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Spiros Pendedekas
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Heller 1/8 Honda CB750

March 18, 2023 · in Automotive · · 34 · 0.6K

Whereas by 1967 American racing's governing body, the AMA, still had rules that allowed racing by production machines only and restricting overhead-valve engines to 500 cc whilst allowing the side-valve Harley Davidsons to compete with 750 cc engines, Bob Hansen, American Honda's service manager, possibly foreseeing the upcoming allowance of overhead valve engines to 750cc, decided to fly to Japan, in order to discuss with Soichiro Honda the possibility of using Grand Prix technology in bikes prepared for American motorcycle events.

Hansen told Soichiro Honda that he should build a “King of Motorcycles”.

Soichiro knew that what won on the race track today, sold in the showrooms tomorrow, so a large engine capacity road machine would have to be built to compete with the Harley Davidson and Triumph twin-cylinder machines. With the superlatively talented Soichiro having no problem at all in creating such a machine and with AMA's standardization of a full 750 cc displacement for all engines regardless of valve location or number of cylinders, the rest was history.

Developed for a year, the CB750 appeared at the Tokyo Show in November 1968 and was publicly launched in the UK during April 1969.

The pre-production versions appeared with a high and very wide handlebar intended for the US market, where the CB750 was directly targeted.

The charismatic CB750 had a transverse, straight-four engine with a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) and a front disc brake, neither of which was previously available on a mainstream, affordable production motorcycle, giving the CB750 a considerable sporting performance advantage over its competition, particularly its British rivals.

Adding to the bike's value were its electric starter, kill switch, dual mirrors, flashing turn signals, easily maintained valves and overall smoothness and low vibration both under way and at a standstill.

Being the first modern four-cylinder machine from a mainstream manufacturer, the term “superbike” was coined to describe it.

With its reception being nothing shorter than glorious, Cycle magazine called the CB750 "the most sophisticated production bike ever" and Cycle World called it a “masterpiece”, highlighting its painstaking durability testing, its 120 mph top speed, the fade-free braking, the comfortable ride and excellent instrumentation.

The iconic CB750 was named in the Discovery Channel's "Greatest Motorbikes Ever" and was in The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition.

It is in the UK National Motor Museum and is included in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Classic Bikes, with The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. rating the initial 1969 model as one of the 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology. It remained in the Honda line up for ten years, with a production total of over 400,000.

This is the very detailed but quite demanding Heller 1971 mold, not only due to featuring a high number of parts, but also due to exhibiting warping and ultra brittleness in a good number of them. The build was an entrant to our very successful Motorcycles GB.

Should you wish to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/cars/mc/pen750.htm


HappyModelling!

Reader reactions:
11  Awesome

34 responses

  1. Excellent job on this Spiros,really nice finish on the paintwork.

  2. Good to be see this magnificent model in headlines, Spiros, and thanks again for starting the Motorcycles Group.

  3. Fantastic looking Honda, Spiros @fiveten
    With all the chrome and details it definitely looks like a real bike.
    Your building thread and the article are a pleasure to read.

  4. Nicely presented Spiros, it'll fly.

  5. Amazing. Thought it was the real thing for a moment. Excellent job, my friend.

  6. That's a very nice result. Heller kits are frequently rather iffy and it sounds like you had your struggles with this one. Great work and a lovely looking bike.

  7. beautiful build and back story Spiros !

  8. SUPERB! That is a great looking bike, Spiros, and could pass as the real thing.

  9. Man, that bike looks great Spiros @fiveten! 🏆 It does look real, due to the care and craftsmanship put into it. That is a fantastic motorcycle model my friend! 🤩

  10. You really nailed it Spiros! @fiveten, That is one beautiful build. I would have to agree with the right back round you would be enticed to believe that you were looking at new bike in 1969.

  11. The ultimate all time super Bike .
    I settled for British Twins and triples. Mistake !
    Nice job on this model.

  12. Nice bike, I thought it was the real thing, made me want to go for a ride!

  13. Very great result Spiros. Love motorcycle builds and this one is top shelf work.

  14. Spiros, for a second there the illusion of the bike being real caught my eye. Your a man of many talents and modeling interests. Getting the spokes on the wheels is usually the give away for a model . . . however, this kit manages to do a great work around on that issue.

    Two thumbs up.

  15. Spiros Pendedekas (@fiveten)
    I almost missed this one ! It slipped under my radar... I remember telling you the story of how I "borrowed" my Dad's CB750F and took it for a ride in the neighborhood while he was at work...putting at least 5 miles on it... and I was only 10 years old at the time. Seeing this model, it brings back a lot of fond memories. My Dad's Honda 750 was a 1975 model year, and it was the very first year for the "Super Sport" edition that had a hotter engine, different gears / chain and a shorter "bobbed" rear fender. Man that bike was fast ! You could get the 1975 model year earlier in the later part of 1974, which is what Dad did... His was a Bright Blue metallic color, and it looked really sharp. I'll see if I can find any old pictures of it.

    You did a wonderful job with her. She looks just like the real thing too. I had a 1974 CB750 Four. Mine was painted in a two tone color of Copper and Black. These bikes are awesome, and thanks for the trip down memory lane.

    The article looks good over at M2 also.

    Take care my friend !

  16. Great job Spiros! The sprues of that kit said it was going to be a challenge from word "go", you nailed it.

  17. Man that is a great looking build!

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