Drove away from dealer as proud owner of CB750 1676. Though only round the block. It did not run on all 4! Asked for better performance for tomorrow, and please change that high broad handlebar. What about mirrors? No mirrors for this model I was told. Thursday (there had been no petrol on!) first day for a serious ride. Not too convincing the behaviour. Proved to be a slow puncture of rear tyre. A small nail of all things. Friday I changed the hinged foot pegs for solid ones from a CB250. A little higher kickstart removed. Saturday left side panel blew away. New one still in original plastic as a friend made me one in glass fibre, and narrower too. Sunday wee went to Sweden, here were a couple of also red CB750, and they had finned oil filter house! Some weeks later rear foot pegs were changed for pieces of flat iron bent in over exhausts. Could not have girlfriends feet flaring that far out. Had no faith in the disc brake. Over the winter was fitted the 250mm drum brake previously on my BMW69S. A Münch Mammuth original, no speedo drive after that. Though 18" rim no difference were felt on handling, only less free play under outer pipes. Unlike todays Fireblade, ok a '96 model, where another 1 mm up of fork legs in triples result in tendency to fall in the middle of sharp corners, which was why the original 16" wheel was changed for a 17". April 30 '70 off to Germany for the Moto GP on Nürburg ring. On motorway a possibility to open up, if only for a few km. After that uneven vibrations were felt in foot pegs. An inspection did not reveal anything wrong, not till sunday evening when changing to another new chain for the 1000 km ride home tomorrow. Chain was missing some rollers and some missed a fourth then others were just cracked across. Friend in a Kawa store had told me this was a very strong chain. For use in machinery? Apparently not at speed. Got an ok one when home again. Had got a new tyre too, off a Kawa 500 triple ran straight and did well on corners and in rain even long lasting, but alas never obtainable since. After a few 100 km on twisty german side roads in bright sunshine at a traffic light strange engine noises. Could not decide what was wrong. Did not want to do any harm to my precious Honda. Left it at the gas station across the street, for a bus and a couple of train changes home some 20 hours later. Next weekend the little black roofed red Mini Cooper was emptied for seats except my racing one, and off to Germany. Some people did stop to see a big motorcycle disappear into a tiny car! On the motorway passed a group of motorcycles on a parking. Could not resist the temptation to stop and show. The damaged chain did rise an eyebrow too. The Honda was still not a common sight by then, though I had counted some 25 round the race track previous weekend. Including a grey one E-vin 111 about which I'm told in this forum can't be correct colour! How was the first reaction to French Sandcast? At home dealer took my honda engine apart. A set of valves were bent! Air filter house had cracked too, could some debris from the damaged chain have entered? Shall never know. No spares available. In a couple of week plans were to go to the Isle of Man for the TT races. Had to pull out of retirement the old 69S and refit the Münch brake. Indeed it lasted the trip including 11 laps of the mountain course too in bright sunshine for the 10 days stay. Passing London a Honda dealer had a set of valves. They are still in original plastic, dealer had got some from Sweden, and Honda ran sweet again. First weekend of July used then to be GP in Belgium. Nothing went wrong on that trip. Next was Milan Italy for a Fontana 4 leading shoe brake and with 19" rim. Girlfriend insisted to come too, 5cm of snow over Swiss Juliet pass! in the middle of summer. Paid Signor Fontana 110.000 Lire, and was told to come back in September for the wheel. Actual monday after Spanish GP. A future trip of 5000km. Bergamonti won on the MVAgusta. On starting the Honda one carburettor slide jumped the nipple. Just routine all luggage off an rectify. a few 100 km and some thing dangled at the left fork leg! Horn bracket had broke! Late in the afternoon a police stood at the roadside, flat hand down and up, traffic jam at the approaching road junction? Nothing there. Say 10 15 km later right round a cliff another police in the middle of lane pointing his gun!! We obeyed and followed him on his flat single Moto Guzzi back again. There we were explained something about a car driver having felt we were rather close on him when passing on the previous mountain roads! Had no memories about such an incident. My italian was not that good. On winter course had concentrated on words needed to explain Signor Fontana my brake wishes. And next spring I met him in Austria where he spoke fluent english to me! Eventually the police let us go. Next day up through Germany the main fuse burned a couple of times. Never found any reason. New fuses still in holder. When we eventually jumped off at home the rubber bands holding the luggage snapped! No lid on oil tank. Might not have put in on properly last I checked for oil. Have found the little book where in I wrote things the first year, such as 8 new chains and petrol consumption. August 21 till October 26 6.200km and 404 litres about 15km to the litre. Interesting as onwards no counting of distance except petrol consumption. April 14 till august 18 615 litres some 9.400km. oil apparently changed at 1500km though half a litre added in between on trips abroad. July last day on trip homeward we tanked 5 times 74litres by 15km=1100km. It probably used a little more 2 up and at a little above walking pace, matter of fact full chat. Better stop now, This was just the first of 45 years, in which I admit to not have prepared myself to the skills of present day Sandcast owners. I am as I was just an owner and user.
Youers Erling.
