Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB750 => Topic started by: philward on December 05, 2018, 11:03:54 PM

Title: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: philward on December 05, 2018, 11:03:54 PM
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/rob-north-750-Honda-sohc-a-replica-of-only-1-ever-built-by-north-ref-j-soper/202526702372?hash=item2f27883b24:g:318AAOSwlThcCEQm:rk:4:pf:0
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on December 06, 2018, 06:43:32 AM
I’m sure someone will be able to fill us in on what a Rob North Honda was (is?) and why a project bike would be worth £15k.

Pictures please


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Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Woodside on December 06, 2018, 07:10:40 AM
J soper used to race for hadleigh custom for a bit...I suppose you could ask him I'm sure he has a bike shop down south ...."soper motorcycles" at least he did have 5-6 years ago
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: K2-K6 on December 06, 2018, 08:30:33 AM
Rob North (still making frames I think in California)  made the race frames for BSA & Triumph triples.  John Cooper era etc.

Think the rider was Julian sponsored by Hadleigh custom.

One of the best looking frames ever made,  I feel. Could be interesting if its a "real" frame from that maker.

Seen one with Honda motor installed as road bike in American mag years ago.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Tomb on December 06, 2018, 09:35:48 AM
Am I reading it wrong? the description says its a replica of a one off bike.

Quote
North 750 Honda ideal parade or classic track days bikers classic etc a replica of only 1 ever built and raced by j soper

So not actually the Soper bike?

And you can buy a brand new Rob North rolling chassis for £7500 Click (https://robnorthtriples.com/frame.aspx)
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on December 06, 2018, 09:56:09 AM
Now on a PC rather than a phone...

It seems my old mate Axl (RIP) has written about it: Click (http://www.satanicmechanic.org/north.shtml)
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Tomb on December 06, 2018, 09:57:05 AM
Even the genuine Soper bike didn't sell at £8000 :-\

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/70/lot/1868/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kQ2hYA9seg
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: cb750stu on December 06, 2018, 10:29:15 AM
Always baffles me that when someone is asking 15k for something why they don't write a detailed description of the item not just a one liner

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Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: philward on December 06, 2018, 12:25:59 PM
Even the genuine Soper bike didn't sell at £8000 :-\

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/70/lot/1868/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kQ2hYA9seg
Often wondered why nobody re-framed the cb750 in the 70's (for racing) - surely they would have been faster than the Nortons and Triumph Triples of the time.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Sgt.Pinback on December 06, 2018, 01:22:46 PM
I’m sure someone will be able to fill us in on what a Rob North Honda was (is?) and why a project bike would be worth £15k.


I guess she has sandcast engine # 007
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Allington (Steve) on December 06, 2018, 03:22:48 PM
Even the genuine Soper bike didn't sell at £8000 :-\

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/70/lot/1868/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kQ2hYA9seg
Often wondered why nobody re-framed the cb750 in the 70's (for racing) - surely they would have been faster than the Nortons and Triumph Triples of the time.

The thing is that in the 70's Norton and Triumph didn't have a two-stroke and back then 2-strokes ruled. Norton and Triumph were already on a very slippery stroke (or Sam)
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: philward on December 06, 2018, 03:34:07 PM
Absolutely - but in the early 70's when I was watching the transatlantic trophy, pushrod triples in Rob North frames were winning most races - surely an SOHC Four in a decent frame would have been better than the pushrod engines (as per the speed of the cr750 at Daytona in 1970) - albeit the 2 strokes were on the rise in the next few years

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Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Allington (Steve) on December 06, 2018, 03:49:11 PM
Cost (and availability possibly). The Brits were already developed and Norton-Villiers thought sponsorship was a badge on a local building site concrete mixer.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Tomb on December 06, 2018, 04:01:17 PM
Cost (and availability possibly). The Brits were already developed and Norton-Villiers thought sponsorship was a badge on a local building site concrete mixer.

JPS Nortons?
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Allington (Steve) on December 06, 2018, 05:02:15 PM
Cost (and availability possibly). The Brits were already developed and Norton-Villiers thought sponsorship was a badge on a local building site concrete mixer.

JPS Nortons?

Brian Crighton changed the game there for a bit with some very good riders but they were outlawed pretty quick.

And the JPS 750's before that. Cost and lack of money on a very old design
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: K2-K6 on December 06, 2018, 05:25:58 PM
Weren't the blue one's and subsequent white Nortons JPN as in plain John Player Norton.

They were pretty quick with Mr Williams and Mr Croxford on them.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: K2-K6 on December 06, 2018, 06:38:38 PM
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/charterhouse-auctions/catalogue-id-cav10154/lot-f72675cf-5b32-4a11-a71a-a761008864c1
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Allington (Steve) on December 06, 2018, 07:14:59 PM
Weren't the blue one's and subsequent white Nortons JPN as in plain John Player Norton.

They were pretty quick with Mr Williams and Mr Croxford on them.

Croxford was a real character. The Norton’s there were just the end of an era. Very old technology right at the end of very old development and very little money by Japanese standards. Honda were building little six cylinder Swiss watches with huge budgets and crushing them afterwards and the Commando was really designed a full generation before.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: K2-K6 on December 06, 2018, 08:31:06 PM
Tenuous link but same frame type and interesting project.

http://www.laverdamania.net/Laila4.htm


Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Allington (Steve) on December 06, 2018, 11:08:36 PM
Tenuous link but same frame type and interesting project.

http://www.laverdamania.net/Laila4.htm

What an absolutely fascinating project.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: neilg on December 07, 2018, 10:33:00 AM
Even the genuine Soper bike didn't sell at £8000 :-\

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/70/lot/1868/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kQ2hYA9seg
Often wondered why nobody re-framed the cb750 in the 70's (for racing) - surely they would have been faster than the Nortons and Triumph Triples of the time.

Think I'm right in saying that Honda always did well at the start of racing at Daytona at that time, but the cam chains and tensioners failed leaving BSA/Triumph to go on and win.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Laverda Dave on December 07, 2018, 11:17:42 AM
Great link Nigel, thanks.
Dave
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: Tomb on December 07, 2018, 11:32:32 AM
Think I'm right in saying that Honda always did well at the start of racing at Daytona at that time, but the cam chains and tensioners failed leaving BSA/Triumph to go on and win.


Similar story - During Australian 6 hr endurance racing Yamaha XS1100's against the Honda CBX's, the Yamahas would sit behind the CBX's pushing them, not try to overtake, just push. The CBX's would fail leaving the Yamahas to win.
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: MrDavo on December 07, 2018, 01:10:59 PM
I used to go to the Transatlantic races at Easter, I found the programme for one the other day. The crowds were huge, and you could meet some of the riders sat in the paddock bar!

The JPN Nortons were tiny (as small a frontal area as possible) and cleaned up if it was wet, but the writing was on the wall when the Yamaha TZ700s arrived - At Oulton Park I watched Kenny Roberts tying one in knots down the Cascades, and John Long threw another one at the catch fence at Lodge Corner that I was stood behind!

Quote
Honda were building little six cylinder Swiss watches

I never tire of this, I have a link to it saved on my phone for when I'm bored. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SkyAnVIChE
An RC166 being stripped down by HRC mechanics for a Japanese TV show. Not a scooby what anyone is saying, but it doesn't matter!
Title: Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
Post by: MCTID on December 07, 2018, 01:58:37 PM
The one and only Bike Race I ever went to was a Transatlantic Match Race at Oulton Park about 1974 ish.

I didn't have a clue who won any of the Races, or who came 2nd, 3rd, 4th or what. I didn't even know whether the UK or the USA had won on the day as I couldn't hear anything that the Commentator said over the Tannoy.

I only found out who had won what when I bought my copy of Motorcycle News the following Wednesday !

Needless to say, I have never gone to see another bike race since ! LOL.
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