Warm it up with a hot air gun (not too hot) it softens the glue and they can be eased off with a razor blade as described, undamaged.

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

Many thanks for that Steve, but that's an even bigger surprise; it's amazing that Honda would fit overflow pipes to the carbs that are clearly made or at least able to accept a flexible hose......and then leave them bare to dribble on the crankcases.

Perhaps the owner of the ebay bike fitted them himself....it's hard to find detailed photos taken when these bikes were new.

Mine is a later K0 in any event, CB750-1010369 so I guess the answer is black tubes for me.

Mick..........kettle738     

Thank you for the advice, I have sent a pm to Steve and will bear in mind the chemical metal should it get to that stage.

Thanks again..............Mick.

Hi All, I have a very presentable K0 Ducktail seat with an area of damage at the front left corner, that has been the subject of  a less than brilliant previous repair, but the seat is too good to re cover...yet.  I know there are now SMART (Small Medium Area Repair Technique) repairs available for classic vinyl seats, mainly aimed at cars that use a coloured vinyl paste which is applied, heated, imprinted with the pattern of the surrounding vinyl and can be made all but invisible by a good operator. I have attempted to add a couple of photos, hopefully it will work.

I've seen such a repair on a Kawasaki H2 seat, in a very obvious position, and in all honesty I would never have spotted it, if the owner had not pointed out a microscopic blemish. The downside is the risk involved; the same guy had a repair done by the same SMART operator on a GT750 seat using the same method and the repairer held the heat gun on the area slightly too long and burnt the surrounding vinyl, ruining the seat.

I want to take the least risk possible; has anyone in the UK had such a repair done who could recommend an experienced repairer, or know of any other type of repair available?

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

I would like to learn from this.........what exactly makes you think this front mudguard is a forgery, given that some K0s have double cut mudguards with a pressed grommet hole?

Is it just the use of the term sandcast in the description?

I have two double cut front mudguards, one on the bike, one awaiting chrome, and as far as I can tell they are both pukka.  I also have a single cut mudguard and brief examination suggests that one had a rolled edge at both ends at some stage.

I take the point made earlier in the thread about the nature of the folded edge on a genuine double cut being specific as the metal was cut before it was pressed and folded, but as further confirmation of originality or otherwise, what should the distance be between the front stay and the leading edge at the sides and centre?.............or do they vary?

I'm quite happy to post photos of the underside of my double cut that is off the bike if it helps.....

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

I couldn't help but notice this sentence with some concern.

Regarding 'Wonder what Honda would do if they............. ?' --   they don't seem to go for Yamiya so why go for these people? Pity they chose to go for David Silver - he has kept restorers going over the years. Those 300 pipes only cost me £525 including VAT and shipping 18 months ago.

Having been a regular repeat customer of David Silver for more years than I can remember, they are a company with a reputation second to none, their customer service is something other traders should try to aspire to.......so what on earth have Honda got against them?  I wouldn't have some of the bikes I do without David Silver.

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

I have never found anything that comes close to Vesrah pads, I use them on every old Jap bike I have and they give real bite and feel without any antisocial side effects, no squeal or glazing over etc in my experience.

That said, I use NOS pads, boxed sets usually bought from autojumbles or ebay, I haven't tried anything recently produced, so I don't know if their latest products are the same, but the old red box Vesrah stuff is top kit.

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

Sadly UUT is nothing special, it's just the first part of the registration mark; this bike has featured in a few books and magazines so I guess it's a recogniseable number if you live in the UK and you have an interest in these bikes, and you have the books.

There are a couple of others that were road test bikes and Honda advertising bikes that are properly famous....in CB750 circles, way more so than mine.

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