Motorcycle Repair: 1976 Honda cb750 modifications, honda cb750, valve clearance

Question
Hello,
I'm a beginner motorcyclist and I recently purchased a Honda cb750. It seems to want to turn over when I try to crank it, but it doesn't start. It started a few weeks ago when I bought it. Do you have any recommendations for me to check on it? I'm still learning to ride, so any other useful advice for caring for an older bike would be helpful? Thanks.

Answer
First check the condition of the battery. You probably want to buy a float charger and make sure the battery is properly charged up before you try starting the bike.

If the bike still has problems starting (you are using choke to start it if its cold, right?) or idling then you need to inspect and clean the carbs. These bikes have very small carbs which get clogged easily so other things to look for is rust in the fuel tank. Also, the bike should be run regularly to keep the gas from varnishing the insides of the carbs. If you plan on storing it, run some Stabil through it.

The bike may also need a tune up which includes checking and tuning the ignition, setting the valve clearance, new oil and new plugs. I would get a service manual which will walk you through these procedures.