The Honda ST-series minibikes are known as the Dax in Japan and Europe, and the Trail 70 in Canada and the US.
88-813: The ST70 was exported to Canada and the US as the CT70. This is an exception to Honda's usual practice of prefix letters indicating the bike family, followed by engine size. The CT70 is mechanically unrelated to other CT-series bikes such as the CT50 Motra , and the CT50, CT90 & CT110 Trail Cubs. The ST90 was sold in the US as the Trailsport , and was not given a CT designation. The ST50, ST70, and CT70 were introduced in August 1969 and produced through 1981. The larger ST90
176-654: A ST-series bike was renamed CT70 for the Canadian and US market from 1969 to 1994 (to further confuse the issue, both the CT70 and Z50 series were dubbed "Mini Trail," again followed by the displacement class). Honda also uses the CT designation to cover an Australia-only series of "farm bikes" for agricultural work. In 1981 Honda released a CT250S Silk Road "trekking bike", and in 1983 a Japan-only CT50 Motra minibike . These last two vehicles are mechanically unrelated to other CT-series bikes, and each other. The Trail Cub series
264-543: A dual-sport motorcycle but called a trail bike at the time, the CA100T Trail 50, came out in 1961. Jack McCormack, the first national sales manager of American Honda Motor Company, said the Trail 50, and even more so the later Honda CB77 , was the result of Honda's willingness to listen to and respond customer demand. "When you talk about Japanese manufacturers, their strength (besides the quality of their equipment)
352-417: A fuel gauge , were not offered with an electric start option. The sequential-shifting three- or four-speed gearbox was manually shifted, but clutchless , without the need for a clutch lever control, using instead a centrifugal clutch along with a plate clutch slaved to the foot-shift lever to engage and disengage the gearbox from the engine. While not intuitive to learn, once the rider got used to it,
440-485: A pressed steel monocoque chassis, with the horizontal engine placed below the central spine, a configuration now called the "step through" or "underbone" motorcycle. By some criteria, the type of motorcycle the Super Cub falls into is difficult to classify, landing somewhere between a scooter and a motorcycle, and sometimes it was called a moped, "step-thru", or scooterette. The plastic fairing ran from below
528-567: A 3-speed gearbox but later this was changed to 4 speed. The C110 Sports Cub through 1966. In 1963 came an enlarged OHV engine of 86.7 cc (5.29 cu in) and 4.8 kW (6.5 bhp). It was used first in the C200, which had a frame like the C110, with more upright handlebars. The S65's last year of production was 1967, and the CD65 and CL65 took its place for only one year, 1968. These had
616-654: A 4-speed manual gearbox . The ST90 uses larger 3.00-14 tires, compared to the 3.50-10 and 4.00-10 of the smaller bikes. For more detail about individual models, see the accompanying Infoboxes and the External Links section below. Due to the diminutive wheel-size and limited speed, the ST-series bikes do not always qualify as road-legal vehicles and were sold in some markets for off-road recreation only. Their licensing status varies with locale and time period during their nearly 40 years of existence. Honda's patents for
704-538: A 4-speed transmission. This bike also introduced adjustable steel-tube handlebars, rather than the fixed, pressed-steel covered, Super Cub style bars of previous bikes. It was a bigger heavier bike, the frame and engine being based on the CM90, rather than the C100.- The CT90 begins the now-familiar Honda nomenclature of prefix letters indicating bike family, followed by numbers indicating engine size. The 87cc OHV engine
792-432: A bicycle than a small-wheel scooter. The pushrod overhead valve (OHV) air-cooled four-stroke single cylinder engine had a 40-by-39-millimetre (1.6 in × 1.5 in) bore × stroke , displacing 49 cubic centimetres (3.0 cu in), and could produce 3.4 kilowatts (4.5 hp) at 9,500 rpm, for maximum speed of 69 km/h (43 mph), under favorable conditions. The low compression ratio meant
880-480: A completely enclosed chainguard like a Super Cub. The bike was last sold in the US in 1986. Honda lists domestic production from 1981 to 2000. The CT110 has a long association with the Australia Post as a mail carrier vehicle, leading to the popular moniker "Postie Bike". Australia Post was still receiving hundreds of new CT110 as late as 2010. The CT50 Motra is a minibike produced in 1982–1983 for
968-469: A group of different bikes that are all for casual off-road use. A description of the CT-series is necessarily convoluted because it spans several decades during which Honda altered its naming system, re-used previously issued CT designations, assigned different model names for different markets, and sometimes used multiple names for the same model within single markets. The most commonly-used nomenclature
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#17327726686651056-514: A more conflicted reaction to the successful Honda "You meet the nicest people" campaign. At first, they were offended at the suggestion that Harley-Davidson riders were not "nice people." Harley-Davidson had, since its founding in 1903, scrupulously cultivated an image of staid respectability, and would not begin to tentatively embrace the "outlaw" demographic of their customer base for at least another ten years. In 1964 they denied any association with one-percenter bikers, and so distanced themselves from
1144-423: A relatively small demographic, often regarded as young men known for their black leather jackets and snarling demeanors." Rather than remaining limited to trying to convince traditional downmarket male buyers to switch to Honda from other brands with the macho approach of most motorcycle advertising at the time, Honda broke new ground. The ad campaign sought to improve the image of motorcycling in general and expand
1232-460: A smaller 19" front wheel (XL125 had a 21"), and a unique enclosed chainguard that completely covers the drive chain. The seat is also shorter and the bike is only designed to carry one person, not two. Also specific to the CT125 are the large mudflaps front and rear. The frame is painted Shiny Orange as is the tank and sidecovers. The XL had a black frame. The CT125 also has a welded on bash plate on
1320-649: A telescopic front suspension to replace the older leading link suspension, and a four-speed transmission to replace the older three-speed transmission used in older Cub variants. The 100 cc model was initially known as the Honda Dream in Thailand and Honda EX5 in Malaysia, before being standardized as the Honda EX5 Dream in 2003. In addition, Honda Japan began importing the made-in-Thailand Dream as
1408-493: A version of Uhl's customized CA100 to Japan and requested Honda put it into production, and by March 1961 the Trail 50 was available to US dealers. Cycle World praised the simple pleasure of trail riding on the new bike, and it was a US sales success. (5.2 cu in) (62mph) (0.39 lbfft) 5,500 rpm 60/100-17 (47.6 in) (211 lb) (0.95 imp gal;1.1 US gal) Sales for Super Cubs have increased in Japan with upgrades to
1496-536: Is a 125cc fourstroke motorbike which was designed for farm use. The bike is actually an XL125 with a more 'comfortable' seat. The CT125, which takes its engine from the TL125 with different gear ratios, also has lower gearing than the XL125. The first two gears are spaced very close together for low speed operation. The CT also came with a chrome rear rack, a steel handlebar and lever protector, engine guard, sidestand guard,
1584-685: Is an offshoot of the popular Super Cub line, and the bikes are known by several names. In Japan they were introduced as the Hunter Cub, while in the Canada/US market they were called the Trail Cub or just "Trail" followed by a number indicating engine size, such as "Trail 90". Individual models may also be known by model number, such as CT90 and CT110. In Australia the CT110 has acquired the popular moniker "Postie Bike" due to its long association with
1672-765: Is equipped with several modern features such as an LED Instrument cluster, Led Headlights and Front Wheel ABS . the Model CT-125 was available in the USA in Red for 2020-2022. It was green in 2023, and bright yellow was adopted in 2024. Honda Super Cub The Honda Super Cub (or Honda Cub) is a Honda underbone motorcycle with a four-stroke single-cylinder engine ranging in displacement from 49 to 124 cc (3.0 to 7.6 cu in). In continuous manufacture since 1958 with production surpassing 60 million in 2008, 87 million in 2014, and 100 million in 2017,
1760-403: Is often used as a marketing case study. The idea for a new 50-cubic-centimetre (3.1 cu in) motorcycle was conceived in 1956 when Honda Motor's Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa toured Germany and witnessed the popularity of mopeds and lightweight motorcycles. Soichiro Honda was primarily the engineering and production leader of the company, always with an eye towards winning on
1848-555: Is replaced by an 89cc alloy-head OHC unit, which is basically a 4-speed version of that used in the CM91 Super Cub. This model sees two important improvements to the series. In 1968 the stepped-chainring is replaced with a convenient secondary gearbox that only requires a turn of a small lever placed near the rider's left heel. In 1969 the Super Cub style leading-link fork is replaced with a modern telescopic fork of greatly increased travel. This Trail Cub would become one of
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#17327726686651936-479: Is the name "Trail" being followed by the engine displacement class; thus, several different models bore the "Trail 90" designation, over a 20-year period (making this, collectively, the most popular series). Not surprisingly, the assumption is often made that any of the full-sized CT series is a "Trail 90" when first observed. The CT designation has been used for the Trail Cub series of bikes since 1964. Alongside,
2024-646: Is the pressed-steel "T-bone" frame that distinguishes it from Honda's other minibikes: the Z50 Monkey & Gorilla , the Ape , the CF50 & CF70, and the CY50 & CY80 Nautydax. As a general description, the ST-series bikes have a bench-style saddle, small fat tires, and folding handle bars. They have an air-cooled 4-stroke engine with either a 3-speed semi-automatic transmission , with an automatic centrifugal clutch , or
2112-404: The Australia Post . These small 17" wheel bikes are intended for relatively slow off-road travel. They have 4-stroke engines ranging from 49 cc to 105 cc, and automatic clutches. All bikes have either 3- or 4-speed transmissions, plus a second choice of HIGH or LOW bands to apply the same gears to road travel or slower off-road travel. The early bikes achieved this by having two drive sprockets at
2200-566: The Benelux countries. In 1982, for most markets, Honda fitted a new capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) system to replace the earlier contact points ignition, thereby helping to meet emission standards in markets such as the US. At the same time the electrical system was changed from 6 volt to 12 volts. In 1984, Honda released restyled versions of the Cubs on some markets, with square lamps and plastic-covered handlebars and rear mudguard,also
2288-700: The Isle of Man TT race and he wanted to think about little else. Fujisawa and Honda visited Kreidler and Lambretta showrooms, as well as others, researching the kind of motorcycle Fujisawa had in mind. Fujisawa said these designs had "no future" and would not sell well. His concept was a two-wheeler for everyman, one that would appeal to both developed and developing countries, urban and rural. The new motorcycle needed to be technologically simple to survive in places without up-to-date know-how and access to advanced tools or reliable spare parts supplies. The common consumer complaints of noise, poor reliability, especially in
2376-405: The battery electrolyte level. The new engine break-in maintenance was done at 320 kilometres (200 mi), requiring adjustment of the valve tappets and contact breaker points, and an oil change, and the rider was advised to stay under 48 kilometres per hour (30 mph) for the first 800 kilometres (500 mi). Every 1,600 kilometres (1,000 mi) the spark plug needed cleaning, and
2464-516: The 100 millionth Super Cub was produced in October 2017 . In 2018 a new model was released in the USA, Europe, and Australia with a 125cc engine. It features ABS front disk brakes, LED headlights, and a keyless ignition using a smart key. This model was available in limited numbers. The C110 Sports Cub debuted in October 1960 and shared the basic engine design of the Sports Cub although only
2552-696: The 1951 E-type , had just a little more power than the Super Cub, 3.7 kilowatts (5 bhp), with nearly triple the displacement, 146 cc (8.9 cu in). To make the new motorcycle, Honda built a new ¥10 billion factory in Suzuka, Mie to manufacture 30,000, and with two shifts, 50,000, Super Cubs per month. The factory was modeled on the Volkswagen Beetle production line in Wolfsburg , Germany. Until then, Honda's top models had sold only 2,000 to 3,000 per month, and observers thought
2640-507: The 1958 Honda Super Cub C100 as one of their 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology . The first Super Cub variation was the C102, launched in April 1960. The C102 had electric start in addition to kick starting, and battery and coil ignition instead of magneto , but was otherwise the same as the C100. The enlarged 86.7 cc (5.29 cu in) OHV engine of the 1963 C200
2728-475: The C111 used the same semi-automatic transmission, the other models of Sports Cub all using a manual transmission with hand operated clutch. The C110, C111, C114 and C115 were sport motorcycles that the rider had to straddle, not a step-through scooter as the Super Cub. It had a different frame , with the fuel tank on top of the frame and in front of the seat, and the frame's pressed steel spine ran horizontally from
Honda ST series (minibike) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-657: The Idaho dealer, Herb Uhl, was selling the CA100s as a trail bike by adding knobby tires for off-road traction and a "cheater sprocket ," that is, increasing the final drive ratio by using a larger rear sprocket with more teeth, which increased the effective torque of the rear wheel, trading off lower top speed as a result. Uhl said the advantages of light weight and the automatic clutch allowed unskilled riders to enjoy off-road riding, in comparison to traditional big trail bikes that could be difficult to handle. McCormack shipped
2904-466: The Japanese domestic market. It has a boxy rugged appearance, with an angular steel-tube and panel frame supporting large racks fore and aft. This utility/military style is emphasized by a lack of decorative chrome, and by a solid yellow or green paint scheme for all bodywork and wheels. It is unrelated to the Trail Cub series and should not be confused with the 1968 CT50 Hunter Cub. The Honda ST70 Dax
2992-469: The Juno had stopped in 1954 as a result of Honda Motor's financial and labor problems at the time, Fujisawa continued to encourage research in polyester resin casting techniques, and these efforts bore fruit for the Super Cub. The new motorcycle's fairing would be polyethylene , the most widely used plastic , which reduced weight over FRP, but Honda's supplier had never made such a large die cast before, so
3080-555: The Super Cub C100EX in 1988. The Japanese C100EX was later being facelifted in 1993, while the Southeast Asian EX5 Dream retains the 1986 design until the present day, with only minor cosmetic changes. In 2011, the carbureted EX5 Dream was phased out in Thailand and being replaced with the fuel-injected Honda Dream 110i, with the powertrain being derived from the fuel-injected Honda Wave 110i . In
3168-713: The Super Cub is the most produced motor vehicle in history. Variants include the C50, C65, C70 (including the Passport), C90, C100 (including the EX) and it used essentially the same engine as the Sports Cub C110, C111, C114 and C115 and the Honda Trail series. The Super Cub's US advertising campaign, You meet the nicest people on a Honda , had a lasting impact on Honda's image and on American attitudes to motorcycling, and
3256-526: The Super Cub on his return to Japan. The following year Honda displayed a mockup to Fujisawa that finally matched what he had in mind, Fujisawa declaring the annual sales would be 30,000 per month, half again as many as the entire monthly two-wheeler market in Japan. His goal was to export motorcycles on a scale yet unseen in the economic disorder of postwar Japan when most companies halting trade efforts were handled through foreign trading companies. Honda would have to establish its own overseas subsidiary to provide
3344-577: The USA C70 was called the C70 Passport. Because some countries offered age restriction and tax advantages for mopeds, Honda also introduced the C310S, a moped version of the Super Cub complete with bicycle pedals. The C310S fuel tank was relocated from beneath the seat to a more conventional placement at the top of the leg shield. This iteration is now somewhat rare, having been marketed primarily in
3432-608: The affected Super Cubs, visiting each customer in person. When it was imported to the US, the name was changed to Honda 50, and later Honda Passport C70, and C90, because the Piper Super Cub airplane trademark had precedence. Similarly, in Britain they were only badged "Honda 50", "Honda 90" etc. as the Triumph Tiger Cub preceded. The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan [ ja ] recognised
3520-585: The bottom of the frame. The CT125 was also exported to the USA and Canada for 1977 only. The 1981 CT250S Silk Road was Honda's attempt at a "trekking" motorcycle, marketed between its mechanical siblings, the CB250RS road bike and the XL250 dirt bike. It has slightly more ground clearance than the CB250RS, and an upswept and close-fitted chrome exhaust that is kept clear of both debris and luggage. The Silk Road
3608-584: The c50 gearbox was changed to a fully automatic 3 speed with added parking brake. On the domestic Japanese market the square style was optional, but in some places such as the UK they replaced imports of the traditionally styled round lamp Cub. In 1986, a larger 100 cc HA05E engine model was introduced especially for Asian markets. The newer 100 cc model was developed exclusively for Southeast Asian market, especially in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, where underbones were very popular, with new features such as
Honda ST series (minibike) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-410: The chain adjustment checked, and every 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi) an oil change, breaker point check, and valve adjustment was due. At 8,000 kilometres (5,000 mi), major maintenance was due, requiring the removal and cleaning of the carburetor , drive chain , exhaust silencer , and wheel bearings . The rider closed a manual choke to aid in starting at cold temperatures. By the standards of
3784-413: The concept for a class assignment. The event marked the beginning of the decline of domestic and British motorcycle brands in the US market, and the rise of Honda and the other Japanese companies. In December 1965, Edward Turner said the sale of small Japanese motorcycles was good for BSA, by attracting new riders who would graduate to larger machines, not anticipating that the Japanese would advance over
3872-615: The concept of lifestyle marketing ." Specific elements of the Super Cub's design were integral to the campaign, such as the enclosed chain that kept chain lubricant from being flung on the rider's clothing, and the leg shield that similarly blocked road debris and hid the engine, and the convenience of the semi-automatic transmission. Presenting the Super Cub as a consumer appliance not requiring mechanical aptitude and an identity change into "a motorcyclist", or worse, "a biker", differentiated Honda's offering, because, "the dedication required to maintain bikes of that era limited ownership to
3960-500: The concurrent Trail Cub CT90 "Trail 90". Honda has built a series of Australia-only CT bikes for agricultural work. As a general description these are variants of Honda dirt bikes, equipped with larger saddles, a fully enclosed chainguard, and front and rear racks. The last model of CT110 Trail Cub (described above) is also marketed as a Farm Bike in Australia. It is not mechanically related to these bikes. The 1975–1985 Honda CT125
4048-605: The cost of the new plant too risky an expenditure. Edward Turner of BSA went to Japan to see the motorcycle industry in September 1960, and said that investments the size of the Suzuka plant were "extremely dangerous" because the US motorcycle market was already saturated . When completed in 1960, the Suzuka Factory was the largest motorcycle factory in the world and was a model for Honda's mass production facilities of
4136-413: The day, this was a simple motorcycle, with minimal maintenance demands, and it earned a reputation for high reliability. In June 1963 in US media, Honda began the 12-year-long advertising campaign You meet the nicest people on a Honda , created by Robert Emmenegger, creative director, Grey Advertising . Grey had bought the idea from an UCLA undergraduate student named Mike Curb , who had created
4224-506: The die had to be provided by Honda. The Super Cub was the first motorcycle ever to use a plastic fairing. Motorcycling historian Clement Salvadori wrote that the plastic front fender and leg shields were, "perhaps the Cub's greatest contribution; plastic did the job just as well as metal at a considerably lower cost." The technology developed in the Isle of Man TT racing program was equally vital to
4312-455: The electrics, and general difficulty of use would have to be addressed. Because Honda was a large company growing larger, it needed a mass-appeal product that could be produced on an enormous scale. The design had to be sorted out before production began because it would be too costly to fix problems in the vast numbers that were to be manufactured. The scooter type nearly fitted the bill but was too complex for developing countries to maintain, and
4400-611: The engine and the installation of fuel injection for Japanese domestic market models starting from 2007, making it more powerful, more economical and cleaner. With respect to newer, plastic body underbone designs, such as the Wave, the original Cub remains popular. Cycle World magazine's Peter Egan and Steve Kimball entered a stock Honda C70 Passport in the 1981 Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge , competing against specially designed high-mileage two-wheelers built by teams of engineering students, and an entry from American Honda. The course
4488-528: The engine could consume inexpensive and commonly available low octane fuel, as well as minimizing the effort to kick start the engine, making the extra weight and expense of an electric starter an unnecessary creature comfort. Though some of the many Super Cub variations came with both kick and electric start, the majority sold well without it. Even the latest 2011 model year Japanese domestic market (JDM) Super Cub 50 and Super Cub 110 versions, with modern technology and conveniences like fuel injection and
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#17327726686654576-429: The engine in the center of the frame, rather than close to the rear wheel, greatly improved front-rear balance. The fuel tank was located under the hinged seat, which opened to reveal the fuel filler inlet. The 17 inch wheels, in comparison to the typical 10 inch wheels of a scooter, were more stable, particularly on rough roads, and psychologically made the motorcycle more familiar, having an appearance closer to
4664-445: The establishment of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. The original 1952 Honda Cub F had been a clip-on bicycle engine. Honda kept the name but added the prefix 'Super' for the all-new lightweight machine. The Super Cub sold poorly at first, owing mainly to the recession in Japan, and then three months after the 1958 launch when customer complaints began rolling in about slipping clutches. Honda salesmen and factory workers gave up holidays to repair
4752-439: The fuel tank is within the seat pedestal. These bikes also introduce characteristics that would only be typical of the first few Trail Cub models. The forks are Super Cub style, being a pressed steel unit with small leading-link springs. The long exhaust pipe sweeps straight back horizontal near the ground, unlike the upswept exhaust that would become characteristic of later bikes. The stepped chainrings are also quite evident, as
4840-579: The future. The economies of scale achieved at Suzuka cut 18% from the cost of producing each Super Cub when Suzuka could be run at full capacity, but in the short term Honda faced excess inventory problems when the new factory went into operation before the full sales and distribution network was in place. The Super Cub has been compared to the Ford Model T , Volkswagen Beetle and the Jeep as an icon of 20th century industry and transport. The C100 used
4928-539: The handlebars and under the footpegs, protecting the rider's legs from wind and road debris , as well as hiding the engine from view. This design was like the full enclosure of a scooter, but unlike a scooter, the engine and gearbox unit was not fixed to the rear axle. This had several benefits. It moved the engine down and away from the seat, detaching the rear swingarm motion from the drivetrain for lower unsprung weight . It also made engine cooling air flow more direct, and made it possible to fit larger wheels. Placing
5016-517: The head tube to the seat. It also had a bit more power, increased from 3.4 to 3.7 kW (4.5 to 5 bhp) @ 9,500 rpm. Sub-variants of the Sports Cub were the C111, absent the pillion seat, and C110D, also called C114, which had a low exhaust pipe and the C115(not available in the US) with a 55cc engine and Sports Cub 55 horn grill and Honda 55 tank insignia. Early versions of the Sports Cub had
5104-545: The higher-revving 4.6 kW (6.2 bhp) 63 cc (3.8 cu in) engine of the CS65. Then the 4.6 kW (6.2 bhp) 71.8 cc (4.38 cu in) C70 replaced the C65 and CL65 in 1969. It had the same peak horsepower, but at 9,000 rpm instead of 10,000, and more torque, 0.53 kg⋅m (5.2 N⋅m; 3.8 lbf⋅ft) at 7,000 rpm instead of 0.48 kg⋅m (4.7 N⋅m; 3.5 lbf⋅ft) at 8,000 rpm. It
5192-440: The implications of Honda's campaign. But they also "tried to have it both ways", and soon joined Vespa and Yamaha in producing ads that were "suspiciously similar" to "You meet the nicest people." Whether they were being offended by or imitating Honda, at the time Harley-Davidson did not share the interpretation that Honda's advertisements, "added to the macho Harley image." The Honda Super Cub debuted in 1958, ten years after
5280-427: The larger off-road ring is nearly twice the diameter of the road ring. This large sprocket also required the left rear shock absorber to be repositioned outboard of the swingarm, on an extended top mount, the right side remaining in its normal C100 position inboard of the swingarm. The "105" bikes are largely identical to their "100" predecessor. The rear shock mounts are made further apart to place both outboard of
5368-578: The late 1990s, Honda introduced their newer NF series motorcycles, known as Honda Wave series , called the Honda Innova in some markets, which use steel tube frames, front disc brake, and plastic cover sets in various displacement options: 100 cc , 110 cc and 125 cc . Though not Cubs, these bikes sold consistently well particularly in European countries, where the production of Honda Cub models had been previously discontinued. However,
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#17327726686655456-405: The long single tube joining the rear pressed-steel frame with the forks. The bikes have knobby tires, and the Super Cub's large front fender was replaced with a smaller unit to better clear mud. The Trail Cub has a single saddle followed by a large chrome equipment rack, on which a second saddle can be installed. There is also a skid plate to prevent damage to the low-slung engine. As with all Cubs,
5544-509: The most popular models, staying in production for 13 years. In 1968 Honda announced a new CT50 Hunter Cub for the home market. This light-weight bike featured the new dual-range gearbox, coupled with a 3-speed transmission. It retained the Super Cub style leading-link fork. The CT110 is the final model of the Trail Cub line. It is largely identical to the CT90 except for an increase in engine size from 89.5 cc to 105 cc. Very late model CT110 have
5632-450: The most widespread and familiar versions of the Super Cub. Honda replaced the C100's 40 mm × 39 mm (1.6 in × 1.5 in) 50 cc OHV engine with the 39 mm × 41.4 mm (1.54 in × 1.63 in) OHC alloy head and iron cylinder engine from the CS50 and C65, which increased power from 3.4 to 3.6 kW (4.5 to 4.8 bhp). Similarly the CM90
5720-463: The music, and the upbeat images of respectable, middle and upper-class people, particularly women, riding Hondas became closely associated with the Honda brand ever since. The image Honda created was contrasted with the one percenter "bad boy" biker and became a focal point of Japan bashing boosterism of US-made Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Aside from Harley-Davidson fans, the company itself had
5808-523: The necessary service and spare parts distribution in a large country like the US. To this end American Honda Motor Company was founded in 1959. In 1961 a sales network was established in Germany, then in Belgium and the UK in 1962, and then France in 1964. The Honda Juno had been the first scooter to use polyester resin , or fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP), bodywork, and even though production of
5896-410: The new Trail Cub line its own CT designation by 1964, so any overview of the CT-series should include these first models for clarity. There is no CA100H because CA100 designated an America-only export Super Cub, hence H for Hunter version would not apply. These first bikes exhibit the chief characteristics of the Trail Cub line. The Super Cub's plastic engine cover and leg shield were removed, exposing
5984-412: The new lightweight motorcycle, making possible 3.4 kilowatts (4.5 hp) from a 50 cc four-stroke Honda engine , where the first engine the company built a decade earlier, a "fairly exact copy" of the 50 cc two stroke war-surplus Tohatsu engine Honda had been selling as motorized bicycle auxiliary engine, had only a 0.37–0.75 kilowatts (0.5–1 hp) output. Honda's first four-stroke,
6072-596: The next 5 years to directly threaten British bikes with technically sophisticated models such as the Honda CB750 , and the Kawasaki Z1 . As a case study in business and marketing, the campaign is still remembered half a century later, with one strategic management textbook saying, "Honda and the Supercub is probably the best known and most debated case in business strategy." It was credited with having "invented
6160-458: The original ST-series expired in 1998, and replica bikes have become a popular export product for many Chinese manufacturers such as Jincheng, Lifan, Panda, and Redcat. The Dax name resurfaced at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show with the e-DAX concept vehicle, a 25 kg folding electric wheel motor scooter meant to accompany the Bulldog concept car as a trunk bike. This car-scooter combination
6248-417: The overall size of the motorcycle market by attracting new riders. In a stroke of good fortune for Honda, Brian Wilson and Mike Love composed the 1964 song " Little Honda ", extolling the joys of riding the Honda 50, and even inviting the listener to visit their local Honda dealership, in language that sounded as if it could have been written, or at least paid for, by Honda's advertising copywriters, yet it
6336-472: The production of Honda Cubs in Asia and Africa still continues today, even though the newer Honda Wave Series and other designs have been introduced alongside the Cub. Starting in 2007 Japanese market Cubs began using Honda's PGM-FI fuel injection . Honda made a 2018 model year special edition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Super Cub production, with a celebration at the Ōzu, Kumamoto factory where
6424-438: The racetrack, while his close partner Fujisawa was the man of finance and business, heading up sales and formulating strategies intended to dominate markets and utterly destroy Honda Motor's competitors. Fujisawa had been thinking about a long term expansion strategy, and unlike other Japanese companies, they did not want to simply boost production to cash in on the recent economic boom in Japan. A small, high-performance motorcycle
6512-408: The rear wheel, which required the rider to dismount and thread the chain onto the desired sprocket. Later bikes placed the two-stage choice within the gearbox, and required the rider to only move a lever. The initial model numbers are Super Cub numbers with the suffix H for Hunter, or T for Trail. These bikes are technically not CT-series bikes, but C- and CA- series variants. However, Honda would give
6600-517: The semi-automatic transmission, "took the terror out of motorcycling" for novice riders. Unlike many scooters CVTs , the centrifugal clutch made it possible to push start the Super Cub, a useful advantage if the need arose. The early Super Cubs used a 6 volt ignition magneto mounted on the flywheel , with a battery to help maintain power to the lights, while later ones were upgraded to capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) systems. The lubrication system did not use an oil pump or oil filter , but
6688-516: The small wheels did poorly on badly maintained or nonexistent roads. Another of Fujisawa's requirements was that it could be ridden with one hand while carrying a tray of soba noodles, saying to Honda, "If you can design a small motorcycle, say 50 cc with a cover to hide the engine and hoses and wires inside, I can sell it. I don't know how many soba noodle shops there are in Japan, but I bet you that every shop will want one for deliveries." Once interested, Soichiro Honda began developing
6776-469: The swingarm (the C100T had only the left side outboard to clear the large sprocket). There is a slight increase in engine size from 49 cc to 54 cc, and 1963 sees the introduction the distinctive upswept exhaust with large chrome heat-shield. The 1964 CT200 is technically the first "CT-series" Honda. This bike represents a relatively large increase in engine size from 54 cc to 87 cc, and the introduction of
6864-407: Was a primitive splash-fed system for both the crankcase and gearbox, with a non-consumable screen strainer to collect debris in the engine oil. Both the front and rear brakes were drums . On both the front and rear wheels were 2.25" × 17" wire spoke wheels , with full-width hubs. Honda recommended daily checks of the lights, horn, tire pressure, brakes, fuel and oil level, and a weekly check of
6952-455: Was central to his plans. Upwardly mobile consumers in postwar Europe typically went from a bicycle to a clip-on engine , then bought a scooter , then a bubble car , and then a small car and onwards. Fujisawa saw that a motorcycle did not fit in this pattern for the average person, and he saw an opportunity to change that. Soichiro Honda was at the time tired of listening to Fujisawa talk about his new motorcycle idea; Honda came to Europe to win
7040-571: Was introduced in the USA, Canada and Asia at launch and in the UK in 1972. In 1960 the CZ100 arrived, using the same engine in a much smaller frame with only 5″ wheels. First of the Honda Z series , the CZ100 was meant only as a short-distance novelty or paddock bike , but instead found popularity in the monkey bike niche. An on- and off-road version of the Super Cub, what today would be classed as
7128-469: Was not a commercial jingle . The song was released by The Hondells in 1964, followed by the release of the original recording by The Beach Boys . In 1965 The Hondells released "You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda", another song promoting the Super Cub, which was actually used in Honda's TV spots, as a B side to their version of " Sea Cruise ." The long-running campaign, including the slogan,
7216-502: Was offered with a single saddle followed by a chrome baggage rack. A removable pillion seat can be fitted to this rack. Its 6-speed transmission is geared as a regular 5-speed plus one extra-low gear. In 2019 Honda Announced they would be bringing back the Iconic design of the CT110 with a model dubbed the CT125 (Not to be confused with the farm bike of the same name). It was released in Australia in 2020 and America in 2021. The vehicle
7304-517: Was previously introduced by Honda in 1981 with the City car and Motocompo folding scooter. In 2023 the ST125 was released in the European market. Honda CT series The Honda CT series was a group of Honda trail bike motorcycles made since 1964. The CT designation is a slight exception in Honda nomenclature in that "CT" does not indicate a series of mechanically related bikes, but rather
7392-524: Was produced from 1973 through 1975. The ST50 was reissued in 1995, and produced through 2000. The CT70 was also sold in the US from 1981 through 1994 with a new serial number format: JH2Dxxxxxxxxxxxxx, rather than the CT70-xxxxxxx format used since 1969. These 'JH2D' bikes are not listed in Honda Japan's production figures above and are perhaps licensed production. A key feature of the ST-series
7480-415: Was replaced in 1966 with the 89.5 cc (5.46 cu in) 5.6 kW (7.5 bhp) OHC CM91, which a year later on 1967, got restyled forks and headlamp like the C50, to become the familiar C90. Though the basic design of Cub remained unchanged, new styling and improvements included enclosed front forks. The C100 stayed in production alongside the newer versions one more year, until 1967. After 1980
7568-528: Was sold in Canada and the US as the CT70 "Trail 70" from 1969 to 1982 in the United States and 1986 in Canada, and reintroduced in 1991 until 1994 . It is a minibike distinguished by a pressed-steel "T-bone" frame, and equipped with folding handle-bars. The slightly larger ST90 Dax was sold in the US as the Trailsport , but was not given a CT-series designation. This was probably to avoid confusion with
7656-517: Was that they listened to the marketplace. People always suggest that it was about Japanese management , but, to be frank, I was never impressed with Japanese management. They did what no other motorcycle maker did—they listened." In 1960, McCormack noticed that one Honda dealer in Boise, Idaho was selling more Honda 50s than the combined total of all six dealers in Los Angeles. He found out that
7744-473: Was used on the 1965 CM90 step-through. New in 1965 was a 63 cc (3.8 cu in) engine with a chain-driven overhead camshaft (OHC). This was used in two new models: the C65, a step-through with 4.1 kW (5.5 bhp), and the S65, with a pressed steel sports frame and 4.6 kW (6.2 bhp) @ 10,000 rpm. In 1966 the C50 appeared and remained in production through the mid 80s, becoming one of
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