1969 Honda CB

1007083

Clear

Up for auction is my 1969 Honda CB750 Sandcast 4 cylinder motorcycle. This is a real sandcast bike - I'm not just sticking that word in here to get you to look like some folks seem to do! :) This is a late production, matching serial number bike that is ready to be restored back to its former glory. A lot of sandcast bikes that come up for sale have replacement diecast cases, cracked/repaired cases, or are mismatched engines and frames. This bike has been together since new, and the cases have no cracks or welds. The frame number is 7083, and the engine number is 7179. The frame ID tag lists a September 1969 build date. In looking at the engine case I found a casting date of August 28, 1969. Think about it - that was just a few weeks after the historic Woodstock concert! Hell, they were still picking up trash from concert field on August 28th. This bike has the wrinkle tank, single cut front fender, and duckbill seat. It comes with a clear Virginia title in my name, ready to be signed over to the successful high bidder. Sandcast CB750s have been collectable for some time, and I purchased this machine for my collection to have one before they were all snapped up or too expensive to consider. And that was BEFORE Motor Cyclist magazine named the 1969 CB750 as Motorcycle of the CENTURY in its September 2012 issue (see final photo). Every collector - Honda or otherwise - is going to want to have a sandcast bike in their stable. So if you are even considering one, don't wait much longer. You could spend about 50% more than my reserve price and buy a "survivor" bike, but a lot of these bikes really look their best from about 10 feet away. They're 40+ years old after all. I've restored dozens of bikes since the 1970s, and I know that stone chips, battery acid stains, and rust drive me crazy - that's why I prefer to look for a solid original bike and restore it to as-new condition rather than paying a whole lot more and end up sandblasting it down to bare metal anyway. Please ask all questions before you bid, and have your finances lined up in advance too. There is a reserve price on this bike which represents what I have in it. This price will not be disclosed, and I do not end auctions early. Sorry there is no Buy It Now price. The bike must be paid for within one week of the end of the auction, and the bike must be picked up/shipped within one month of the end of the auction. Personal checks are OK, but the bike will be held until the check clears the bank. Overseas bidders are welcome, however I cannot help with any estimates for shipping. I will do what I can to help however, including building a crate at cost if one is required. Between now and the end of the year I will be listing a few other machines from my collection that I will be selling in preparation for a move. These include a 1973 Kawasaki Z1, and a 1972 Kawasaki H2 - each from the first few DAYS of production (serial numbers in the 200-300 range. Also original engine/frame combos). I will also be selling a 1948 Vincent Rapide, and one or two other desirable European bikes. Sorry, no photos on these yet - but soon! Good luck bidding!On Oct-21-12 at 13:10:55 PDT, seller added the following information: In answer to questions - the bike kicks over fine, it's not seized or anything. It also shifts through the gears too. It was only parked to await its turn for restoration.On Oct-23-12 at 13:35:55 PDT, seller added the following information: In answer to new questions: Each of the sidecovers has the three mounting posts intact, the tail light is held on by two fasteners, and I don't see any cracks in the air filter housing. The underside of the tank still shows some of the original factory blue paint, and the title also lists it as a blue bike, so it may have been blue since new. The blue paint that's on there now is just an amateur paint job. Also, I just added a photo of the underside of the seat for those who asked. Best, jl.On Oct-25-12 at 16:02:20 PDT, seller added the following information: A few last thoughts before we get to the end: I’ve gotten a lot of interest in the bike, and it’s satisfying to see that a lot of the folks are new to considering a restoration. That’s always great. Sandcast prices are high, and finding a good bike to restore allows you to get into ownership without spending $15-30k all at once. But please remember that it’s an alternative way, but not a cheaper way. Whether you pay all at once, or a little now and more as you restore, it will still cost money. I’m worried when I see questions coming in that sound more like judging sheets at bike shows** that expectations are way too high. In the past I’ve spent years tracking down all the final parts to complete a restoration, and this bike will need some of that too. The good news is that it’s all out there - for a price. It costs the same to restore a numbers matching bike as it does a mismatch, but what you’re getting with a numbers matching bike is the opportunity to get more of your investment back at some point. No disrespect to the Sandcast bikes with replacement cases and mismatched engine – they are ALL worth preserving – but numbers matching is always the best if you can find it. Of the 7300 odd Sandcast bikes produced, how many are left? Is 50% generous? And in looking at the SandCast Only register as a representative sample, then about 20+% of the survivors may have had an engine swap. So you see that the real number of number- matching bikes available is much smaller than even the few that were originally made. That is the opportunity that you have here. On an administrative note, it has come to my attention that someone on the eBay blocked bidder list may be attempting to bid on this bike to cause problems with the sale. So far he has been blocked, and the price has not been touched, but if I see more evidence that he is still trying, I will cancel the auction and sell it offline to avoid these issues. Sorry for the inconvenience, but a few bad apples can screw things up. Best, jl. jlacko@kaballero.com ** Yes, the screws that hold the rear axle locks in place have the small 8 on top, and no – they are not rounded. J