Few bikes are special enough to be named one the Discovery Channels ‘Greatest Motorbikes Ever’ and feature in several ‘hall of fame’ displays in motorbike museums around the world, but Honda’s CB750K is one of them.

Featuring a thumping four-cylinder engine and quad exhausts the CB750K was a huge hit in period, offering a winning combination of performance, rideability and handsome good looks. 

With 67 hp and a top speed of 125 mph it was advertised in period as being the ‘world’s fastest, most powerful’ motorbike.

Whether you’re looking to relive your Café Racer ambitions of youth or simply looking for a great looking original bike to enjoy, this particular example is a great choice. 

With just two owners from new – who lived in adjacent Leicestershire villages – the full history of this one is known and it is original and unrestored. 

Being a single overhead cam version, this is considered the original version of the classic CB750 engine.

This Honda CB750K was first registered on 18 May 1979 and sold via Chris Vincent Honda in Earl Shilton (Chris was a former sidecar roadracer in the Sixties) and bought on hire purchase. 

The first owner was having a bathroom renovation carried out when the second owner – who is his friend and a heating engineer – spotted it while working at his house. A deal was done and the current owner became the second owner of the Honda in 1984.

For the last 38 years the bike has been in his care and was used for local events and the odd trip further afield – it went on one memorable trip to St Tropez to meet up with a friend on honeymoon. 

Since then the current owner has had health issues and finds the bike a little too heavy. Since 2008 the bike has only covered 29 miles and spent much of its time stored in a Carcoon in a garage.

Invoices for the bike are not plentiful, but the current owner reports that the bike was regularly serviced every two to three years by the same mechanic at Govnors Bridge Motorcycles in Warwickshire. 

A fresh MoT will be supplied to the new owner.

The only work carried out to the bike has been to have the fuel tank repainted in its original black hue and to have the seat recovered. 

The rest of the bike is original and has a great patina over the chromed parts. The minor surface rust on the mudguards, handlebars and wheel rims may clean up with a little attention, but all these parts appear to be the originals which is unusual on a 43-year old bike. 

Whether you’d want to remove this patina to make it look like new would be up to you, but it takes years to acquire the right look so it would be a tough decision…

All the plastics on the tail lights and indicator lenses are uncracked while the headlight is undamaged and appears period correct.

The Dunlop Arrowmax tyres are fitted to both wheels, with a K25A in 100/90-19 fitted to the front and a K625 in 130/90-17 fitted to the rear. These have ample tread and appear uncracked.

The current owner recalls that the chain and chain wheels were previously replaced and reckons that apart from the repainted fuel tank and recovered seat, the bike is as it left the factory. 

With matching numbers and pleasing patina on the brightwork it looks fantastic in the metal – so much better than some of the over-restored bikes you see that look too new and don’t look as if they’ve ever led a life.

Despite not having been run for several years, the bike fired up instantly at the first turn of the key – it is a Honda! – and settled down a smooth and happy burble.

With the fluting around the engine and manifold, it’s a great looking engine and the underslung quad chromed exhausts give it a great look – this is classic Seventies style at its best.

Although the MoT lapsed in 2019, a new MoT will be carried out on the bike. 

The current owner doesn’t know of any faults with it and with only 12,927 miles on the clock, it clearly has lots of life left in it.

You can’t go wrong with a classic big-four Honda and this CB750K has a winning combination of handsome looks, low owners and the perfect patina’d look. 

With a fresh MoT it will be already to hustle along the sweeping B-roads and enjoy the torque of the 736cc four-cylinder engine.

Even when you’re not riding it, this is a great looking Seventies bike to have in your mancave and looks a million dollars even when stationary.

Whether you want to keep it as an investment bike or treat it to a spruce up to make it concours would be up to you, but as there are so few original bikes around it would be a delight to own.