This 1969 Honda CB750 sandcast is currently in the possession of owner number three. It is in near original condition with a silver repaint, the original color was red. The airbox is a replacement as are the badges on the original sidecovers and tank, which is itself, rust free. Exhaust is also a replacement.
These early CB750s are getting very hard to find in this condition, many have been rebuilt from a collection of parts while this one seems to have avoided that fate. A perfectionist would want to revert to the factory color and then a decision would be necessary about how much of a restoration is desired.
Should a bike like this be preserved in a museum type collection or restored and ridden as it was intended to be? It’s a question with no answer, really, though currently, with investment opportunities elsewhere very hard to find, low number originals of highly prized motorcycles can offer an opportunity that transcends the restore or ride dilemma.
Felipe Zapata says
What does sandcast mean in this case?
Paul Crowe says
Sandcast refers to the engine cases used in the earliest production CB750s before diecast cases were available. The finish of the sandcast engine cases has a visibly rough texture.
Honda didn’t know what the demand for the CB750 would be when it first went into production and had to rapidly upgrade the facilities when it became an immediate success. Those early CB750s have become highly prized.