1977 Honda CB750K

Due South

As I write about each of my bikes, I try to relate some event or experience that would best illustrate the machine. The first thing that comes to mind whenever I think of the 750K is a trip I made to the US one summer weekend. As a member of the York Wings MC, I frequently participated in organized rides as time permitted. There was an announcement made during one of our monthly meeting for a weekend

Picture break heading south

excursion into the eastern states. All those interested in going were instructed to meet at a local restaurant the following Saturday morning for a 9am departure - sharp!

Saturday arrived and I showed up a half hour early gassed up and rarin' to go. I found two Gold Wings already in the parking lot and recognized them as belonging to Paul and Sid. Inside the restaurant I met the guys along with their female companions and we discussed the route we would be taking over a cup of java. The departure time arrived but no one else showed, so it would be just the five of us on this adventure. We settled our bills and headed for the bikes.

Perhaps it was foreboding, but I had some misgivings about going on this ride, partially because I was the odd man out, and partially because I was on a smaller machine. I knew Paul liked to ride hard, and Sid was very much the same. I also knew that my personal riding limits were far more conservative. But since I was already there and I had not yet taken the 750K out on a good run, I decided to go.

As was expected, we rode south at a fairly brisk pace. Paul took the lead with Sid close behind, while I followed as the tail gunner. One advantage of being at the back is that I never had to worry about getting lost. As long as I kept Sid's rear taillight in view

Crescent Rock Overlook

, I was guaranteed to arrive at our destination - wherever that might be. Of course, when one concentrates as much as I did on keeping the leaders in sight, one misses out on a lot of the scenery. I remember working the 750 harder than if I had been alone, first accelerating to keep up with the wings, then braking for frequent tight turns, always changing gears and never taking it easy. Consequently, the miles melted away at an unbelievable rate. We finally slowed down when we entered the Skyline Drive in West Virginia, but only because of the heavy traffic of sightseeing tourists in their Winnebagos. We did get around them, but there were moments on blind curves when I watched Sid give the oncoming cars a good scare. Despite the spirited riding, I did manage to appreciate the beauty of the Shenandoah National Park. (Someday, I'll have to revisit the area and explore it properly.)

Love Shack, Baby

As the light started to fade, we stopped at a motel for the night. Today I wouldn't travel anywhere if I couldn't get a room at the end of the day, but back then it was quite the opposite. I counted every penny I made and paying for lodging was something I avoided religiously. So it will not surprise you now when I say that our little group decided to split the cost of accommodations to minimize our expenses. As you can imagine, this worked out reasonably well for Paul, Sid and company, and not at all for me. The large room we rented was furnished with chairs, a table and two large double beds. As I did not plan to be

Clouds on Skyline Drive

part of a ménage à trois, all I could hope for was a blanket, a pillow, and maybe a small portion of the carpeted floor somewhere in the corner. This was not particularly appealing, but I figured I could live with that. What I had not anticipated was that I would be staying in the Love Shack. As Paul and his girlfriend became intimate in one part of the slowly shrinking room, Sid and his headed for a long, steamy romance in the shower. Was I ever in the wrong place! After an hour of total discomfort from staring at either the ceiling, or inspecting the bits of dirt under my fingernails, I came to the conclusion that I would rather be anywhere but there. I think Paul and Sid were quite relieved when I announced with bravado that I felt wide awake and a bit restless, so I wouldn't be staying with them after all. I was disappointed that they did not try to discourage my departure - at least a little bit.