1977 Honda CB750A, 736cc. Registration number not registered...

Hammer

£2,000

1977 Honda CB750A, 736cc. Registration number not registered (see text). Frame number CB750A 7108511. Engine number 750AE 7108475.
Produced between 1976 and 1978 for the American market the A model can be thought of as a Honda CB750F with a torque converter and two-speed transmission instead of the regular bike's five-speed box. In practice, though, the 736cc inline four got pretty much a complete makeover.
Revisions to the combustion chambers lowered compression, which, with smaller carbs, camshaft changes and a four-into-one exhaust revised the power curve for more low-down thrust to suit the characteristics of the torque converter. An accelerator pump fitted to the number two carburettor (but feeding all four) helped to alleviate a known flat spot off idle in the standard power delivery of the Honda CB750F. A new Hy-Vo chain drove a jackshaft behind the crank, and powered the torque converter's oil pump, with gear drive to the two-speed transmission. To provide an oil bath for the transmission and torque converter, the engine's lubrication was switched from dry to wet sump.
While the torque converter replaced the clutch, shifting between the two gears is undertaken manually with a conventional foot pedal. There are some more differences to a "normal" CB750, for the engine to start it must be in neutral, if you forget to shift into neutral before parking, deploying the side stand would do it for you. Similarly, a push-button parking brake acts on the rear wheel prevented the bike from rolling away if parked on a slope, there being no direct gear linkage between engine and wheels. Even after the brake button is released, the brake remains on and the bike will not roll until the rider dabs the brake pedal.
This example was owned by John Engle of Denver from 1999 until it was imported by D & K Motorcycles of Newcastle, Staffordshire in May 2013; in November 2016 it received a dating certificate from NLM of Leicestershire and our vendor purchased it at the Newark Autojumble. He has recommissioned it with a fuel tank and side panel respray, new tyres and tubes, finial drive chain, battery, recovered seat base and top, stainless steel silencer and serviced the engine. Unused since as he finds it too heavy.
Sold with the USA Certificate of Ownership, Import Documents and dating certificate, further light commissioning should see this unusual machine on the road for the summer season.