Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

- . -- ... could go, because a good amount of shifting is required. Up until around 5500 rpm the F is a slug; past that it's almost as if an afterburner kicked in. The powerband starts there and doesn't seem to end. On a straight srretch the bike was pulling strongly and aggressively up through the 8000 mark. By that speed all we could monitor was the tachometer. 1980 government regulations have set an 85 mph limit on speedometers - it was possible to reach that limit in third gear. You could tour with the F's handlebar/seat positioning; you couldn't with the footpeg/seat arrangement, at least for anyone around six feet tall or taller. After about an hour leg cramps occur because a rider must keep his/her legs tucked in fairly tightly. Relating to the sporting aspects of the 750, the rider positioning is- optimum, keeping one in a tucked· in mode. The seat itself is very firm and narrow. to the point of becoming uncomfortable during a ride of over 100 miles. If you're looking for a plushe.r seat with more padding, look into the K; the F's seat is for laying your buns across - no more. For stoppers the F uses 10.6 inch dual discs in front and all. 7 inch disc in the rear. They do the job. For 1980 Honda upgraded their FVQshocks from the units used on the 1979 F. Last year's suspenders offered a five setting spring preload; this year's shocks have the five spring preload set- . tings, three rebound damping settings and two compression damping settings - ~O different options in all. The first arrangement we used was the spring preload on soft, the rebound setting on two and the compression setting on one. This set·up gave a fairly soft ride, suitable for the city streets/highway/mountain tour we took. The second arrangement we used was one the owner's manual suggested for rougher terrain and/or two riders. The spring preload was set one stiffer, the rebound setting on three and the compression setting on two. We got a stiffer rider out of the rear end - a ride it seems could be gained from the spring preload alone. Either Honda has gone overboard with their shock options, or we couldn't push the F hard enough to feel the slight differences in suspension. The FVQ shocks are hooked up to a swingarm that uses needle bearings at the pivot point. The 1979 F employed bushings, but in 1980 Honda once again upped their quality. ~ Though plastic was used liberally on the F to reduce weight, another problem surfaced. The rear fen· der/license plate holder was crooked and did not center over the rear wheel. A few good tugs wouldn't straighten it out. It seems that when the piece was bolted on the right bolt pulled the unit to the right, where a metal piece wouldn't have. The only item Honda didn't either leave the same or beef up from the 1979 F was the chain. Instead of a 6~0, Honda went to a 5~0 O·ring replacement which, claims Honda, is strong enough for the F, is lighter and will give more miles for the money. The F gives 50·50 gas mileage, Three checks were made, giving 3~.3, 40.4 and ~6.4 mpg with an average rating of 36,7 mpg. Honda isn't giving away much motor despite EPA requirements - but the gas mileage isn't anything to brag about anytnore, The checks were made through an assortment of riding at different altitudes. On one run we made with the F gloves had to be worn, which brought out both one good and one bad point about the bike. The good point was that the controls are easily workable, even with the clumsy gloves. The bad point was that when we reached for the gas petcock to switch to reserve, the lever was hard to get at and turn, We also realized that our hand was lying against the cylinder head while turning the lever; The two are very close. Luckily their close relationship was noticed with a warm glove instead of a blistered hand. We found the F's real environment was in the mountains through winding roads. A strong powerplant coupled with four ~o millimeter constant velocity carburetors aided with an accelerator pump produces the horses - a claimed 75 of them at 9000 rpm. The close ratio gearbox makes the power useable, as long as the bike is kept rev· ving, Good frame geometry makes the mount nimble and 5.5 inches of ground clearance lets one lean low in the turns. A progr~ve clutch gets things rolling and good brakes bring things to a halt. Honda defined what one segment of riders wanted and decided to please them, For those that wish to road race with a street-legal machine, the CB750F is the answer. It's as if Honda matured through the "let's please everyone" stage into the "'if you're going to do it, do it right or not at all" attitude. Take heed: This time Honda has done it right. • , o 00 .... (j) (Clockwise. from top left! Thirty millimeter constant velocity carbs with an accelerator pump. clean and functional exhaust pipe lines that produce a mellow note. an easy to read instrument panel with eesily accessible choke and FGV shocks that offer 30 options make the F a winner. c. ) SpecifIcetions II........... 741cc DOHC " • •11. . . four cylinder. four stroke. 1. "*....end........................................... I2Inm x I2Inm CD...... I .. Ion .-do ............................................... 1:1 c......................... Four conetBIlt nla city with KC .1• • • pump .................................................. PoInd••• Inducdve , .......................................'•.•••.•• EIactrIc puah buaDn CIutl:It......................................... W8t, eiOht frIc1ton 6c T. . . . I..Ion .............................................. FIlM ...... FIaIII drive •••••.•...••.•..••....••..•.. ().rfng .-.cI ............. cbeIn .......................................................... 81.4 rnc:t.. WIdIh. ..................................................... 3I1nclhee n.lah .................................................. &71nclhee YJI ••" .................................................... Inchee .... height .............................................. 31.1 Inchee Ground cl••,.... ......................................... U Inchee FulII....-=itY •.................. &.3 ..~.1ncIudIng1.2 gallon .....",. M ••1 ...................................... AlumInum eIoy CornS1w' Front............. ; ......•........•...........•..• 3.2IH1'1U~ ......... : ........................................... 4.C1OH1. tuIlI••• Front.................... Low stic1ion hy*euIIc fark.1.31nc:hee ...... ...... . . . . .1Iion •••••••..•.•• OM chwgad. five poeIdon aprIng pnlaed. twa Iow...... rebound de. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • . • . . . . • : •.•.•.. 10.' Inch duel front dIIca. 11..7 Inch .... 6c Dry w light ...................... "....................... - pouniIII CaIcn ...•...................• MIl......... bIIlcIc opdol_ HoI.1 ' • ..........·• •d .................. ~ ............................... COII""••• ~ .", "6," . . . . '-'c' 21

• Cover