Honda CB 750 Four K3

The CB750K3 Four was sold in 1973 and was available in one of three colors: Flake Sunrise Orange, Candy Bucchus Olive, or Maxim Brown Metallic. The gas tank stripes were white, gold and black. The side covers were smaller than the K0 model and there were no slots on the leading edge. The upper forks were chrome. The headlight shell was black. The taillight and side reflectors were larger than the K1 model. There was a two-throttle cable system (pull open and pull closed). The exhaust system was a 4-into-4. The engine was a 736cc SOHC 2-valve dry sump inline 4 cylinder linked to a 5-speed transmission and chain drive. The serial number began CB750-2200001.

The CB750 transformed the face of motorcycling in three ways. First it set down the design template for the modern superbike with its inline four, high-tech, specification. Second, it cemented the burgeoning Japenese manufacturers as the new force in motorcycling, and, third, its combination of quality, value and performance effectively sounded the final death knell for the ailing British motorcycle industry.

It was the engine that created the most impact: an inline four using lessons learnt from Honda's multi-cylinder racers of the 1960s (but with a single camshaft and two valve heads rather than the racers' dohc and four valves).

Along with enviable smoothness and reliability, the claimed output of 67bhp was mighty impressive for the time - a good 15% more than BSA's then-new 750cc Rocket 3 and, at just under 500lbs, weighted about the same. It's not hard to guess which one won over the buyers.

But it wasn't just Honda's engine that caused a stir. It was also the fact that it was offered in conjunction with a five-speed gearbox, electric starter and front disc brake (the first on a road bike) - and all presented to the consumer at a reasonable price.

Handling, of course, was only adequate, with a flex-prone steel frame and harsh suspension drawing criticism. But that was to be expected and few riders were put off, especially after veteran Dick Mann proved the CB's sporting potential by winning Daytona in 1970.

What's more, its impact was such that Kawasaki delayed and re-engineered its own revolutionary 750cc four-cylinder bike, eventually releasing the Z1M which upped the capacity  to 903cc, in 1973, and you don't get much finer compliment that that.