It's official - the Honda Super Cub is still on Honda North America's product line for 2023, and the color will be pearl gray! Of all the US-export colors so far (starting with pearl nitrava blue in 2019, pearl nebula red in 2020, and matte crypton silver mettalic in 2021), this is my favorite. 

Changes for 2023 are minor, with a few engine tweaks and redesigned muffler/silencer internals.

My wish list for 2024?  (1) Add a kickstart, Honda!  The tiny batteries in motorcycles often go dead, and without a kickstarter (and an override of the (stupid, IMHO) electronic key system), there's no way to start this thing when the battery goes flat. How is that progress?  (2) Wire wheels, please! (3) Full (two-wheel) ABS. (4) Introduce Cub-themed side bags/cases, helmets, and jackets.

Click here for the official Honda announcement.

2022 Honda Super Cub in matte black

UPDATE (December 7, 2021):

Honda America announced today that the 2022 Honda Super Cub (C125) will, indeed, be the matte black color. 

The 2022 model of the Honda Cub has been announced, and although Honda hasn't confirmed the color for this year's US model, it's probably going to be the same as the EU model - matte black! This is first for the Super Cub, as this color has never been seen before. Blue, red, yellow, green, white, and black - yes, but matte black (looks like more of a gray to me, but whatever) is a first! There's a chance they might go with the powder blue color that is also new for the line this year and available in Thailand, and it should be noted that Honda doesn't always send the same color to the EU and US, so - we'll see.

Other than the new color, the '22 has a few other differences compared to earlier model years. Probably the most welcome of these is the pillion seat, cargo rack, and passenger pegs that are now standard. The start system electronics have been enhanced - you can now have the turn signals flash remotely by activating the "find me" button on the fob, in case you've forgotten where you parked.

The motor has had some minor changes as well, increasing horsepower slightly, and the suspension has been tweaked (probably to better handle 2-up riding).

My advice to anyone who's sitting on the fence regarding buying a Super Cub is, if you think you might want one in the future, better buy it. Nobody can say how committed Honda is to the "MiniMoto" line, and in the past they've re-introduced the Cub to the US market only to cancel it again after a few years. 

 

You can wait for the Honda e-CUB, or get this electric "Monterey" from CSC in California!

 

OK, I know it's not a genuine Honda. It's made in China. The top speed is only 32 MPH, and the range is pretty modest (20+ miles).

BUT BUT BUT

Just look at the thing!  Its pretty, it's correct, it's classic.  Wire wheels, LED lighting, a rear rack with passenger seat.

Price:  $2,195 plus $410 dealer prep. They'll ship it anywhere in the Lower 48 for $350 to $500 (depending on distance).

Here's a review by electrec

Here's the CSC website

Note: If you order, I'd suggest the first thing you do when the bike arrives is remove the plastics covering the front part of the frame where the fork meets the down tube, and inspect the welds. If they look at all dodgy, take the bike (or frame) to a metal shop and have the welds repaired or redone.  This is important - you don't want that part of the frame to fail, and, sorry to say, some made-in-China motorcycles have been found to have dangerously defective welds.

Also, keep in mind that warranty support and parts availability won't be up to Honda standards.  I don't have any experience with CSC but their website specifies the warranty as 12 months parts only. They do have a network of authorized service centers.  Might be a good thing to check it before you buy.

One other thought - the stock battery in the Monterey is 60V 23Ah.  You can find higher Ah rated batteries for sale online (such as Amazon) that are suitable for 1.5KW motors such as that on the Monterey.  A 30Ah battery, for example, should add about 30% more range to the bike. So, the minimum range would go from 20 miles to 26 miles. Of course, you'd have to wire that new battery into the motor controller, and the connectors might not be the same. You'd also have to use the charger that came with the battery instead of the one that came with the bike.  Also, make sure any battery you buy comes with a BMS (battery management system), or else it won't last very long!

Honda e-Cub Battery Patent

As reported in Electrec, Honda recently published a patent that was issued to them in 2018, titled, "Battery Case Structure for Electric Powered Vehicles, and Electric Powered Vehicle."  

As you can see from the above photo of an earlier prototype, it seems the e-Cub battery is located basically where the engine would be on a gas-powered Super Cub, and is removable through a tilting access door.

So, the question is - when will the electric Super Cub go into production?  Seems to me they might be working on improvements in available battery chemistry, because that's a pretty small battery, volume wise.  If they intend on marketing it as a 50cc equivalent (limited to around 35 mph), they're probably close to their speed and range targets already, as the single battery used in the Gogoro Viva is about the same size and gets about 50 miles between battery swaps (Gogoro maintains a network of battery swap stations throughout Taiwan).

Yes! The Super Cub is back (in America) for 2020!

If you're a Cub enthusiast and didn't manage to snap up one of the limited number of 2019 models, you can now officially let out a sigh of relief! For a while it looked like the 2019 Honda Super Cub might turn out to be a "One Year Wonder", as it wasn't initially part of the miniMOTO lineup for 2020. But, thankfully, it has reappeared, and in glorious Pearl Nebula Red! No other changes as far as I can tell.

Click here for the official Honda announcement.

Super Cub 2019 C125 Promo!

Speaks for itself.  Enjoy!

Youtube Reviewer Takes the 2018 Super Cub For a Test Ride

Watch and enjoy!  One of the things I like about this British chap's review is how he started out not quite in love with the C125 but by the end of his ride through the countryside of Surrey he can't stop raving about how much it makes him smile!  Note:  According to photos and specs on the Honda America website, the C125 model sold in the States will have both front and rear disk brakes and cargo rack as standard equipment (the bike in this review has a front disk brake and a rear drum brake, and no rack). Also, the reviewer mentions that the UK C125 is available in red as well as blue, but according to Honda America the USA model will only come in blue.