Widely considered the world’s first superbike, the Honda CB750 changed the game when it hit the scene in 1969. 57 years later, it has another claim to fame—its immense popularity as a donor for custom motorcycle projects.
The CB750 breathes the same rarefied air as bikes like the Harley Sportster and classic BMW boxer, having graced these pages countless times. But in all our years of covering the world’s best custom CB750s, we’ve never come across one quite like this.
More racer than café, this radical reimagining of the venerable big four comes from the engineering and vehicle design firm Carriero Corse. Led by Massimo Carriero, the Italian outfit has a background in endurance and rally racing—so they know how to build high-performing, good-looking machines.
Although thoroughly modish in its design, this particular Honda CB750 was inspired by the café racers of old. “Café racing emerged from informal challenges between riders,” Massimo explains. “But as competition intensified, riding skills evolved alongside continuous mechanical improvements, following the same logic that has always driven motorsport development.”
With that principle in mind, Carriero Corse took a 1991-model Honda CB750 F2 and set out to build the wildest contemporary café racer possible. The checklist included a performance boost, refined ergonomics, and a serious diet.
It also included a slew of changes to the CB’s chassis, starting with a major overhaul of the rear end. The Honda’s traditional twin-shock setup was ditched, replaced by a mono-shock arrangement with a custom-made swingarm that combines machined parts with sheet metal and carbon fiber sections to balance rigidity and weight. An adjustable Öhlins shock and a bespoke rocker linkage complete the setup.
The rear end is height-adjustable, and the linkage can be swapped out to alter the behavior of the rear suspension. The new swingarm is shorter, too, accounting for a 136-millimeter reduction in the Honda’s wheelbase.
Fully adjustable Öhlins forks sit up front, held by custom-machined yokes that allow for rake and trail adjustments. An adjustable Öhlins steering damper adds stability.
Carriero Corse went to town on the wheels and brakes too, picking lightweight forged aluminum wheels from Marchesini and wrapping them in Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tires. The rear wheel assembly was modified to accommodate a lightweight sprocket and a floating rear brake disc. Brembo brake calipers do duty at both ends, with a pair of gorgeous billet aluminum units gripping 320 mm discs at the front.
Moving to the motor, the crew executed an extensive rebuild that included a bump to 866 cc, with custom pistons, bored and honed cylinders, and an increased compression ratio. The carbs were fitted with prototype foam air filters, and the five-speed transmission was replaced by a six-speed box, lifted from a Honda CBX750. The clutch system was modified too, with a hydraulic setup that uses a CNC Racing slave cylinder and a custom clutch cover.
Other upgrades include a PWR oil cooler with new plumbing, and an impossibly compact four-into-one titanium exhaust system, terminating in a low-slung stainless steel muffler. A Dynojet stage one kit and a tweaked ECU ensure that the bike purrs like a kitten.
Carriero Corse also rewired the Honda with a laundry list of updates, including an Antigravity Lithium-ion battery, Dynatek coils, and a keyless ignition. All the important bits are housed in the bike’s new subframe, packed in with Tetris-like precision. A custom dash from ECUMaster dominates the cockpit, flanked by clip-ons with Domino grips, a Domino throttle, Brembo levers, and racing-style switches.
The Honda’s new bodywork is a major highlight, giving the classic CB750 a remarkably modern vibe, while putting contemporary superbikes to shame. Carriero Corse collaborated with Colombi Design on the layout, before manufacturing each part out of carbon fiber using a wet lay-up vacuum bagging process. Fuel is held in a custom-built aluminum reservoir, hidden under the carbon fiber panels.
The twin headlight setup uses a combination of Yamaha R1 units and LED daytime running light strips, housed in a 3D-printed enclosure. The only off-the-shelf part is the front fender; it’s a Ducati Panigale part.
The entire package is as cohesive as it gets, the sharp lines of the bodywork perfectly framing the Honda’s legendary four-cylinder mill. A dynamic livery, developed in collaboration with Jackem Design, sets vivid panels of color against sections of exposed carbon fiber.
Like everything else on this CB750 café racer, it’s fresh, progressive, and pixel-perfect.
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