City Bike
Commuter Bike
Japanese interpretation ‘Chokusetsu Baiku’ for Personal Motorcycle
Cobusha-Biokesan ( Combustion Bicycle)
C = basic model in series. CB = Sports Model

In the end I still don’t really know.  It makes sense that the B means a sportier model.  One of the arguments was that earlier bikes with the C were more basic and bikes with the CB were sportier.  The poster said to look at google images and you’d see it.

I’d love to see a definitive answer.

Question
I have this 1976 CB 750 that was stored over 25 years.  It only has 2600 miles on the odometer so it should be in excellent mechanical condition.

The carbs were all gummed up.  I have removed them an followed the cleaning procedures recommended by Mark Shively.  However one of the Inlet Fuel Valve springs is stuck. The tiny metal rod that protrudes from the butt or float end of the needle valve is pressed in and no amount of soaking in acetone has freed it up. Is there any way to clean the hardened gum out or do I need to look for a new needle valve.

What other service prochedures should I follow before trying to start this bike that has been stored so long.

Do you have any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Joe.

It looks like the needle valve is rusted in place.  Get a new one.  Soak them in brake cleaner, not acetone, btw.

You will also need to do the following (if you have not already done so);

1) Replace the fuel line.

2) Reseal the fuel tank.

3) Change the oil, oil filter and air filter.

4) Replace the seals and o-rings in the carbs.

5) Replace the tires and innertubes.  They may look to be in good condition, but you won’t think so when they blow out on you while riding.

6) Check and replace, as needed, the manifolds.  if they are cracked, then they will leak air and cause problems with the mixture and engine operation.

7) Replace the chain and sprockets if they look even a little worn.  Chain and sprockets must always be replaced together or one will cause excessive wear on the other.

Clean out all brake systems and replace the fluid.

9) Replace the spark plugs and all fuses.

10) Lastly, go over the entire bike and check all that you can see.  If it looks bad, replace it or repair it.  And make sure that you have the repair manual when you check these things.

Good luck and ride safe.
FALCON

Going all the way

With replacement parts in hand, the engine was ready to rebuild. But the engine paint was tired and discolored and other parts didn’t look quite new. Why not tear apart the entire bike and restore everything back to new condition? The answer to that question turned out to be two years of work and $7,000 invested.

The key to a good restoration is to ask advice. Question: “How do I restore the finish of wheel spokes and nipples?” Answer: “Flash chrome the spokes, nipples are yellow-dyed zinc.” Question: “How do I paint the frame?” Answer: “You don’t, have a pro do it, use urethane or powder coat.” Question: “How do I mask an engine?” Answer: “Masking tape and a scalpel.”

For two years, Honda 750 parts shared my kitchen table with the salt and pepper. Parts were cleaned, inspected, and replated with zinc or chrome. Mine was a low-tech operation, most polishing was done with compound and a rag.

Read the entire story.  Seven thousand dollars and two years!!!!  I may have jumped into the deep end of the pool.  Damn but his bike looks nice.

So I have the year of manufacture and the vin number.  Interesting.  It was funny, when I moved the bike I could hear twenty year old gasoline splashing around.  I have some work to do.

I just looked over at Honda Chopper and found a chart saying this model is a K3 and was sold in 1973.

What got me interested in it was an episode on BBC America called Top Gear.  The guys rode motorcycles across Viet Nam to the border of China.   I haven’t ridden a motorcycle in at least twenty-five years and it seemed really exciting.  Now that I am preparing to retire I’d love to take a motorcycle on some long trips.

Due to weird circumstances I have a lot of time off right now so I thought a nice winter project would be to restore the motorcycle.   Unfortunately I know nothing about motorcycle repair and I am not good with my hands.  This will be a serious learning experience.

To show how little I know, I’m not even sure if it is a 1976 or not.  That is what I remember.  Tomorrow I will take a look at the fork and see if I can find the frame and engine number.

I would love to restore this thing to it’s original beauty.  Here is a picture that I took (quickly).

I will be taking better pictures tomorrow.  Plus I will be moving it to the area where I will be working on it.

I have no idea what I’m doing but it can’t be that complicated, can it?