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.

2019 Honda C125 Super Cub Walk-Around and Smart-key Demo

Sorry it's not in English (I believe it's Thai) but you can see the function of the smart key and other stuff.

2019 Honda Super Cub Production Line Video - Enjoy!

2019 Honda Super Cub - First Look Review

I Never Dreamed I'd Be Writing this: Meet the 2019 Honda Super Cub - US Model!

OMG. OMG.  I mean to say, Oh My God!

Talk about the Power of Dreams!  I'm still pinching myself - could this really be happening?

Yes. It's really happening.  It's not a dream - visit the Honda America website and it's right there on the home page!  The Super Cub. Available next year.  In America!  

OMG.

How many years have I (and probably you, too, if you're a reader of this blog) wondered if the day would ever come when the Super Cub would return to US Honda showrooms? How many of us have written letters to Honda America and worn out our welcome at our local Honda dealership ("Geez, get that nut outta here...") begging them to advocate for the Cub's return, or at least set up a special order option for Cub enthusiasts?

How many hours have we spent in our freezing or sweltering garages, crouched in uncomfortable positions toiling away restoring and preserving rusted, broken down old CA100s, CA102s, CM91s, C70Ms, C70K1s, Passports - exposing ourselves to dangerous fumes spraying out gummed-up carburetors, breathing in rust while steel-wooling wheel rims, sneezing from spores released by moldy, fifty year-old foam while re-covering seats and having to hand-remove old mouse nests from battery compartments, etc...?  

How many late nights have we spent in online discussion groups looking for advice on repairs or searching Ebay for replacement parts while our perplexed moms/wives/girlfriends worried that we had a secret porn addiction?

How many of us, seeking more modern and reliable road machines, have resorted to purchasing Super Cub clones, such as the SYM Symba and Fly Scout (both no longer available)?  

There is no other motorcycle like the Honda Super Cub.  It is iconic, even in its latest incarnation.

The 2019 model coming to the States next Spring is loaded with modern features never seen before in America:  125cc motor (largest heretofore was 90cc), fuel injection, ABS, front disk brake, keyless start, LED lighting, gas gauge, gear indicator, and any color you want as long as it's blue.

And yet with all this, it still retains the elegant character of the Super Cub, which only Honda can truly capture (sorry, SYM and other cloners).

I'm calling (from Taiwan, where I live) my dealer in Branchburg, NJ to put in a pre-order!  I suggest you do the same, because this window could slam shut pretty quickly.

The 2018 Super Cub is a Wonderful Surprise!

About five years ago I lamented the redesign of the Honda Super Cub.  I hated the way the 2013 model looked - like a cheap knock-off.  But Honda has totally redeemed itself with the 2018 model!  They brought it back to its iconic, elegant roots, restoring the sweeping, curved lines, 2-tone paint scheme, round headlight (now LED), and classic side covers. Technology-wise, of course, it's newer than ever, with an enhanced, low-friction engine, fuel injection, and a 2-stage catalytic converter.  2018 marks the 60th year of continuous production, and they recently passed the 100 million mark in terms of total units produced so far. Oh, if only they'd make this beauty available outside Japan!

"A Girl Named Tamiko" (1962), starring Laurence Harvey, France Nuyen, and a red C102! 

I don't think the Honda Super Cub has ever had as much screen time as in this film.

Care to name other movies where the Super Cub has made more than a cameo appearance?

Vietnamese Commercial for Honda Cub

Very cute.  I guess it's true that Vietnam is the place to go if you want to be immersed in Cub culture!

SYM Symba Exits the US Market

Alas, the SYM Symba has been discontinued.  After over 40 years, SYM has ceased manufacturing their well-made and somewhat unique version of the Super Cub. It had been available in the US since 2009, to the delight of stalwart Cub fans - but now that has come to an end. The Symba had been the only Cub available in the US in recent years from a reputable manufacturer (you can find cheap clones from dodgy Chinese manufacturers, but they are generally garbage), so now it's back to restoring '59 - '83 Hondas!

A bit of background about SYM:  known as San Yang Motorcycle in Taiwan, the company manufactured Honda motorcycles and automobiles there under license by Honda from 1961 to 2002, after which Honda entered the Taiwan market directly and SYM went on their own, designing and manufacturing scooters, motorcycles, and Hyundai automobiles (under contract with Hyundai).  They took the Cub design under their own engineering wings, renaming it the "Symba" and enhancing and improving the bike through the years. They added power (110cc), comfort (telescopic front fork), and modern technology (the domestic model in Taiwan was fuel-injected), but kept the monocoque underbone frame and Cub appearance.  As of 2015, the Symba actually looked more like the classic Cub than Honda's version (OMG. Super UGLY! Google it.).

Farewell, faithful, reliable, simple, and elegant friend!

Note:  There may still be some bikes in stock at SYM dealers, so if you had been considering buying one, better do it now! Go to Alliance Powersports to find a local dealer.

Mike Nesmith (of Monkees fame) on a C102!

I don't know how this "Supercub sighting" slipped by, but here we have a C102 featured in a 1967 episode of, "The Monkees".  Actually, there are two in the show - one "normal" one and another modifed to appear as though its doing a wheelie (if you look closely you can see it's on a dolly).  If you'd like to watch the episode, it's on Youtube.

Pictured above is a 1961 SYM Cub 50.  Yes - SYM, not Honda.  From the early 1960's to 2002, SYM (originally "Sanyang") manufactured Honda motorcycles in Taiwan under license.  This looks like a C100 model.  SYM still sells a bike derived from the Super Cub - the 100cc, fuel-injected "Symba"!

Honda Introduces the "Cross Cub" - New Version of the CT90/110!

Honda continues to surprise me with the way they keep coming back to their classic Cub and apply new ideas to it - or, as the case with this latest Cub variant, a new take on another classic, the CT90/CT110 series (known in some parts of the world as the, "Postie Bike").
Pictured here is the CC110, dubbed the, "Cross Cub" to convey the crossover design that aims this bike at both street off-street (trail) markets.  Unlike the CT series of yesteryear, it features an optional legshield (see last frame), turn signals, fuel-injection and an electric start. For trail appeal, it has the familiar up-swept exhaust (although with a new, more integrated look), aggressive street/trail tires, a rear rack, and a protective cage around the headlight.  The old CT-series colors are back as well - yellow and red.  Sa-weet!  Click here to view a Youtube video walk-around.

Amazing, indeed!

Taiwan: The Ubiquitous "Business Cub"

They're all over the place.  Newer models are fuel-injected.