HONDA CB750 AT DAVID SILVER’S
Renowned Hondaphile celebrates the granddaddy of the superbike hitting its half-century
Honda guru throws a party to mark the CB’S 50th anniversary
I’ve never seen so many sohc Honda CB750S in one place before. Probably, unless you worked on Honda’s production line between late 1968 and 1978, neither have you. But Honda parts specialist David Silver couldn’t let the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first modern superbike pass without celebration. After all, the ground-breaking CB750 has been instrumental to the success of his classic Honda parts business. He owes it one. Today, David has thrown open his business premises and the Honda museum he opened in 2016 in Leiston, Suffolk, to welcome CB750 owners to show off their machines – and Honda fans to admire them. Entry to the museum is free for the day, while Bonhams Auctions, the Honda Owners Club, Dream Machine Racepaint and CR replica specialists Good-bits have turned up to help the party go with a swing and David has even arranged for good weather. There are nearly 84 entries in his eight-class concours competition, plus easily the same again in CB750 riders who’ve just turned up to enjoy the show.
Honda’s CB750 was officially launched at the October Tokyo Show in 1968. The bike was a vision of the future. Four cylinders, 68bhp, electric start, a disc front brake, indicators as standard – and, most tellingly, a level of smoothness, reliability, sophistication and performance never before seen on a mass produced machine.
All of which explains why there’s such a good turnout for this particular birthday bash. Plenty of the bikes have been ridden in and there’s a buzz about the place.
Just about every variant of the sohc CB750 is on show today. From early ‘sandcast’ models (the rough finish on the crankcase castings is actually the result of gravity diecasting rather than sand-casting) to rare variants like Philip Cronin’s CB750A automatic, a handful of Phil Read Replicas, Honda Britains and some wonderful specials. But eventually the concours winners are picked out and the classy glass trophies handed out (see panel on the right for the class winners).
Truthfully, though, every bike and every owner has a story to tell. Like the judges, we were spoilt for choice. Turn the page for a few tales – and special bikes – from a great day. And there’s only 10 years to wait until the 60th anniversary event...