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Vintage Honda


1969 - CB750KO
It was 1969. Until this point, Honda was known as the creator of a small but well- received step-through called the Super Cub. But within that very same decade, those who thought Honda could not meet Americans' demands for big, beefy bikes were about to meet something that would change the course of motorcycle history-the monstrous CB750.

This was the culmination of Honda's air-cooled, two-valve engine and tube-frame technology. This groundbreaking success let the world know that Honda was more than just a contender in the highly coveted large-displacement category-it was the owner.

The CB750 offered high performance and the ability to carry two people and luggage for long distances. The tradition of the Honda Four, with a flashy collection of four exhaust pipes, sent Americans scrambling to their local dealerships and left competitors scratching their heads. Four-cylinder machines were far too complex for other manufacturers to assemble by existing methods.

The air-cooled engine contained a single overhead camshaft and was assembled by Honda's usual horizontal-split crankshaft system. However, Honda broke ground and made the 750 with a one-piece forged crank supported in the same way as an automobile-utilizing pressure-lubricated split-shell plain bearings. This produced a stronger, simpler, lighter and cheaper-to- manufacture crankshaft. How far ahead of their time were these methods? Well, in this modern age they have yet to be improved upon and are still utilized by sport bikes to this day.

The CB750 was one of the critical landmarks of manufacturing that propelled Honda into its position of technological leadership and earned the respect of the American public.

Super Cub is a trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©1999 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.