Honda CB 750The smoothness The engine was all new and had very low levels of vibration, making it incredibly smooth for its day, and the brakes were a revelation. It was technologically advanced to. Flowing lines, as opposed to Triumph's rather "square" look, mostly as a result of the rectangular "bread bin" tank, and the stunning four cylinder engine with its four exhaust pipes, disc brakes front and rear, indicators and an electric start mad this quite something.
Honda CB 750The styling immediately caught the eye. The 1968 Tokyo motorcycle show saw the shock launch of Honda's CB750. However, cosmetically it was somewhat ugly for the time, and expensive when compared to the standard twins of the era. It handled well and Triumph has high hopes for it.
This machine produced 58bhp and a top speed of 125mph. Just a few months earlier in the year, triumph had launched their new "big bike", the Trident. However, October 1968 saw a massive change in motorcycling. Of course the definition of "big bike" meant anything over 750cc, and in many ways referred to the 750cc class itself, and again that was all about to change in the 1970s.
Honda CB 750It may have been complacency when the British motorcycle industry decided that the Japanese would never enter the big bike scene. No one had really seen it coming. However, in 1968, everything changed. The Japanese were coming however, and had indeed made significant inroads into light and middle weight classes since 1948.
Until 1968, the large capacity motorcycle industry was the preserve of British, European and American manufacturers.