Total Motorcycle Community Forums

hey guys, i've been out of the loop for a while, but i'm back! finally got the boots, jacket, helmet, gloves and license...now i'm actually looking for a bike.

rode a guys '77 cb750k yesterday and was just liking some feedback....it rode alright, kind of idled hard (was started cold and had to ride the throttle at a stop for the first 10 mins, or keep the choke half way out) the front break (which was supposedly just redone) squealed everytime i used it...other than that it was in pretty decent shape...aside from the paint which was peeling....it has 40,000 miles and he wanted 2000 for it (just had the carbs re-jetted, a new slip on exhaust and brake work...)

what are these bikes like as far as reliablity goes? i mean, it was kind of a rough start, seems expensive, and isn't 40,000 miles alot for a motorcycle? i'm just thinking i can get something newer with way less miles for 2000...any help is appreciated!

I'm by no means an authority on this subject or this bike, but $2000 seems a bit much for basically a 30 year old bike in less than vintage condition.

Having just gone through the entire first bike search, I would keep looking for something newer or better shape.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help!

I ditto the above poster.

$2000 sounds like a rip.

Hell, it IS a rip.

Performance-wise, it doesn't sound like there was anything unusual. Every CB750 I ever rode, including my current one, needed a good 10 minutes on the choke before it warmed up enough to idle smoothly on its own. I'm assuming that it ran and idled normally after that period. Some squealing on fresh brakes is also not out of the ordinary.

40K miles is somewhere in the "medium" range for a bike of that age. On thing that it tells me is that the bike was probably ridden regularly. A bike of the same age with 4K miles on it has probably spent most of its 29 years deteriorating in the back of a garage and would be close to worthless.

Like the others, I'd probably pass on it because of the price. It is, after all, a 29 year old 750. In good running condition I wouldn't pay more than $1200. Even if it's running good now, you'll want to bank a few bucks for the inevitalble age related problems that are going to show up on that bike.

How do you know the bike does not have 140k miles on it? Those odometers do not have a 100'ths place so can roll over. That's probably why there are so many late 70's era CB bikes on the market with "low" milage on them right now. I know because I have one.

Yes, these bikes are cold blooded (lots of choke in the cold). These bikes are also known for their sqeaky front brake, but I dont know why. However, engines are pretty hard to kill.

I wouldnt buy it - not for that price. If it were in mint condition, the most I'd pay is 1k.

Ditto on what Flynrider said.
I got my bike (see sig.) for $1700 w/12,000 miles(I figure about $500 more than I should have paid but it was the particular Bike I wanted) on it and I had to swap allot of rubber out(several seals and some gaskets)(which reminds me you need to see how hard it is to get parts for that model) plus I had to get tires ASAP (even though they had plenty of rubber on them they were bad in the corners). I just replaced my rear brakes and they squeaked allot from the beginning.
I'm not sure about that particular model but you may have to see if the cam chain tensioner is at its limit or not.
And if your not mechanically inclined it may be hard to find someone to work on that model.

I paid $700 for my KZ650, and it was in better condition than what you are describing.

cool, thanks a lot for you help guys. i emailed him today and told him that i was going to keep looking...i don't want to buy the first bike i see (unlike every other purchase i've ever made) i'll keep you all udated on the purchase that i finally make within the next couple weeks here

Good idea - those are very cool bikes IMHO, but I do think the price is too steep. You can find a better deal than that. I'd say go for it at $1000 but for 2k you can get a better bike than that.

Let me say this.

Three years ago I bought my first bike ever, a 1981 CB750 C in great condition (only needed tire change) for $500 bucks.

I then ran the thing in the winter months in new england between September and Febuary and put 8,000 miles on it, problem free, unless the problem was caused by my ignorance. After that I put it in the car port and bought a new bike.

Either way, what I'm saying is offer that guy 1 grand, and go up to 1200 tops if its in great shape.

Otherwise keep looking.


Good bikes though.