I have been reading this forum for the past week and decided to register.
Currently I am looking for a 75% mechanical board and have been checking out the Race 2 and Keycool 84.
So, I decided to register here to get some ideas.
Welcome to Geekhack! The 75% form factor has some problems, including non-standard layouts and odd key sizes, which can make it difficult to replace the stock keycaps with new and different ones. Because of this, many people gravitate upward to a tenkeyless (TKL -- no number pad) format or downward to a 60% (no number pad and no F-keys or arrow keys).
I have an older model of the KC84 with white PBT keycaps. It is a lightweight and solid little board, and I find it fun to type on it. However, I am not very fond of Cherry mx switches (and currently, I think this board is only available with a clone of Cherry switches).
Another board that might be considered 75% is the Matias Mini Quiet Pro (or the Mac version, the Mini Tactile Pro). These boards have the best layout I have seen in a 75%-ish board, and I like the feel of Matias switches (an "Alps-inspired" switch).
If you move up in size to a TKL, there are many excellent possibilities with all sorts of switches.
If you move down in size to a 60%, there are several models, but two that come to mind are the Poker II and the HHKB Pro 2.
The Poker is far less expensive than the HHKB, it uses Cherry switches, and it has a standard layout with standard key sizes (but being 60%, it lacks F-keys and arrow keys in the primary layer -- you access these using a Fn key).
The HHKB Pro 2 is expensive and uses Topre switches; this is one of my all-time favorite boards. I like the HHKB for many reasons, but primarily for its form factor and layout, which turns out to be (for me at least) highly efficient and intuitive. I also like the overall design, styling, symmetry, switch sound/feel, and dye-sublimated keycaps of the HHKB.
Good luck with your keyboard choice!