Honda Cub: The Most Successful and Highest Selling Two Wheeler in the World

In the year 2006, an episode on motorcycles on Discovery Channel’s The Greatest Ever series placed the Honda Super Cub in the first place.

The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan has included Honda Super Cub as one of their 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology.

The Cub or Super Cub is Honda’s most successful running series of two wheeler models since 1958. The engine specifications range from 49cc to 109cc. Initially designed as a step-thru with a horizontal engine layout, later models were also made as a motorcycle.

Since the production started in 1958, it has crossed 87 million mark by 2014 making it the highest selling production motorcycle in the world. The biggest reason, initially, for its success was its simplistic operational nature. There are just 3 gears along with a Centrifugal clutch (meaning no separate clutch like in a conventional motorcycle) which means it could be operated easily by pretty much anyone who knew how to balance a two wheeler. Also, it was designed as a ‘People’s bike’ keeping operational costs as low as possible. Over the time, it proved exceptionally reliable, durable and long lasting something that could be ridden in wide variety of terrain, a total workhorse.

The body was designed as an Underbone (or a Step-thru) covering the engine with body parts so that it remains protected from dirt and other debris while also providing some protection to the legs. It was, almost, an instant hit.

What did the biggest magic for Honda was their 1963 advertisement campaign which stated “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” – you have probably heard this line before. It counteracted to the not-so-friendly image that, at that time, bikers or motorcyclists were given mostly the leather clad young men on Harley Davidsons. The boom in the motorcycle market since that time can be credited to Honda, their Super Cub and in particular this ad-campaign because this opened a new segment and pulled in new riders to motorcycling.

After decades, the Super Cub and its various iterations are continuing the legacy. Models from the early years or even later have had number of owners in their lifetime and still run nonstop. There is, possibly, no other automotive engine on this planet that has had its reliability proven with such a longevity like the Honda Super Cub. Perhaps Honda knew that this won’t be maintained well enough and designed it in a way that it won’t have to be.

Motorcycle Author Roland Brown wrote “of all the brilliant bikes Honda have built — the CB750 superbike, Mike Hailwood's six-cylinder racers, the mighty Gold Wing, you name them — the most important of all is the C100 Super Cub of 1958.”

James May, of BBC’s Top Gear, wrote in one of his features, “Honda sold you a 50cc bike but gave you a mountain.”

And just to make a point. A derivative of Cub’s engine does duty in India’s most successful motorcycle ever, the Splendor.