn't have existed without the 750
Oh of course
🙄
And point proven
Honda CB750 had issues with the oil ways in the cam block getting clogged and seizing the cam , a mate brought one that had sat for three years, and he didn't follow my advice to change the oil. It ended with half the cam seized and snapped, leaving the inlet value open while he was riding and burnt the bike to the ground.....
also K5 and later has an extra bolt added around the cam chain tunnel.....
Oh Honda and those top ends
Put 100,000 miles on my '75 Honda 750 K5 (purchased new) without any problems. 3000 mile oil and filter changes, and a Lockhart oil cooler helped things along.
I had a CB750 F2 SOHC 2018-2020, after an initial test ride and then months of tarting up the frame and paintwork I was met with this same problem, age of the oil wasn't the issue but a small chunk of gasket material had worked free and clogged the oil jet....my dad who had ran a K0 for many thousands of miles without fault in the 70's was speechless after having sung their praises for so long...killed my interest in owning another classic machine!
Well that’s the problem with Japanese for you
Great when new, complicated and nasty when old.
We have old and new machines and find old Brit bikes simple by comparison
if you never changed the oil. And the 750A automatic was terrible for that. Keep the oil clean however and you'll have no problem. I owned five of those and repaired many others. They are one of the best bikes ever made.
I owned a FS1/E DX but have to agree they are way over priced. The common phrase used by bike mag road testers of the 70's Japanese bikes was 'hinged in the middle' to describe the wallowing handling. You are right, the GS750 is an underrated machine, I remember being flat out on my T140V Bonnie as my mate over took me on his GS750 he changed gear. I ended up with a GS750 soon after...
The GS was really the first competent handling bike from Japan
For me their best 750 of the 70s
Great collection of bikes indeed. I miss those days. Thank you for sharing and bringing back so many fond memories. Take care guys and ride safe. Cheers
Glad you enjoyed it
I wasn't impressed by the bulk or the tinselly styling of the Suzuki GT750, and even less impressed when I finally go to ride one. Too heavy, too tall, and nowhere near as good to ride as the Yamaha XS650 which I decided not to replace then. The XS was easily the best bike I owned before I bought my first BMW (R65) in 2007, but I couldn't imagine doing 500,000Km on it.
@@bertmeinders6758 I had a 1979 XS650 Special in red. I miss that bike. Bought it new. It was between the Yamaha or a 650 Bonneville. Now I'm thinking I should have bought the Triumph?
First CB750 I saw (the gold/ orange one) was in Glasgow in the early weeks of its release. Was ridden by an old guy with a pipe in his mouth, a dispatch riders coat and a pudding basin helmet and a WW2 gas mask shoulder bag that was commonly used to take your “piece” to work. (Piece = lunch sandwiches). High handlebar screen too. Looked so incongruous I wondered if it was a put up job to get people double taking the bike to boost sales. The dealer there then was Rattrays, they used to make a famous built to fit bicycle called the Flying Scot.
A strange mixture of historical eras that Honda rider😂
I had a gold one, great bike. Got an old Yamaha XJ 900f now.
I think the Suzuki GS1000 is the real deal. I bought a running 78 last year in Austin , Texas for $900 with a bunch of extra parts that I sold for more than that. So I basically got a free bone stock bike with nice original mufflers. I love these bikes s they re really comfy and outperform the KZ models . The Seat may be one of the best I’ve ever sat on for a long trip. These bikes never got the respect they deserved on the street but they kicked but on the track
Certainly turned better than the Kawasaki
Well said buddy, couldnt agree more, gs1000 a fantastic and very under rated bike...$900 !!!.... you lucky b•stard !! 😁....kawasakis are the most overated bikes in history, so nice to look at...but appalling handling tank slappers ✌🍻
@@PeteBurns-xv2fz Sometimes when you are late to the party, nobody notices you, nobody cares.
Oh..id better go and pay 20.000 quid for a z1 then just so i get noticed, i'll wear a t-shirt with 'i love zeds' on the front so everyone knows im a real man, i can alternate between wearing the 'zed' t-shirt and the i love VW t25s' t-shirt i wear to get noticed at other obsessed geek meets 😂🤣😂🤣.....maybe then...someone will care...and luv me 😂🤣😂🤣.....i think i'll re-mortgage my house tommorow, ive just seen a kwaka h2 for sale...only 25.000 quid, oh...hang on, for 4500 quid i can buy a mint rd350 that'll piss all over that overated overpriced smoker !!!... no matter WHAT anybody says...kawasakis are THE most overated OVER PRICED bikes on earth.....love em all you want, ive NOTHING against them but the above...
A little known fact is Kawasaki and Suzuki collaborated on the head design of the 4 cylinder bikes. They even use the same size shims in the buckets. Suzuki was abandoning the 2 stroke and the rotary and needed a hail mary engine. They also lost their shirt on the water buffalo.
Suzuki made scores of heads to come up with the twin swirl effect in the combustion chamber that was the ticket. The 4V engine was the precursor to modern superbike engines.
Can't believe I came across a video that included the FS-1. I was just given one. Brand new in the crate. It has Auto Lube.
Blimey
Just given one!.. you either have some top friends or are one lucky fella . Collectors items landing in your lap in the box is pretty unreal.
Congratulations!
I had several Honda CB 750s and I loved them. I had a Z1 900, as well. My fav was a 1980 Yamaha SX 650 of all the bikes I had
Interesting how the smaller bike is your favourite
A great machine is often more than the sum of its parts and often less is more
Me and a bunch of my friends had 70's Honda inline fours with 4/1 pipes we flogged them mercilessly, lubed the chain, changed the oil, repeat. A friend with British twin, and the puddle underneath, seemed like he was in the shop about half the summer
Small sample size admitedly
@@scottmcburney8938 I never had a problem with the Honda 750s. Seemed impossible to break them. Of all the two strokes I had the most reliable was the Suz T-500 even after extreme mods. I have to say that later when I had a Suz 750 4 stroke it was better than the Honda 750 in every way. My brother had the Honda 750 night hawk in the 80s and my 82 Suz out handled it.
@@rachelthompson9324 Those old SOHC Honda's weren't performance bikes, they were just solid fun reliable transportation. The 80's sport bikes were yet to come, we were kids then, just out or finishing high school. My friends had 400/4 super sports, older cb 750's, I had a 500/4. The Yamaha 2 strokes were the fastest thing in the mountains, the R5 or Rd400's. Good times, I'm 64 and still riding for now.
The Hondas weren't has robust as history portrays. I had a CB 400 Four, it needed major work by 20,000 miles. I bought a CB 500 Four from a dealer, but it never ran right, they ended up completely rebuilding the engine. Later I had a Suzuki GS750. Superb. Handled great with Ace bars on, engine was bulletproof. I bought a CB 750 Four F2 from a well known dealer (Padgetts), They wouldn't bring it out to let me hear it running, stating it would mean moving a lot of stock, but it wouldn't be in the showroom if not right. Bought it (13,000 miles), 1/4 down road it broke down. Sounded like a, bag of nails. After a few attempts at putting it right they eventually rebuilt the engine. Though it was never right. Pxed it for a car. The Yamaha XS650, always regretted not buying a 650B model. But didn't know much about them, so bought the 400 Four. In hindsight should have bought the Yam.
Well Hondas do like to destroy the odd cam train that’s for sure
Counterpoint: in 1979 I bought my first bike, a 1976 CB400F. It's 2024 and I still own it. Never let me down, not even in those early years when I was an enthusiastic, but inexperienced and ham-fisted home mechanic. Funnily enough, before buying the Honda I went to see an XS650. I didn't buy it when it turned out to have low compression on one cylinder...
@@bikerdood1100 The manual cam chain adjuster often gets neglected.
My old CX had an allegedly automatic cam adjuster and it died after 35,000miles
As interesting counter point I ride a large Guzzi
Have owned it for many years and many rides across Europe
It’s big, very comfortable two up, handles and stops very well and has shaft drive
I also own a modern Honda
Would I give my Guzzi up for a cb400f or an XS
I’ve never been that drunk
I’m a non drinker incidentally
'Reliable and smooth' would sell the CB750 to most riders, fed up of the unreliability and vibration of British bike of the time...
Find my A10 strangely smooth & reliable
And yet my A10 is surprisingly smooth and reliable
Clearly you’ve never owned or ridden an A7
@@bikerdood1100 Rode quite few British parallel twins in my time, never found one that did not turn my fingers white..... My bike now is a Suzuki SV650 90 deg V twin - no vibration at all from tickover to redline at 11K, and reliable as a swiss watch...
@@bikerdood1100 Parallel twins have bad primary balance and bad secondary balance due to 'rocking couple' due to distance between cranks.. Modern parallel twins have balance shaft to try to cancel out vibration.. I never rode a British parallel twin that was smooth through the rev range, and the larger capacity the worse the vibration. There was a good reason that Japanese wiped out British motorbike industry, and then wiped out the British car industry... They made a much better product.
Well secondary balance and rocking couples are technically speaking different
Having a balance shaft does not always guarantee smoother running
Essentially the case in singles
I do think vibes are very much overplayed. I used to listen to old boys telling me how bad Brit bikes were, then I road one and realised there’s a lot of bull shit out there
We recently tested an A7 which was as smooth as many Japanese bikes
Better than some
My CB550F is coming uo 200,000kms with out any major problems
My arse has done 130,000kms and rising...... Good overall video!
😂nice way of thinking about distance
The problem with some peoples reaction to the video is that for many bigger is better.
The CB750 must be best because it cost more and is bigger right ?
Well no actually the 500 and the 550 Andre better all around packages
If people don’t like well like you and your trusty 500 I’d says that’s too bad
Here’s to another 100,000 k sir
The 550 was the best of the Honda pack.
I've still got an X reg CBX550F2 at my dad's house. It's the red one not the blue one though
I’ve still got a complete rotary inlet FS1 engine block lying around here. I even own a matching aftermarket water cooled cylinder head (!) which I at the time put on my Zuendapp in stead. This was possible because the spacing of the cylinder bolts is the same. One only had to use the longer bolts from Zuendapp’s own watercooled TT model. Why go through the hassle? At that time watercooling was the ultimate. It worked perfectly!
Hmmm 🤔
Did Yamaha have a look at a Zundapp first
@@bikerdood1100 Could be but they have little in common elsewhere. Probably more a coincidence. If I remember correctly ( but would have to check it to be sure) the diameter inside the heads flange is actually bigger then that the bore of the Zuendapp cylinder. So the head volume was probably bigger on the FS1 as well. Without any discernible disadvantages during use on the Zuendapp.
As a former owner of some (tuned) Zündapps and a (tuned) FS1, the Zündapp was the choice for me. The Zündapp brought me all over South and West Europe, no hassle. The FS1, after the fourth time a stuck engine within 1000 km, was not he (reliable) machine I wanted! My brother bought my FS1, put a new crankshaft, piston etc etc, and took it racing. The engine got stuck again, and he broke his wrist. That was the end of the FS1.
@@DanielNoest I basically spilled all my FS1 experiences with the former description. I found them interesting as such but kind of cheaply built. Not that my Zuendapp was very dependable, mind you. But at least it enabled me to get around and develop a lasting love for the whole concept of the motorcycle. Recently donated all it’s remains to my daughter in law. Maybe one day …. 😁
My MZ simson,as ugly as it was ,was faster than my mates fs1e and was bulletproof ,we even tried to break it and it kept on going
My new 1977 XS650 was probably the best all round bike I’ve ever owned, I’m now 65, I also owned a GT500, if you were lucky you could pass two petrol stations before needing to refuel, my mate rode the 500 and I was on the 650, we rode the full length of Wales, he fueled up more than twice for every tank I used
Interesting way of thinking about fuel range, wonder how many miles that equals
Is that the 2 stroke 500 twin GT500 that was a big twin for a 2 Stoke at the time. They sounded rather unique. Quite deep and powerful sounding
I’d say 500 is right on the limit for a stroker
People might rave about the bigger bikes but for me bigger bikes don’t quite work as well
Sadly I sold my 1977 XS650 so that we could put a bathroom where the garage was -BIG MISTAKE!
I’d have told the wife
Bugger the bathroom 😂
There is nothing overrated about the CB750. The most I've seen a CB750's sell for is $30k and I've seen it happen more than once. It's a legendary motorcycle and a classic all wrapped into a bundle of reliability. I've always adored the look of the 1970's & 1980's motorcycle body shape. I love the big chrome headlight in the front, it makes it look so vintage. Especially the long chrome pipes. I've always been a lover of motorcycles...especially the CB750 1970-1975 models. The prettier they are the better. The motorcycle industry owes so much to the CB750.
That’s stupid money in all honesty
As I said it’s a large beast with overly soft suspension very much built with the US in mind but in Europe where we have Corners the 550 is in reality a better all round bike
And much cheaper too
Perhaps it’s biggest problem was that it was in production for much too long with Honda concentrating on its cars
You do understand that overrated is not the same as bad ?
@ Yes
All great bikes, ive rode many of them.matter of fact a friend had a 1968 suzuki 50cc, what a cool machine.it was very powerful for a 50cc. All those bikes shown command big bucks in USA, if in good condition.thanks for eye candy .
My first bike was a 50cc Suzuki
Things grew very quickly from there
I had a Honda CB750 F1 in the early 2,000's. In that pale yellow. Bought it from ebay complete minus carbs for £350!
Some of the people on the forums were right up their backsides.
I told them I used Wilko 20/50 oil & they went mad !
Also I don't understand the Sandgate owners who think they are a different breed of owner.
Got rid of it as I realized I liked my XT 500 more (which l still have & thrash)
Sandcast, (stupid auto correct)
As for oil
The stuff they put in lawnmowers is better than what they had in the 60s
The secret is how often you change the oil not how good it is
That’s the spirit! 😁
@@buxvan Sand cast only refers to the early 69s or the first few bikes that were made, due to the way the engine cases were formed. Their rarity makes them valuable, not because they are any better.
Thanks for the chuckle, Buxvan, Whether you were genuine or winding up those pompous anoraks, I applaud your mischievous manner & humour. Those originality box-tickers are entitled to their pontificating (there is room for them amongst us all), but to those whom criticise & bemoan owners later updates & improvements,
however,
those who ride (or have ridden in the past), understand the reason for braided hoses & lines, digital ignition for points, better pads, shoes & rubber hoops, halogen bulbs;
their ignorance of accepting sensible, even respectful improvements to our older classics makes their "Originality" argument somewhat foolish...
... especially for an owner who wishes to continue riding his beloved classic for many more miles each year & not only from their transport van/trailer to the show stand.
Often these critics are so beligerent, they fail to realise how foolish their comments can sound when they actially speak with a fellow classic enthusiast.
& stuff those who bemoan my GSX1100S full Yoshimura pipe.
There are limits of bad tast IMHO, but it is individual choice as to me, the chrome toast rack engine block covers (especially on 70's Zeds) bring a definite grimace, much the same as whitening the teeth of The Mona Lisa.
Its all for enjoyment & the owner reserves his right to choose & be happy with his "customising".
In 1977 , my older brother and his girl both bought one each, 1973 rd 60 left over at Franks Yamaha in Hudson MA they got tired of them very quickly and I bought them both for pennies on the dollar. being a junior in High School I rode them all over including down the hall at the local high school, past the library , the principal's office, and down a short set of stairs to the field house and out of the building, but I digress I learned how to ride a motorcycle pretty dan good. I ran that for 3 years and just parked them in the family garage where other siblings took over. That in time was replaced by the big kawi's of the time 1979 SR 650 then a 81 csr 1000 but I fondly look back on those little rd screamers as my Friend John used to call them..
Little screamers. It’s an apt description
You got stones, hoss! Bold choices but fair. The over inflated prices on the CB750 is why I bought a 79 CB650 to park next to my CB350, which is my daily ride. Excellent work as always, buddy.
You do get that I’m not saying they are bad
Right ???
But they are overrated and now vastly overpriced
Is a Z1 worth paying a ton of money more than a Gs1000
No
I totally understand what you are saying. I agree. I meant that I bought 2 great motorcycles because they were not overpriced cb750s. We're on the same page, man.
I had the Suzuki GT250 new in 1975. I miss that old bike it was quick for it's size. A bit heavy but rode smooth good for travelling. 36 mpg. Running 70. Loved that 6 speed trans and the left hand kick start. The orange was a head turner. Most ppl that saw it couldn't believe it was just a 250. It was a fat bike. I would love to have one again
A larger bike is a good thing sometimes
Gives the bike more presence
Great video
I went with the CB500 vs the 750 for my representative collection. A sweeter bike.
That’s the impression I got
The smaller CB's were very nice in my opinion.
I can recall, back in the 1970s, walking into a motorcycle shop and seeing a brand new Norton Commando 850..... It had just 5 miles on the clock... however, underneath was an oil drip tray, which had a puddle of new oil in it.
When I asked the salesman about the drip tray he said.. "Oh they all leak a bit of oil... in fact, if there is no oil in the drip tray, there is none in the bike either" - I didn't purchase it.
Interesting if slightly odd tail
In 1972 a friend and I took my Honda K1 ( his BMW 69RS broke ) from Heidelberg to Imola Italy for the first 750 race on the continent. 1 tent, 2 sleeping bags and everything else was strapped to the Honda. Still cruised down the autobahn in the fast lane when asked to. Put 50,000 miles on that bike, never left me stranded.
Video doesn’t d say they weren’t reliable
But is the cb550 a better bike 🤔
@@bikerdood1100 No way. Not on the Autobahn and not for turing. Get your ass run over in the slow lane. No speed limits back then.
Trip down memory lane! Loved it!!!
Please do an episode featuring the Honda X11, a great bike which had "Marmite" reviews! Great work, thanks!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Very enjoyable video thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it
Another of your excellent, interesting and well scripted video's....thank you!
Thanks
My GS1000G is an absolute fine touring machine with bulletproof engine. And they don't cost 30K either. I had a Z1 back in the 80s and didn't like it much due to the handling.
The GS1000 16V motor dominated drag racing for years and is a better platform.
Agreed
The Yamaha XS650 seen here us a very late model 'chopper' variant designed for the American Harley sensibilities. I think it is cool but maybe harder to the eye with its small fat back wheel, chopper(ish) seat, mag wheels, etc., but the earlier XSs were much nicer Brit looking machines. Taller and leaner, with a conventional seating plan. The early green and gold models with front drums and spoked wheels look classic.
Well was filmed in the Uk
Interesting 🤔
@@bikerdood1100 yeah they just changed to the American look across the board.
Well given the size if the market basically everyone got American market designs
Stupid bars and all
And then the Meriden Co-op did Yamaha the honour of copying the black low-rider XS650 Custom, with their T140D variant with the stepped seat and mag wheels. Wot? Triumph copying Yamaha? G'wan gerroutov'ere!
What do you think of the Yamaha XJ 900f, they are old now not so popular but I like mine.
Those XJs were great family of machines robust with good all round performance. The styling Is of its time which likely means it’s disregarded today
So they remain relatively affordable. Great bikes though
Theyre great bikes, slim and easy to ride, nippy and handle great, another underated bike 👍
I recall binning into a Armco fence at 2am a borrowed Jaffa Kawa Z1 in 1974 ...oh what a night... cheers
Whoops
Cracking honest review 👍
Memories eh 🙄🤗❤️
Well it’s not that they aren’t good but the are well over priced and having prices that high puts younger people off classic bikes which is bad for everyone
My enduring memory of the original CB750s. I liked the electric start & no oil streaks, but it didn't stop & went round corners like a wet noodle.
👍😂😂
@@bikerdood1100cornered like a wet noodle=pasta=Italian = brilliant handling 😂🙈👍
As an xs650 fan I would agree with ur points this is a cult legend I’ve worked o 5 of these since 1978 and have 2 in my garage now love em 😊🛠
👍
Mr Difazzio gave me the lecture about my bike being illegal for a 16 year old on L plates. Maybe due to looking similar to the Honda cub range is why I never got attention from the old Bill. The Yamaha U50 (not the later V50) of 1971 was kickstart and unrestricted. Laid out flat, down a steep hill, I could hit 60 mph.
Next was a Suzuki A100. Great bike that took me all over the country and my ride to work bike. Top speed I recorded was 82 mph but given the optimistic nature of Japanese speedo's back then, I only claim 70, which was pretty good with my bird on the back. That too was like a push bike with an engine. Disc valve inlet and oil mixed via the pump, which I became intimate with, thanks to Duckhams 2 stroke oil.
😂😂
Moped law is dam stupid anyway
30 mph is plain unsafe
My XS 650 was a constant companion. The Kirkers, enhanced spark and drag bars without the stock bar end weights to dampen vibrations were all that honey needed to turn it into perfection.
Nice
I had an FS1E dx...paid 400 quid for it, back in the day. It also only 400 miles on it...wish I'd kept the bloody thing. Strangely at 62, I also have an RXS100....what a cracking little bike and will do 65mph, sounds great with the spanny on it and it's worth about 1500 quid! It's original apart from the exhaust and really is a cheap usable classic...just turned 40, so will be tax and mot exempt very soon 👍
Modern prices are absolutely crazy
Shame the road tax is dirt cheap on a 100cc bike anyway. With the bigger bikes you're saving £117 in road tax now.
I owned a CB750K1 with 4 into 1 hanco trumpet and oversized main jets and sports airfilters, air cap fork upgrade and Marzocchi rear shocks, what a beast :).
And a small fortune spent by the sounds of the things
@@bikerdood1100 actually, back in the day, it wasn’t too much. It came with the pipes, so jets and shocks and filters I fitted myself. All up about 400 Aussie dollars. Did my own paint too. It was a rat bike :).
Not too shabby
I had a Honda cb550 café racer as my only bike for 13 years. It handled very well and was faster than many bigger bikes.
Hondas best 4 of the 70s
@@bikerdood1100The cb550 was perhaps the best handling Japanese bike of the 70s, you couldn't have paid me to change it for a cb750. I just went through the hornet's nest of a comment section, I enjoyed the format. Classic Bike magazine did something similar many years ago, showing over priced classics and more sensible alternatives.
The problem seems to be that people are stuck in their ideas
A 1976 GT750 was my first street bike. Rode it to high school; as the only guy with a bike it made me just cool enough not to get hassled by anyone. That bike is long gone but I've had various GT's in my garage ever since
👍
The Z1's not overrated. It's severely overrated. The CB750 wasn't trying to be sporty, an endeavor in which it succeeded entirely. It was the CB750 that first made me wonder if the industry could even produce a 500lb bike that would handle. It was the Z1 that convinced me they couldn't.
They aimed both at the US market
Understandably
Both are heavy with ponderous steering
The high bars on the Z are particularly bad
Overrated I think not you obviously no nothing about them they won the Castrol 6 hour race three years in a row on a tight track Amaroo Park Sydney Australia production bikes too dead standard plus numerous race wins world wide and in drag racing was King
Couple of things here really
No ?
It’s Know
Also I’m not American I know where Sidney is
Production racers are never dead standard as you put it
Different suspension units for a start and no way anyone would be racing on those standard bars
Be serious
You do know that overrated is not the same as bad
Right ?
Watch the video and pay attention
Instead of forming opinions ahead of time
Fact
People pay ridiculous money for them
If you watched properly you would have noticed the price tag on the one featured
Z1 better than a GS 1000
No Suzuki is definitely not perfect but it’s a better all round package
Dead standard 😂😂hilarious
Here it shows that you no nothing about the Castrol 6 hour race the bike are standard shocks are original fitment one year a Suzuki was disqualified for removing the horn to allow better air flow and engine's were striped and checked for the first 3 places absolutely no improvements over standard
And you spelt Sydney wrong if you want to be technical
Never want to ride a GT750 kettle again. Worst speed wobble at 90mph I have ever experienced. I still get a cold shiver 40 years on thinking of that day.
Oh dear
Yet another outstanding video. Thank you.
Well we try to get people thinking
Some unfortunately do struggle but what can you do
Thanks for the feedback
Well, I started in '78 with a red AP50 and here I am 46 years later with an amazing Yamaha Niken. Just wow.
You certainly like to be different that’s for sure
Had an AP myself a very long time ago
I had a 750-4 in the 70's. Test rode it on a straight road, which was a mistake. I had a Dresda box swinging arm, air forks etc.. sold it quickly when I realised even with the upgrades it was horrible in corners! The brakes were terrible. Thank God I had kept my Triumph TR6R.
It took them a while to get corners sorted
Cb750 is awesome just because it was the first modern bike changing the market.😊
And
It if you looking for a Japanese classic today
Is it the best choice
No
Best 70s Honda
No
That’s what the video is saying.
To my knowledge the Z-1 900 also had a roller bearing crank, which the Honda 750 did not. Another poster talked about wobble on the kawi. Yes I got a high sped wobble in the rain once, Miraculously, it quit. BUT I took the damper off an H-2 and put it on the Z-1, which had the fitting for it from the factory. No idea why it wasn't installed at the factory like the H-2
Roller bearing crank is often seen as an advantage, this is not actually the case and wear rates on a bush bearing, given a good oil supply is superior.
Note that modern SuperBikes don’t use roller bearings. The fact that Kawasaki and Suzuki did at the time is a carry over from their days producing two strokes.
From a stability point of view part of the problem as I say in the video was the high handle bars designed to appeal the US market which robbed the rider of much feel.
@@bikerdood1100 Thanks for the info.
I’ve been riding these bikes since 1963. The British parallel twin was nearing peak development at this time. Many consider my 1970 Triumph Bonneville 650 to be the peak: lightweight, superb handling, and compact. For most any sort of competition that involved corners, it would run away from the Japanese twins. But the excessive vibration, unreliability, and short service life of the engine limited the bike’s everyday usefulness for most riders. Any trip on American freeways was dreaded. The Japanese were able to engineer reliability and comfort into the platform. The addition of electric start was perhaps the nail in the coffin for British twins. The XS 650 was considered to be a refined version of the concept, and although heavier and lacking the nimbleness of the Triumph, was far more comfortable, reliable, and suited for the American market. Kenny Roberts did well on racing versions fitted with an appropriate chassis. Not everyone uses ultimate performance as the prime consideration in bike purchase. I owned many bikes from both countries, but when planning for a multi day ride it was always on a Japanese bike. I stopped too many times on my Brit bikes on the freeway collecting parts that had fallen off to consider riding them far from home.
The problem was trying to make em too big to please the US market
Early 500s are smooth and reliable
Remember Britain has no Freeways at that time
The Suzuki Water Buffalo shared a lot of its electrics with the Honda 750. Both of those bikes were not overrated. I owned several of both and would own either again, except now the prices are through the roof for good examples. And say what you want, but the Honda 750 changed the face of motorcycling big time. People wanted them instead of troublesome English bikes and Harleys. And the Hondas never had a reliability problem if they were maintained, and if you think otherwise , you weren't there at the time.
The video is not saying they are bad machines
It’s more about how people regard them today
Unrealistically ignoring many other fine machines
I make this abundantly clear in the video
Strange people struggle with this very simple concept
@@bikerdood1100 Popularity is the reason. Hondas, even before the 750s (the 350 and 450 come to mind) were better bikes, period. I remember this period in motorcycling very well.
Well the black bomber was famous for is poor top end oil supply
Something that would god some Hondas for many years
that Honda at 20 years old would make it there and back no problem.
@@adotintheshark4848I’ve owned several 20 year old Hondas and trust me it bloody wouldn’t 😂
Honda were always mean with the grease at the factory so just getting the wheel off can be a ball ache on and that was only 3 year old CBR
And before that was 8year old CX that blew its cam chain at under 35,000 miles incidentally when we tour the NC500 in Scotland last year the 5 year old Honda was the only bike that gave trouble and I was on a Royal Enfield
The only reason I’d use the Honda is because it’s a CB500x and gives great gas mileage.
So in breath would I trust any 20year old Japanese bike in a trans America road trip
Not without putting a new alternator and regulator/ rectifier in as a bare minimum I wouldn’t. I’ve leaned this from touring thousands of miles in Europe
I owned a 67 305 Honda scrambler then -- a 71 750 Honda -- then a 79 KZ 1000 -- I loved them all !!
Nothing wrong with that
But try to buy em now
And there’s the problem
My eldest stepson had a disc-braked Suzuki 750 water-bottle; a nice bike, but, as you say, thirsty when the throttle gets wrung. One thing noticeable is that these bike, with the exception of the tiddlers, all had comfortable seats, for both the rider and the passenger. Regrettably, the same can't be said of most modern bikes.
Well there are quite a few modern bikes that are comfortable
Many which aren’t that’s for sure
@@bikerdood1100 Well, agreed, but my point was that most modern bikes, whilst being comfortable for the rider, are far less so for the pillion.
No doubt about that
Out here in Canada, nice XS650s are not yet overpriced yet. I was just on Marketplace and there are a couple of nice-looking examples on offer for $2500Cdn, but if you want to spend even less for a similar Japanese twin you can look for the very rare Suzuki GR650 Tempter. They were only offered for a couple of model years and sat unsold in showrooms for many years afterward, but in this case rarity does not mean inflated prices: a proper running example will set you back half of what an XS650 will.
Well I think the price of great many machines is going to fall
Not enough people who want to ride em unfortunately
Nice 1980's Harris T140 Bonneville there at 07.15 - I've got one those beauties in my stable and it's both very smooth to ride and totally reliable - Other myth-busted is l've also got 3 Japanese bikes of roughly the same vintage in the shed and the Harris is the only one that doesn't leak oil.
Nice 😂
I bought a new T140D in 1979, handled brilliantly, but so unreliable, kill switch nearly killed me! I swapped it for a GS550, totally reliable.
Video isn’t really about the T140 though
GS 550 was an excellent machine
When these bikes first came out, my mates and I thought they were the ants pants.
My first ride on a CB750 was a massive disappointment. My little RD250 left them in the dust up to 100kph and left them for dead through the corners.
Both the CB750 and the Kawasaki Z900 had the nasty habit of tank slapping going above 160kph going in a straight line. [Why steering dampers became popular - yeah, a steering damper ought to do it . . . . not]
As for the Suzuki 750 'water bottles'; very fast on the straights but diabolically bad through the bends. Aka 'widow makers'.
Well yea that is something I hear a lot in comments to be honest
I owned a 72 XS650 red and white beauty. If I can remember correctly a 77 cb 550 fun bike. And a KZ1 1000 ltd fast with questionable brakes. 😅. Two wheels are fun .I bought a triumph thruxton 900 last year needed a fountain of youth. 😊
2 wheels prove less is more
Especially when you have lots of em
Had a Yamaha TX750 import from Fort Worth Texas back in the late 80's (even had red indicator lenses on the back) and had mates with Triumph Bonnies and XS650's swapped bikes with both on occasssions and the impressions I got was the TX had the power delivery of a Bonnie (the XS has a big heavy crank to rev whereas the TX & Bonnie pick up noticeably quicker) but without the vibration a bit like a more powerful 400/450 Superdream (nice trick is to put 6 speed box out of a superdream 250n in a 400 dream ), had T/GT 500's, T's are nice but need the maintenance (points & plugs) to get the best whereas GT's are softer and easier to live with.
Interesting comments thanks
Interesting that you used the term "overrated" as an apparent synonym for "overpriced" at least as concerns their present day collector value. Moreover, when justifying the argument based on an examination of their contemporaries, you pointed to Nortons, Lavardas and Triumph as having at least equal if not better performance. I won't argue that the European bikes were (in some cases) lighter weight, more powerful or maybe better handling. But the important factor here is the game changing nature of the Japanese bikes' impact on the US and global markets in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Mass produced, yet higher build quality (on average) than European contemporaries. Generally, MUCH more reliable and longer service life. Highly innovate designs with ground breaking technologies. I'm not being overly critical here as I thoroughly enjoy your channel and am grateful for the content and the work you put in... but, in this case the underlying thesis feels flawed or misses the mark. The big road bikes mentioned are all justifiably iconic and frankly, probably worth exactly what collectors are willing to pay.
It’s a sad fact of life today that the two come hand in hand.
The video is not about their historical context but If you were in the market for a classic because of their reputations people tend to desire certain bikes above all others which leads to inflated prices. The unfortunate effect is many then think they can’t afford a classic but if they look at the alternatives maybe they can.
If you look at the my other videos you will note that a history lesson is not required
As for collectors, well bikes are for riding not to made part of some rich A holes portfolio. If these bikes aren’t affordable to younger riders they won’t take any interest in them then there’s simply no future for classic bikes.
Collectors are in these terms the problem and not to point too fine s point on it can kiss my ass
Perhaps you failed to grasp the point somewhat ?
Excellent video !! I had everyone of the big bikes shown except the Suzuki Water Buffalo and the Z900 Kawasaki! Instead I had the Titan 500 ! I am glad that Kawasaki reintroduced yhe Z1 ! My bike of choice would be the W800 Cafe !
I always wanted a Norton with a 65 hp combat engine ! Say la Vie ! 🙏👍
There always be those bikes you never get round too
Only so much room the garage
@@bikerdood1100 The last of the Norton's to come if the line sold here for approx $1800 Can ! I should have bought one ! Still lots of them around ! When I retired at 55 , I got rid of 2 work ( farrier ) trucks and 6 motorcycles ! I've been bicycling for 10:years now ! When my legs give out I will buy another motorcycle ! I we ould like one of the new 125 Super Cubs ! Al and all one of the best dual purpose units that I have had was my Suzuki 650 V- Stroma ! For: weight , size , mileage , comfort and 5 speed ! 👍
Those super cubs do seem nice I think
Problem with bicycles is those dam hills
Agree about the cb550, great value and a great bike, a goldilocks of a bike, for some reason the 400/4 seems to get a bigger following even though it's slower than a 400 superdream? I have no idea why people buy 2 strokes especially the GT750, I had one back in the day and like you say the fuel economy was rubbish and as with all my Suzuki 2 strokes it seized due to the pump failing. As for the FS1E why are old overweight blokes thinking it could possibly be a good idea to buy and try riding around on these bikes, they were dangerous back when we were 16 and are deadly now, obviously they are going to loose a lot of money once the market moves on a few years and nobody has any historic reason to want to buy one. As for the Kawasaki Z900 yes it's a legendary bike like the Le mans mk1 or Laverda Jota so I can actually understand the prices on this one, for me I'd buy a Z650 which was a better handling bike and genuinely nice to ride, I had one back in 1981 and it was a wheelie machine and looked super cool in Kawasaki green, not too expensive to buy nowadays, somewhere between £3000- £5000 for a really good one or I guess you just buy the new retro Z900rs if you don't want a classic. I really enjoy your videos, you must spend a lot of time researching and coming up with ideas, keep them coming.
Don’t understand the 400/4 myself
Too small and buzzy
The prices of the FS1E honesty beggar belief
I was honestly going to put the z650 in as an alternative, it is a better all round package
First bike was an FS1E…I was uncatchable on it 😂 I even fitted clip ons at one stage, claiming it added 3 mph to the top speed Happydays.
In real terms laying flat on the tank probably did add 3mph
a more powerful alternative to the fs1e could be the yb100 , the engine interchangeable with the 50cc ped .
Would make a good choice
Quite hard to find though and a touch pricey too
@@bikerdood1100 And the Suzuki A100 engine would drop into an AP 50 ;-) head and barrel wouldn't fit the AP sadly, stud spacing different...
They sold 80 cc kits would cruise at 60
@@alan-sk7kyand the H100 engine fits in the MT5 MB5 with honda. I thought the RXS100 was always a lot nicer than the YB100 they sold at the same time for a wile.
Having had both as a teenager, the only thing the fizzie had over the AP was being more tunable and that's it. Otherwise the AP was more reliable (auto oil) and had a 5 speed box. Dood you're being a tiny bit hard on the Z1 but otherwise I agree 100% for once 😀
Not really
Praises the z1 engine too the Skies after all
Even handed I thought 😂
I had a Yamaha 400 enduro back in 1976,it was junk right from the factory. Technicians couldn’t figure out why it kept burning out head lights. My friends rode their Hondas while my bike sat in the shop
Sounds like a regulator rectifier fault
Common on a lot of Japanese bikes of the period
There's no way the CB750 was overrated. You said it in the first sentence.
I said quite a bit more and justified its inclusion too
Watch on and listen to the whole thing
Something to consider over across the pond you folks had/have different bikes than here in the US. The dual purpose bikes of the 70's are second to none. I wish they would make them again. The simplicity of the bikes with wanted fun and performance. No bikes today are like they were. I have a '78 GS750E and I'll take it over any new bike. It has a personality and it works damn good.
Have covered dirt bikes
I’ll admit sometime ago however.
The bike companies seem to mainly want to sell very high price adventure bikes
Like the BMW GS. Can’t imagine anyone sees a GS a serious trail bike, it’s a two wheel truck. No one seems to want to make a simple effective bike. I suspect this is because the profit margins are tight on small bikes.
There is definitely a market for simple machines. The global sales success of the Royal Enfield 650s shows as much for road bikes
Why other companies don’t build a simple dual purpose bike
Who knows 🤷🏼
I still have my 1983 CB1100FD in lovely condition after all these years. Having owned many modern bikes the 1100F rides like a bucket of sh#t, it's not fast & can't stop - but it is so beautiful!!
😂
my m8 over the road (in his 70's) has almost finished restoring a 1972 750 four, although it looks a bit different to the one here, it has lower sporty bars for one, and i was joking saying i'll have to have a go on it when finished. po faced he said i wouldnt make it to the bottom of the street before it spat me off lol, as i havent got enough experience, and i believe him
Well in reality like all Hondas the thing was pretty user friendly
Honda seldom do aggressive and radical if they can avoid it
If I had known that the CBX wouldn't sell well I would have went shopping to see if I could get an okay price.
I just figured such an awesome bike would be marked way up.
Nope
Was expensive when released but they sold very slowly
They sold around 27,000 in total. Good numbers for a small European company of the period. Not so much for Honda, by Hondas standards something of a flop
The GT 750 was a very fast bike with full roller bearing internals. Mid range acceleration was something else and it became the basis of the legendary race bike ridden by Barry Shean which conquered everything.
Sort of true although Mr Sheene’s bike ran in a very different chassis
Most modern two strokes, that’s post World War 2 with a few exceptions, as always run roller bearing internals incidentally
The Japanese bikes from this period were so much better looking than the majority of todays bikes, many iof which are ugly and hideous looking imho of course.
Oddly enough did a video saying very much that
The xs650 engine was two cylinders sliced of the Toyota six cylinder engine Yamaha designed for Toyota's sportscar.
Well it was designed by a different company as mentioned in the video
What they based it off 🤷🏻
Video on the gl1000 75 to 78
Is feature in a couple of videos already
I remember my 750/4 it was a nice bike. The guy i sold it to, asked me "are you sure you don't want more money from me?"
The conversation would be very different these days
personally i never liked the honda 400/4, the 400 superdream was far better in reality, therefore highly underated,. i would've added the 400/4
I’d tend to agree
Less glamorous but a better all round machine
I had a 1972 XS 650 and it ran forever. My Triumphs had 1940s technology in the early 1970s . The Triumph was prone to break downs at any time but the Triumph is and was my favorite Bikes and I have had a lot of them. So I guess a Bike doesn't have to be perfect to be the Bike any of us.
Never had an XS
Had a triumph 750 from 1973 which contrary to pub talk proved rather reliable
Only problem while we had it was a dodgy alternator.
Honestly had more problems with Suzukis over the years 😂
I had a honda cb750K2 a great bike loved it,had later model F2 then the CB 900 bol,dor F2C which I love and still ride to this day.Put a yushimura kit in the 750 anf hang on..Best bikes I've ever ridden long trips in Australia.
Well comfortable they certainly are
Can't go wrong with the suzuki gs fours, brilliant solid bikes without the hype!
I’d tend to agree
Best all round package
OK... I am an old fart, so my experiences and opinions may be tainted. But I am also a retired motorcycle dealer, so those same opinions do have a bit of weight behind them.
The CB750 was such a ground-breaking bike, changing the motorcycling world in one fell swoop. BUT, it was produced in such prodigious quantities that I cannot take it seriously as a collector's item commanding eye-watering prices. Great engine, in an average bike. 550 was in many ways better, as you state, and a REALLY sweet package, almost as quick/fast due to the lower weight.
Suzuki's Water Buffalo was a stunner, albeit heavy and certainly not nimble. But they did truly last forever...and I know, as I was a dealer for them. Unless you're a hard-core classic tourer, the Buffalo isn't a sensible choice. I have had several 500 Titans and would always choose that bike over the 750.
The Yammer was the "modern" twin, with electric start and Japanese reliability and oil-tightness. But it was behind the multi-cylinder times when new. And again, I can't accept the current values...I'd opt for a CB450.
The only thing I can criticize about the Z1 is that they've become stupidly expensive. I'd go for a Suzy 1000 or 1100, especially the early-1980 ones.
I know nothing about the Yammer tiddlers...gimme a Honda CB200 with the cable-operated disc brake instead.
Now, for my sleeper...ANY CB350 Honda, which don't seem to have become overpriced, yet...
People are all too often about names
Sometimes at the expense of reality
Being the best known doesn’t necessarily mean the best
I’d genuinely go for a GS over a Z1
As for the XS it’s always been popular and from a personal perspective I do find 4s uninteresting
If you mean the CB350 four cylinder it’s an interesting machine but like it’s 400 sibling it’s too small to work well as a four and while it sounds good the tsp win cylinder opposition is better
@@bikerdood1100 Somehow I missed this reply when you left it. And, no, I wasn't talking about the 4cyls...the 350/360 twins are decent value these days and dead reliable. For the price of a 400F, I'd buy a CB-1, which does everything better/faster and handles MUCH better and is, well, 'modern". I was still a dealer when these came out and, like the Hawk GT, they sparked comments but wound up growing moss on the north side on the showroom. Pity, as they were great bikes, and the Hawk has something of a following. The CB-1 was faster and still doesn't have many cogniscenti. Silly public...
I always hankered for Yamaha's 650 when I was young and I eventually bought a TX650. It looked great but I distinctly remember one day being very unimpressed as I overtook a car and it just seemed a bit weak and unimpressive. Not as sweet as my CB500 I owned a few years earlier. Never wanted a parallel twin again. I had a Ducati 750 F1 later and there is just no comparison to those bikes. 90 degree V twin good, parallel twin bad! Although maybe me and Yamaha just don't get on as the only new bike I bought was an XT500 scrambler which was really disappointing. I thought my Honda XL250 was better. Bigger is not always better for some people.
We do in fact own both British and Japanese parallel twins and love them
We also have 4 very different Italian V twins too
@@bikerdood1100 Yes, my Yamaha 650 may have needed tuning or something. I loved my Suzuki RG250 parallel twin but of course, two stroke. Anyway, thanks for your work and greetings from New Zealand!
Now the RG is an interesting bike I always felt that 250cc is the perfect size for a 2 stroke
When I purchased my Moto Guzzi Mk2 LeMans back in '79, most of my wannabe biker mates were on CB750's. At first I was a bit pissed at the spaghetti bike jibes and other BS, but I soon realised that they must have been jealous, of the looks, power and torque, handling, braking, top speed, ease and cost of maintenance, etc etc. My bike had everything over their underwhelming H's.O.S.
I’ve always been a Guzziman and regard the attitude of others as mealy ignorance or jealousy
We are spoiled here in the States because we can still find these bikes with the exception of the KZs really cheap. I rode a 650 Yammie Twin for years . What a great dependable bike although they are heavy turds which handle a bowl of mush. The best ones to get are the early ones and forget about the Specials. I don’t think they are overrated maybe overpriced. Too bad Yamaha kept making them with improvements. They were retro when retro wasn’t cool. But the XS650 are hard to find here now because of the Street Tracker craze , which I think has subsided. It’s hard to find just a plain old 650 that someone hasn’t butchered into a Kenny Roberts lookalike
Definitely not the case in many countries these days
Complete bs, the Honda CB 750 and other Japanese bikes wiped out the European bike industry that mainly delivered completely out dated ever vibrating and oil leaking engines.
Is the video about or really mention European bikes
Nope
The Bs is here is an inability to grasp the subject matter
I’m comparing almost exclusively to other Japanese bikes
Rocket science it is not
Dude also has stock light blue 75 Kawi H2 750. Original and mint, low miles. Turned a guy down who offered $25,000 Canadian.
Lot of cash for a motorcycle
Crazy
Not a bike you spoke about but i would love a CB750FD to go with my CB900FD.
Did cover them a short time ago in a previous video
I raced a kid on a Honda CB 750 while I was driving my 1969 Chevelle SS 396. I beat him . Iwas surprised .😦
Hame on the bike rider most likely 😂
The Honda CB750. Overrated.
Overpriced maybe.
Overrated?
How do you overate the Motorcycle of the Century?
Yes it had the flaws you mention.
But...in the history of motorcycling, there are 2 eras.
Pre Honda cb750.
After Honda cb750.
That is the real measure of the bike.
Motorcycle of the century
For me it’s not the complete package
Good solid engine although not actually as quick as some would have you believe but the chassis is mediocre
It took until the Suzuki Gs before they were competent handling bikes coming out of Japan and even then there was far Too much emphasis on the engine and far too little on the frame
The fact that you called it the motorcycle of the century sums it up
@@bikerdood1100 I agree with you about the CB750s flaws.
But that's not really the point I was making
The CB750 was Revolutionary.
It offered riders something motorcycling had never had before.
Stone axe reliability, all day 80mph cruising and people could actually afford to buy one.
Yeah I've owned Honda fours, and a Gs850 as well as a heap of other bikes.
My point is simple.
In the history of the motorcycling, the Modern era began with the CB750. It changed everything. And that's why, even with its flaws it's deservedly the Motorcycle of the Century
Motorcycle of the century
Quite a statement that kind of makes my point for me
Thanks
@@bikerdood1100 you miss the point. I think I'll give your videos a miss as well.
Sadly it is not I that have completely missed the point of the video by a wide mark, but it’s easy to be an arm chair expert who isn’t going to buying or riding any of the bikes in the video any time soon
Hi Bikerdood not sure what happened to my previous comment. My T500 has popped up on couple of your videos, I was at Bridgenorth last summer. You are welcome to do a video road test on it if you want, just reply and we can make arrangements.
That would be fantastic
Of course
Ince the rain stops of course
75 RD 350 was my favourite until the Z900 with the hidden frame hinge came along..
😂
At my first job a guy had a GT750 in lavender then got the then new GS1000, which he sold after a couple of months because he preferred the GT, never got my head around that.
Character
Some bikes suited some people better
Having more power and speed will not make the bike more enjoyable to the rider
There’s so much more to a bike than facts and figures
My old BSA is very enjoyable to ride
Not especially fast
Just full of character and a joy to ride
LOL!!! "Overrated"??? The Honda CB 750, the Suzuki GT 750 and the Kawasaki Z1 900??? Those three sit on TOP of my DREAM BIKE list. These bikes are ICONIC FOR A REASON. They were WAY, WAY more groundbreaking and reliable than anything that came out of your beloved UK (sour grapes much?).
Iconic they are But
Does that mean they make the best choice for someone looking for a Classic Japanese bike ?
I offer alternatives for this very reason
Please note that this video is specifically about Japanese bikes and doesn’t say that they are bad bikes at all
It’s not complicated
Clearly too difficult for some
Nothing to do with British bikes and some are mentioned only as a bench mark
Do note that the alternatives mentioned are other Japanese bikes
🙄
I clearly need to make my videos simpler in the future 😂
what opinion polls are you using?
Ohh far too political 😂