CB 750 as a Starter Bike???

[apexhugger]

I am looking for a starter bike and like the price point for the CB750, 1970s. Is this a good idea?

[RetroGrouch]

No.

[Rotten_Ronnie]

I'd have a look at something newer.

Reciprocity, is there a handling or power issue with the Honda CB750?

Apexhugger was on the M1Exit I taught this past weekend, and on a parking lot, he's a competent rider, over six foot and over 200 lbs.

I'd have recommended a Bandit 650, SV650, FZ6 or similar as his start bike, so I think he's got good control, but I've no idea of the handling characteristics of that old a bike.

What would it be like for maint and insurance?

[Scudzo_2]

I am looking for a starter bike and like the price point for the CB750, 1970s. Is this a good idea?

If you don't mind the extra wrenching/maintenance required for a 30+ year-old motorcycle. Parts availabilty wont be as good as for newer product.

The first bike I bought was a 1980 Suzuki GS750E (old "standard", pretty similar to the Honda CB's), and it wasn't bad for learning on, as the power was pretty tame by todays standards. I think my current DL650 has about as much horsepower as the old 750 did...

[skip]

No.

Heavy, not great handling, and requires wrenching. If you don't know how to adjust points or even know what points are avoid the older bikes.

[short stop]

Finding one in decent condition isn't going to be as cheap as you like. It'd be a better idea for vintage bike enthusiasts who don't mind spending time and money wrenching the thing. You could easily find something newer, lighter, and at a decent price.

[Kokla]

Go for it.

Silly responses not backing up why they are saying what they are saying.

[fyrebug]

starter bikes should (in my mind) be cheap to fix/maintain and idiot proof.
I've got a buddy with a cb750. it's been none of those things and he's spent a lot of money on it.

[RetroGrouch]

Go for it.

Silly responses not backing up why they are saying what they are saying.

I've explained so many times to people why a vintage bike for a first bike is a bad idea that I've run out of breath so I just flat out say no. Doesn't always work.

[Hachi-Roku]

No.

Heavy, not great handling, and requires wrenching. If you don't know how to adjust points or even know what points are avoid the older bikes.

Sorry but when did a CB750 come with Points?

Wait ..What are points?

[skip]

Sorry but when did a CB750 come with Points?

Wait ..What are points?

69-78, in 79 they changed the ignition system when they changed the engine from a sohc to a dohc iirc

[Lunatic]

I would side with not a good starter bike. For your first season you really want to have something that you can just get on and ride, with as little maintenance and work as possible. It makes things a lot more fun and allows you to concentrate on riding, not wrenching. It really sucks on a nice day when you want to ride but can't because your bike is being temperamental.

Picking up an old bike and learning how to wrench on it and keep it happy is loads of fun but I'd wait until you have a season under your belt, and maybe have a second bike that is reliable.

[Baggsy]

Best to go with a modern classic single if you want to get an old bike.

A friend has a CB750K and has dumped about $10,000 into it over the years.

I believe he had it appraised at around $4,000

Some parts of the bike can be hard to get. Honda is good, but 30-40 year old parts are getting rarer.