Honda seven-rooster prototype, built in 1968, was the first Honda CB750 to arrive in the United States
A very rare prototype of the Honda CB750, known in Brazil as the Honda seven rooster, was sold for US$ 285 thousand — about R$ 1.5 million in direct conversion — during an auction by Mecum Auctions, in the United States.
Handcrafted in October 1968, the motorcycle is considered the first Honda CB750 to reach the North American market and one of the most important examples in the history of the motorcycle industry.
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Unlike the four pre-series units of the Honda seven rooster that landed in the USA only in January 1969, this model is recognized as the true prototype of the Honda CB750. The auction house itself clarifies that many pre-production models are mistakenly called prototypes, but this unit predates all of them and was used as part of the motorcycle’s launch strategy.
The shipment of the copy to the United States was personally made by Soichiro Honda, founder of the brand, to Bob Hansen, a central figure in the promotion of Honda’s sports activities in the country during the 1960s and 1970s. The decision reinforces the strategic importance of the North American market for the Japanese manufacturer, as the Honda CB750 was developed to meet the demand for larger, more powerful and technologically advanced motorcycles.
Among the differentials that justify the record value is a unique detail: this is the only known example of the Honda seven rooster with the name “Honda” cast directly into the engine cover. On the production models of the Honda CB750, the inscription adopted became “OHC 750”. Produced by hand, the motorcycle shares few components with the version that came on line from 1969 and presents solutions that did not reach the definitive model.
The Honda CB750 prototype is equipped with a 736 cm³ in-line four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, front suspension with telescopic fork and 295 mm single disc brake at the front — specifications considered advanced for the end of the 1960s and fundamental to consolidate the Honda seven rooster as a world technical reference. The odometer reads less than 500 km, although the mileage is not considered official due to the restoration process. A historical detail draws attention: the start is made on the pedal.
During the 1990s, the Honda CB750 became part of the Vic World collection and underwent extensive restoration work at its workshop, World Motorcycles, in San Bruno, California. Started in 2002, the process was completed only in early 2024, with a total focus on preserving the originality and historical characteristics of the Honda seven rooster.
Now in a new private collection, the prototype retains its status as one of the most important Honda CB750s ever preserved. Due to the value achieved and the historical weight, it is quite likely that this is, so far, the most expensive seven-rooster Honda in history.
