The old style parts books are very useful in that they show the first serial number supplied for each market..... so, Germany got some sandcasts from serial number 1005084 and France from serial number 1003495; it doesn't say how many of course and the Netherlands had to wait for diecast number 1031084.   Smaller markets presumably drew their supplies from whichever neighbouring country Honda nominated. 

The UK never received sandcasts, (bar the pre production Brighton bike) the first serial number for the UK was 1010369 which as it happens belongs to me.  Depending on where Sweden drew their stock from......if it was France or Germany then it's possible, but if it was the Netherlands, not so according to Honda's own publication...... unless anyone knows different of course.

Mick. 

Hi Pete, cracking job on your seat, that profile looks spot on to me.  I do wonder though if the European bikes had different seat profiles to the US bikes as those I've seen on the site (particularly the unrestored bikes) seem to match the Yamiya seat which is not really like the sculptured seat you have made.

The first two pics are the seat that came on 1010369 when I bought it.....looks exactly like yours doesn't it?  I have since substituted that seat with a better European sourced one which is exactly the same again, but look at the last pic of the Yamiya red foam seat and it's quite different.

You should be proud of that.......great job.

Mick.........kettle738

 

Candy Blue Green is incredibly difficult to photograph accurately; the link in the first posting shows the cover of the Haynes 'Great Bikes' CB750 book by Mick Duckworth and the colour of the bike is just miles out.

As it happens I own that bike, registration UUT849H, chassis number 1010369, Manf'd October 1969 and the first chassis number of the first batch sent to the UK, arriving January 1970.

The bike was restored many years ago (not by me) using a complete NOS Honda paint set and there is a lot of variation between individual parts, but they all look blue / green, nothing like the strong blue shown in the book.  The last post hit the nail on the head, take the photo in strong sunlight or at close range with a flash and you have a chance of showing the right colour, anything else and it's incredible how the camera tells lies, but as a colour, there's nothing better in my opinion, it's just beautiful.

As it happens I recently cracked the right side panel, I've been kicking myself ever since, and now I'm in a quandry, wait for a NOS or perfect used one to turn up (no chance) buy a Yamiya repop or get my original repaired and painted.......anyone got a really nice right side panel for sale?

Mick..........kettle738

   

Hi Pete, I also have them on my UK CB750K0.....exactly as per your top photo, grey plastic shaft with a metal shroud.

As it never gets wet apart from being washed, they work just fine.

Mick........kettle738

Hi Pete, I know exactly how you feel about the wallet emptying potential of these bikes and bikes in general.  My K0 is nice now, but a certain Norton Commando is slowly bleeding me dry.

I have used Pit replica covers for a CB450 Bomber, a Suzuki GT750J, a Suzuki RE5 and latterly the Commando.  The reason I use Pit Replicas now is they are actually tailored to fit....that is to say the side skirts of the seat have a tailored hem made to line up with and attach to the original hooks on the seat base.  Every other type I have ever used rely on leaving the side skirt over long, glueing it to the seat base and then trimming back, which unless you are very careful and methodical is a recipe for a mess.

Secondly, Pit Replica seem to use vinyl that is reasonably black; modern vinyls seem to be dark grey compared to the Honda original and they also seem to lack the shine and very fine grain of the original material.  I went down the Yamiya route, but it was eye wateringly expensive...the seat is brilliant, absolutely bang on but I couldn't afford to do it again.  I haven't seen a Pit replica CB750 cover in the flesh and the ones I have used were not perfect...the bomber seat logo was not correct...but then nor were most of the others available.  Looking at their ebay listing the Honda logo is in white; the guy who answers the e mails there is very agreeable and would probably print it in light grey if you asked, particularly if you tell him that is how they should be.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-CB750-CB750K0-SEAT-COVER-HCVE-/170737372494?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27c0bd8d4e&vxp=mtr

Lastly, as it happens I have a spare unused K0 cover that I'm never going to use, I can't recall where it came from and I dont know if I have the strap, but it's yours if you want it.....send me a pm with your e mail and I will send some pics. I don't think I'm too far from you either......... Romney Marsh.

Mick.         

Hi Pete, it's bad news about the HM300 exhaust systems....this guy on ebay Germany sells a complete repo system he describes as a 'DAYTONA' ? I have never heard of them myself, but at face value they certainly look the part.  The system in the listing seems to be a K2 onwards 341 system, but I guess there is no harm in asking if 300s are available.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/HONDA-CB750-K0-K6-NEU-kpl-Auspuffanlage-Kit-Nr-01800-341-900-HONDA-/280981637200?pt=Motorrad_Kraftradteile&hash=item416bcf8850

Annoyingly I recently sold a presentable spare set of HM300s thinking I would just buy a new set in the event I needed them.....now they can't be had, you live and learn.

My UK bike is also a 10/69 manufacture......what is your chassis number?......

Mick.

Methylene Chloride? this is new to me, how is it best used to clean or finish aluminium?

.....is it commonly available?......liquid or solid etc?

New compounds are always interesting.

Mick............kettle738 

That tyre decal under the seat......I've never seen one there before, is there anything to suggest it was always there?

Mick........kettle738