About the Bike

 

I knew I wanted a vintage bike simply because I really liked the style of 70s bikes. I spent months on Craigslist before I found an ad that really interested me. Unlike other ads, the bike being advertised appeared in great condition. When I went to meet with the owner, I could hardly contain myself. It was in perfect physical condition and looked beautiful. I took it for a short spin around the neighborhood and fell in love with it. The next day, I made an offer for $3700, $300 less than the asking price, and the owner accepted.
Unfortunately, the bike didn't function as well as it looked. Shortly after I purchased the bike, it had trouble running. The gas tank was rusting and the rust was clogging up the carburetors, so I had to get a new gas tank and matching side covers. I also upgraded the ignition system from point ignition to electronic ignition. The headlight also had to be replaced, as well as the turn signal housings. Finally, I had a valve job completed, although it still needs an engine rebuild. More money was spent on maintenance and parts than the bike was worth. It was still worth it for me.
My bike provides a riding experience unlike newer bike on the market. It's carbureted, and therefore has a distinct personality. It's grumpy and sluggish when I wake it up. It hates high humidity and bad weather. My bike appears to be very self aware. Modern fuel injected bikes on the other hand, are like robots. They work right on startup, and behave exactly the same until the moment I turn off the engine. They are much more reliable than my bike, but lack a certain human characteristic.

The CB750 in particular was extremely popular during the 70's, and almost every older rider I met owned one at some point. Harley and sport bike riders alike have respect for the CB750 and how it changed the motorcycle world. When it came out in 1969, it was the fastest motorcycle on the market. With an MSRP of $1,495 (around $10,000 adjusted to inflation), it was also cheap.
Back in the 70's, the motorcycle market was drastically different. There were 3 classes of motorcycles: dirt bikes, standards, and cruisers. They didn't have sport tourers, adventure bikes, muscle bikes, and all the other seemingly endless classes. This meant that when one purchased a motorcycle, it was built as an all-rounder, and it would do everything very well. The CB750 was a bike I could commute around town on, take on long tours, carry a passenger, and race.