Mention a ‘Honda CB750 custom’ and you probably have a clear mental picture straight away. But I’m guessing it’s nothing like this. We’re looking at a 1979 CB750F called ‘Pearly Spencer’—a tribute to racer Freddie Spencer. It comes from The First Notion, a small Belgian shop run by friends Dominique Quintelier and mechanic Joris De Vos, who has worked for several motorcycle racing teams. “Our goal is to give the customer a classic bike with modern handling and roadholding,” says Quintelier. The CB750F was a terrific motorcycle straight off the showroom floor, but The First Notion have upped the game without breaking the bank.
The motor and carbs were overhauled and treated to K&N filters and a classic Marshall exhaust. The front fork has been upgraded with a custom-made MUPO cartridge kit (and lowered), while Fournales shocks tighten up the rear. Braking is improved with 310mm discs and 4-piston Nissin calipers, hooked up to steel brake hoses. And the heavy stock bars have been ditched in favor of lightweight alloy. The real spin comes from the bodywork, though: it’s transplanted from a CB900F Bol d’Or for that classic superbike look. The result, according to Quintelier, is an “affordable, fun to ride yet professionally built bike on a ‘normal’ budget.”
I’d take it.
[Find out more about The First Notion here.]
