Newbie from Somerset with 750 K3

[bucksfizz]

It's customary to introduce oneself to any new forum, so here's mine.
I'm a member of quite a few forums for the very good reason that there's a mine of useful information on them.
I'm retired, and my formative years are the seventies.
As such, I seek out old motor cycles from my youth, in order to relive my youth.
To date I have restored a '68 Triumph Bonneville T120R, a '74 Triumph Trident T150V, and a '74 Norton Commando 850.
As I refuse to pay silly UK prices, I sourced all those bikes from the US with the help of my buddy, Dave, in Illinois.
The most expensive was £2400 + shipping - you don't have to pay over the odds.
Anyway, enough of the background rambling, and I'll cut to the chase.

With my US buddy brokering the deal, I have just bought what appears to be a very complete 1973 Honda CB750 K3.
In keeping with my philosophy of not paying too much, this venerable steed cost me a very reasonable $2000 - £1515 in my money.
I think the seller undersold, as he spent $1300 last year on carburation, ignition, front tyre, and a few other jobs.
It's a good runner, although Dave says that it has a "stumble" at high RPM - I presume he means a misfire.
It even has the original 4 into 4 exhaust system, which I believe is NLA.

It's going to take a couple of months to arrive here in the UK, so in the interim I'm going to bone up about these bikes.
I've posted a few pictures, and I'd be interested to hear what you folks think.
BTW, the paint job does resemble something from Jackson Pollock!

[Bryanj]

Apart from the paint and typical US high bars looks reasonable.
Will have lights on all the time but a UK rh switch unit cures that, the rest is just paperwork and service items hopefully.
In Ash's dropbox you should find the honda manuals and parts books then apart from a decent metric socket set(3/8 drive 6 sided sockets) circlip pliers and some jis screwdrivers(+ impact ones) you are good to go.
There are only a few special tools( clutch nut, hub bearing retainers, rotor puller) and if you can assemble a Commando the Honda is dead easy.

[Spitfire]

Looks like a bargain, I like your style !

Cheers

Dennis

[bucksfizz]

Apart from the paint and typical US high bars looks reasonable.
Will have lights on all the time but a UK rh switch unit cures that, the rest is just paperwork and service items hopefully.
In Ash's dropbox you should find the honda manuals and parts books then apart from a decent metric socket set(3/8 drive 6 sided sockets) circlip pliers and some jis screwdrivers(+ impact ones) you are good to go.
There are only a few special tools( clutch nut, hub bearing retainers, rotor puller) and if you can assemble a Commando the Honda is dead easy.

Thanks for the helpful info.
I didn't know about the headlight being on all the time, so it sounds like a RH switch unit is on the list of parts.
Presumably I'll need a new headlight with left side kick-up too for our left side driving.
I had an impact uni-driver with long JIS bits back in the day, but lent it to someone...
I have a good tool set (metric, AF, and Whitworth), but I don't have any JIS screwdrivers - they're on the list.
(It's amazing the number of people who don't know the difference between Pozidriv, Philips, and JIS.)
I can do a Commando clutch easily, so it's good to know that the Honda will be just as easy.

I did find a load of manuals and parts books on the US SOHC site - it's so confusing with all these forums.

[Nurse Julie]

Welcome and enjoy both the bike and the forum.

[petermigreen]

My US K2 doesn't have the headlight on all the time? Not sure that's correct information.

PS. Will Dave be my buddy too?

[Rob62]

Great intro, welcome in. Bike looks good... my USA K4 doesn’t have the light on all the time either... duff info I think. You’re going to be inundated with guys wanting to be introduced to your pal 😄

[Moorey]

Welcome to the forum and have fun. Now about this pal...….

[Bryanj]

Trigger, i think it was 73/4:that the yanks made headlight on compulsory but it will, of course, depend on vin plate build date.
As to headlamp dip all the ones i have done that were not H4 converted had a straight up and down dip so same for rh and lh drive, a lot of US ones have sealed beams and if a car replacement has been fitted that would be out the window!!

[Trigger]

Trigger, i think it was 73/4:that the yanks made headlight on compulsory but it will, of course, depend on vin plate build date.
As to headlamp dip all the ones i have done that were not H4 converted had a straight up and down dip so same for rh and lh drive, a lot of US ones have sealed beams and if a car replacement has been fitted that would be out the window!!

I never said a word Bryan  and know diddly squat about electrics 

[Bryanj]

There is one bolt on the Honda that will respond well to Whitworth socket and that is the original 12mm headed oil filter bolt that you can "hammer fit" a whitworth 12 point socket onto when it gets rounded and it will undo!!!

[Bryanj]

Trigger, all you have to remember about electrics is you cant taste, smell or see it but by christ it bites!

[Laverda Dave]

 Welcome to the forum. Everyone needs a bud like Dave at those prices!

[jon stead]

Welcome to the forum

[Johnwebley]

 welcome to the fun forum,

 looks a great  bike,have a US based contact does help.


  lots of advice and help here,

 and Somerset is a great place to ride.

  have fun