ActiveAero

I've been pondering the idea lately of getting a bike as a sort of beater/weekend toy. Something I could have a little fun with and use to run around on when I'm working on the ITR. I know the newer bikes far out perform the older sportbikes, but I kinda have a thing for the classic look and I just think they are plain neat.

This one has really caught my eye.

It's a 1969 Honda CB750.

Also these two.

A CB550.


CB360

1. Are these old bikes safe enough for a beginner (have rode bikes before but not much)?
2. Reliable?
3. I know the CB750 is plenty capable of highway speeds. From my reading it looks like it was able to pull of 12 second 1/4mi passes, but what about smaller bikes such as the 550 and 360? I don't want to be struggling for 65mph.

Thanks in advance.

10seconds

damn when you said classic I was think 1990 or something lmao...........i honestly dont know anything about those bikes......sorry for the no help.


steve

Brasspremier

i have thing for classic bikes myself... i have a 76 kawasaki kz400. i know its no where near as capable as newer sportbikes so i dont try to ride it hard at all and am more cautious.

ActiveAero

Looks like I was a little off on the 1969 750's specs. More like a mid 13 second bike.

With your Kawasaki is it pretty hassle free?

Brasspremier

i hadda mess with it little bit when i got it. the guy that owned it before me was a kawasaki mechanic so he restored lot of it (it had been in storage for who knows how long). all i've had to do is fix air/fuel mixture a little and mess with idle timing. having all drum brakes isnt that great... but once i delt with it and fixed the few problems it runs fine

The_Head

1. I think it depends on the condition of the bike. The older bikes are prone to having drum brakes, which are far less capable than the triple disc setups of today.
2. Also, depends on the condition of the bike. Those older bikes also have points-style ignitions, which can be a pain.
3. I think anything over 500 cc's and you'll be alright on the Interstate.

I used to have a '79 Suzuki GS750, and an '83 Honda CB650C, I also have a soft spot for those older bikes. I'd really like to have a CBX someday.

Shpoo

If you decide not to go that far back in time I have a 1989 Kawasaki ZX-7 for sale.



https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=342457

Nemesis R

lol those old honda bikes looks like the one they still use in vietnam... i went back and rode my cousin's one. it was pretty fun he had one that was made in the early 60's

Redtail

Ahh the CB750 - the bike that started the modern sportbike revolution. Very nice bike, but it can be a bit much for a beginner to handle. I think the CB550F would be a great bike to start on. The supersport models had a 4 to 1 exhaust like the CB400F that really looks great! Suzuki GS550's area also very good, as is the Kawasaki Z650 - all respectable classics. You'll be fine with anything above 500cc on the highway, just watch out for those drum brakes
Reliability? depends. When you buy a classic bike there are always little things that need tweaked and tuned, - there will probably be a bunch of work needed to bring an old bike into a good state of tune. Of course it depends on how the previous owners treated the machine. Some modern parts can be fitted to increase reliability too - such as a points to electronic ignition conversion. That said, once all the age related issues have been sorted, any of these Honda bikes will be very reliabile. Not so with vintage British bikes; they are notrious for always breaking down!
As for condition: buy the best bike that you can find, rather than trying to fix up a run down bike on the cheap. Some parts are really hard to find, and they can get quite expensive (the 4 into 4 exhaust on the CB750 is all but impossable to find now). You definatly should have some mechanical know-how and a desire to work on your motorcycle if you get one of these - it's not like owning a new 600RR, that is for sure! Overall though, a classic bike is probably the best way to learn about motorcycling for a reasonable expense, and you'll have a damn lot of fun too!