Your Nighthawk - Page Three
Mike sent me a picture of this VERY nice looking rebuild of an '84 650. As you'll see in his notes below, this was a present for his dad! (How do I make sure MY kids do the same for me someday??)
Paul,
I bought this bike, an '84 Nighthawk 650, as a Christmas present for my Dad. It was in decent overall condition with 23,000 miles but was making some cam chain noise due to a worn tensioner. Other than that, it was mechanically sound.
After doing some research I found this was a fairly common problem with these bikes. I considered replacing the tensioner myself but time didn't allow. So, first step, I took it to a shop, had the cam chain tensioner replaced and now it sounds like new (no more dreaded cam chain rattle). Second step: the aluminum trim and fork legs had corrosion on them so I pulled all the trim off and polished it, also the fork legs. Thirdly, the bike's original red paint was a bit faded and there were a couple of good size dents in the tank, one of the fastening pegs on the right side panel was broken off, and there were some cracks in the tail section. I pulled off the tank and all bodywork, repaired the dents and cracks, and repainted all the pieces in 2 stage Imron. I then applied a new factory decal set and put an additional clear coat over them. Next, the paint on the motor was chipping off in many areas so I sanded it all down and repainted it in hi-temp satin black. Lastly, there was some rust on the header pipes so I took a die grinder with a round wire brush attachment to them and voila! Stripped off all but just a bit of the rust and saved me from shelling out another 200-400 dollars for another exhaust system.
After the initial $900 I paid for the bike + $400 for the cam chain tensioner repair, along with some sweat and elbow grease, my Dad has a bike that looks and runs like new. When the bike was completed, I almost didn't want to give it up!
Anyway, my Dad loves it -- rides it every day. He'd ridden street bikes for as long as I can remember but sold his last bike about 10 years ago. After retiring 5 years ago he often talked about getting another bike but kept putting it off so I made the decision for him!
Thanks for the great website, --Mike.
Added February 4, 2005
Fred sent a picture of his bike to torment me! (Just kidding.) Someday I'm gonna own a bike just like this! Here's Fred's story of his 2003 750.
Hi Paul!
Love your site and love my Nighthawk 750 '03. I was hoping someone would open a new site for this great bike. How long you been up? I would like to contribute my pic of my beloved Nighthawk for your "Your Nighthawk" photo gallery. I love my NH and take extreme great care of it; polishing, cleaning, washing, and doing it all again for extra shine! LOL. I bought it brand new in Oceanside, CA (where I live) on the day after Christmas '03. This being my first bike (and my first big bike) after not riding for 30 years! I used to ride a lot of Honda's in the early 70's, but stop riding till I bought my Nighthawk. I could never get riding motorcycles out of my head and finally gave in for this wonderful bike. It now has 8000 miles on it and has been all over California and weekly rides in the local San Diego mountains. I still get comments on how new it looks. One guy even said how he loved the Honda CB-750 sound. This picture of my Nighthawk with its Rifle Nightflight fairing and Corbin seat (all else stock) was taken on a mountain ride at a small day park right after a rain in the fall. The color of the fall leaves really make the Nighthawk's red paint glow... Thanks for the great site!
Fred C. Adams
Oceanside, CA
Nighthawk CB-750 2003
Added February 4, 2005
John, who lives in Canada sent me a picture of his bike, which is a '91 750. Looks like he has a boy who's anxious for a ride with dad. Here's John's comments:
Hello "Night-hawkers"
First congratulations on a great site Paul.
Having a midlife crisis has its perks. I rode a bike some years ago and abandoned it seeing it was to small for a family to get around on. After some searching I found a 1991 750 Nighthawk. (44.000KM/27340ML on the clock) The price was right and the only "flaw" it had as far as I noticed was that the previous owner had painted the side covers and rear fairing black (to cover some scratches he said). So with no decals some people take a second look. I like to looks and feel of the bike very much. Your typical UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) and better
looking than many a "crotch rocket". Fits like a glove. After riding a Kawasaki 440LTD (yes, with belt drive) some years ago the Nighthawk is
a breath of fresh air. A ride mainly around town for now. One day across Canada is a wish. But maybe on a V-Strom. Also after driving the
"Going-to-the-Sun" road in Glacier Park and seeing the many, many bikers it would be nice to follow suite one day.
Anyway I encourage other readers who are looking for a bike to check out this model. A very "forgiving" bike. One thing I noticed is that
the European version of the Nighthawk (CB750) has better front double disk brakes and a disk on the back wheel. (what gives? - See picture).
Maybe another thing to remind Honda about to bring some more models over here.
Thanks, Paul for maintaining this site.
John Vanveen
St.Albert, Canada
Added February 2005
Another brother from Canada wrote me recently with info on his mtorcycle purchase along with a photo of his bike. Here's Mitch's story:
Hi Paul,
I just turned 40 last October 2004, and suddenly I found myself being nostalgic of my teenage years*.especially when I went to a motorcycle show last fall! My last bike was a 1977 Kawasaki 125cc, which I sold in 1989 after 6 years of use . It was the only thing I could afford during that time, and I remember how jealous I was seeing my friends riding around on their Nighthawks while a struggle just to keep up (One day I said).
I started searching for my Nighthawk the day after my birthday and found it about 3 weeks ago! It's a 1983 CB650SC Nighthawk in mint condition with 40,000km (24,855miles). The mufflers have been replaced, but everything else is original. I test drove this bike in the snow (Being in February and in Canada) the owner thought I was crazy, but I was more crazy about the bike!!!!! Anyway here is shot of my NH for your photo gallery, I bet you don't have many bikes taken in snow!
Mitch
Montreal, Canada
Added February 28, 2005
Here's a note I received from Gary, who live in Utah. He sent a picture of his 1983 650 and this note:
Paul,
I am attaching a couple of pics of my 1983 650
NightHawk. I repainted it last year. It has a new seat
windshield pegs grips tires. Other than that it is
pretty much stock. It has 58K miles on it and it runs
very well.
Gary Harris
Pleasant View Utah
Added April 11, 2005
Kurt, who lives across the state of Oregon from me, sent this picture of his
1995 750. Kurt shares the following:
Hey,Paul.
Thanks for the great site! Ever since Randy O's site
disappeared, I've been hungry for Nighthawk stories. I've attached a
jpg of my '95 Nighthawk 750 that I bought used in early 2001 on ebay
with only 2500 miles on it for $3200. The bike was in New Hampshire,
and I live in Oregon, so in June of that year, I went east and rode it
home. I've put about 20,000 on it since then. As you can see, I've
added a Givi rack, and I've got 3 hard bags for it. Also obvious is
the Corbin seat, and the front fender extender. The bike has
Progressive front fork springs and Hagon rear shocks. I've also got a
Scottoiler installed on this bike, as well as a larger oil cooler from
a European 750. I put dual Fiamm horns on it, as well as a handlebar
mounted "off" switch for the horns. The horn button bumps into the
tank bag I use so I installed this switch to keep from irritating
fellow campers or other guests in motels when I'm leaving early. The
bike has a headlight modulator, a flasher unit for the rear that
flashes the brake light and turn indicators when I brake. I've
installed a stainless steel front brake line, after-market brake pads,
and an EBC disk rotor. The bike has Uni air filters, shimmed carb
needles and a mild Hodge Mod on the stock mufflers. I've gone up one
tooth on the countershaft sprocket, and down two on the rear sprocket.
I've got heated grips on the bike, a plug for a Widder heated vest,
and two different windscreens, a National Cycle fly screen and a
Plexifaring 3, either of which is on or off in minutes. Cosmetic
changes are mostly painting things black, like the wheels and the
exhaust, the countershaft sprocket cover, case savers, and front
headlight. I really don't care for chrome. I do all the work on the
bike. I like the NH a lot and would change only very few things. I'd
love an extra gallon and a half of fuel, and maybe an extra 15 hp.
Perhaps a more modern, linkage rear suspension. Thanks again for the
site and I'd love to see my bike added to the collection.
Kurt Jensen
Eugene, OR
Added April 11, 2005
Glen lives in sunny California, and owns a 1984 Nighthawk 650. Here's Glen's info:
Paul,
Firstly, what a great Nighthawk site!
I have owned this 1984 650SC Nighthawk for 16 years. It was almost 5
years old and had 5,000 miles on the clock when I bought it in 1989. It
has been such a good bike that despite the fact that I have owned
several other bikes during the last 16 years, this one is such a useful
and sweet bike I have always hung on to it. I used to ride it about
1,500 miles each year, but lately it only gets ridden a few hundred
miles each year. It has been pampered and maintained regardless of cost
and is in mint condition and I have nothing but praise for the model. I
hope everyone out there enjoys their Nighthawk as much as I do.
Glen/California
Added April 11, 2005
Tom, who lives in New Hampshire, sent me this picture of his 700S. Here's what Tom said:
Paul,
Here's a picture of my 700S. Over the winter I blacked out all the panels and got smaller turn
signals. I'm a college student, and needed some transportation over the summer, and I found this
Nighthawk for $900. It wasn't in the best condition when I got it, but a few weekends in the
backyard wrenching and everything's in good working order. I really like it because it's
comfortable for long rides home from school, about 200 miles, and fast enough to keep up with
my friends on sportbikes.
Cheers,
Tom Downes
Troy NY/Durham NH
Added April 11, 2005
Corey lives in St. John's Newfoundland, and owns a 1985 650. (I wish I could have shown you this picture
without cropping it. It was taken with a beautiful--and huge--yacht as a backdrop. In fact, all the pictures Corey sent me had
really interesting backgrounds. Corey...was that YOUR boat???)
Paul,
Hello Paul this is a couple of pictures of my cb 650 nighthawlk I have a few changes done to it like new windshield and silver rims crome mirrors its a great bike I do all my own work this bike was trash when I first got it I cleaned the carbs spray painted it red it was blue put new decals on it im trying to get a picture of the bike off the person I bought it off of so I can have a before and after picture.I rushed into fixing and cleaning it up I forgot to take a before picture of it ..
Corey Cross
Added April 12, 2005
Every so often I get a photo sent in from a woman. I'm sure there are more ladies out there, but I mostly hear from men. Anyway, wait 'til you hear Diane's story! This is one incredible woman! Diane lives with her family in Quebec, Canada.
Hi there Paul,
First and foremost....you have a very interesting site...I've really enjoyed it!
Now, nevermind all those brothers from everywhere...lol....here's a sister sending you a pic.
This is my BABY...trust me...when I say "BABY"...it gets washed or rinsed and polished after every ride...my husband complains that it is cleaner than the house!
I bought this 1983 450SC last year for 500$ when I decided to take up riding again after having raised two beautiful children. My youngest, my son who is 17 loves the bike almost as much as me. The bike was in excellent condition when I got it, with only 21,000 km on it. It now has 43,000 KM....(in 1 season). This past winter for a winter project I totally rebuilt her from one end to the other....changing cables, wiring, shocks, brakes, starter, chain...etc...you get the picture...and I did it myself...even repainted her myself...(and by the way for those out there who want to repaint their bikes themselves...learn from me.....USE A PAINT FOR CAR ENGINES...it isn't affected by gas or oil) I learnt the hard way....redoing the paint job on the tank five times before coming up with my own solution...auto parts guys were no help...or they saw me coming and sold me just about anything!
Anyway I think she looks great and I absolutely love her...she may be small to some....but don't be fooled...she's got guts...180km/hr and she's only at 7000 rpm....she red lines at 9250 rpm. Excellent bike.
Keep up the good work on your site....I shall pass the word around...
Diane-Marie
Paul sez: Hey thanks for writing Diane. I gotta go clean or wax my bike...or SOMEthing!
Added May 20, 2005
Scott Gilbert from Kingsport, Tennessee has patiently waited for me to upload his bike. First I lost his photo when I switched laptops and then I got so busy
I couldn't see straight. But, FINALLY here it is. A very nice looking bike, if I do say so myself.
Paul,
First of all, your web site is great. Neat to see how the
Nighthawks have in some ways changed and in others have not. Have
bounced around the site and have found many helpful items. Now to my
bike. Purchased this 1991 Nighthawk750 back in April 2005 at first as a
way to save money due to gas mileage of my 4x4 truck. I was getting
ready to buy a new bike that was not a name brand when a friend told me
about this bike. It had 25900 miles on it, had just recently had new
tires put on the front and back, and also had about 500 miles on a brand
new chain and sprocket. The rear carrier came with it also. I ended up
getting the bike for 1,100 dollars! Since it had been 25 to 30 years
since riding a bike and never over a 250 cc, I wondered how long it would
take me to become comfortable riding again. I found out quickly what a
great handling bike the Nighthawk was. It has as much power as my big
frame needs but also handles much like the smaller bikes I used to ride.
I had forgotten how much fun it was to ride the back roads around home.
Hard to believe but I look forward to going to work now that I use this
as my work vehicle. Look forward to taking some rides with friends in
the future. Once again, keep up the great job on this site. The
information has been a great help and will be a great help in the future.
Scott Gilbert
Kingsport, Tennessee
Added June 10, 2005
Neal, who lives in Kentucky sent me this picture of his very sharp lookin' 700s. (These bikes have really grown on me!)
Paul
Here is my Nighthawk 700S I got it in February 2005 It has 12.000 miles on it.I have been wanting A Nighthawk for years.And found the perfect one right around corner from were I live.This bike runs Great and rides great.I live in Lexington,Ky.
Neal
Added June 10, 2005
Every once in awhile it's nice to see someone who has taken a Nighthawk and made it their own. Steve wrote and send this note and
pic about his 750.
Excellent web site. Thank you very much!
Here's my 1992 CB750 Nighthawk. I purchased this bike
in May of 2004 for only $1800. It had only 8900 miles
on her! Originally, this bike was a rust/red color.
I painted it myself. Current mods are a 4 into 1
exhaust by Vance & Hines, jet kit, K&N air filter,
mini turn signals, Progressive 12 series shocks.
Fairing by Targa is next along with a new set of
Dunlop D205's on polished rims. What a great bike!
Steve Scott
Fredericksburg, VA
Added June 10, 2005
Here's a picture of one of those rare non-US 750S bikes that were built in the mid-eighties. This one is in the Netherlands. Here's John's story:
Hi Paul,
Well I'm 39 years old and live in Dordrecht The Netherlands. I had a '84 CB700 that got crashed by a senior citizen in 1993. I haven't ridden a bike since. Mainly because I needed a car more.
Last year friends of mine arranged a old Suzuki DR400 so I could start riding a bike again. I always liked the Nighthawks and I kept on looking on the internet for one. In january this year, I saw an add for an Canadian specs CB750SC with only 29.000 miles on the clock for € 800,-
A week later he dropped the price to € 750,- (about US$ 946,-) so I went to look at it. It didn't need much work. Mainly a new front tyre, new oil and breakfluid. So there it is. The guy even gave me a workshop manual on cd-rom and the original toolset! I'm very pleased with it.
Greetings to all NH riders,
John
Added June 11, 2005
Heard from Cloyd, who sent this picture of his very nice-looking 750. What's REALLY unfair about this is that Cloyd's other 750 is featured on the "Your Nighthawk Page 1" of this website!! Sheesh! This guy has TWO 750s and I'm waiting for my first one!! (My first Nighthawk 750, that is. I've owned two other CB750s in years past. But these Nighthawk 750s are SWEET!)
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Paul,
Pitcure of myself and the 1997 Nighthawk 750 I purchased from one a co-worker. The bike has 3,685 miles. I'm a true fan of the Nighthawk motorcycle. Last year I had a 1982 Nighthawk 450 that I had restored and was going to send you a pitcure of, but I sold it to a guy who's dad wanted to get back into motorcycling after 40 years and didn't want a very large bike.
Take care!
Added June 11, 2005
Steven from New Jersey has a pretty incedible story of restoring this bike. And it's a beauty!!
Hey Paul,
Great web page. My name is Steven J. Peto. I live in New Jersey and own a 1993 nighthawk 750. I got her from Brooklyn, New York, as most of the world knows, the center of everything shady, or dishonest. I saw a gem underneath a cosmetic nightmare. It was February, and it was freezing outside. I was inspecting this nondescript blue bike that had been left outside, totally unprotected, on the city street for 3 years. It had no title, no plates, not even an expired registration. The first thing the guy says to me is "Yea, it done work" I'm thinking to myself...wonderful. On the plus side, this is the worst this bike will ever be.
Just to Note: I had been in a car accident a few weeks prior and my car was totalled. The person never stopped so needless to say I ate 100% of the loss. I am a broke civil engineering student/apprentice who was now in the market for an inexpensive bike. I did the sportbike thing twice already and, honestly speaking, I'm 26 years old now and have many reasons to live. I'm not that crazy 18 year old anymore. (Though that's tough to swallow.) So I wanted something that wasn't designed around 'speed.'
The nighthawk was the fourth bike I looked at, and this bike was drastically different than the others in that it was not pretty. The other bikes I looked at were polished and shiny and were the best they would ever be. This nighthawk just subconsciously won me over, kinda like the puppies at the pet store. Dirty, stiff-legged, unhappy, and underappreciated. Just aching for the opportuninty of another chance, a chance for life, a chance for new memories, a chance to run in the wind again. So I bought her for $1500.
I had alot to straighten out legally with the bike. Turns out it only had one owner, a woman, whom I actually met reguarding the title. But one owner! An older woman!...sweet!. Then some basic parts were replaced: brake pads/shoes, all fluids, friction plates, couple of gaskets, couple of brackets, tires, a few bolts. I did alot of research and put in some much needed TLC. Everyone who sees it now thinks it is brand new. I cannot convince them the bike is 12+ years old.
Is it possible to love a machine? Everyday I see her gleaming and hear her start and the first 100 feet I ride... just gives me that "Kool-Aid Grin"
Kinda like this Steven??
Added June 11, 2005
For some reason I've been hearing from a lot of New Yorkers lately! You know, once in awhile I get photos of bikes from folks who really have a knack for taking a good picture. This is one of 'em, right here! Here's Ken's bike and story.
Hi Paul -
I am the proud, original owner of this 1983 CB650SC. After 22 years
it's still as much a kick for me to look at as to ride. For the
first 8 years it had been garaged but following that it hasn't had the
benefit of indoor storage so it's a constant battle to keep rust and
the elements at bay.
Living in New York City, it's also a challenge to escape the
gravitational pull of traffic, construction and endless delays to
make it out to a country road. That combined with my wife who
doesn't share my enthusiasm for riding accounts for only having
17,000 miles on the bike.
Modifications include cruise control, Corbin seat, after-market
shocks and grips. Rides like dream - maneuverable, fast and
responsive as day one. We Nighthawk owners are lucky to have gotten
theses great machines for the brief time they were available.
Other than my Gibson 335 guitar there's nothing I own that gives me
as much pride and is able to clear my mind - and literally and
figuratively take me to another place.
- Ken
Hmmm. Gibson, huh? I'm a Taylor 310 guy myself! Added July 26, 2005
And now we head just to the north of where I live to hear from Kerry, who owns a beautiful 650. In his own words...
Hey Paul,
This is my first bike, ever. It is a 1983 Deep Blue 650 Nighthawk, though you can’t tell that it’s Deep Blue unless the sun is out and you are closer than 20 ft away. I am possibly the youngest owner of a Nighthawk, as I am 19.
When I bought the bike it looked different than it does now. When I got it, it had a rug for a seat cover, a balding rear tire, no front brakes, a rear rack and light tan saddle bags that had Ken’s S**** burned into the sides. The first thing I did was order a proper seat cover, the rug was not only uncomfortable but was not a good idea to have in the rainy climate of the northwest, and get front brakes and calipers. Then I promptly removed the saddle bags and rear rack, since I use a backpack to haul stuff around with me and am not named Ken and try not to use profanities. I also repositioned the wind screen to a more efficient position. Then I went in search of new tires. I settled on a pair of Maxxis Classics, wonderful tires for this bike, and went for the white wall option. I have heard both good and bad comments on the white walls but I like them.
Now all that is left to do is replace the front shock seals and find a replacement for the mufflers, as they are rusting through at the silencers.
All in all this is a well handling and performing bike. I have yet to twist open the throttle all the way, since before I can get there I have broken all possible speed limits in the United States, and thats first gear… It also gets great gas mileage, around 40 mpg, a plus for a college kid.
Thanks for the great site,
Kerry Miller
Vancouver, WA
Excellent Kerry! You've done a great job with this bike!!
Added July 26, 2005
Hmmm. Let's see, what was I doing back in 1982??? While I'm trying to remember, you can read about Dave's 650.
Hi Paul,
I have just acquired a 1982 Nighthawk 650 and thought I should drop you a line to say thanks for maintaining your website. I didn't get much in the way of documentation with the bike so I have found your page and the related links to be a great help.
Although the bike is in pretty good shape, I was able to buy it at a pretty good price because it has all of the typical symptoms of age described on your site and elsewhere. The top end is leaking oil and the forks seals are gone. The cam chain is rattling a bit at bit at idle and the brakes need some attention. I was hoping to get through the season and do an overhaul next winter but it is too embarrassing to park a leaky bike with all those shiny new ones at work. I ordered the needed parts through Parts Fish about a week ago.
I have not done a compression check yet but am hoping that I can get away with just doing the camshaft cover seals at this time, thinking that if I have to pop the head off I might as well keep going and do the cam chain and tensioner. A friend of mine is a Harley mechanic. He suggested that is was possible to split the cam chain and use a link to avoid having to split the crankcase.
Regards,
Dave Williams
Ottawa, Ontario
Added July 26, 2005
It's always very cool for me to hear from a Nighthawk owner living is some other country! Here's a note I got from a young man living in Holland.
Hello Paul,
I am a 25 year old man that owns a honda cbx 650 nighthawk from 1985. I
am a student from Holland that is riding the bike for 5 years now. I
really like your site. Have never seen it before.
I finding the bike really confortable for a good spin around. In the [past]
five years there where some problem but it is functioning very good now.
The only thing that a would like to replace is the exhaust system.
I will send you my picture's with this email. Good for your site.
I hope you will have some nice time with your bike!
Best regards,
Mark Wolffensperger
from Doetinchem in Holland
Thanks Mark! Ride safe!
Added July 26, 2005
Tim lives in Nevada and has another one of the great Nighthawk 650s that are out there. He're Tim's note:
Hey Paul, what a great site!
I just traded a nice guy
in Reno my Husqvarna for this 1983 650. As someone who
has rebuilt many bikes before, I of course did a-lot
of research about the nighthawk, in particuliar the
83-85 and this is in thanks to your site, I could not
wait to turn my 83 into an even better looking machine
than it already is. I'm a firm believer that the more
you look at OEM engineering and style of theses
machines, not to mention the fun factor that even in
83, keep theses bikes a treasure for so many of us.
This is how it looks, which is great for 42,000 miles.
It was cared for and runs great, but I'll still
freshen up everything and send another pic.
Really great to see everyone's bikes on you site.
Thanks Paul
Added July 26, 2005
Jeff is a man of very few words. Probably because he's so busy riding his 750.
I bought this 1992 Nighthawk 750 a few months ago. It had just over
7,000 miles on it when I got it. The only aftermarket items it has
are a Supertrapp muffler, corbin seat, Uni air filter, and windscreen.
This is my first motorcycle and I love it. It is a blast to ride.
Jeff
Added July 26, 2005
Chuck is another New Yorker who wrote me to brag on his '99 750. And rightly so!
Paul,
Great job! Nice to find a web site devoted to the bike I just picked up!
I didn't start riding until age 45. After 8 months I came upon this
beauty - a '99 with only 8K miles on her. Already equipped with Targa
fairing (love it!), sissy bar, crash bars, and center stand. I just
added the saddlebags last week. (Found them at my favorite eBay Store
- Jafrum.)
I think the 750 NH is the perfect size, style, and power for me... still a
rookie, trying to be safe - but also feel like she has the torque to
take me where I need to be quickly. I think she'll be my bike for a
long time to come. I thought I was sold on the cruisers - until I
test drove the Nighthawk. It would be a thrill if Honda decided to re-
open a production line for this model! I think it has an awful lot to
offer!
The attached pic is from my neck of the woods - western New York state.
All the best to you and fellow Nighthawkers!
Chuck Dilmore
Victor, New York
Hey! All of us 40-something riders have to stick together!!
Added July 26, 2005