Alright, so the other day I finally got my hands on the old CB750 Nighthawk everyone keeps talking about. Been curious for ages, right? Just walked into this local used bike shop near the auto repair place I always go to – Joe knows I’m always looking for interesting rides. Saw this faded red beast sitting kinda dusty in the corner. Knew instantly what it was.
Started chatting with the owner, Fred. Real character, overalls covered in grease. Said “Wanna give ‘er a crank?” He didn’t need to ask twice. Hopped on it first thing. Seat felt way lower than it looks. Feet planted flat, no tiptoeing. That felt solid straight away. Key turned kinda rough, like it needed some WD-40 love. Pushed the starter button and… kablam! That four-cylinder rumble just filled the shed, bounced off the walls. Sounded way bigger than 750cc. Like shaking loose something old and grumpy but powerful. Fred just grinned, missing a tooth.
Took it slow at first, easing out the clutch feeling for the bite point. It grabbed smooth. Pulled onto the back streets behind the shop. Didn’t push it hard, just letting that engine grumble along. Surprisingly chill vibe. You’d expect some bucking or fussiness from a bike this old, but nope. Power came on easy, like turning up the volume knob gradually. Didn’t feel like it was gonna surprise me or spit me off.
Got braver after the first few blocks. Started opening the throttle a bit more on quiet stretches. Man, that low-end shove is real! Not insane speed demon stuff, but a good strong shove you feel deep in your gut. Makes passing traffic feel easy, effortless. Feels planted too. Leaning into turns felt natural, like the bike knew where to go. Even hit a patch of gravel sneezing out from a truck, and it didn’t fishtail. Just kinda settled itself. Big bonus for confidence.
Later, cruised it downtown. Stop-and-go, you know? Sun beating down, heat coming off that big engine block under you. No radiator fan whining, just good old air-cooling – felt nostalgic. Filtering past cars felt fine, handlebars narrow enough. Stopped for coffee. Parked it outside this greasy spoon. Got talking to this older guy on a new Yamaha, all plastic and fancy. He spotted the Nighthawk, eyes lit up. Told me he learned to ride on its little brother back in the 90s. We ended up just chatting bikes for half an hour. Says he still sees tons of these Nighthawks around, “just keep clunking along.” Told me about a 90s CB250 version too, simple as a hammer. Guess Honda nailed a formula.
So why’s this old girl still hitting the spot?
- That engine. Sounds amazing, pulls strong without being scary, feels built from a solid brick.
- Just sits right. Low seat, comfortable reach to the bars, feels like an old familiar jacket.
- Stable as your grandma’s table. Doesn’t get flustered, inspires you to relax, not fight it.
- Dead simple. What you see is what you get. Points ignition, carbs you can probably fix with a screwdriver and a prayer. Easy to tinker on, easier to understand. Feels mechanical, not digital.
- Lasts forever. Feels built tough. This one clearly had some miles, yet everything still felt tight, no major rattles, clutch still smooth. Proof is everywhere – still see them running strong on the roads.
Honestly? You just grin riding the thing. It’s not the fastest or flashiest bike out there now, obviously. Doesn’t have the gadgets or the lap times. But it just gets it right where it counts. Simple, honest fun. Tough as nails. Rides sweet. No wonder folks still hunt these things down. Feels classic for a good reason. Almost bought it on the spot, still thinking about it… gotta convince the wife now.
