Thankfully the F2’s engine was its saving grace. Even though the bike used a detuned version of Honda’s air-cooled inline four it had plenty of useable torque and power that could propel its hefty 215kg bulk across the quarter mile in a respectable 12.4 seconds. In today’s secondhand motorcycle market the F2 represents great value, but to get the most out of it, you’ll need to make some adjustments.
This custom CB750 is a great example of how to transform the F2 into something special. After finding an unused, like new, ’92 F2 for sale Antonio Testillano of Spain’s ‘Nitro Cycles’ workshop decided to breath new life, style and performance into the bike.
To give the bike a more appealing appearance Antonio swapped the hefty stock tank for an Ossa unit that’s he modified to sit on the Honda frame. The tail unit, which was once a Barry Sheene Suzuki item, has been slimmed down to suit the Honda’s proportions and features a biposto style hump that can be easily removed to allow a passenger. The stock instruments have been swapped out for a that’s mounted using a custom made alloy bracket and the stock bars replaced by clip-on items.
The frame also underwent a few changes with a revised tail loop that shortens the bikes rear end and extra bracing to add rigidity. For handling Antonio put together a completely new suspension package that uses a Suzuki GSXR set of forks and Showa rear shocks. The wheels are custom built spoked items wrapped in grippy Pirelli rubber and the brakes from the GSXR running gear were also repurposed.
While cruising might be fine for some F2 owners Antonio wanted something with a bit more bite so he mounted a custom 4-into-1 exhaust wearing a Vance and Hines performance muffler to the engine. The airbox was also replaced with hi-flow K&N filters and the carbs tuned to suit. The result is a noticeable increase in power that’s much better suited to the bike’s aggressive styling.
The finishing touch for the transformation was a candy red and black paint scheme inspired by BMW’s R90 Daytona. According to Antonio, “We have transformed a lamb into a wolf!” and it’s a definition that perfectly suits this outcome.
By the early nineties, Honda’s CB750 range had well and truly lost its edge. For a motorcycle that was once coined as the”world’s first superbike” the CB750, now referred to as the F2, had become rather mundane. A combination of staid design and average handling resulted in a ride that was less than appealing and the F2 was more suited to being a cruiser than anything sports related.
