To the left is a picture of my Honda CB750KO built 9/69 #1008240. Just779th die cast motor. I test drove the bike in February of 1972. This was the first portent of things to come. On the first test drive I ran out of gas. Flipping the valve to reserve didn’t help because it worked the reverse of the one on the 1967 CB77 Super Hawk I planned to use for a trade in. It was such a cold day in PA that my breath iced the inside of my face shield I pushed the bike to the nearest farm house only to find they were Amish and had no phone. ( Remember the days when we had no cell phones) Eventually the shop owner Ed Fisher & a pal of mine came to my rescue .of course I purchased my used Honda 02/04/1972 for $1,200 minus a $300 trade in for the CB77 ( Wish I had it today 75 mpg).
In June I got the travel itch and began a trip from Coatesville Pa. to Ca. After topping off the tank on the Pa. turnpike I got a lesson in the peculiarities of the 750. I was doing 55 in the passing lane with a tailgater right behind me. With a front end wobble the best thing to do is slow down and lean forward. But I was forced to gas it & play dirt bike. I can tell you that the reflectors every 30 feet along the road edge look like a picket fence at 104 mph. Of course I couldn’t jump off before I rode it down. The results of the slide were torn ligaments in both knees, road rash on my right arm and an intense gratitude to my maker for the helmet I had on, and that I was able to pick up the bike & carry its 500 lbs to the side of the road. It felt good to sit down on it.
The good sam driver I had been passing came up to see if I was OK.. He had seen my predicament and cut off the tailgater. Wish I had gotten his name. AS it was he did ask me why I was laughing. I told him I was glad to be alive. The tailgater was laughing but I wasn’t able to punch out his lights. The good sam put me in his car (telling his new bride in her gown to get in the back with his new in-laws) I can only imagine they were trying to get rid of them to consummate the marriage. He took me to the next exit where an ambulance took me to Harrisburg Hospital.
Moving ahead to 7:30 in the evening a nurse woke me up after being operated on in the morning. Well to put a good end to the story; we married 1yr & 2 days later on my birthday. @ 7:30 in the evening.
In the intervening years we rode less and less. Working 6 days a week as a Professional Land Surveyor and construction superintendent with some long commutes left little time for riding let alone supporting & raising a family. A couple of years ago I retired and got the bug again. By now the bike was a sorry mess. I HAVE TRIED TO RESTORE THE MACHINE TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE WHEN IT WAS NEW +. It had a non original paint color and some newer parts on it. One of the first things I did was convert the steering from ball bearings to rollers. This adds to front end stability and I would like to recommend this to anyone. Among the goodies added that I couldn’t afford in the day area running boards, passenger step plates, Original Vetter fiberglass fairing with 1972 ½ B Meyher under 3 layers of paint that I got from a fellow club member just for the cost of freight, and the Bish Trip Trunk made by a Honda dealer in Brockway Pa. in the 70-80’s. Parts to go on under restoration are Framm hi & low horns that make it sound like a freight train. Striping for the fairing to appease the nurse that says it has too much white. Sprocket shield for the rear wheel. NOS rear shocks to replace the old ones I have. Original wrinkle tank that is also being painted and decaled. And a correct front fender without the rolled edge that I found on eBay. Like so many other restorations it is a work in progress but I DO take the time to ride now. And the nurse no longer feels like she is going to slide off the back
