CB750 SOHC Goldie

This 1974 Honda CB750 started with a simple idea: build a clean, reliable, modernized vintage Honda that still felt like a CB750.

We did not want this bike to be overbuilt just for the sake of it. The goal was to create something a real rider could enjoy, something that looked right, handled better than stock, stopped harder, and still had the character that makes the SOHC CB750 such a great platform.

 

The build started with a CB750 frame and motor. From there, we focused on the areas that make the biggest difference: suspension, brakes, wheels, controls, and overall fit and finish.

Up front, the stock forks were replaced with a modern GSX-R 750 front end using one of our Cognito Moto conversion stems and bearing setup. This is one of the upgrades we are best known for because it lets you bring modern fork performance to a vintage frame without making the swap look hacked together. The GSX-R forks added full adjustability, better rigidity, and a huge improvement in braking with dual 310 mm rotors and Tokico four-piston calipers.

Out back, the bike kept the twin-shock layout, but the suspension was upgraded with Fox Podium RC1 shocks. They gave the bike the ride quality and control we wanted while keeping the classic CB750 stance.

For wheels, we wanted the look of spokes but with the fitment needed for the modern front end. The front uses one of our conversion hubs laced to an 18 x 2.5 Sun rim with a 110/90-18 Avon Roadrider. The rear uses a rebuilt stock hub with custom spokes and an 18 x 4.25 Sun rim wrapped in a 150/70-18 tire. The gold rims became one of the defining features of the bike and helped give it the name “Goldie.”

The frame was cleaned up, de-tabbed, and finished in matte silver. For the tank, we used a CB750F tank to give the bike a slightly sharper shape than the original 1974 tank. The tail section came from Dust Monkey Creations and was finished with a black leather seat. The paint is Subaru Java Black Pearl with metallic gold accents to tie in with the wheels.

The engine was rebuilt back to factory specs, keeping the proven 736 cc SOHC four-cylinder at the heart of the build. We added electronic ignition and a Shorai battery to clean up the electrical system and improve reliability. The stock oil tank was replaced with our Cognito Moto oil tank to tighten up the center of the bike and keep the side profile clean.

On the intake side, we used our billet aluminum airbox with a Uni filter element. It gives the bike a custom look while keeping the tuning more stable than individual pod filters. The exhaust is a black 4-into-1 system finished with a Cone Engineering muffler.

The cockpit was kept simple. Our billet top triple clamp holds a recessed Motogadget motoscope mini and indicator lights. The electrical system is handled by a Motogadget m-unit, with m-blaze turn signals, m-switch controls, and Woodcraft clip-ons. Lighting is handled by an LSL 6.5-inch headlight with an LED H4 bulb and a clean LED tail light mounted under the tail.

The finished bike is exactly what we wanted it to be: a clean CB750 with modern performance where it counts. It still looks like a vintage Honda, but the suspension, braking, wheel setup, electronics, and controls make it a much sharper machine to ride.

Goldie also represents what we like most about building bikes in-house. Each project gives us a chance to test parts, refine fitment, and create components that other builders can use on their own motorcycles. This CB750 was not just a custom build. It was also a working example of how the right parts can bring an old bike into the modern world without losing what made it good in the first place.