1974 Honda CB750 Four K4
Mechanical Service with some Cosmetics
Owner & Writer: Randy Creel, Jr., Owner & Restorer of Randy's Cycle Service & Restoration
Revitalize the Spirit & Beauty of your Classic Bike
Located in beautiful Central Virginia since 2001
8175 Black Walnut Run Road, Rhoadesville, VA 22542 USA
Service by Appointment ~ Closed Sunday & Monday
Email: info@rcycle.com
The Mid-Atlantic Region Premier Restorer of Vintage Motorcycles
Website created and managed by Ursulina Creel. Comments? Send to info@rcycle.com
This page was last updated on: August 6, 2013
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COMMENTS: This page is an ongoing write-up of Randy's mechanical & cosmetic service to the bike he'll personally be riding starting the spring/summer 2010. Write ups - some technical some personal - will be posted along with pictures & a video of the progress. Notifications of new entries will appear on Facebook, so please join us on Facebook by clicking on the icon above.
Blog Entry 10: Posted July 17, 2010
It has been a bit since my last update mainly due to my busy schedule as of late. Between the work at hand in the shop, a trip to Spring Grove, Pa for Triumph Come Home and Lexington, Ohio for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, finding time to write has been difficult though as always all of these events were well worth the time and effort. Getting to meet and greet everyone is always a pleasure and spending time at a vintage bike show or swap meet is never a waste of time.
So, in between all this stuff, I decided to give the 750 a true shakedown run. The destination for its first ride was an hour-and-a-half ride to Tappahannock, Virginia to visit a friend, fellow vintage bike enthusiast & collector, and to see his new home. This is pretty much highway time with a jog through Fredericksburg morning rush hour traffic on a weekday. A true, real-world test of all systems. I generally tend not to be too worried about these trips, being confident in my abilities and the limitations of the machine I chose, but as always I do take a few precautions. These days, I have my in-pocket insurance policy in my cell phone. It isn’t my first resort and in most cases the last but I still believe in preparation to get out of a situation before sending up a flag for help. As such, I had along a factory tool kit that was original equipment for the 750 back in ‘74 with a few important additions: First, a couple of spare ATC type fuses for the aforementioned fuse box modification. Second, I chose a multi-tool of the Leatherman style to augment the stamped steel tools of the day. They will get you out of a bind, but not easily in some situations. Third, a couple of spare spark plugs took up residence under the seat alongside the tool kit. Fourth, I never leave home without a clean shop rag or two tucked in with the tools. It may never be needed for repairs, but even a quick oil check or dribbled gas on the tank will make its presence appreciated. And fifth, I made sure my wife, Ursulina, knows where I'm going & where the keys are to the van, the same van we use to transport up to 2 bikes.
With all that stuff settled, and my usual bike gear either strapped to the rear seat or me, I pressed the starter button and headed off. The speedometer got a new face and while I was at it, I set the mileage back to zero. After all of my initial road testing it now read 45 miles. The predominant thought in my head now was: “Let’s get some mileage on this thing.” With all of the things that have been done to this machine, I can honestly say that I had one complaint in the first 30 miles. That was the speedometer needle that seemed to be an average reading rather than a smooth reflection of my actual speed. The needle continuously bounced back and forth 5 MPH over or under my true speed. No worry for now I thought, as the odometer was still functioning as it should and keeping track of total accumulated mileage was most important.
As the ride progressed and the ambient temperature climbed to the mid-90’s, the old Honda plodded along perfectly. I reached Fredericksburg at around 8:30 AM and found the usual volume of morning commuter traffic impeded by the string of stop lights along Route 3. Few other bikes were on the road sharing them with me and all the heavy trucks, SUV’s and tourists unfamiliar with the local roads. As expected, the 750 flowed along with the tide of traffic, effortlessly going up through the gears and stopping on command as if it were built yesterday. I cannot say that about too many other vintage vehicles I have owned. Once through town though, a stretch of US RT17 beckoned with 50 miles of uninterrupted ride time transitioning me from Virginia’s Piedmont to its Tidewater region and the promise of a sparsely populated highway and beautiful scenery to take in as I kept a vigilant ear to the Honda all the while. 60 MPH and no irregular noises or performance problems to report! Just to be sure, I did stop after about 20 miles of full on highway time to have a look over everything. Shutting down a bike that is new and rebuilt that far from home and on a lonely stretch of road is an experience that is hard to explain but one that truly tests my confidence in my work each time I do it. I literally could find nothing wrong aside from the speedometer bounce.
The beautiful view from my friend's place in Tappahannock
Roads like this are what I enjoy about riding a vintage bike.
They allow you to savor the quiet, scenery, and fresh air.
Time for a nice road side break & picture taking opportunity
What an enjoyable bike to ride!
