Special thanks to Carl at M.I.S Ltd, of Newark-on-Trent, for letting us play with these beautiful examples. For more info, see misukltd.com
THE HONDA CB750 FOUR, THE MUCH-FETED ‘World’s First Superbike,’ is remarkable, not least because it encapsulates the astonishing rate at which Japanese motorcycle design progressed in the early 1970s. The CB750 went from technological wonder to dated also-ran in just eight years, and no one who was there will forget the impact the 750 had.
The Norton Commando had just arrived, as had the Trident/Rocket 3, but these were, despite being potent, clearly developments of earlier technology. Moto Guzzi’s Ambassador was a huge lumbering tourer, and BMW was still making lumpy old Earlesforked flat twins. The other Japanese factories were seemingly two-stroke obsessed. Kawasaki’s New York Steak 750cc…
