The first generation Honda CB750 has a peerless reputation. It?s one of the all-time greats, and was a game-changer for the Japanese motorcycle industry.
You wouldn?t want to mess with a good condition SOHC machine from the 70s, but the later generations were a bit of a mixed bag. In particular, DOHC bikes from the 90s are fair game?like this 1993 CB750 Nighthawk.

This café racer comes from Colin Darling, a mechanical engineer from Ashland, Oregon, who likes to build customs in his spare time. ?It lets me step away from life as a carpet walker for a bit, get my hands dirty, and use engineering in a very creative way,? he tells us.
?This is a personal build, for the time being. I sold my last build shortly after it was finished, and immediately regretted it. So I?m going to hold onto this CB750 for a few seasons.?
The donor bike was a bone stock 1993 CB750 Nighthawk picked up in Texas. ?I?ve always been a sucker for Honda engines. They?re only as complicated as needed, and just seem to work,? says Colin. ?I knew this bike was going to have a deep overhaul, but I wanted it to still exude that simplicity.?
?The CB750 from that era was odd?in that it was a bitchin? engine wrapped in tame geometry and mushy, uninspiring components.? Colin wanted his creation to ride like a modern sportbike, so he started with new suspension and brakes from the Triumph Daytona 675.

The forks are 41mm USD units, with twin disc brakes and four-piston calipers to match. Colin modified the...