The new, 1969 Honda would cruise at 100 mph all day long, it didn’t leak oil, and it was reliable as a rock. Honda’s new CB750 would in fact, re-write the new standard for drive chains. Chain breakage on the Honda was a first for motorcycling. Never before had so much power been available in a production motorcycle and the technology in link chains was simply not up to the task. With the unfortunate breaks came a wadding of chain links between the front sprocket and engine case that would knock a hole in the crankcase. Most of the broken cases were those limited and now coveted “Sand Cast” models. Many at Honda never believed the CB750 would sell – just “Too Big”, so they did not invest in the expensive Die-Cast Molds need to make Die-Cast parts used in high-production manufacturing. Instead, they used less costly molds of Sand, thus the term “Sand Cast”. The first 7,500 (approx.) engines would be made this way.
If you remember these motorcycles new, then you’ll remember and lived through the OPEC Embargo of 1974. Gasoline was rationed and fueling stations all over the country could actually “run-out” of gasoline to pump. Honda saw this Gas Crisis as a potential for new customers – those non-motorcycling riders who couldn’t use a clutch or change gears of a conventional motorcycle. They immediately started working on “Automatics” motorcycles that would use automatic clutches and no shifting to lure in new riders desperately looking for improved gas mileage. 1st choice was their rock-solid CB750 and to further intice the younger and “Misses” of the house – the CB400 Twin Automatic for her.
