Honda Badge restoration.

[Lobo]

My mum and dad always blamed me on lousy latex… hmm.

Anyways, just this week restored a couple of 750 Tank badges, and because I wanted to use particular UV resistant spray paints, decided to try liquid latex for blanking.

Initially, stripped the badges of old paint in the ultrasonic cleaner using hot water & a strong detergent. After a few passes they were down to bare metal.

Then sprayed them satin black, after which I brushed the liquid latex onto the HONDA surrounding area. It is like painting with cows milk, quite easy, but soon dries clear. Worst of all is brush clogging as it dries, though this is easily kept at bay by simply pulling the globule out as you go along.

Next sprayed them gloss white, and once dry 1200 grit sanded the high point / lettering outlines clear of all paint. After that 2000 grit and a bit of polishing paste (on the metal lettering borders)

Came out rather well, tho’ tbh a bit work intensive.

[Oddjob]

Were they not gold on the outside originally Lobo? Clever using latex, never used that before and I was wondering how to fill in the letters on mine with white without you being able to see the brush marks, was thinking of just flooding the letter with white enamel in a syringe.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Nice looking restoration on the badges - they look great.

[Lobo]

Thanks gents. Not that I’m aware of Ken. It’s a 1972 CB750 K2, tho’ I will do a bit of digging now - unless others can confirm either way?

(I’ve a spare tank, and am having it painted locally in Flake Sunrise Orange, to include 2x new side-panels. The painter guy tells me the standard K2 stripe was gold (like above) but the FSO stripe is black)

Given my less than steady hand, and Mrs Lobo’s chastising words… “You ALWAYS put it on too thick”, ringing in my ears - was further reasoning to go with spray paint. (GREAT let-out clause though for internal decorating 😀 though)


The latex was off eBay, at abouts £9.

[Oddjob]

Your are correct Lobo, although it's odd what Honda have done. The 750K0 got different tank badges, then the 750K1 got the same type tank badges as the 500, gold edges, the 750K2 got the black edged tank badges which is what you have. Can't remember seeing Honda do that before, they tend to stick with a part for a few models before changing it as it's cheaper in the end. I remember seeing the 500 tank badges on CMS and noticing they'd been superceded to a 300 part number and assumed that's what was fitted to all 750s. Very strange.

[Nurse Julie]

Your bike Simon, being a late UK K2 in Candy Ruby Red, I'm assuming you have black tank badges on a black background (300 middle part number with the pimples on the letters) the same as I had on my UK K2 of the same year?

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[Lobo]

Hi Julie,
From the websites I see the black badges were on the earlier K2s, and mine was first registered June ‘73 (UK) - so somewhat a bit confused!

[Nurse Julie]

You are looking at USA data there Simon. All UK and European Candy Ruby Red tanks had black badges from the CB750 K0. The gold and the blue UK /EU models had the white badges, 341.  All, worldwide, CB750 K1's had the 300 white badges but, the UK 750 K1 had the black 300 badges on candy Ruby Red tanks.

[Lobo]

Terribly confusing… even David Silver is promoting his UK K2 tank badges as white letterings (see previous post attachment)

Just a generic search of Ruby Red K2s throws up many pics of white lettered tanks, many with the lower (UK) ‘bars.

Personally I guess it doesn’t matter, as honestly I prefer the cleaner look of the White badging. My Uk K2 has a couple of minor personal deviations (eg higher / more comfortable bars, grab rail) - all of which can be quickly reverted should any (Australian) demand a UK model 😂)

Thanks though Julie; it is indeed a minefield, I constantly wonder why Honda chose the expense and work varying models between markets; often it seems that the UK got the old stock stuff, such as this, steering locks below the yolk (CB400F) fewer chromed parts and so on.

[Oddjob]

The parts book lists the part numbers as 87121/2-300-020 for the K0, 87121/2-300-030 for the K1 and 87121/2-341-000 with no differential for certain countries. It does show the Candy Ruby Red (CM) colour tank being fitted to the K0, K1 and K2 but doesn't seem to suggest any different colour tank badges being fitted to any certain colour.

[Nurse Julie]

Yes Simon, it is all very confusing with UK spec 750's in particular. All those photos  of the Candy Ruby Red bikes you've added are of USA models, so white badges are correct for those. If your original black badges have a pimpled background on the lettering, they should be black as the white badges never had pimples. Like you say though, it doesn't make your bike any less desirable to you.

Here's a couple of photos Simon.
James's UK K0 in Candy red with black badges, another photo I found on internet as well. UK K0's came with the high handlebars as standard.
No photos but Paul Gledhills UK K1 in Candy Ruby also came with black badges when he got it but he ended up fitting white ones. Then there is yours and my UK K2 in Candy Ruby which as we know came with black badges.

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[Lobo]

I dunno Julie, further to Ken’s comment I too checked the parts book and note the K2 badges as 341s, and with no accompanying area codes. This puts them as dimpled White-on-black. Notably the Preserve Nature stickers (same parts page ) do have specific area codes…

You’re quite right in that my K2 was bought (2012) with black dimpled badges. That said it’s tank was an odd shade of Ruby Red (ie had been repainted); and indeed the whole bike was very dubious throughout in terms of Uk accuracy. Bottom line I have no faith in those ‘badges being original, & I spent an awful lot getting it back to almost-original parts-wise, including ordering new (Uk spec I believed) badges from DSS - which are the current 341 dimpled white.

The pics you supplied above are K0s - I’m quite prepared to believe they had black badgings.

Honestly, I don’t know what to believe: I simply can’t find any ‘official’ publications to suggest these 1973 K2 (UK) badgings were black. Don’t mean to imply any mistrust - you are indeed a go-to source / guru - I’m just bloody confused 🙁.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

A badge is just a label it's the bike it's attached to that matters I could never get hung up on such a small detail unless you are entering a bike show for concourse vehicles.

In the 1960's you could buy an Austin Mini Cooper S written in stylish writing or an Austin Mini Cooper S with blocked capital letter. Mechanically they were identical so the drive/ride is really what matters.

Tin hat in place ready for flak.

[Laverdaroo]

I regularly swap and modify badges Ted but if you want it right, you want it right or it’s a niggle.

I recognise and admire the want for  the accuracy but I’ve ever had the resources to make that an option. Different bikes for different folks, it’s what makes biking what it is and such a great thing to be involved with.

I’m just doing a set for the LHG’s 400. They’re not off the bike as they never had them but she likes em so they’re going on. I’m not sure but it’s her bike…..


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[Sesman]

Just a quick note on ‘badges’. There was talk recently of Cb550 F2 badges and whether the gold finish was paint or anodised. After a good soak in synstrip I can definitely confirm they are are anodised with Matt black paint infill.

Anybody know of a firm who might re-anodise them?