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What bike(s) did the Japanese steal their design ideas from for this one?



Well Todd, if ya REALLY wanna know, it would probably be the Italian-made 1957 Gilera across-the-frame 4-cylinder racer, and soon after the very similar MV Agusta 4-cylinder racers of the 1960s.

And while you might argue that neither of those were ever produced in any great numbers, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that Soichiro Honda just might have been inspired to create his masterpiece CB750(and of course the original "UJM") after watching guys like Giacomo Agostini, John Surtees and Mike Hailwood beat all comers on their MV Agustas during that decade.

Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)