Heritage Edition: KASPEED CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

 Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

“A concept of how a modern Honda works cafe racer could look if they built it at the factory.”

In the early 1990s, Honda introduced the CB750 RC42, an air-cooled inline four with a steel double cradle frame, twin rear shocks, six-stage oil cooler, and around 75 horsepower on tap from its carbureted 747cc engine. In many ways, the RC42 harked back to the UJMs of the 1970s — a fitting descendant of the “original superbike,” eschewing liquid-cooling and sophisticated V4 engine layouts in favor of a traditional winning recipe.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

Enter the family-run workshop of Germany’s Kaspeed Moto, consisting of twin brothers Jimmy and Mick — both of whom have high-level technical experience in the automotive industry — and their father, Karsten, who’s been building bikes since the 1970s. At the 2018 Glemseck Festival, they unveiled a prototype cafe racer based on the Honda RC42, combining modern technology with retro styling. Since then, they’ve introduced a Honda CB SevenFifty limited series:

“Essentially it’s a concept of how a modern Honda works cafe racer could look if they built it at the factory.”

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

This is their Heritage Edition of that series, which uses stock suspension but incorporates modern tech in other areas, such as the Motogadget m-unit that controls the electronics. The result is one stunning cafe racer whose level of detail and execution is of the highest order — truly, it looks as if you could buy this bike directly from a Honda showroom.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

Below, we get the full details on this build, a fitting evolution of the “original superbike.”

Honda CB SevenFifty Cafe Racer: In the Builder’s Words

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

So the concept was to build the bike re-producible so that we could launch a limited series off the prototype which was presented at Glemseck Festival in 2018. We used the sevenfifty as a base because these was no complete cafe racer build done anywhere before. And the donor is very good in availability and condition in Germany.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

We changed the styling a lot compared to the base. So we could achieve clean and straight lines with the tank and tail. This is what makes a cafe racer look right.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

And with the muffler and cockpit we mixed modern technology with retro classic styling. From the beginning we made molds and templates so we could recreate the parts for the series. Of course we wanted to have the OEM quality feel as always. So the bike is taken apart and everything painted new. Essentially it’s a concept of how a modern Honda works cafe racer could look if they built it at the factory.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

We now finished our fourth bike, including the #0 Prototype. The one I want to show you is your first “Heritage” model. Which in the end means we leave the suspension stock. But on the other hand, it’s the first time we integrated the Motogadget m-unit.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

We built this bike for a master roofer not far from our hometown. He has already collected some classic cars and bike, but wanted something custom now. He sent us the m.unit, cause he already bought one. But he just didn’t have the time to start a project on his own. So we had not only the task to just put it in with complete new wiring — this would have been too easy.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

We adapted the stock handlebar controls to work with the wonders of modern technology — not so easy 😉 but eventually we made it work in preassembly. It worked perfectly after final assembly with everything freshly painted. Only the ignition coil was out of power — so with that done, the bike started just fine 🙂 I must have cut one cable too much, from the tossed out fuse box. And with the m.button module moved a bit further away from the coils, even the indicators didn’t run at random due to interference from the ignition cables. 😀 Stupid electrics.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

Also we build massively time-consuming but very delicate front fender brackets. No one could afford these, if we calculated the hours — but we did these to try ourselves — so that’s ok. Made out of 8mm steel tubes bent to fit and then flattened the ends.

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

List of Modifications:

Honda CB750 SevenFifty (RC42 / A)

  • Genuine handbuilt custom bike
  • Unique Cafe Racer seat cowl
  • Designed with the help of 3D CAD Software
  • Manufactured from carbon-kevlar-hybrid fabric (CFRP)
  • Adapted, elongated fuel tank
  • Custom-made genuine leather seat
  • Cleaned frame, open frame triangle
  • Li-Ion battery in the cowl, electronics hidden under the seat
  • Paint job in Honda NSX Source Silver and anthracite matching the rims
  • Frame and swing-arm powder-coated in black
  • Engine painted in matt black and silver
  • Kellermann bar end indicators BL 2000
  • Kellermann Atto DF (tail light and indicators 3-in-1)
  • K&N cone air filters
  • Custom carburetor setup
  • Bridgestone Battlax T31 tires
  • LeoVince Classic Racer Stainless Steel exhaust
  • LSL clip-ons
  • LSL front & rear brake fluid reservoir
  • LSL foot pegs
  • KOSO LED headlight
  • DAYTONA VELONA Tachometer
  • Motogadget m.unit blue + m.button bus system
  • relocated back-up ignition switch
  • Aluminium front fender
  • 1998 model – 73 PS
  • TÜV approved

Riding Shots

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

Honda CB750 RC42 Cafe RacerHonda CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer

More Detail Shots

Follow the Builder

Kaspeed Custom Motorcycles | Motorrad Design
Karsten Dressel | Oststraße 32 | 08371 Glauchau | Germany

 

2 Comments

  1. Robert Andrew Wasielewski

    Beautiful machine. The photography was excellent, especially the detail photos.

  2. No flat slides?

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