1975 Honda Rickman CR750 “The California Hot Rod” for sale

1975 Honda Rickman CR “The California Hot Rod”

Builder/seller is Jay Farlow, a life-long Rickman CR aficionado and expert, who still owns the original ’74 Honda CR he bought new. He has restored multiple others (some previously sold through eBay) and still has 3 to go!

Build date 8/74, Serial Number 4299G. It is one of only 780 Honda CR’s made, according to the Gittins book (‘Derek and Don Rickman; The Metisse Story’), of which only a few hundred were believed to made it to the US. Sold on a California Ownership Certificate, the “Pink Slip” of street racing fame, where it is noted as a 1979, the first year it was titled.

Original nickel plating on the frame, never left out, very minimal spots of corrosion. Includes:

Original unmarred Borrani Record rims were laced to polished hubs by Kenny Buchanan personally. Hubs were polished and SS spokes soda blasted to resemble original cad plated steelies. Correct reproduction Dunlop K81 TT100’s.
As was common in the day, the brake discs were drilled for lightness as was the rear caliper holder and the front caliper was reversed to a trailing position.
Most original Rickman tin-plated hardware was replaced with US sourced Stainless Steel fasteners and Nylock nuts.
Original Girling shocks were not adequate for serious use so in the day an upgrade was in order, in this case to (period correct) Boge Mulholland units.
Brake lines replaced with rubber covered stainless. Steering head bearings, swingarm bushings, and fork seals replaced.
OEM sidestand smoothed and nickel plated to match.

Original FRP bodywork, though repaired for usual age-related cracking in gelcoat and repainted. Also:

Tank strap is a correct reproduction of original fiber-reinforced rubber strap.
Decals are correct reproductions of originals, except for fanciful side cover decals (850 Four).
Fairing trim is original as are its fasteners. Seat is a correct reproduction of upholstery on original pan.
Windshield is correct 8-hole in light smoke by Gustafsson with ID delete.
Gas tank is original but sealed with multiple applications of Caswell’s and modified to use dual Pingle hi-flow petcocks

Engine Serial Number is CB750E-2339006 which is correct date coding for 1974. Odometer reading of 13k is believed to be correct. Built to faithfully and accurately represent hot rod mods of the day, speed equipment includes:

Wiesco 836cc forged piston kit, NOS Kenny Harmon “F” cam degree’d in w Action Fours adjustable gear. RC Engineering valve springs and alloy retainers. Rebuilt with new bearings, primary and cam chain, and Barnett clutch.
Very, very rare early (’71?) Kerker 4-1 in original condition. Stick-on decal and head pipes that slip onto standard CB750 exhaust flanges are unique to this early pipe.
Period correct Mikuni 29mm Smoothbores overhauled by wiredgeorge of Texas. Contemporary screened billet velocity stacks. Period K&N pods also available. New Sudco intake boots.
Rare Martek high output ignition system with shutter wheel pickup and high voltage coils.
Period correct Lockhart oil cooler.
Modified cam cover with threaded bungs for cam tower hold-down bolts. This mod was popularized in the day by Pops Yoshimura and Russ Collins to prevent high-lift cams from pulling the cam towers out of the head.
Engine redone to satin black as per Pops Yoshmura’s finding that it cooled the engine better.
Period style S&W oil pressure gauge plumbed into main galley.
17 tooth countershaft sprocket.

Other upgrades include:

Period correct Magura “dog leg” levers and Napoleon handlebar mirror.
Rare Marcal H4 headlight lens conversion instead of Fed mandated sealed beam.
Custom made (shortened for clipons) cables by Motion Pro. Speedometer cable is correct grey.
Gauges rebuilt in France by CB750 Faces, the leading ND restorer.
NOS Tommaselli “Daytona” natural rubber grips.
New chain, battery, upgrade solid state reg/rectifier, OEM horn.
New wiring harness, handlebar switches, brake switches, ignition switch are all either OEM or supplied by Yamiya of Japan.

Rear wheel stand included.